Tyto Tech 500: Business Leaders Step into the Spotlight as Authentic Tech Influencers

10th January 2025

Europe’s technology landscape is undergoing a major shift in influence, with business leaders taking centre stage in industry conversations.  

The latest edition of the Tyto Tech 500 reveals a changing dynamic: fewer journalists are making the cut, while business leaders have surged to the forefront. 

Business leaders now represent 47% of the Tyto Tech 500 ranking, a 26% rise from the previous year, surpassing journalists for the first time since 2022.  

Meanwhile, the number of journalists included in the pan-European ranking has dropped by 29%, reflecting broader changes in media trust and consumption. 

Why are business leaders becoming more influential? 

This shift can be largely attributed to social media channels like LinkedIn and X, which give business leaders a direct and unfiltered platform to speak to potential customers and other important audiences.  

A growing number of business leaders are harnessing these channels to share insights, personal experiences, and industry expertise – building strong personal brands online and in the media, while driving greater visibility for their companies. 

The impact of this trend is significant. A recent Financial Times report revealed that CEOs published 23% more posts on LinkedIn last year, with these posts attracting four times as much engagement as posts shared by other users.  

The reason for this is simple: people want to hear from people, not brands.  

Quote DS LinkedIn Blog

Posts by business leaders feel more authentic and relatable, especially when they are delivered through video or feature personal insights and experiences. 

All of this helps to build trust, which is one of the reasons why switched-on PR teams are investing in strategic communication programmes to amplify the voices of their leadership teams, and drive visibility among potential customers and other important audiences. However, there is a careful balance to strike. If posts feel overly polished or sound like they have been ghost written, whether by a copywriter or AI, authenticity can be quickly lost, and audiences may switch off. 

What impact is AI having on the quality of content? 

While there is clearly a role for generative AI to play in augmenting content creation, using it to churn out thought leadership posts at the touch of a button isn’t the answer and can appear inauthentic, undermining the credibility of business leaders. 

The fact is AI-driven tools like ChatGPT and LinkedIn’s post editors have contributed to a surge in generic, low-value posts, crowding platforms with unoriginal and inauthentic content.  

Audiences are starting to notice. Users are becoming more adept at identifying AI-generated content thanks to a lack of depth and overuse of certain words, phrases, predictable writing styles, and emojis. 

In response, several platforms have introduced measures to prioritise high-quality, human-driven content over AI-generated text, images, and video.  

For example, Google’s latest algorithm update now favours helpful, original posts in its rankings over low-quality content. Similarly, Meta and YouTube now require users to clearly label AI-generated posts to promote greater transparency in the feed. 

This is a step in the right direction, helping authentic voice to win out over AI-generated content, but there’s still more that can be done.  

What are the takeaways for business leaders and PR teams? 

Business leaders who share genuine insights, personal stories, and engage with their audiences in a meaningful way will continue to stand out and build stronger connections for themselves and the organisations they represent, which ultimately is what thought leadership is all about.  

Of course, the temptation to use generative AI is understandable, but the most impactful thought leadership comes from originality and real human perspectives.  

Sharing personal experiences, lessons learned, and unique industry viewpoints can spark genuine conversations and trust – something AI cannot replicate. 

Similarly, taking the time to develop quality content and engage with audiences, rather than simply broadcasting to the masses is critical. It’s also something that algorithms reward, with posts that drive authentic engagement being promoted more widely. 

Clearly, the business leaders recognised in the Tyto Tech 500 are getting something right, so if you’re looking for inspiration, there’s no better place to find it.  

Tyto Tech 500

A powerful tool for technology communicators  

As the first data-driven ranking of its kind, the Tyto Tech 500 is more than a report – it is a powerful tool for understanding who truly carries the influence in Europe’s tech ecosystem.  

The eighth edition of the report reveals how that influence is shifting across 17 sectors and names the top tech influencers across the UK, Germany, France, and the Netherlands.  

Download the Tyto Tech 500 to gain vital insights into the emerging trends that comms teams need to be aware of to stay ahead in 2025 and beyond.  

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About the author

Zoë Clark is a Senior Partner and Head of Media and Influence at Tyto. She has led PR at RBS and Qlik, and worked with global brands including Barclays, Mastercard and SAS.

Category: News