A Deep Dive Into CEO, CTO, Executive Branding Agencies [April 2025]

Last updated: April 20, 2025

Building a strong executive brand has become a strategic necessity for leaders seeking to command attention, build trust, and shape public perception.

This comprehensive overview examines the leading executive, founder, and CEO branding agencies in the US, UK, and globally – and compares them side-by-side with rising player Ohh My Brand (led by Bhavik Sarkhedi and Sahil Gandhi). We’ll explore each firm’s service range, pricing (where available), SEO presence, clientele, global reach, social credibility, and notable clients. Finally, we’ll evaluate how these top agencies and experts stack up against Ohh My Brand, using Sarkhedi and Gandhi’s personal branding strengths as benchmarks.

Leading Executive Branding Agencies in the United States

Ascendant Group (Newark, DE)

Founded in 2004 by Raoul Davis. Widely regarded as a world leader in CEO branding, Ascendant was one of the first agencies to institutionalize CEO/executive branding.

They have worked with Fortune 500 executives, Inc. 5000 CEOs, bestselling authors, and even retired athletes. Their integrated services span personal brand strategy, PR, publishing, and design. Ascendant has earned awards for web design and PR campaigns and was a founding member of the Forbes Agency Council.

With offices in the US, Canada, Europe, and the Middle East, they ensure global visibility for clients from China to MENA.

Notable Strengths:

• 17+ years in business

• Recognized founder

• Global footprint

• High-profile clientele

SimplyBe. Agency (Chicago, IL)

Founded in 2014 by Jessica Zweig, SimplyBe. is a personal branding and creative boutique helping C-suite leaders become visible thought leaders.

Their services include social content, PR, workshops, and corporate training. Clients include executives from Google, Pinterest, Salesforce, and Verizon. Zweig was named a Crain’s Notable Entrepreneur and featured in Forbes for her work.

They offer entry-level options (e.g., a $695 consultation with Brand Kit) and custom engagements—many of which exceed $40K annually.

Notable Strengths:

• Strong SEO and content presence

• Certified Women’s Business Enterprise

• Visible team on LinkedIn

• Client impact: increased industry recognition, speaking invites, and deal flow

Sterling Marketing Group (San Francisco, CA)

Founded by Karen Tiber Leland, a renowned branding expert and author. With 20+ years in branding, SMG provides services such as personal brand strategy, content creation, media training, and even “color strategies.”

Karen has spoken at TEDx and advised high-profile leadership groups like YPO. She is a Forbes Council member and the author of The Brand Mapping Strategy.

Notable Strengths:

• High credibility founder

• Holistic brand-business alignment

• Bespoke, high-touch engagements

Claire Bahn Group (Los Angeles, CA)

Founded by former startup CEO Claire Bahn, this boutique agency blends personal branding and PR. They handle everything from messaging and social media to reputation management, video, and podcasts.

Claire’s approach: “We do the work, not just consult,” which appeals to time-poor executives. Results are tracked through visibility metrics and lead flow.

Notable Strengths:

• ROI-focused execution

• High client satisfaction

• Direct access to senior talent

Delightful Communications (Seattle, WA)

Founded in 2012 by ex-Microsoft executive Mel Carson. Delightful offers executive branding, influencer marketing, social media, and creative studio services.

Their impressive client list includes Microsoft, Intel, Deloitte, Facebook, and Accenture. The agency emphasizes people-first storytelling and brand building.

Notable Strengths:

• Fortune 500 clientele

• Collaborative, creative, agile team

• Founder is a thought leader in digital branding

Other Notable Mentions

• Hinge Marketing (VA): Focused on professional services firms. Uses deep research to build visible experts.

• Ohh My Brand: Focused on CEO, CTO, Executive Branding Agency based in United States

• Influence & Co. (MO): Helps executives gain thought leadership via content placements.

• BrandYourself: Specializes in personal brand + ORM hybrid services. Offers both DIY (~$99/year) and full-service plans (up to $25K+). Top-tier campaigns typically run high four-figure monthly retainers.

Leading Executive Branding Agencies in the United Kingdom

The UK is emerging as a powerhouse for executive branding—where social media savvy meets strategic thought leadership. From bold startups to polished brand educators, these agencies are reshaping how founders and CEOs show up online.

