Apple supplants Google as business leader

Apple has supplanted Google as the top 'business thought leader' in the UK.

The annual Thought Leadership Index survey asked 1,000 UK business leaders to identify the organisations they believe best delivered on the promise of their brand through innovation, products and business models.

Having finished second to Google last year, Apple took top spot off the back of continued success for the iPhone and App Store, and strength in other product lines such as the MacBook, iMac and iPod.

Microsoft retained its third spot, sharing it with Amazon and GlaxoSmithKline, one of just four non-technology firms in the top 10. And internet-based tech brands were particularly successful.

Aside from Google, this year's top 10 also included Facebook (eighth) and Twitter (tenth).

The technology theme continued in the list of top 10 non-profit thought leaders, which was headed by The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The poll was conducted by brand analyst [a href="http://www.tlg-ltd.com/home.html" target="blank"]TLG Communications and research firmPopulus.

Top 10 Business Thought Leaders

1. Apple

2. Google

3. (tie) Microsoft

3. (tie) Amazon

3. (tie) GlaxoSmithKline

6. (tie) Co-operative Group

6. (tie) Marks & Spencer

8. Facebook

9. Virgin Group

10. Twitter

Top 10 Non-profit Thought Leaders

1. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

2. Help for Heroes

3. (tie) The Prince's Trust

3. (tie) BBC World Service

5. (tie) Amnesty International

5. (tie) The Carbon Trust

5. (tie) Liberty

8. Oxfam

9. Greenpeace

10. The Conservative Party