In the wake of the public spat between the Ola Electric CEO, Bhavish Aggarwal and comedian Kunal Kamra, the persona of the 'Founder CEO' has come under increased scrutiny. Digital publication The Ken declared the death of the boring Indian CEO and simultaneously shuddered at the thought of currently being the PR point person for Ola Electric.
WIth this context PRmoment India editor-in-chief, Paarul Chand speaks with Senjam Raj Shekhar, head - global communications, Mobile Premier League (MPL) about how to handle PR for the founder CEO. Shekhar no stranger to handling founder CEOs at his previous stints at Flipkart shares his thoughts on whether founder CEOs are always in the middle of a PR crisis, can you really control the narrative around a CEO and why the Elon Musk persona may not work for everyone.
Read on.
The Indian Founder CEO and crisis management
Paarul Chand: Is a founder CEO's PR all about crisis management?
Senjam Raj Shekhar: Oh, absolutely! A founder-CEO's PR is only about crisis management. In fact, our entire career revolves around waiting for the next mishap to pop up so we can swoop in and save the day.
Jokes aside, the work that we do is far more ordinary with crisis management probably accounting for about 10-15 %. An overwhelming majority of our work involves a lot of heavy lifting around planning, messaging, thought leadership, content creation, media relations and events.
Paarul Chand: In an era of social media and instant news cycles, can PR ever truly control the narrative surrounding a founder CEO? Should they even try?
Senjam Raj Shekhar: The era of narrative control has truly passed. We are in an age of multiple narratives where news, opinions, and reactions spread so quickly, any story can take on a life of its own.
Rather than trying to micromanage every detail, PR should focus on guiding the conversation by being proactive and authentic. It’s about influencing the narrative, not controlling it, because the internet and the world will always do its own thing.
Channeling Elon Musk
Paarul Chand: Can copying a public persona, like Elon Musk's, be a sustainable PR approach for a CEO, especially in a market like India where societal expectations and norms are different?
Senjam Raj Shekhar: Copying is never a sustainable solution. Every leader is different and one's public persona needs to reflect the intrinsic character of that person. Lal Bahadur Shastri had a very different personality from Indira Gandhi. But both of them were known for decisiveness and for their leadership during two wars fought by India (1965 and 1971). Elon Musk is very different from Bill Gates or Steve Jobs, but all of them are known as tech visionaries in their own right.
There are however some instances where taking inspiration could bear some fruit. Vijay Mallya took inspiration from Richard Branson while building his CEO persona and it worked out pretty well, until his business troubles caught up with him
But there are also instances of blind copying that turned out to be disastrous. The disgraced Elizabeth Holmes of Theranos copied the style and public persona of Steve Jobs, but was soon exposed and is now serving time at a Federal prison.
Should a CEO comment on society issues
Paarul Chand: Given the potential for negative backlash, is it advisable for a founder CEO to engage in political or social commentary?
Senjam Raj Shekhar: A CEO is not just a captain of industry but is increasingly looked upon as a leader of the society. Millions of people look up to founders and CEOs. Should they shy away from expressing their views because there is fear of backlash? Absolutely not!
There are many founders who balance this well. Kiran Mazumdar Shaw has taken up issues relating to Bengaluru’s infrastructure or women’s issues quite effectively. Honest, constructive takes on social issues add to the persona of a CEO. There will be occasional trolls but that’s par for the course.
Paarul Chand: How can PR teams work with founder CEOs who may have a strong opinion or a tendency to micromanage?
Senjam Raj Shekhar: Yet to come across a founder without a strong opinion! What sets apart a successful founder is that they are often driven by strong opinion and belief which helps them shape their vision for the business and inspire their team. Yes, personality types differ. Some founders are naturally outspoken and passionate and others may be more reserved.It's the PR team's job to bring out the best in the CEO, while staying true to their natural personality.
Authentic CEO personas
Paarul Chand: How can PR teams help a founder CEO navigate the challenges of dealing with media scrutiny and public criticism?
Senjam Raj Shekhar: Scrutiny and criticism come with the territory when leading any successful organisation. The key to helping any leader is preparation. Media training, crafting key messages, proactive & ongoing engagement is the key to dealing with these challenges.
One common trait among all successful founders is their ability to recognize that criticism is part of being in the public eye. They filter out the unnecessary noise, focus on constructive feedback, and don’t let the surrounding chatter distract them from their core vision or values.
Paarul Chand: Your personal mantra for CEO PR management given you extensive experience working with founders?
Senjam Raj Shekhar: I firmly believe that a CEO’s personal brand can significantly enhance a corporate brand by lending credibility and trust, humanising the corporate brand, shaping organisational culture and attracting top talent.
Every CEO has a unique personality, and their public persona must be an authentic reflection of who they truly are. The most effective method is to leverage the leader's natural strengths, quirks, and communication style. You can never go wrong with that.
Senjam Raj Shekhar, is head - global communications, Mobile Premier League (MPL)
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