Drives the Brand

Martha Stewart, Jack Welch, Steve Jobs—all are examples of the power of CEO branding. CEO reputation is becoming an essential component of successful companies’ overall branding strategy. And although you may not aspire to the CEO stardom of Bill Gates, there’s nothing preventing you from pursuing a CEO branding program for your company on a smaller scale.
Today, a corporation’s reputation is indelibly linked to that of its leader. A recent study by global communications consultancy Burson-Marsteller indicates that the CEO’s reputation is responsible for approximately 50% of a company’s reputation, directly translating into achieving key business objectives and increasing sales.
The survey noted that based on the reputation of the CEO:
* 95% decide whether to invest in a company* 94% will believe in a company under pressure from the media* 93% would recommend a company as a good alliance/merger partner* 92% maintain confidence in a company when the share price lags* 88% recommend the company as a good place to work
“CEOs and corporate reputation are inextricably linked and have a proven impact on the bottom line,” said Leslie Gaines-Ross, chief knowledge and research officer at Burson-Marsteller and author of CEO Capital: A Guide to Building CEO Reputation and Company Success (Wiley, 2002).
Although recent scrutiny about corporate behavior has led many CEOs to prefer a lower profile, this is shortsighted, according to Gaines-Ross. “Consumers now care more than ever about the authenticity of the corporate brand, and CEO reputation is critical ingredient. Similar to any wealth-creating asset, CEO reputation needs to be invested in, earned, and leveraged over the long term to reap enduring benefits.”
Regardless of the size and complexity of the organization, the person in charge sets the tone, defines the style, and becomes the company’s public face. Employees, customers, shareholders, analysts, and the media all monitor the CEO for insights into the corporation’s culture, values, and commitment to what the brand represents.

Vikas Kumar Azad PGDM III Sec A