Rupert Younger

Crises come in many different forms. We’ve recently seen technology failures, data breaches, corruption scandals, health and safety crises, and egregious lapses in customer care, to name just a few. The impacts of these offenses have been equally varied, from share price collapses to significant punitive fines. Yet, all have claimed that scandals left their reputation in tatters. But is that really true? United still flies planes. BP still produces oil. Volkswagen still sells cars. Rupert Younger, founding director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation, expertly unpacks this question — and these real-world examples — through two reputation lenses: capability and character. In this presentation, he analyzes why the distinctions between capability (perceptions about the ability of a company to do what they say they do) and character (perceptions about how they go about doing what they do) matter, and to whom they matter most. He offers insight into the strategies required to manage and overcome each type of reputational crisis, and explains how to fight, and win, on today’s newest reputation battleground: social media.

“What would Marx and Engels write today?” This was the question Rupert Younger, together with his co-author UC Berkeley professor Frank Partnoy, set out to answer 170 years after the publication of arguably the most famous manuscript of the 19th century: “The Communist Manifesto.” What resulted was “The Activist Manifesto,” a reflection on the phenomenon of inequality in today’s society. Younger uses “The Activist Manifesto” as an entry point into a powerful and provocative discussion around the underlying forces of populism and social division that characterize today’s Western economies and societies. Drawing on insights that explain the rise of Trump, Brexit and other contemporary fracture points, he outlines the actions that modern organizations and their leaders can take to embrace the growing global movement of corporate activism. Audiences learn why such initiatives are not only the right thing to do, but also a savvy commercial strategy.

In our hyper-connected society, reputation is the most valuable modern currency, and it will only continue its rise as the data and AI revolution gains momentum. People and businesses alike are now rated and ranked in ways never before possible. Getting the right job, securing a place to stay, and even our love lives are increasingly dictated by reputation. In this presentation, Rupert Younger, founding director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation, explains how AI data systems around the world will, over the next few years, supercharge the power of reputation in determining what we are allowed and enabled to achieve. He delves deep into how reputations are created, sustained, destroyed and rebuilt, leaving companies and their leaders with a strategy to compete in today’s reputation economy. As Younger explains, “The Reputation Game” is one we’re all playing, whether we want to or not. He is a key voice helping leaders and their companies win at it.

Open any social media app and you’re sure to see unfounded character assassinations against leaders and organizations all over the world. How can companies protect themselves and foster a culture prepared to respond to such attacks? Drawing from his latest book “Forked Tongues” (September 2025), Rupert Younger, founding director of the Oxford University Centre for Corporate Reputation, dives into the thought process behind malicious behaviors online and provides strategies to safeguard against hostile users. His research incorporates insights from economics, psychology and personal encounters with notorious figures to outline defense mechanisms against the “dark triad traits” common among internet trolls. Attendees will learn practical strategies for bouncing back from personal attacks and developing a supportive organizational culture. Audiences leave with a practical toolkit for turning negativity into opportunity for strengthening character, enhancing both leadership and company resilience.

Trust is fundamental to almost every action, relationship and transaction in society. At the same time, rapidly evolving technologies are affecting who and how we trust. Rupert Younger’s expertise in reputation and trust systems serves as a strong foundation for shaping how organizations engage in the digital age. With public trust in governments, banks, charities and media at an all-time low, this engaging presentation shows how anyone can act authentically in a world where trust is scarce. With strategies for navigating an environment where fake news has become the norm, Younger explains how reputation and trust are shaped in a world where information is increasingly curated and transmitted by third party algorithms. Audiences learn how technology impacts trust – a vital resource for businesses and society to survive and thrive now more than ever.