The document discusses the importance of CEO reputation in today's business environment, highlighting that up to 45% of a company's reputation is linked to its CEO. It emphasizes that effective public engagement is crucial for CEOs, with 81% of respondents believing a visible public profile enhances a company's regard. Additionally, the summary includes insights on the impact of social media and gender neutrality in the perception of CEO reputation.

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The CEO
Reputation Premium:
Gaining Advantage in the
Engagement Era

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CEO reputation evolution
1900s 1950s 1980s Late 1990s Early 2000s TODAYLate 2000s
Organization
Man
Celebrity
CEO
Dot.com
CEO
Smart
Creatives
Industrialist
CEO
Recession
CEO
Engaged and
Humble CEO

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what we learned
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#1 CEO reputation matters
% of company’s
reputation
attributed to
CEO’s
reputation
45%
% of company’s
market value
attributed to
CEO’s
reputation
44%
% expect CEO
reputation to
matter more in
next few years50%
% say CEO
reputation
retains
employees
70%
% say that CEO
reputation
attracts new
employees77%

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#2 public engagement
is the new CEO mandate
Nothing works as well as that personal presence,
despite the personal toll that can take.
“ ”— MICHAEL USEEM
DIRECTOR OF THE CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP AND CHANGE MANAGEMENT
AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA’S WHARTON SCHOOL
81%
81% report it is
important for CEOs to
have a visible public
profile for a company
to be highly regarded

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Global English Language Top Tier Outlets Aggregated by Factiva
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
#articles
Media coverage of CEO humility
#3 humble CEOs are being noticed

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#4 CEOs need multiple external platforms
External
engagement
activities that are
important for
CEOs to do

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#5 CEO sociability comes
with reputational rewards
Category 1
Highly
Regarded CEOs
Poorly Regarded
CEOs
24%
7%
CEO Participates in Social Media

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#6 reputation is gender-blind
Executives with male CEOs Executives with female CEOs
Company reputation
very strong
38%
36%
CEO reputation
very strong
35%
33%
% of company
market value
attributed to CEO
reputation
43%
47%

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the CEO’s 12-step guide to reputation
and engagement

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THANK YOU!
CAROL BALLOCK
Executive Vice President,
Executive Equity & Engagement Lead
Weber Shandwick
cballock@webershandwick.com
LESLIE GAINES-ROSS
Chief Reputation Strategist
Weber Shandwick
lgaines-ross@webershandwick.com
For more information about The CEO
Reputation Premium: Gaining
Advantage in the Engagement Era,
please contact:
For more information about Weber
Shandwick’s Executive Equity&
Engagement offering, please contact:
#ceoreputation