When a person is considered for an executive position, their CEO responsibilities include being the public "face" of their company. But does that mean that they must then represent the brand in a certain way, one which may not be consistent with who they are? Businesses that turn to executive recruitment have a choice in the matter, which is valuable because it could very well affect public perception.
Lululemon, for example, seems to be suffering because of the disconnect between their product and their chief executive, Laurent Potdevin. He is, as Mary Elizabeth Williams of Salon points out, the head of the business at a troubled time for the athletic wear brand, after both a recent scandal involving ineffective yoga pants and the departure of its previous CEO in the midst of some comments perceived as negative toward women.
But the response to his appointment has been somewhat strange. Because Potdevin is perceived as being physically average, he has been the target of criticism, since he doesn't match the profile of the sporty company and is instead somewhat portly.
Business Insider quoted brand solutions executive David Srere on the reason Potdevin just doesn't fit. Although he acknowledged that the current controversy surrounding Lululemon has more to do with the company's financial performance than its new CEO, Srere also brought up Potdevin's personal attributes.
"The role of the CEO is to personify the brand," he told the source. He adds that Potdevin "can't come out and say, 'I live and breath this company,'… And that's a missed opportunity for him to better personify the brand."
The CEO decision might be one that ends up getting more attention than your business might have previously expected, which is why proper preparations need to be established before the fact. These can include the rigorous screening processes that executive recruitment firms provide.
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