The influence of executive branding on the results of a company

A recent survey (Weber Shandwick, in partnership with KRC Research, The CEO Reputation Premium: Gaining Advantage in the Engagement Era), conducted with the participation of 1,700 executives on executive branding and its impact on business results has found: more than 40 percent of a company’s market value comes from the reputation of its CEO.

Judit Szalóky Tóth
Partner
Boyden

Our personal brand does exist, irrespective of whether we want it or not. The personal brand is basically a perception of us in the minds of others that is a based on a series of our actions. An attractive brand – and this is also true for executive brands – doesn’t only raise the attention of investors, but is also key in keeping and recruiting workers.

In the last few months I talked to 25-30 well-known CEOs about business strategy issues, and all of them answered my questions with great confidence and enthusiasm; but when I asked the same questions about themselves, there were long silences, lots of thinking and long answers. This is especially interesting in the light of the fact that 8 from 10 international CEOs say the top executive should have a visible public profile if they want the company to be successful.

What does it take to have such a profile? Being consistent, conscious and having self-knowledge. Skills, results, values, individual characteristics and personal motivations – a CEO needs to be aware of these to have a personal brand that is characterised by self-identity and authenticity. What is the next step? Communicating these values to the world. My experience is that professional prestige and personal image are both essential for the success of a company. //