Survey Reveals the Most Liked and Disliked Tech CEOs: A Comprehensive Analysis

In a recent survey conducted by Blind.com, over 13,100 U.S. employees shared their opinions on their CEOs' job performance. The question posed was straightforward: "Do you approve or disapprove of the way your CEO is handling their job?" This inquiry provided intriguing insights into employee sentiments across various industries.

### Employee Sentiment and CEO Performance

Among the most admired leaders, several factors led to high approval ratings, notably strong share price performance and a commitment to job security. Companies that refrained from layoffs over the past year saw their CEOs celebrated by their teams. Conversely, many leaders who oversaw layoffs were featured prominently on the list of least favored CEOs.

Interestingly, Dara Khosrowshahi, the CEO of Uber, ranked among the top 15 most liked CEOs, despite the company's tumultuous history under former CEO Travis Kalanick, which included accusations of neglecting sexual harassment concerns. In contrast, Linda Yaccarino, the new CEO of X (formerly Twitter), found herself on the most disliked list, a reflection of the challenges she faces in mending strained advertiser relations following Elon Musk's controversial policy changes.

### A Closer Look at Employee Favorites

Nvidia’s CEO Jensen Huang emerged as a clear favorite, with a remarkable approval rating of 96%. His visionary leadership, especially recognized in the wake of the burgeoning interest in artificial intelligence, has garnered immense trust from employees. One employee remarked, "He saw this AI mania coming 10+ years ago. I trust him completely." This sentiment underscores the importance of forward-thinking leadership in nurturing employee confidence.

Other well-regarded CEOs included:

- **Nikesh Arora, CEO of Palo Alto Networks** - 84%

- **Tim Cook, CEO of Apple** - 83%

- **Ali Ghodsi, CEO of Databricks** - 83%

- **Andrew Anagnost, CEO of Autodesk** - 82%

- **Bill McDermott, CEO of ServiceNow** - 81%

- **Lisa Su, CEO of AMD** - 79%

- **Brian Schimpf, CEO of Anduril Industries** - 79%

- **Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe** - 76%

- **Max Levchin, CEO of Affirm** - 68%

- **Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber** - 68%

- **Tony Xu, CEO of DoorDash** - 67%

- **Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb** - 64%

- **Sanjay Poonen, CEO of Cohesity** - 63%

- **Frank Slootman, CEO of Snowflake** - 57%

### Disapproval Ratings of Notable Leaders

The survey also highlighted CEOs with significant disapproval ratings, revealing a stark contrast to those celebrated by their employees. A number of these leaders faced backlash due to recent layoff decisions. Noteworthy mentions include:

- **Mark Anderson, CEO of Alteryx** - 97%

- **Sarah Friar, CEO of Nextdoor** - 95%

- **David Goeckeler, CEO of Western Digital** - 94%

- **John Riccitiello, CEO of Unity** - 91% (who recently resigned)

- **Eric Yuan, CEO of Zoom** - 91%

- **Evan Spiegel, CEO of Snap** - 89%

- **Francis deSouza, CEO of Illumina** - 88%

- **Francois Locoh-Donou, CEO of F5 Networks** - 86%

- **Andy Jassy, CEO of Amazon** - 86%

- **Howie Liu, CEO of Airtable** - 85%

- **Manny Medina, CEO of Outreach** - 83%

- **Chris Todd, CEO of UKG** - 83%

- **Cristiano Amon, CEO of Qualcomm** - 80%

- **Linda Yaccarino, CEO of X** - 80%

- **Vishal Garg, CEO of Better.com** - 79%

### Conclusion

This survey serves as a revealing snapshot of the current landscape of employee satisfaction with their leaders, underscoring how CEO actions and company culture profoundly influence workforce morale. Companies prioritizing transparency, job security, and visionary leadership are clearly resonating with their employees, while those that lose sight of these values face significant disapproval. As businesses navigate the complexities of the modern workplace, understanding employee sentiment remains crucial for fostering a positive company culture and ensuring long-term success.