CEO positioning and CEO communications
At a time when crises, social media attacks and corporate scandals regularly dominate the headlines, scepticism towards brands, organisations – and the people who lead them – is growing. This is precisely where trust is decisive: not through marketing messages, but through visible, authentic actions by executives.
Today, the CEO is the central figure in reputation management – and their executive communications have a major impact on how a company is perceived. As an agency for CEO positioning and CEO communications, we show how these topics are no longer optional extras, but fundamental to a corporate strategy.
Trust is built through actions, transparency and dialogue. Reputation, in turn, is based on meaning, authenticity, sustainability and ethical consistency. It's about mindset and attitude – and is most effectively conveyed through a person, a voice, a face.
As a strategically relevant leadership tool, CEO positioning is vital for the reputation, brand value, changeability and future viability of companies.
Would you like to find out how CEO positioning can strengthen your company?
In a no-obligation initial consultation, we will show you the opportunities that your CEO communications can offer.
Rafael Rahn
Why CEO positioning is decisive to success
The CEO is more than just the top executive – they are the communicative figurehead of the company. They embody the purpose, vision and credibility of an organisation. Their words and demeanour directly shape a brand's reputation.
Reputation, brand value and corporate governance are now closely linked to the impact of CEOs. Purchasing decisions, investor confidence and talent acquisition are more strongly linked than ever to credible leadership communication.
Simply being visible is not enough. What is essential is authentic, consistent and strategically managed CEO positioning. Only when attitude, content and behaviour are combined in a compelling way can true thought leadership emerge.
CEO communications then become a strategic success factor. they strengthen the brand, consolidate relationships with stakeholders and bring a company's future viability to life.
The tangible benefits for your company
Effective CEO positioning not only benefits the individual, it also directly contributes to the success of the entire company:
- Enhance reputation and brand value – the CEO becomes a credible leader, lending the brand trust and charisma.
- Gain the trust of customers and investors – authentic communication strengthens loyalty and creates security in markets full of uncertainty.
- Attract talent and retain employees – a visible, inspiring leader makes the company more attractive as an employer.
- Secure influence in public discourse – through a clear stance and thought leadership, the company sets the agenda instead of being dictated to by others.
- Secure long-term competitiveness – good CEO communications strengthen a company's future viability in dynamic markets.
Mini case study 1:
Industrial companies in transformation
An international technology group faced the challenge of making its transformation towards sustainability and digitalisation visible. Internally, the path was clear, but externally, credibility was lacking.
Together with the CEO, we developed a clear positioning architecture that established him as the voice of change. With LinkedIn thought leadership posts, selected interviews in business media and keynotes at industry events, he was able to credibly set the agenda. After just six months, positive feedback in trade media increased by 40%, and the CEO was increasingly perceived as a driving force in the discourse.
Mini case study 2:
Medium-sized hidden champion
A highly export-oriented medium-sized company wanted to strengthen its employer brand in order to attract skilled workers in the face of international competition. The CEO had previously been largely invisible, even though he stood for values such as innovation and a down to earth mindset.
We supported him in sharpening his profile and developing topics, created consistent storytelling and used formats such as podcasts, guest articles and video statements. Through continuous communication, the company significantly increased its appeal in the labour market: the number of qualified applications rose by 35%, and the CEO was regularly quoted as an opinion leader in relevant industry media.
CEO communication:
making attitudes visible,
building trust
Good CEO communication is not self-promotion or a short-term personal branding experiment. It is a strategic management tool that supports corporate goals – from market positioning and innovation leadership to employer branding.
CEO positioning is all about demonstrating attitude, providing guidance, creating meaning – and understanding it as an integral part of overall corporate communications. Every message has to be credible, consistent and honest – and consistent with the company's actions.
Relevant content arises at the interfaces between business, technology and society. CEOs provide context for megatrends such as artificial intelligence, sustainability, transformation, skills shortages and geopolitical developments. Their assessments and comments foster trust, provide guidance and highlight future viability.
This makes CEO communications a decisive factor in reputation and impact: they position the company in public discourse, secure the loyalty of important stakeholders and show that leadership is more than just management – it is responsibility and attitude.
A roadmap for the strategic positioning process
Credible, effective CEO positioning never happens by chance. It is the result of a clearly defined process in which the CEO's personality, attitude and vision are translated into topics, formats and public perception.
