Auto tycoon Anand Mahindra ranks among the world’s top five non-tech chief executive officers using social media to drive business, even as Richard Branson tops the list.

Even though, social media is important to industries as varied as textiles and banking, 70 per cent of the Fortune 500 CEOs still shy away from using it, according to a study.

The Chairman of the Mahindra Group ranks third in the list - ‘5 Non-Tech CEOs Using Social Media to Drive Business Results’ – compiled by Hootsuite, a dashboard to manage and measure social media networks.

“With over 8.44 lakh Twitter followers, Anand Mahindra is undoubtedly influential in the social space. Mahindra’s Twitter feed is an engaging mix of business and pleasure, and of broadcasting and engagement,” Hootsuite said.

“Yes, he posts about his company, but he also posts inspirational quotes, he posts about cinema, and he even posts about American politics. He shares his thoughts and passions, and re-tweets and shares the messages of those who engage with him on those topics,” it added.

In July, WorldofCEOs.com had ranked Mahindra third in its inaugural ranking of the top 30 CEOs on social media. Earlier in May, his Twitter account was ranked fourth in the ‘Top 25 CEOs to Follow on Twitter’ listing by the ‘CEO Guru’ blog.

However, Richard Branson, founder and chairman of Virgin Group, is undeniably the leader in the social space. Branson, with more than 3.3 million Twitter followers, 4.7 million Google+ followers and 2.1 million followers on his LinkedIn influencer blog, topped the Hootsuite chart.

James Caan, CEO and of Founder of the UK-based private equity firm Hamilton Bradshaw ranks second. Caan, who has more than 2.6 lakh followers on his LinkedIn Influencer blog, has dedicated much of his activity on social media to business advice, articles and posts that provide value to entrepreneurs and companies.

The others on the list are Doug Conant, Chairman of the Avon board of directors and former CEO of Campbell’s Soup is in the fourth place and Peter Aceto, CEO of ING Direct, in the fifth position.

> rajesh.kurup@thehindu.co.in