The social media platform Blind, known for its anonymous employee discussions, recently released a compilation of the most and least esteemed corporate leaders. The CEO with the highest approval rating garnered an impressive 96%.
This list was curated by Blind following a survey of 13,171 verified professionals based in the United States. Blind’s announcement on October 4 regarding the survey results suggested that the CEO’s perceived job security was a crucial factor influencing their approval ratings.
Here’s the list of top five CEOs along with their corresponding approval ratings.
1. Jensen Huang, Nvidia
Approval Rating: 96%
Employee Count: 26,196 as of January 2023.
Topping the list of corporate leaders with the highest approval rating is Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of Nvidia, a California-based chipmaker. The rise in Nvidia’s revenue and share price this year, driven by the buzz surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), likely played a significant role in bolstering employee confidence in his leadership.
One verified Nvidia employee shared on a Blind discussion, “He foresaw this AI frenzy over a decade ago. I have complete trust in him.”
Nvidia’s stock price has experienced an impressive 220% increase this year.
2. Doug McMillon, Walmart
Approval Rating: 88%
Global Workforce: 2.1 million employees as of FY2023
Doug McMillon assumed the role of CEO at Walmart in 2014, but his journey with the company commenced during his teenage years. In 1990, while pursuing his MBA, McMillon embarked on his Walmart career as a buyer trainee, specializing in the athletic department at a local Walmart store in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Shortly thereafter, he relocated to Walmart’s corporate headquarters in Arkansas.
During his tenure as CEO, McMillon introduced Walmart+, the company’s answer to Amazon Prime. Furthermore, he has modernized Walmart’s technology landscape by incorporating innovative services like drone delivery and the implementation of generative AI on the company’s website.
3. Nikesh Arora, Palo Alto Networks
Approval Rating: 84%
Workforce Size: 13,948 employees as of July 31, 2023.
Taking the helm as CEO of the cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks in 2018, Nikesh Arora brought with him a wealth of experience. Prior to his role at Palo Alto Networks, he held the positions of President and COO at SoftBank, an investment company headquartered in Tokyo, from 2014 to 2016.
Despite the uncertainty prevalent in the tech industry, Palo Alto Networks seems to have weathered the storm of layoffs that swept through the sector earlier this year. Notably, in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic began, Arora made a pledge of “no COVID-19 layoffs” and even offered to forgo his salary to prevent job losses.
4. Tim Cook, Apple
Approval Rating: 83%
Workforce Size: 164,000 employees as of September 2022.
Assuming the role of Apple’s CEO in August 2011, Tim Cook has successfully steered the tech behemoth. Following in the footsteps of the legendary Steve Jobs, Cook has carved out his leadership path by overseeing the introduction of innovative Apple products, including AirPods, Apple Watch, and Apple Music.
During his tenure, Apple has ascended to the pinnacle of the business world, boasting a current market capitalization of approximately $2.8 trillion, solidifying its status as one of the most valuable companies globally.
5. Ali Ghodsi, Databricks
Approval Rating: 83%
Workforce Size: 5,500 employees as of the end of 2022.
Ali Ghodsi serves as the co-founder and CEO of the technology firm Databricks. Hailing from Sweden, Ghodsi’s journey is marked by resilience and determination. In 1984, at the tender age of 5, he fled Iran with his family due to a political crackdown that had dire consequences for his parents.
Despite leaving their savings behind, the family faced financial challenges upon reaching Sweden, as Ghodsi shared with Forbes in a May 2021 interview.
Nevertheless, Ghodsi’s unwavering pursuit of knowledge led him to obtain a PhD in computer science from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, a prestigious Swedish university. In 2009, he ventured to the United States as a visiting scholar at UC Berkeley.
Remaining in the U.S., Ghodsi co-founded Databricks in 2013 alongside six other academics, specializing in data and artificial intelligence.
On September 14, Databricks made headlines by securing over $500 million in its latest round of funding, propelling the company’s valuation to $43 billion.
Conclusion
Among these CEOs, Jensen Huang from Nvidia leads the pack with a remarkable 96% approval rating due to Nvidia’s achievements in artificial intelligence. Other leaders like Doug McMillon from Walmart, Nikesh Arora at Palo Alto Networks, Tim Cook with Apple, and Ali Ghodsi of Databricks each have their own unique paths to success and leadership.
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