What the index examines
The programme connects leadership reputation with communicated experience, performance and future expectations. Attention alone is not a substitute for the other dimensions.
CEO visibility & evaluation
The visibility and tone of leadership coverage.
Women in leadership coverage
Representation of female leaders in management reporting.
Innovation
R&D spending and the coverage of innovation.
Financial strength
Corporate performance, including return on investment.
Employer image
The organisation’s image among potential employees.
Strategic sustainability
SDG positioning in corporate financial reporting.
A historical example
The 2025 Handelsblatt chart uses 23,612 media reports from 29 leading outlets for January–November 2025. It covers DAX40 CEOs above the study’s visibility threshold, rather than a live ranking.
Read the source methodology and component definitions alongside the scores.