Context analysis & expectations
The basis is a well-founded situation analysis. It shows where positioning is possible and which content is compatible. Key questions include:
- What is driving the industry?
- What is driving the company?
- What topics are of concern to internal and external stakeholders?
- What points of contact arise from the market?
- What potential exists in the social context?
- How do opinion-leading media outlets report on the issues?
- How does the competition position itself in this discourse?
Profile refinement & guidelines for positioning
The CEO's profile is clearly defined on the basis of the situation analysis. Personality, attitude and communication style are aligned with strategic requirements and corporate goals. Key questions include:
- What does the CEO stand for?
- What convictions, values and principles shape them?
- What are their main concerns?
- How do they want to come across?
- Where do their communicative strengths lie?
- What is their natural tone?
The profile has to be genuine and fit their personality. Authenticity is the basic prerequisite for credibility.
Topics & storylines
Positioning doesn't mean being a player everywhere. It's about being visible in the right areas in a way that's focused and meaningful. The agenda is created at the intersection of business relevance, social significance and individual CEO competence. Key questions are:
- Which topics that are important to the company's strategy are publicly relevant?
- What visions and positions can and will the CEO credibly represent?
- Where can the CEO provide impetus?
- What long-term narratives can be developed?
Orchestrating formats and channels
Not every message is suitable for every channel – and not every format is suitable for every CEO. The key is to find a meaningful mix that creates reach and depth. Classic formats include:
- Newsletters
- LinkedIn posts
- Interviews
- Podcasts
- Panel appearances
- Keynotes
- Guest contributions in specialist publications
- White papers
- Expert commentary
- Video statements
A carefully orchestrated editorial plan ensures recognisability without risking over-exposure – and ensures that every measure contributes to strategic positioning.
Resonance monitoring & further development
CEO positioning is a dynamic process. It requires planning – as well as continuous reflection and adaptation:
- Monitoring media and digital resonance
- Obtaining feedback from internal target groups and actively shaping stakeholder dialogue
- Evaluating impact based on defined KPIs
- Optimisation and reframing where necessary
- Expansion of new topics
The goal is communication that gains depth and relevance with each iteration. Not through volume or frequency, but through substance.
Platform strategy instead of platform star
For the longest time, CEOs who were visible on social media were seen as progressive, approachable and modern. Today, the landscape is more nuanced. It's not about being active on all platforms at once, but about strategically using the right channels. The key is where a CEO can be credible with their topics.
In the B2B sector, LinkedIn remains the most important platform for CEO communications. This is where visibility can be generated, topics set, debates held and dialogues initiated – whether on strategic positioning, social attitudes or strengthening the employer brand.
The rule here is: quality beats quantity. Thought-leadership content needs substance more than frequency.
X (formerly Twitter)
Since the takeover by Elon Musk, many CEOs, companies and institutions have reduced their presence on X. In Europe, the platform is now only useful in special cases, for example:
- Political positioning & public affairs in regulated markets
- International specialist communities (e.g. AI, climate tech, biotech)
- Crisis communications when real-time communication is necessary
However, for the majority of companies, X hardly plays a strategic role anymore.
Facebook is largely irrelevant when it comes to CEO communications. It can only be useful in specific contexts, such as for CSR topics with local relevance or employer branding in commercially oriented target groups.
TikTok
TikTok is not a standard channel for CEOs, but it offers potential in industries with a young target group (e.g. FMCG, fashion, education, mobility). Here, a media-savvy CEO with an authentic and confident presence can achieve enormous reach – for example, in employer branding or in recruiting young talent.
Conclusion: relevance over reach
Not every CEO needs to be present everywhere. The decisive factor is not the number of platforms, but the strategic selection.
Thought leadership comes from relevant content, not likes. Traditional channels such as trade media, conferences or proprietary formats can also make a difference.
CEO communications as part of the share-of- voice strategy
In an increasingly fragmented media environment, product quality or innovative strength alone are no longer enough to shape markets. Visibility, relevance and trust determine a company's position in the competitive arena.
CEO communications ensure interpretive authority in public discourse. If you want to be heard, you need to be present. If you want to exert influence, you need a clear standpoint. Thought leadership is not created through short-term attention, but through long-term relevance of content and a clear stance.
