How putting executives and managers in front of reporters builds credibility, shows the strength of your team and keeps your story steady when people move on.
On Sept. 24, 2026, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told employees he wants the people “closest to our products and customers” to play a larger role in telling the company’s story, according to internal memos reported by GeekWire. Vice Chair and President Brad Smith added that Microsoft will “likely have more employees and executives acting as part of Microsoft’s public voice.”
The principle of Microsoft’s restructured communications function applies to organizations of any size. When one executive, often the CEO or founder, is the only person who talks to reporters, your company’s story is only as strong—and as present—as that one person.
Why it matters to reporters and buyers
Reporters need sources who can speak with authority on specific topics. Your CEO can explain where the company is headed, but other internal experts may be better suited to more specific inquiries.
For example, your head of engineering can explain how the technology works, your CFO can put a quarter in context, and a customer success manager can describe what customers are asking for right now. Each gives a reporter a different, credible angle for the same story.
Business buyers are paying attention to your spokespeople, too. The 2025 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report looked at “hidden” decision-makers, the people who influence purchases without leading them. Of that group, 64% trust thought leadership more than marketing materials when sizing up a vendor, and 79% are more likely to support proposals from companies that consistently produce strong thought leadership.
The benefits of building a deeper media bench
Expanding your roster of spokespeople takes planning and training. The payoff shows up in several ways:
1. It reinforces your company’s credibility
When several people can speak knowledgeably about your business, it signals that expertise runs throughout the whole organization, not just at the top. For example, a transportation engineering firm might have its CEO talk about industry trends, while its lead bridge engineer explains the design choices behind a high-profile project. The engineer’s firsthand detail makes the coverage more specific and more believable than a quote from a senior executive alone.
2. It demonstrates the depth of your team
Customers, investors and prospective employees want to know a company is not dependent on a single person. Microsoft offers a useful model: Nadella speaks to the company’s overall strategy, while Smith is the company’s recognized voice on policy, security and artificial intelligence regulation. Product leaders take the stage for launches. The result is a company that looks deep, not top-heavy.
3. It’s less disruptive when people leave
Executives retire, change companies and get promoted. In fact, CEO turnover hit a record in 2025, with 234 chief executives leaving companies on major global stock indexes. If your only spokesperson walks out the door, the relationships that person built with reporters—and much of your company’s public voice—can go with them.
The fix is to build visibility before you need it. Look at Apple, for example. When the company announced in April that hardware engineering chief John Ternus would succeed Tim Cook as CEO on Sept. 1, Ternus was already a familiar face. In recent years, he had become a more visible presenter at Apple product events, particularly for Mac, Apple silicon and iPad announcements. Customers, investors and reporters had years to get to know him before he took the top job.
Your company doesn’t need a keynote stage to apply this lesson. Giving a vice president or senior manager regular opportunities to speak with trade media builds a track record and a set of reporter relationships that stay with the company when leadership changes.
4. It develops your people
Media opportunities also help managers grow. Learning to distill complex ideas into clear messages, think on their feet and represent the company publicly are skills that make them better leaders, presenters and sellers. Many employees also see being selected as a spokesperson as a sign that the company is investing in them.
How to build your company’s media bench
Expanding your spokesperson roster works best when you start with a clear plan. That includes deciding who should speak to which topics, aligning everyone on core messages, preparing each person with media training and building a steady pipeline of opportunities that fit each spokesperson’s expertise.
Communiqué PR has helped B2B technology, transportation and infrastructure, and nonprofit organizations prepare executives and subject-matter experts to work effectively with the media since 2004. To learn how we can help you identify, train and position the right voices for your organization, contact us.