From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhighly placedhighly placedIMPORTANTin an important or powerful position a highly placed government official → highly
Examples from the Corpus
highly placed• The proportion of highly placed advisers who had nothing to lose if serfs were emancipated would accordingly diminish.• Now and then, as a favor to highly placed people, Papa performed operations.• Some highly placed people were in fact former pupils of his.• It is not the first time Cole has investigated highly placed public figures.• The Gingrich investigation is hardly the first time Cole has taken on highly placed public figures.• Last night a highly placed source said the last 12 months had spelt the end of the marriage. 