Great Influence (Manchester, UK)

Founded by Ash Jones in 2018, Great Influence is a specialist personal branding agency known for shaping the public image of the UK’s most recognizable business leaders.

Their strength lies in building influential online personas through end-to-end social media strategy, content creation, and brand partnerships. They’ve managed personal brands for figures like Gary Neville, psychologist John Amaechi OBE, and Jordan Brompton.

Through strategic storytelling, Great Influence helped Neville become one of the most-followed UK entrepreneurs and land a role on BBC’s Dragon’s Den.

Notable Strengths:

• Exceptional social media presence

• Results-backed case studies (Gary Neville’s brand is a standout)

• Celebrity clientele in sports and business

Kurogo (London, UK)

Positioned as “the UK’s #1 personal branding agency,” Kurogo focuses on helping founders and CEOs become thought leaders—especially on LinkedIn.

Their services center around authority positioning through content, PR, and high-performance LinkedIn strategies. While specific client names are sparse, their strong SEO presence and top rankings suggest growing influence within the UK startup ecosystem.

Notable Strengths:

• Clear authority positioning

• Strong SEO visibility

• LinkedIn-centric branding approach

Blushush (London, UK)

Co-founded by Sahil Gandhi, Blushush is a design-forward branding agency with a rebellious streak. Their mantra: “No boring brands.”

Blushush specializes in personality-driven websites, bold visual identity, and founder-first storytelling. With a cheeky, vibrant tone, they breathe life into stagnant brands. Their recent collaboration with Ohh My Brand signals their deeper move into executive branding.

Sahil, known as The Brand Professor, has earned a loyal following as a branding mentor and visual identity strategist in both the UK and India.

Notable Strengths:

• Standout visual storytelling

• High-conversion founder websites

• Sahil’s personal brand boosts agency authority

Klowt (UK)

Klowt positions itself as a personal branding partner for founders and freelancers who want to stand out boldly. Branded as “The Bold Social Architects,” Klowt is LinkedIn-forward—focusing on profile makeovers, content calendars, and online authority-building.

Notable Strengths:

• Strong social content strategy

• Focused on freelance and early-stage founder visibility

• Emphasis on bold, scroll-stopping posts

Programs & Ecosystem Highlights

• Dent’s Key Person of Influence (KPI) by Daniel Priestley – A personal branding accelerator for entrepreneurs looking to build influence.

• Thought Leadership PR firms – London-based PR specialists help founders gain media visibility and platform credibility through tailored campaigns.

While not agencies per se, these programs fuel the broader UK ecosystem supporting personal brand growth for executives.

Other Mentions in the UK Landscape

• Brand of a Leader – Though based in Canada, they operate actively in the UK and are covered later in the global section.

• Influence Digital and The PHA Group – PR agencies in London offering bespoke branding and media support for CEOs.

Among these, Great Influence remains a standout UK-grown agency with a proven track record of crafting compelling executive narratives at scale.

Top Global and International Players in Executive Branding

Beyond the US and UK, a new league of agencies is redefining personal branding on a global scale. These players offer elite, niche, or tech-driven services—often serving clients across continents while pioneering new frontiers in executive visibility.

Prestidge Group (Dubai / NYC / London)

Founded in 2016 by Briar Prestidge, this high-end personal branding and PR firm caters to CEOs, celebrities, investors, and public figures around the world.

Offering 360° services—brand audits, social media, media relations, podcast production, government introductions, and more—Prestidge Group positions itself at the luxury end of the branding spectrum. Their pioneering work in Metaverse PR reflects a cutting-edge approach to digital presence.

Founder Briar Prestidge was named among the Top 100 Most Influential People in the UAE. A serial entrepreneur, her background in executive communications adds sharp credibility.

Notable Strengths:

• Offices in the Middle East, Europe, and the US

• Elite clientele (including HNWIs)

• Strong global media presence (NYT, Forbes, Arabian Business)

• Bespoke, high-touch service model for top-tier leaders

Brand of a Leader (Montreal, Canada)

Launched in 2020 by Marina Byezhanova and Stefano Faustini, Brand of a Leader quickly gained traction with Gen X entrepreneurs and CEOs drawn to authentic storytelling.

