In today’s global landscape, female leadership earns growing trust, reflected in a striking proportion of the top reputations. Four of the five most valued leaders are women. Leading the roster is Sanna Marin, the Finnish prime minister, with a score around 70 out of 100. Close behind are Jacinda Ardern of New Zealand and Mette Frederiksen of Denmark, scoring about 67 and 66 respectively. The first man on the list is Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky, at 65 points, followed by Sweden’s Magdalena Andersson at 64. Spain’s Pedro Sánchez sits at 16th place overall with 57 points.
These standings come from a survey by the consultancy Thinking Heads, compiling nearly 25,000 reviews gathered worldwide in September. The study asked respondents about trustworthiness, whether leaders keep their promises, genuine concern for people’s problems, and effective management of public affairs paired with inspiring ideas.
Leader reputation often aligns with a country’s prestige, yet there are notable exceptions. Finland leads in national reputation, followed by Denmark, Canada, Sweden, and New Zealand. “There is a link between a country’s image and its leaders,” notes Enrique Johnson, managing partner at Thinking Heads. One exception stands out: the “Zelenski effect.” Ukraine ranks 26th as a country but fourth in global perception and first among European leaders. Notably, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau slips to seventh place, dropping from third, a shift seen as reflective of national identity alongside leadership perception.
The Midpoint of Pedro Sánchez
Pedro Sánchez, as head of government, ranks 16th among 37 leaders analyzed and stands as the eighth highest-rated European leader. Spain’s overall score sits at 63 points, while Sánchez himself registers 56 points.
Across regions, Sánchez is least favored in the Middle East and Latin America (52 points) and most favorably viewed in English-speaking and North American contexts, where scores reach around 60 points in the Commonwealth and North America. The assessment emphasizes the emphasis on goodwill and competence rather than strictly valuing honesty, integrity, or traditional leadership traits.
According to the report, leadership impact extends into the economy. Each additional point in a leader’s global reputation correlates with about a 3.2% uptick in investments. In Spain, the correlation appears stronger, with investment rising roughly 5.1% per point of a president’s reputation, as cited by EFE.
Geographic patterns show that eight of the ten most valuable leaders are European. Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, takes the lowest spot among European leaders, and Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping register the lowest global scores. Across Europe, the clearest value arises from leadership that inspires new ideas, while the United States and Canada emphasize recognition and loyalty-building. In Arab nations, the ability to manage public affairs stands out.
Panama leads the first Latin American entries, ranking 20th, followed by Argentina (21), Costa Rica (22), Chile (23), and Brazil (24).