Especially in complex B2B markets, regulated industries or socially charged topics, it is vital to consciously build opinion leadership. If your own CEO remains silent, others will take over the authority to influence public discourse – competitors, critics or lobbyists.
Consciously shaping share of voice
CEO communications are a key component in any share-of-voice strategy. They work on different levels:
- In the trade press through interviews and guest articles
- In industry forums and conferences through keynotes and panels
- In LinkedIn dialogue through continuous, substantial contributions
- In public perception during transformation processes
This is how the CEO's voice becomes the voice of the company – and his or her leadership communication becomes the decisive factor for trust and influence.
What an agency
can achieve with
strategic CEO positioning
Effective CEO positioning is not created by chance. Our agency for CEO communications combines strategy, editorial excellence and creative storytelling to give leaders lasting visibility.
We support companies and their leaders from analysis through to implementation – and ensure that every measure contributes to the overall positioning.
Development of a customised positioning architecture
Based on the corporate strategy, the CEO's personality and the key target groups, we develop a customised positioning architecture. It defines guidelines, topics and narratives that strengthen the communicative figurehead.
Editorial planning & topic development
We create a clearly structured editorial plan, develop relevant storylines and orchestrate topics across all channels. This creates a consistent presence without overloading.
Content production of the highest standard
From messaging to media training and interview preparation to keynotes, social media content and video formats, we deliver content that makes CEOs strong – strategically, journalistically precise and creatively implemented.
Building strategic media presence
We ensure the right placement in the trade and business press, at conferences and in digital formats – from classic press relations and media relations to speaker positioning and thought leadership campaigns. Speaker positioning and media relations make the CEO a relevant voice in the discourse.
Resonance analysis & continuous development
Through systematic monitoring and evaluation, we ensure that communication is effective. We adjust topics, formats and messages where necessary and continuously develop positioning.
Consulting in sensitive situations
Professional support is especially important in crises, phases of transformation or when there is high public pressure. We advise CEOs in delicate communication situations and provide confidence in leadership communications.
Good CEO communications are never achieved by chance. They are the result of consistent, professional support across all channels. We make leadership visible – with strategic clarity, journalistic precision and creative execution.
Why choose to work
with the Ruess Group?
At the Ruess Group, we have been supporting CEOs and leaders in strategic positioning and communications for many years. We combine strategic clarity, journalistic precision and creative execution with an interdisciplinary approach.
Our strength lies in combining the CEO's personality, the company's goals and the expectations of stakeholders into a coherent overall landscape. We think strategically and editorially, from traditional media to digital platforms – and ensure that every measure has an impact.
Companies place their trust in us because we:
- make complex topics understandable and relevant,
- choose the right channels and formats,
- understand CEO communication as an integrated management issue, not as a campaign,
- and provide certainty with experience from international projects.
FAQs on CEO positioning
How does a CEO positioning project unfold?
The process begins with an analysis of the environment, stakeholders and market. This is followed by sharpening the CEO's profile, developing storylines and topics, and orchestrating suitable formats and channels. Continuous monitoring and further development ensure that the positioning remains dynamic and effective.
How long does it take for the impact to become visible?
The first results can usually be seen after just a few months – for example, through greater visibility in trade media or a response on digital channels. Sustainable thought leadership and interpretive authority usually develop over a period of 12 to 18 months.
How much do professional CEO communications cost?
The costs depend on the scope of services. Individual measures such as media training or editorial plans start in the mid four-digit range. Comprehensive positioning programs that combine strategy, content production and media relations range from five to six figures. The decisive factor here is the ratio of investment to impact.
How does CEO positioning differ from personal branding?
Personal branding often focuses on individual visibility. CEO positioning, on the other hand, is strategic corporate communication with the CEO as the leading figure. It serves to enhance brand value, reputation and trust in the organisation – far beyond personal presence.
Why is it worth involving a specialised agency?
We bring an outside perspective, can assess issues objectively and have the editorial, strategic and creative experience to position CEOs credibly. A specialised agency ensures that communication is not only visible, but also effective and consistent.
Strategische Kommunikationsberatung
Good CEO communication never happens by chance. It is the result of consistent support from an experienced agency specialising in CEO positioning – across all channels.
Rafael Rahn