CEOs Ranked for 2025: ORF Chief Weißmann Reigns Over Austria's Business Elite

For the second time since 2022, ORF Director General Roland Weißmann secured first place with 603 points. The main reason for this massive media interest was none other than Austria's sensational victory at the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2025 in Basel.

The 24-year-old countertenor JJ brought the trophy back to Austria with his popera ballad “Wasted Love.” As a result, Weißmann, as head of the broadcasting station, was at the center of media coverage—especially during the hotly contested decision on the venue for 2026, in which Vienna ultimately prevailed over Innsbruck.

Josef Pröll: From hunter to soccer boss

Josef Pröll made the most spectacular rise in the rankings. The former vice chancellor climbed from 38th place last year to second place (295 points). Pröll, whose main job is running Leipnik-Lundenburger Invest (LLI), dominated the headlines primarily due to his election as president of the Austrian Football Association (ÖFB) in May 2025. In order to focus fully on soccer and the national team under Ralf Rangnick, he even resigned from his long-standing position as Lower Austria's hunting champion.

Consistency and industry changes

While ÖBB boss Andreas Matthä (3rd place, 246 points) made it into the top 10 for the seventh time in a row, making him the epitome of media consistency, there were significant shifts in industries, such as Retail and Energy.

REWE manager Marcel Haraszti made it into the top 10 for the first time (9th place) thanks to expansion plans (takeover of Unimärkte). While five energy CEOs dominated the top 15 in 2023, only Alfred Stern (OMV, 6th place) and Michael Strugl (Verbund, 7th place) remained this year.

The visibility of women

The presence of female executives remains a downside. According to APA-Comm, the visibility of women is at its lowest level since 2018. The first woman in the ranking is AUA CEO Annette Mann, who comes in at 22nd place. Women continue to be severely underrepresented in the executive suites of Austria's 200 highest-revenue companies. Around 86% of management positions are still held by men.

The giant from overseas: Elon Musk breaks all scales

In an international comparison, the domestic top scores seem almost modest. Elon Musk (Tesla, X) achieved 3,721 points – more than the 60 most prominent CEOs in Austria combined. His omnipresence in the media is not only due to his companies but also to his increasing role as a political actor and digital “agenda setter.”

APA Comm