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By Liliane Maibach*

Two SMEs, same sector. Comparable services, similar pricing. One is run by someone people know by name: they have read one of his columns, met him at a conference, or follow him on LinkedIn. The other is led by… not quite sure. A name on a website. A generic photo.

In French-speaking Switzerland, the choice is often made before negotiations even begin.

It comes down to trust. And trust, in a market as small and relationship-driven as ours, is built around people before it is built around logos.

Swiss discretion: virtue or liability?

In French-speaking Switzerland, there is a culture of restraint that executives often wear as a mark of elegance. One does not seek the spotlight, one lets results speak, and one prefers discreet networks to public speaking. It is a respectable stance, deeply embedded in our cultural codes.

But it carries a strategic cost that few leaders truly measure.

When a sales director is looking for a partner, when an investor is assessing an opportunity, when a top-tier talent is choosing between two offers: one of the first things they do is search — on Google or even ChatGPT — for the executive’s name. Does he have a vision for his sector? What do people in the industry say about him? A complete absence of answers does not reassure; it raises questions, and sometimes it rules you out.

In 2026, invisibility is no longer neutral. It is interpreted.

The executive is already a brand

Whether or not you have chosen to work on your personal branding, you already have one. What your clients think of you, what your employees say when you are not in the room, the way your name circulates in professional networks: all of this forms your image. The question is therefore not whether you have one. It is whether you manage it — or leave others to build it for you.

For an SME, the effect is even more pronounced. The leader IS often the brand: the guarantee behind the promise, the reason the client said yes the first time, the human factor that tips the balance in a tight tender. Ignoring that reality does not make it disappear. It simply means giving up a lever.

What it changes in practice

The case of a managing director of a Geneva fiduciary firm illustrates the mechanism well. After three years of regularly sharing his expertise on the transfer of family businesses, 40% of his new mandates came from prospects who had followed him for months before making contact. He had not changed his offer. He had simply made visible what he already knew how to do.

Similar trajectories are multiplying, and the effects take several concrete forms.

Decision cycles shorten first. When a prospect already knows an executive by name, much of the trust-building phase is complete before the first meeting. Recruitment also changes in calibre: demanding profiles choose their employers carefully, and a leader with a clear vision attracts people who want to join a direction, not merely fill a position. Perceived value rises in turn. A recognised expert does not have to justify his pricing — his reputation is part of the price.

And then there are unsolicited opportunities: invitations to speak, partnerships proposed, inbound calls from prospects who reached out on their own initiative. That is not a matter of chance. It is simply what happens when you become an identifiable reference on a specific topic.

Is it right for you?

The approach is not universal — or rather, not at the same time, and not in the same way.

Three questions can help assess its relevance. Do you hold a strong conviction on a subject in your sector — something you would defend even if it is not popular? Does your business rely on your personal credibility as much as on that of your organisation? Would your sales cycles benefit from being shorter, or would your recruitment benefit from a more assertive leadership image?

Two affirmative answers are enough. Personal branding then becomes a strategic choice to include in your roadmap.

Where to begin?

The first step is not to multiply your presence on social media. It is to answer one fundamental question: on what specific topic do you want to be recognised over the next two years?

Not “marketing” or “finance” — something more targeted: “Business transfer for family-owned SMEs,” “Talent management in tight labour markets,” “The internationalisation of Romandy SMEs.”

Once that conviction is established, the logic is fairly straightforward. Choose one or two channels you can sustain over time, share a regular point of view enriched by concrete examples, and build consistency between what is said publicly and what is actually done. This is not a solitary exercise either: most executives who embark on it already have the raw material. What is usually missing is a framework to structure it.

There is a method for that. And it starts precisely here.

Defining one’s leadership posture is foundational work — an exercise I often support through individual advisory sessions to align personal image with corporate strategy.

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