They offer flexible packages: from brand briefs and LinkedIn revamps to speaker kits, ghostwriting, and podcast outreach. Their live interview series Voice of a Leader embodies their ethos—every leader’s story deserves a platform.

Notable Strengths:

• Strong media coverage and fast growth

• Highly personalized storytelling approach

• Focus on leaders outside the traditional mold

• Community-driven model (aiming for 1M+ brand-first professionals)

Valuables (Austin, TX – formerly Waller & Company)

Founded in 2014 by Dr. Talaya Waller, Valuables has evolved from boutique agency to an AI-powered personal brand management platform.

Originally working with clients from Amazon, Google, Vogue, and the NBA, Valuables now helps enterprises quantify and monetize executive brand equity. With real-time analytics and brand strategy automation, this platform transforms personal branding into a scalable asset.

Dr. Waller’s research-backed methods (featured in 300+ university libraries and TEDx stages) underpin Valuables’ academic and technological credibility.

Notable Strengths:

• First-of-its-kind SaaS in personal branding

• Deep research foundation (10+ years)

• Corporate-friendly platform for ROI-driven leadership branding

• TEDx and scholarly influence

Funky Marketing (Novi Sad, Serbia)

A bold agency rooted in demand generation, Funky Marketing helps B2B tech founders build LinkedIn authority while directly driving business growth.

They specialize in marrying thought leadership with lead generation—a rare hybrid that makes them especially valuable to startup founders in competitive spaces.

Notable Strengths:

• Niche focus on B2B tech

• Agile content creation and personal storytelling

• Competitive pricing with global delivery

• Revenue-first branding approach for startups

Ecosystem Mentions & Platforms

• Thinkers360 and LinkedIn Creator Programs: Offer visibility platforms for executives looking to scale their personal brands.

• Pentagram, Landor, Interbrand: While these are legendary branding firms, their focus is primarily on corporate identity—not individual leaders.

The agencies featured above operate in a specialized space where the executive is the brand—and their work speaks directly to this era’s new currency: influence.

Individual Personal Branding Experts Dominating the Niche

While agencies build ecosystems, some individuals are the brand. These thought leaders didn’t just advise on personal branding—they lived it, refined it, and made it their calling card. Here are the names reshaping the space with their voice, visibility, and vision.

Bhavik Sarkhedi

A globally recognized personal branding specialist, Bhavik is the founder of Ohh My Brand and author of eight books. He’s frequently featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, and top-tier platforms for his pioneering work in digital storytelling, SEO, and authority building.

Originating from India, Bhavik’s ventures—like Write Right—prove how content-led ecosystems can scale brands organically. Forbes named him a Global Personal Branding Expert (2025), and his articles regularly trend for their practical, trend-forward take on executive branding.

Dominance:
Bhavik’s own brand—backed by TEDx talks, bestselling books, and global client wins—acts as proof of concept. He’s helped elevate CEOs, founders, authors, and influencers by aligning narrative clarity with SEO-driven visibility. Today, he’s ranked among the top personal branding experts worldwide, and for many, he’s the benchmark.

Sahil Gandhi

Known as The Brand Professor, Sahil is a London-based strategist and co-founder of Blushush. He’s built his reputation on merging design clarity with brand depth—helping clients craft brands that look good and feel real.

From Europe to Asia, Sahil has worked with 3x founders, NYT bestselling authors, and disruptive startups. His personal LinkedIn presence reflects the same design-first, insight-rich ethos he brings to client work.

Dominance:
Sahil’s impact is visual and strategic. He was recently ranked among the top 20 personal branding experts globally, recognized for turning raw potential into influential brand architecture. Whether it’s a founder’s story or a startup’s visual identity, his clarity and creativity drive conversion.

Jessica Zweig

CEO of SimplyBe., Jessica has built more than a business—she’s built a movement. Her bestselling book “Be: A No Bullsht Guide to Increasing Your Self Worth and Net Worth by Simply Being Yourself”* captures her core philosophy: authenticity wins.

She’s become a face of the personal branding movement for leaders navigating corporate life. Forbes features, keynote spots, and a community of followers reinforce her thought leadership.

