Mukesh Ambani secures top spot in the 2024 Brand Guardianship Index among Indians, ranking second worldwide.

Mukesh Ambani, the chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), has achieved the top position among Indians and secured the second spot globally in the Brand Guardianship Index 2024, as per the rankings compiled by Brand Finance. Ambani surpassed prominent global corporate leaders like Satya Nadella of Microsoft, Sundar Pichai of Google, Tim Cook of Apple, and Elon Musk of Tesla. Other notable Indians in the list included N. Chandrasekaran, chairman of Tata Sons, who ranked fifth, and Anish Shah of Mahindra Group at sixth place.

Brand Finance's Brand Guardianship Index is a global acknowledgment of CEOs who contribute to sustainable business growth by balancing the interests of stakeholders such as employees, investors, and society at large. Mukesh Ambani received a BGI score of 80.3, closely trailing Huateng Ma of China-based Tencent, who scored 81.6. In the 2023 ranking, Ambani held the second position globally.

This year, Ambani claimed the top spot in the Brand Guardianship Index 2024 among 'Diversified' conglomerates. The index, designed by Brand Finance, employs a comprehensive scorecard to evaluate CEOs' ability to serve as stewards of their company's brand and long-term value.

According to the survey, Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors have emerged as the primary influence on CEO reputation. The Brand Guardianship Index underscores the importance of CEOs who successfully navigate the intersection of commercial success, sustained brand development, and personal reputation management.

The survey also highlights that being recognized as a 'sustainability champion' contributes significantly to reputation scores, followed by factors such as perceived trustworthiness, possessing a strong strategy and vision, and global recognition. The Brand Guardianship Index encompasses 'Perception' factors, which capture current perceptions, 'Performance' factors, reflecting tangible results, and 'Promotion' factors, supporting future perceptions and performance.