India might not figure among the top 10 countries in a list compiled by advertising major WPP, but Brand Modi is giving global political and business leaders a run for their money, says a senior executive of the company.

At Davos this year, WPP launched ‘The Best Countries’ list, along with Pennsylvania University’s Wharton School.

“We have seen a distinctive change in Brand India,” David Roth, CEO, The Store WPP (Europe, Middle East, Africa and Asia) told BusinessLine. “People have started seeing India as a better place to do business in than ever before. Many also see India as a much more thriving dynamic economy,” he said.

For the first time in the history of the study, the agency also looked at how country leaders were perceived, with respondents asked to rank political and business leaders.

While Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau topped the list, followed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump was the least liked.

“Prime Minister Modi is viewed on the positive, though some countries’ chiefs are viewed negatively. As an ambassador for Brand India, he is doing all the right things. He is ticking all the right boxes,” Roth pointed out.

Switzerland, Luxembourg and Panama topped the list of countries seen as being ‘open for business’ in the WPP survey of 21,000 people around the world.

Though business leaders saw India “as a more inviting and easier place to do business”, Roth said there was still a long way to go for India to be termed business-friendly.

While the US ranked 43rd on the ‘open for business’ list, the UK came 20th.

“If there is a report card and the result is ‘doing good’ or ‘can do better’ India is on the right trajectory,” added Roth. “Modi has brought a little bit of buzz, a little bit of star quality, and all the policies have helped.” Pointing out that three years ago, India was not on many CEO’s agenda, given that “it was too difficult to do business in, and the uncertain regulation framework,” Roth says the perception is now changing. “Many want to be here. They know India is a big market and poised for massive growth. What Brand Modi has done is open people’s eyes to what India can offer.”

He went on to add: “Many businesses are putting India in their ‘let’s look at’ list, as opposed to ‘too difficult to do business’ list.”