Narayanamurthy most admired business leader

Bangalore, May 12: Software major Infosys Technologies Chief Mentor N R Narayanamurthy has, for the fifth year running, emerged the most admired business leader of India among Business Schools across the country.

The study conducted by Brand-comm, a leading Brand Consulting, Advertising and PR firm, also found Infosys to be the most attractive company.

Mr Narayanamurthy the study says, is popular among 42 per cent of 545 students from 13 top notch Business Schools, including IIMs, with the next best being Mr Ratan Tata who was way behind with Nine per cent.

Breaking into the top ten business leaders this year was UB Group head Vijay Mallya. Perhaps the popularity of the Kingfisher Airlines had boosted him to the top rung from no where, Mr Ramanuham Sridhar, CEO of Brand Comm told newsmen here today.

Mr Narayanamurthy is admired by Business School students for being a socially responsible individual and is being look up as a leader who was honest and passionate about his work.

The clarity and consistency in Mr Narayanamurthy's personal branding and positioning seem to have been highly effective for the last five years, the study says.

Mr Sridhar said the changing face of Indian economy seems to have triggered the entry of a whole new set of business leaders into the top ten this year. With the retail industry seeing a boom, Badshah of Retail, Kishore Biyani had found his way to the top ten of the most admired B school leaders. Other new names having a mention were Mr Subroto Bagchi of MindTree Consulting, Air Deccan Managing Director G R Gopinath Mr K V Kamath of ICICI and Infosys CEO Nandan Nilekani.

Late Dirubhai Ambani takes the third slot followed by Ambani siblings Anil and Mukesh. together the Ambanis logged seven per cent. Wipro Chairman Azim Premji was behind them securing five per cent and in the same bracket were Vijay Mallya, and Kumaramangalam Birla.

Tatas were second among the most attractive company with Nine per cent followed by Wipro, Mckensey, ICICI (all three per cent), MindTree, Reliance, Hindustan Lever and ITC with two per cent.

UNI