This is the seventh year we have conducted this global survey of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) opinion, and this year we have again achieved interviews with more than 1,000 respondents - and this is across 25 countries.

The core of the survey remains consistent over time, identifying those companies and business leaders globally that are most respected by their peers and the reasons for those choices. In addition, to reflect the increasingly competitive environment in which companies are operating, we have identified those that are seen to excel in areas such as corporate governance, social responsibility and - new for this year - innovation.