GOOOOOAAAALLL!!! A CEO’s Reputation Is the Organization’s (Ask FIFA)

July 2026

CEO Reputations Can Boost or Stain their Organizations

Credit: Fabrice Coffrini/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Gianni Infantino

This past month, people around the globe have tuned in for the FIFA World Cup. For many, their excitement has been tempered by their distaste for Gianni Infantino, the controversial FIFA president. From bribery allegations to visa denials to reckless carbon emissions, the FIFA president is constantly in the headlines for poor behavior. His own reputation is tied to the association’s as well — millions recognize the corruption of both the man and the association.

On the other end of the spectrum, there are executives like Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, who enhance their organization’s reputation by building up their own. Spiegel recently donated $550 million to Californians in medical debt, a move that didn’t directly benefit Snapchat’s profit margins but certainly boosted public opinion.

Organizations know that their reputations matter, but some don’t realize that how their leader is perceived matters just as much. A CEO’s reputation is almost always intertwined with that of their organization, and the best time to build a positive image was yesterday.

Reputations of Nonprofits and their CEOs Rely on Each Other

Credit: Zelch Csaba

The reputations of a nonprofit and its chief executive are like the earth and the moon — always separate, but dependent on each other. Nonprofit public relations experts know, of course, to tend to an organization’s reputation, but nonprofit leadership reputation management is just as vital.

Reputation management for nonprofit chief executive officers is the strategic, ongoing practice of building, protecting and — when necessary — repairing the public perception of an executive leader. It encompasses everything from how a CEO shows up on LinkedIn to how they handle a tough question from a reporter. When done well, it ensures the right people know who the leader is, what they stand for and why their organization’s — and therefore the CEO’s — work matters.

Reputation management is an ongoing practice — most valuable when it begins long before a problem emerges and continues long after one resolves. For nonprofit CEOs, the question is never really whether their reputation is being shaped. It always is. The only question is whether it’s being shaped intentionally.

The key to effective reputation management is to not wait until your CEO needs it. If you wait until there’s a crisis, it’s already too late. Account Director Kylee Siaw says the best time to start was yesterday:

“Think of reputation management as preventative maintenance. It’s a lot easier to update a LinkedIn profile, build media relationships and establish thought leadership than it is to rebuild a reputation once it has been damaged.”

Read more in her blog.