In today’s hyper-transparent world, companies rise and fall not only on the strength of their balance sheets, but also on the credibility of their leaders. This truth was once again underscored with the release of the CARMA PH CEO Media Index Report 2025, which I had the privilege of unveiling during my plenary talk at the 32nd National PR Congress of the Public Relations Society of the Philippines.
The Index, developed by global media intelligence firm CARMA, provides a detailed analysis of how ten of the Philippines’ top CEOs are portrayed in traditional and digital media. It goes beyond counting clippings or mentions. Specifically, CARMA profiles CEOs based on five trust-building attributes:
Strong leadership: The ability to guide and influence others while effectively communicating vision and actions in ways that shape public perception and trust.
Strong communication skills: Delivering meaningful and favorable content for the brand.
Great foresight: Showing critical thinking when it comes to future planning and possibilities.
Openness and transparency: A readiness to communicate openly and share clear, honest and accessible information.
Ethical behavior: Acting with integrity and responsibility, ensuring decisions and actions align with moral values.
Who stood out
The 2025 results put Manny V. Pangilinan (MVP) and Ramon S. Ang (RSA) at the top of the rankings.
MVP dominated coverage in infrastructure, telecommunications, and sports, often framed as a leader with great foresight and strong leadership in industries crucial to national development. RSA, meanwhile, was highly visible in aviation, energy, and philanthropy, frequently highlighted for his decisiveness and social responsibility.
But perhaps the most telling finding is that ethical leadership was largely absent from media narratives, even in coverage of CEOs’ sustainability initiatives and commitments. The exception was RSA, who was consistently portrayed as acting with integrity and responsibility, particularly when his companies’ community support and disaster relief programs were covered.
Another important insight is that while CEOs often appear in news stories, headline visibility was limited. Two executives stood out here: MVP, through his leadership of Meralco, and RSA, through his stewardship of Petron Corp. and San Miguel Corp. Both registered the highest number of headlines directly carrying their names, highlighting their prominence not just in the body of stories but in the most visible and influential parts of coverage.
The Index also captured how new leadership can draw immediate attention. Carl Raymond Cruz of Globe Telecom, who took the helm in April 2025, was featured in a significant number of headlines compared to other CEOs. His entry into a critical industry at a pivotal time was quickly reflected in heightened media visibility, underscoring how leadership transitions can shape reputational narratives.
Why this matters
The results of the Media Index matter because the CEO effect on reputation is enormous. Global studies suggest that as much as 45 percent to 50 percent of a company’s reputation is directly attributed to its chief executive.
When a CEO is consistently framed with trust attributes, the halo effect extends to the entire organization. It enhances investor confidence, reassures regulators, builds customer loyalty, and boosts employee morale. Conversely, when CEOs are portrayed as opaque, inconsistent, or ethically questionable, the reputational damage cascades from the individual down to the enterprise.
In short, CEOs are no longer just managers. They are frontliners of reputation, and their visibility and credibility can either stabilize or destabilize corporate trust.
A tool for PR professionals
What makes the CARMA CEO Media Index especially valuable is that it is not just a research report. It is a practical tool for communicators.
PR professionals can use it to:
Benchmark executive visibility and credibility against peers and competitors, showing boards how their CEO stacks up in the public arena.
Diagnose reputational strengths and gaps by analyzing which trust attributes are consistently associated with their CEO and which are absent or underplayed in media coverage.
Guide content and engagement strategies; for example, if a CEO is seen as strong on leadership but weak on openness and transparency, communicators can design speaking opportunities, interviews, and digital engagement to reinforce that missing attribute.
Defend budgets and strategies by presenting objective, third-party data to CEOs, CFOs, and boards, proving that PR outcomes are measurable, comparable, and actionable.
In essence, the Index transforms PR from reporting vanity metrics to presenting boardroom-ready insights. It equips communicators with the language and evidence that decision-makers respect.
Implications for reputation management
The implications are clear: reputation management today must include executive positioning as a strategic priority. It is no longer enough for companies to tell great brand stories or launch creative campaigns. The CEO’s narrative has become a core driver of stakeholder trust.
This means:
CEOs must embody strong leadership and foresight in ways that inspire stakeholders.
Communications teams must help leaders demonstrate openness and transparency, particularly in moments of scrutiny.
Ethical behavior must move from being absent in coverage to being central, and PR must help CEOs communicate these commitments credibly.
The bigger message is this: the plot twist in public relations is not about chasing more attention. It is about proving credibility and banking trust.
For communicators, the challenge is to stop measuring noise and start managing narratives. For CEOs, the challenge is to recognize that they are not just figureheads of companies, they are the currency of corporate trust.
And for organizations as a whole, the reminder is timely: in an economy where scrutiny is sharper and trust is fragile, reputation is built not only on what companies do, but on how their leaders are seen, heard and believed.
