High profile chief executives of technology companies can prove to be a liability to their companies a new survey of the technology industry has found.
The poll of about 800 marketing professionals showed falling respect for chief executives and their brands most closely followed drooping financial performance and stock price, the survey by marketers Liquid Agency, The Sausalito Group and Neale-May & Partners concluded.
"Perhaps had the industry done more to temper the rampant, often unrealistic, enthusiasm of a bull market, the current downturn in brand confidence and value would have been less severe," the survey report said.
It also said high-technology chief executives were closely identified with their products, often for the worse.
Microsoft's Mr Bill Gates and Oracle chief Mr Larry Ellison, two outspoken technology leaders, were first and second among those seen personally representing their brands.
But they were also along with Hewlett Packard’s Ms Carly Fiorina among chief executives who most had damaged their brands, according to the survey.
Hewlett-Packard and Compaq which are planning a much-criticised merger pushed by Ms Fiorina, and former stock market titan Cisco Systems, were seen worst at maintaining brand value in 2001, the survey said.
Microsoft, IBM and Dell were the best technology firms at maintaining brand value, the survey said.