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Creating an authentic personal brand in 2025

Jan 14, 2025

Happy 2025, dear readers!

Welcome to the inaugural issue of Luminary, my monthly newsletter that will decode authentic personal branding for executives and senior professionals.

A luminary is someone who inspires and influences others positively. To become trusted voices in an increasingly AI-driven corporate landscape, that is what executive leaders need to become.

I have only one question for you:

| Do Executives Need Personal Branding in 2025?

Let me present the case of Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA. As of Dec 11, 2024, NVIDIA surpassed Apple to become the world’s highest-valued company, with a net worth of $3.41 trillion.

Snapshot of Jensen’s keynote at GTC 2024 ( Image Source: Fortune.com )

My attention was caught by Jensen Huang’s keynote at the NVIDIA GTC 2024 conference titled “The AI Revolution”. I loved how Jensen transformed a highly technical launch announcement about GPUs into compelling stories about the potential of AI.

Since then, I have been following his keynotes and social media presence. He is the perfect example of a successful, impactful executive personal brand. His recent talk at CES 2025 is another masterpiece of business storytelling.

Jensen Huang’s brand is memorable.

Not just because of the iconic black leather jacket that he wears at every keynote, even if it has become a signature look.

Jensen’s brand is successful because:

He has a vision and a mission (which he is visibly passionate about):
Jensen has become synonymous with the AI revolution. When he shares his insights, he speaks with the passion of an explorer, a researcher, and a scientist. He doesn’t just represent NVIDIA. He is the torchbearer of the future in tech and AI.
He is a brilliant storyteller:
With his trademark deadpan humor and usage of live stage props, Jensen has made complex tech into something fascinating. When he speaks, everyone listens. His personal brand has become so powerful that he is sought after as a rockstar speaker and his trend predictions can move the market and even shape global industry narratives.
He is a savvy social media user:
Jensen and his team have coordinated a multi-platform presence. His insightful tweets and LinkedIn deep dive posts resonate and build on the themes of his talks, sharing behind-the-scenes details and creating a pre-buzz for NVIDIA’s launch events! On YouTube, he regularly appears on podcasts and interviews where he talks about his work ethic and why he loves his work!

Snapshot from Jensen’s keynote at CES 2025. (Image Source: Forbes/Getty Images)

Which leads me to this fact: Personal branding is no longer optional for senior leaders.

As AI takes over a lot of day-to-day business operations, the need for authentic thought leadership content by global industry leaders is becoming critical for a guiding framework. Let 2025 be a starting point to amplify your executive presence in the market.

I leave you with the ‘Three New Rules of Executive Presence’ aka ‘Building Your Black Jacket Look’.

1. Choose A North Star: Define your USP and vision by balancing industry trends with insights on your niche. Just like Jensen speaks of ‘The Future of AI’.

2. Connect with Authentic Storytelling: Using self-deprecating humor, sharing about challenges, or using props. E.g: Jensen starts his GTC talk with the line - …… “Welcome to GTC. I hope you realize this is not a concert. You have arrived at a developer’s conference….”

3. Create Multi-Platform Content: Building a multi-platform executive presence with thought leadership content, keynote themes, and appearing as a guest speaker in the podcasts of your niche area can help amplify your brand. (E.g. Jensen sharing work-life balance tips on ‘The Acquired’ podcast….)

I’ll dive deeper into these three rules in the next few editions of Luminary. The aim is to help you craft an executive presence and personal brand that is authentic, trustworthy, and valuable.

Look forward to: