Are You Hiding Behind Your Company’s Logo or Are You Its Strongest Asset?
We are witnessing an increasingly fast-paced way of doing business. Every day, we are exposed to an enormous amount of news, information and content. In this communication tsunami of modern business, one question arises: has the line between a leader’s personal brand and the identity of the company they lead disappeared?
There are leaders whose names have become almost inseparable from the companies and business ideas they represent. Elon Musk is one of the most recognizable examples of this relationship between an individual and a business brand. Mark Zuckerberg has represented the face of the company we now know as Meta for decades, while Jeff Bezos, although no longer CEO of Amazon, remains one of the most recognizable names associated with the company he founded.
On the other hand, how many people outside the business community know that Sundar Pichai is the CEO of Google and Alphabet? Or that Airbus is led by Guillaume Faury, The Walt Disney Company by Josh D’Amaro, and Nike by Elliott Hill?
Of course, some will say: those who need to know them already do.
But is that enough today?
Do We Want to Do Business With Faceless Companies?
Today’s customers, partners and investors, as well as top young talent entering the job market, do not get to know a company only through its products, annual reports or logo.
They want to know who is leading it. They want to understand the values of the people making decisions. They want to see whether there is a person behind the corporate identity who has a point of view, integrity and the ability to communicate.
Today, perhaps more than ever, a CEO is also a representative of the company and the brands they lead. This does not mean that every CEO needs to become an influencer or post on social media every day. It means understanding that their visibility, communication style and personal identity influence how the organization itself is perceived.
For me, one of the best examples of this is Richard Branson.
Richard Branson Is Not the Virgin Logo. But Without Him, Virgin Would Not Have the Same Identity.
Today, Virgin brings together more than 40 companies across different industries and operates in 35 countries. Its businesses span areas such as travel, telecommunications, financial services, health and other sectors.
What connects so many different industries under one name?
Of course, they are connected by Virgin’s visual and corporate identity. But there is something else that has given the brand a human face for decades: Richard Branson’s personal values.
His adventurous spirit, entrepreneurial mindset, focus on innovation, approach to people and willingness to speak publicly not only about success, but also about mistakes, experiences and life lessons have become part of how the public perceives Virgin.
When Branson talks on his social media channels or in interviews about mistakes, experiences, employees, new ideas or lessons he has learned in life, he is not simply building his own reputation.
At the same time, he is strengthening the story and identity of the business group he represents.
This may be one of the most important lessons today’s managers can learn from his example.
People Connect With People, Not Corporate Memos
If you are a CEO or a board member, think about what people can learn about you beyond your official biography.
Your LinkedIn posts do not have to be limited to announcements about acquisitions, new products, financial results or business conferences.
Share how you solved an internal challenge. Talk about what you learned from a wrong decision. Introduce someone from your team who deserves recognition. Speak about the values you want to see within your organization.
Of course, announcing a major acquisition or launching a new brand will attract attention. But try to go one step further.
Give people a reason to get to know the person behind the decision.
Empathy may never have been more important for leaders and managers. New talent wants to see the side of a leader that has nothing to do with Excel spreadsheets, financial indicators or board presentations.
I am sure that within every management board, as well as across the wider organization, there are people who deserve your attention and your story.
Tell it.
Authenticity Can Create Business Value
Building a leader’s personal brand today is not simply a matter of personal promotion. It can be a strategic tool for the company.
Leaders and managers who have integrity, a recognizable identity and an authentic way of communicating can contribute to trust in the company, bring it closer to potential partners and talent, and strengthen the people who already work within the organization.
Perhaps the question is no longer whether a CEO should be visible.
The question is how they choose to use that visibility.
It is time for every leader to decide whether they are willing to step outside their comfort zone and become a manager with a clear identity. Someone who is not simply a signature on a document or a name on a corporate website, but one of the company’s strongest communication assets.
Every leader, of course, has a choice.
They can remain hidden behind the company’s name and logo.
Or they can become a visible, recognizable and authentic leader their employees can be proud of.
What is your view? Should today’s managers actively build their personal brands, or should they leave their communication to PR and communications teams?