"Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain." The mantra of "Wizard of Oz" fame once struck a chord with a corporate culture that operated behind the proverbial curtain,
but more and more of these CEOs are public figures who work in the spotlight of success - or infamy.
An annual survey conducted by brand-strategy consultancy Lippincott Mercer with Chief Executive Magazine, out this month, highlights the highest (and most
visible) achievers - the top 25 CEO brand leaders - and reaches a conclusion: Measuring and monitoring a brand's health are the most important corner-office characteristics
(see chart), but CEOs' public personalities (and PR exec' ability to tie them in to the brand) take the cake.
"To the degree that PR professionals can skillfully develop an aura that shows that their CEO lives the brand, that sends a very strong message," says Suzanne Hogan, senior
partner at Lippincott Mercer who led the survey's development. "Values must align with CEO personalities."
Steve Jobs of Apple Computers, got the nod for the No.1 CEO brand leader; Jim Donald (Starbucks), Kevin Rollins (Dell), Meg Whitman (eBay) and James
Ziemer (Harley Davidson) round out the top five.
Contact: To reach Suzanne Hogan, contact Katie Wharton, 212.521.0089, [email protected].