The Social Executive: Top Asia Pacific leaders say being active on social media is vital to success

However, a new report reveals less than 10% of chief executives in Asia Pacific are engaging on social media platforms.

SINGAPORE and KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia , June 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ —   Hootsuite , the most widely used platform for social media management, today releases a report, “The Social Executive: How to Influence Trust, Transparency, and the Bottom Line”, highlighting the importance of executive social media activity on the trust, perception and credibility of Asia Pacific companies.

While 93% of ASEAN100 companies have a social media presence, less than 10% of chief executives in these companies are active on social media. Examining the social media behaviours of chief executives across the Asia Pacific region, Hootsuite highlights the opportunity for executives to influence their organisation’s perception, build trust, and drive employee advocacy.

Key Findings

  • 93% of ASEAN100 companies have a social media presence
  • More chief executives from ASEAN100 companies are on social media (53%) as compared to leaders of Fortune 500 companies (39%)
  • Only 10% of chief executives across Asia Pacific are actively using these platforms
  • 86% of executives from Asia Pacific believe social CEOs have a positive impact on company reputation, with 76% believing it enhances the credibility

“In order to communicate the ideas and beliefs that drive us, and to invite conversations around the same, meaningful presence on social media becomes absolutely vital. The value it has created for Futurebrands is both tangible, in terms of greater interest in the advisory service we offer, and intangible, by way of the kind of engaged conversations we have sparked off through our social media provocations.” Santosh Desai , MD & CEO, Futurebrands, India

Marketing leadership: Partners to the Social Executive

Asia Pacific has a head-start, with more CEOs having a social media presence as compared to their global counterparts, but there is still room for further adoption.

70% of chief executives believe it’s risky to participate on social media. Those with trusted, capable communications counsel from their marketing leadership are better armed and ready to deploy and benefit from the strategic use of social media.

“Corporate reputation and business performance are increasingly dependent on social media. Social executives have more success inspiring employees, attracting new customers and talent, and building loyalty and trust,” said Rich Meiklejohn , General Manager, Asia Pacific , Hootsuite . “Having the support and involvement of all teams within an organisation is crucial to help executives build an active professional brand on social media channels.”

Leading by example: Asia Pacific’s top social executives

With customer engagements becoming increasingly more digital, traditional business models are changing and with it, the role and expectations of executives.

“We’ve encouraged employees to explore how online discourse through social media can empower them as global professionals, innovators and citizens. Through these interactions, IBM’s greatest asset — the expertise of its employees — can be shared with clients, shareholders, and the communities in which we operate.” Nishan Weerasinghe , CMO, IBM Systems for cloud Platforms, Asia Pacific .

Offering insights from some of Asia Pacific’s most identifiable and influential company leaders, Hootsuite’s report aims at changing attitudes of executives towards social media, and empowering marketing and communications leaders to drive this change.

For those looking to join the conversation, Hootsuite recommends following these active Asia Pacific executives on social media to see how impactful social can be:

Top Asia Pacific social executives (in alphabetical order):

Cameron Priest CEO of TradeGecko, @CameronPriest
Chris Leong CMO of Schneider Electric Hong Kong, @ChrisleongSECMO
Nishan Weerasinghe CMO of IBM Systems for Cloud Platforms APAC, @Nishzilla
Piyush Gupta CEO of DBS Bank, @Piyush24
Rekha, Menon Chairman and Senior MD of Accenture India, @Rekha_m_menon
Rosaline Chow Koo Founder and CEO of CXA Singapore, @RozChowKoo
Santosh Desai MD & CEO of Futurebrands India, @Desaisantosh
Tengku Zafrul CEO of CIMB Malaysia, @Zafrul
Tony Fernandes Group CEO of Air Asia, @tonyfernandes
Virender Aggarwal , Ramco Systems Singapore, @Virender_VA

About Hootsuite

Hootsuite is the most widely used social media management platform, used by over 15 million people around the globe and trusted by more than 800 of the Fortune 1000. Hootsuite’s battle-tested technology, extensive ecosystem, and social DNA help organizations to champion the power of human connections at scale. To learn more, visit www.hootsuite.com .