Robert W. Selander, CEO of MasterCard will retire from his job on July 1. By all accounts, MasterCard has done very well under Mr. Selander’s tutelage. He transformed and grew the company. In 2006, MasterCard sold for $39 in its initial public offering. It closed at $218 on June 25.

Don’t let the veneer distract you from the substance, Selander tells New York Times reporter Adam Bryant in an interview published on June 25. “It is too easy to let the person with great presentation or language skills buffalo you into thinking that they are better or more knowledgeable than someone else who might not necessarily have that particular set of skills.”

This CEO looks for leadership and results in any senior hire. He probes for presence, which he defines as “knowing what to communicate, and how.” ”I think you can be a good communicator and you still may not have presence,” Selander says.

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