# CEO reputation: the invisible asset worth billions that shapes the future of business

Do you know how much of a company's value hangs on the name of the person who leads it?

- Section: Culture & Management
- Published: October 22, 2026
- Address: https://ceoone.com.br/en/article/ceo-reputation-the-invisible-asset-worth-billions-that-shapes-the-future
- Em português: https://ceoone.com.br/artigo/a-reputacao-do-ceo-o-ativo-invisivel-que-vale-bilhoes-e-define-o-futur.md

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Photo: Hunters Race/Unsplash

## Key points

- Studies by Weber Shandwick indicate that 44% of a company's market value is tied to its CEO's reputation.
- According to the Brunswick Group, 60% of executives research the CEO's conduct before accepting an offer, and 80% cite the leader's image as a factor in staying at or leaving the company.
- The Edelman Trust Barometer shows global trust stuck at 57 points on a scale of 0 to 100, and canned speeches have lost their power to convince.

Spoiler: it is far more than most executives imagine.

For a long time, the image of whoever is in charge was treated as a behind-the-scenes detail or simply the natural result of a good quarterly report. The traditional logic was simple: deliver the results and the reputation takes care of itself. But the market has changed, public scrutiny has reached unprecedented levels, and the perception of leadership has become the decisive factor in how companies are valued, how they attract talent and how they sustain their business.

Global studies by the specialist consultancy Weber Shandwick reveal the real size of this asset: a striking 44% of a company's market value is directly tied to its CEO's reputation. This means that almost half of corporate valuation depends not only on proprietary technology or the product portfolio, but on the chief executive's ability to inspire predictability, security and consistency in times of uncertainty.

The impact of reputation is felt just as strongly in people management and in the ability to attract the best professionals in the market. Data compiled by the Brunswick Group show that 60% of executives and high-performing professionals research the CEO's conduct and public positions in depth before accepting a job offer. The impact carries over into retention: 80% of people cite the leader's image as a direct factor in the decision to stay or leave the company, ahead of even attractive benefits packages.

At the same time, research by economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett on the concept of Executive Presence shows that judgments about a leader's ability to command depend on the combined perception of gravitas, communication and technical consistency. In today's corporate environment, the market and teams do not assess only the cold numbers, but leadership's ability to project legitimate authority, show judgment at critical moments and make decisions in line with the ethical values the company has declared.

All of these demands become even more complex amid widespread institutional distrust. The annual Edelman Trust Barometer report indicates that the global trust index remains stuck at around 57 points (on a scale of 0 to 100). With public opinion and investors constantly on alert, canned speeches, corporate slogans and rehearsed LinkedIn posts have lost their power to convince the market.

Ultimately, executive reputation cannot be improvised at a big event, cannot be outsourced and cannot be fixed with an official statement sent to the press. It is pure business strategy, built act by act, choice by choice, in the daily routine and, above all, in the decisions made when the spotlights are off. In a hyperconnected and transparent market, your company's image is no longer what you publish about it; it has become, in fact, what investors, partners and employees say about the person who leads it.

## Sources and editorial notes

- Reference reporting and publications: O Estado de S. Paulo (Economia & Negócios column, article by Camila Farani, October 21, 2026).
- Research and institutions cited: Weber Shandwick, Brunswick Group, Edelman Trust Barometer (Edelman) and Sylvia Ann Hewlett (Center for Talent Innovation).

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