- Tony Fernandes said he posted the topless photo on LinkedIn to demonstrate his company's flexible work culture.
- Fernandez said his public relations team does not check what he posts on social media.
- Elon Musk has previously said that CEOs should write their own tweets.
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes said he has no regrets about posting a shirtless photo on LinkedIn as the viral post garnered a lot of attention.
Fernandes told CNBC in an article published Sunday that he posted the controversial photo in October to illustrate the flexibility of Malaysia Airlines' work culture.
“At first, I asked if I could delay the meeting to get a massage. I had been on a lot of planes and was in a lot of pain. But the team said we were fine, we had nothing to hide. I said there's nothing. We don't want to delay. That's why I actually posted it because I wanted to share the great culture that we have,” Fernandez said.
“Do I have any regrets? No, I got a lot of publicity,” he added.
The post, which has since been deleted, showed Fernandez receiving a massage from someone wearing an apron, hairnet and face mask. Mr. Fernandez appeared to be sitting topless in an office chair in a conference room.
In his post, Fernandes mentioned AirAsia Indonesia CEO Veranita Josephin, saying, “I had a stressful week, so Veranita Josephin offered me a massage. ” he wrote. She said, “I fell in love with Indonesia and AirAsia's culture because I could get massages and attend management meetings.''
Fernandez's photo divided users, with some commenting that he promotes a friendly work culture and others criticizing him for being unprofessional. In December, Mr Fernandes caused controversy when he said on Instagram that he had to take a Singapore Airlines flight because the AirAsia flight was full.
Fernandez told CNBC that he controls his own social media accounts and posts them online without being reviewed by his public relations team.
“I'm transparent, and social media makes me very transparent. The downside is that people misrepresent and misunderstand who Tony Fernandes is,” he said. Fernandes and AirAsia did not immediately respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.
Fernandez is not the only CEO who recognizes the importance of leaders managing their own social media accounts. At the 2023 World Government Summit, Elon Musk said CEOs should “speak the truth” and write his own tweets.