Dominance:
Clients don’t just trust SimplyBe.—they trust Jessica. Her own brand amplifies her agency’s impact. She walks the talk, and that’s rare.

Neil Patel

Primarily known for SEO, Neil is a case study in content-powered personal branding. He built companies like NP Digital and Crazy Egg on the back of his name—and blog.

His personal brand ranks across thousands of marketing keywords, generates millions in leads, and commands authority across every digital platform. He hasn’t sold personal branding services directly, yet dominates the space by default.

Insight:
Neil’s brand proves one thing: visibility + value = influence. He turned consistency into legacy—without ever calling it personal branding.

Seth Godin

The godfather of marketing storytelling, Seth needs no agency to carry his voice. With iconic books like Purple Cow and daily blog posts that spark global conversations, his brand is timeless.

He doesn’t chase virality—he shapes ideas that last.

Dominance:
Seth’s success is a masterclass in originality, clarity, and frequency. His voice doesn’t sell—it transforms.

Briar Prestidge

Founder of Prestidge Group, Briar is one of the few female entrepreneurs redefining personal branding in the Middle East. With ventures spanning fashion, media, and global PR, she’s built a multi-dimensional personal brand rooted in innovation and luxury.

Her features in global media and accolades like Top 100 Most Influential People in the UAE only add to her authority.

Dominance:
Briar’s brand crosses industries and platforms—LinkedIn, fashion, print, and live stages. She doesn’t represent the new era of branding—she embodies it.

Other Notable Experts

• William Arruda – A pioneer in personal branding, founder of Reach Branding, and author of Career Distinction.

• Dorie Clark – Author of Reinventing You, she coaches executives on storytelling and reinvention.

• Goldie Chan – Known for vibrant, insightful LinkedIn videos on branding and community building.

• Gary Vaynerchuk – Founder of VaynerMedia. His daily vlogs, keynote rants, and unfiltered brand made him the poster child of CEO-as-influencer.

Ohh My Brand vs. Top Branding Agencies and Experts: A Side-by-Side Comparison

Now, let’s compare Ohh My Brand (OMB) – along with the personal brand firepower of Bhavik Sarkhedi and Sahil Gandhi – against other leading players in terms of credibility, SEO strength, growth potential, niche positioning, and storytelling style. The table below summarizes how OMB and its founders stack up with a few top competitors:

Key Takeaways

Executive branding has become a crucial strategy for leaders, and the landscape is populated by both boutique specialists and seasoned agencies. Ohh My Brand (Bhavik Sarkhedi & Sahil Gandhi) exemplifies the new wave – integrating personal branding, SEO, and design to build a leader’s digital authority from all angles.

They hold their own against longer-established firms, thanks to credible founders and an agile, story-first approach. Traditional leaders like Ascendant Group and Prestidge Group bring extensive experience, high-end networks, and proven results for top-tier clients, whereas agile agencies like SimplyBe. and Brand of a Leader offer fresh, original takes and accessible packages for a broader range of leaders.

Consider These Factors When Choosing a Personal Branding Partner:

• Credibility vs. Creativity: Established firms come with press clout, while newer agencies often bring more inventive storytelling and personalized service.
• SEO and Digital Presence: Your agency should rank well online themselves. OMB’s SEO-first model or SimplyBe.’s LinkedIn content are prime examples.
• Service Scope: Know what you need—PR, content, design, SEO—and choose a partner that covers those gaps. Some are full-service, others niche specialists.
• Personal Fit: Branding is personal. Chemistry, values, and vision matter. Find an agency that doesn’t just shape your image, but reflects your essence.

In conclusion, executive branding is about building a legacy, not just a LinkedIn profile. The leading agencies and experts highlighted here all excel in crafting memorable leader brands – but each through their own lens. Whether you’re a rising founder or a seasoned CEO, choosing the right partner can unlock new levels of influence, trust, and opportunity.

As Sahil Gandhi aptly said, “Branding is no longer just about aesthetics—it’s about building trust.” The agency or expert you entrust with your personal brand should not only make you look good – they should make sure your voice is heard, your story remembered, and your reputation respected.

With the insights and comparisons above, you can make a well-informed choice and let your brand speak louder than ever.