If the summer of 2020 had Asia’s top executives fretting over a second surge in coronavirus cases, in 2021 their thoughts are turning to the post-pandemic world on the horizon.
XiaoHai Hou — the top scoring CEO in the consumer and staples category of Institutional Investor’s 2021 All-Asia Executive Team — is wondering how to grasp the challenges and opportunities posed by an explosion in demand for craft beer in China.
In the telecommunications sector, Xiaochu Wang from China Unicom is celebrating 11 consecutive years as the top-rated chief executive in II’s poll, meaning he has an unbroken run at the top spot since the rankings launched.
And C.C. Wei, CEO at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. and the highest scoring chief executive in the technology and semiconductor category, is grappling with difficult decisions, as the pandemic caused a shortage of semiconductors used in cars and computers
“Keeping up with changing and increasing customer demand has been a challenge this year,” he said. “It might be an understatement to say that the peaks and troughs of semiconductor demand were more turbulent than we would normally expect.”
To determine the members of Institutional Investor’s 2020 All-Asia (ex-Japan) Executive Team, we surveyed buy-side analysts, money managers and sell-side researchers at securities firms and financial institutions that cover the region, including those who cast and received votes in this year’s 2021 All-Asia Research Team survey. Survey results reflect the opinions from 4,084 investment professionals at 1,285 financial services firms.
We asked the participants to rate the chief executive officers, chief financial officers and investor relations professionals at the companies in their coverage universes. CEOs were rated on their credibility, leadership and communication. CFOs were rated on their ability in capital allocation, financial stewardship and communication. For the Investor Relations programs, companies were rated on the following attributes: productivity of NDR/Conferences/Calls; IR team well informed and empowered; accessibility of senior execs; responsiveness; timeliness of disclosure; consistency and granularity of disclosure; business and market knowledge; and communication of strategy and risk management amid COVID-19. Additionally, companies were rated on the following ESG attributes: ESG disclosure; ESG goals setting; and product and operational alignment with ESG goals. All votes are weighted by rating (five being excellent; one being average) and attributes within each category were aggregated to create the CEO, CFO, IR Professional, IR Program and ESG rankings.
The Overall rankings in each of the categories — CEO, CFO, IR Professional, IR Company, ESG — are based on combined buy- and sell-side votes. Separate rosters (buy side, sell side) are also available for each award classification.
Derived from our 2021 All-Asia (ex-Japan) Executive Team, firms are recognized in the Mainland China and Rest of Asia rankings. Using the same method as above, companies are ranked within their respective region regardless of sector to create two separate rankings.
Honored Companies in the Overall, Mainland China and Rest of Asia rankings are companies who achieved at least one published position. To earn the designation of Most Honored Company, a company must achieve a weighted score of 15 or more points across the five categories in the combined, buy-side and sell-side rankings, wherein each first-place position is worth three points; second place, two; and third place, one.
The Small & Mid-Cap results include all companies with less than $10B in market capitalization. To be a Most Honored Small & Mid-Cap Company, a company must achieve a weighted score of nine or more points.
To be eligible for inclusion on the 2021 All-Asia (ex-Japan) Executive Team, a company must be headquartered in Asia. We keep confidential the identities of the survey respondents to ensure their continuing cooperation. Voters must meet eligibility requirements, and winners must achieve a minimum vote count. All ballots are subject to review by our Research Operations Group.