Who is the more successful and influential leader? Bezos, Musk or Zuckerberg? Or are there lesser-known CEOs finding new paths and creating phenomenal results for their businesses? Be it well-known or unknown, being a CEO is a daunting task. In a turbulent world like today’s, with wars and pandemics, it is challenging to balance the needs of multiple parties: stakeholders, employees, investors and greater society. No wonder the average time as CEO of a Fortune 500 company has come down to 6.9 years from 9.7 years in 2013.
On the other hand, the likes of Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Steve Jobs – the longest-serving CEOs – have apparently remained in their roles for an average of 33 years. Indeed, the world remembers them as some of the most influential leaders. A study by James M. Citrin, Claudius A. Hildebrand, and Robert J. Stark, named The CEO Life Cycle, says that the most successful years for CEOs are between 10–15 years. They call it the Golden Years, during which a CEO’s long-term commitment and ability to reinvent the company are coming to fruition. Unfortunately, most CEOs would drop out of the race before they reach their Golden Years, whether for performance, health, or personal reasons. Ultimately, it is the strongest stays and creates history.
In this issue, we celebrate the success of CEOs worldwide by featuring the 10 Most Influential CEOs in 2022. Our team of experts has hand-picked the best-performing leaders who have exceeded the broad expectations of directors, shareholders, customers, and employees. On the cover, we feature Brian Gladden, CEO of SI2, a seasoned corporate innovator, Blue Ocean strategist, and business model expert. He has over 30 years of consulting/sales experience with start-ups and Fortune 500 firms such as Verizon, Sprint, Intel, Cisco, and CGI. We hope our stories inspire the next generation of CEOs aspiring to make successful global organisations.
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