A new report from Medianet Insights reveals Australian CEOs are facing mounting reputational pressure, with gender, visibility, and crisis response now key determinants of media impact. The analysis covered more than 15,000 media mentions of ASX 300 CEOs between January and June 2025.
Women at forefront in crisis coverage
Only 8% of CEOs in the ASX 300 are women, yet the study found they consistently led media coverage, particularly during organisational crises. Vanessa Hudson of Qantas and Amanda Bardwell of Woolworths were the most visible CEOs at Australia’s least trusted brands, highlighting a long-standing “glass cliff” phenomenon where women are more likely to be appointed to leadership roles in times of instability, then subjected to heightened scrutiny.
Medianet’s research also found that high CEO visibility often coincided with corporate crises rather than strength of leadership. For example, following major investigations, Bardwell accounted for 74% of media mentions, while Bunnings CEO represented just 26%, despite both operating large national retail networks.
Greenwashing and cybersecurity dominate coverage
Two major issues dominated reputation-related coverage: greenwashing and cyber risk. One in five ESG-related articles linked brands to misleading environmental claims.
EnergyAustralia, fined $14 million for greenwashing, experienced significant media fallout. Meanwhile, a data breach at AustralianSuper accounted for 20% of all cyber-related media mentions in the first half of 2025.
Media strategy makes or breaks brand trust
The report also underscores how media strategy can influence brand perception. Woolworths’ decision to have its CEO appear in a high-risk television interview coincided with a 7% drop in share price and sustained negative press. In contrast, Bunnings’ lower-profile approach has helped it retain its standing as one of Australia’s most trusted brands.
Jacquie Hanna, Head of Insights at Medianet Insights, said the findings highlight the need for strategic visibility. “A CEO’s visibility needs to be deliberate and strategic. Boards and comms teams must rethink how they support leaders, especially women handed high-risk roles, and how they prepare for ESG and cyber issues that are now front and centre in the media cycle.”
Amrita Sidhu, Managing Director of Medianet, added: “The findings in this report underscore the critical importance of a proactive and sophisticated media strategy for today’s CEOs. It’s no longer enough to simply react; leaders need to anticipate risks and ensure their communications are deliberate and impactful.”
Amrita Sidhu
The full report is available via Medianet.
Top image: Vanessa Hudson, CEO of Qantas, & Amanda Bardwell, CEO of Woolworths