Why the CEO brand is key in a hyper-transparent working world

The captains of the ship, the pyramid purveyors, the torchbearers of culture, CEOs carry influence, authority, and visibility, not just internally but externally. 

The best-performing CEOs typically balance vision with execution, embodying both the strategic foresight to steer their organisations and the emotional intelligence to rally people behind a shared mission.

But what happens when public opinion starts to seep in? We talk about the global CEO brand and what it means in an ever-transparent working world.

The weight of a title

A CEO, Chief Executive Officer, is the highest-ranking executive in an organisation, so it's no surprise their role comes with a particular level of scrutiny.

While they aren't always the "face" of a company, the power of the position alone means they're susceptible to exposure, whether that's infamy or praise.

That's why you have entire PR teams on edge, waiting to either amplify the good press or pacify the bad, depending on your strategy, of course.

Some CEOs thrive on being edgy, and if it matches the brand aesthetic, this can work to an organisation's favour.

Either way, it's a fragile business.

Think of Elon Musk…

I know you might not want to think of Elon Musk. But we have to acknowledge that he's developed a reputation for being somewhat of an "edgy CEO", whether you like him or not. This is largely because he breaks from the conventional mold of corporate leaders.

Doing this like: 

• Communication style: He's blunt, sarcastic, and sometimes provocative on X (formerly Twitter), unlike most CEOs who stick to carefully scripted PR.

• Risk-taking: He frequently makes bold bets, like pushing SpaceX toward Mars colonisation, launching Tesla's Cybertruck with a polarising design, or founding Neuralink.

• Controversial statements: He often makes remarks that stir debate, from memes to political takes, which adds to his "edgy" public image.

• Unorthodox branding: Tesla and SpaceX rely less on traditional advertising and more on Musk's persona and online presence to attract attention.

Some people admire this as visionary and refreshing, while others criticise it as reckless or attention-seeking.

But is this brand strength? In some ways, yes. Even with Tesla's revenue dipping 12% year-on-year, Musk's visibility has cemented Tesla as a household name. Brand, after all, transcends quarterly sales; it's about enduring recognition, credibility, and influence.

What is brand strength? 

Brand strength is more than a logo on a website or a catchy tagline, it's the invisible muscle that allows an organisation to weather storms, attract talent, and earn trust. 

For CEOs, it's the cumulative effect of every decision, every public statement, every moment they're in the spotlight. Think of it as a reputation compound: small actions accumulate over time, and one misstep can either erode it or, conversely, one bold move can amplify it exponentially.

Consider what contributes to a CEO's brand strength:

• Consistency: Do their actions align with the company's values and messaging?

• Authenticity: Are they genuine in communication, culture, and decision-making?

• Visibility: Are they a clear, trusted face of the organisation, both internally and externally?

• Resilience: Can they maintain credibility and trust even in crisis situations?

• Influence: Do they inspire employees, customers, and investors to engage and advocate for the brand?

Think of Satya Nadella at Microsoft. His emphasis on empathy, culture, and growth mindset didn't happen overnight; it was a sustained effort that reshaped not just how employees viewed leadership but also how the market and customers perceived the company. 

That's brand strength in action: when the CEO's personal brand aligns seamlessly with the organisation's mission and values, it multiplies impact across every stakeholder group.

Contrast that with a CEO whose actions create disconnects. Even if quarterly earnings are strong, inconsistencies between personal behaviour and corporate messaging can weaken trust. Investors, employees, and customers notice, even in subtle ways, and over time, the brand suffers.

How to judge a CEO

We've even found ways of quantifying the quality of CEOs. Consider the Brand Guardianship Index by Brand Finance, which ranks CEOs based on their ability to sustain brand value. The framework looks at factors such as:

• Commercial performance: Is the company delivering results?

• Long-term investment: Is the CEO focused beyond short-term wins?

• Sustainability: Are they leading responsibly, with environmental and social impact in mind?

• Stakeholder equity: Are employees, investors, and customers aligned and engaged?

When it comes to a CEO, their reputation is intrinsically tied to that of the business. In the stock-driven, shareholder-conscious world we operate in, few things are more valuable than trust.

Lessons from Astronomer

Take Astronomer's recent scandal as an example. The company's CEO was filmed at a Coldplay concert in Singapore being inappropriate with another staff member (his Head of HR) - the clip spread rapidly across social media. 

Within hours, it wasn't just a private issue; it became the story about the company. Employees, customers, and even partners suddenly had questions about culture, values, and leadership.

In response, Astronomer made the unusual move of hiring Gwyneth Paltrow for a PR stunt, an attempt to redirect the conversation and soften the damage. 

But if anything, this underlined how fragile a CEO's brand really is. The stunt generated headlines, sure, but it also reinforced the perception that the company was in crisis mode, scrambling for distraction rather than addressing the core issue of trust.

Working world transparency

What does this tell us? In today's hyper-transparent world, the CEO's personal conduct is inseparable from the organisation's brand. Whether fair or not, the public reads individual behaviour as a reflection of corporate values. 

When leaders fall short, the reputational blow isn't limited to them, it ripples across the entire business.

For Astronomer, the incident showed how quickly the professional can become personal. Even in a company operating in a highly technical space, what resonated in the public imagination wasn't the product, but the person at the top. That's the weight of modern leadership: CEOs no longer just steer companies; they embody them.

Will it matter in the future?

Absolutely. If anything, the CEO brand will matter more. As AI and automation blur the lines of corporate identity, human leadership becomes the last differentiator. Consumers, employees, and investors will increasingly look to CEOs as the moral compass and authentic storytellers of their organisations.

The hyper-transparent world doesn't forgive easily, but it does reward clarity, accountability, and vision. The CEOs who understand this will not just lead companies; they will embody them.