Ford CEO Alan Mulally was among the new names added to Barron's list of the 30 most respected chief executive officers worldwide for 2009, AutoObserver reported.

The editors of the business publication said of the list featured in the March 29 issue that they selected CEOs who went on the offensive and scored big while competitors hunkered down during the recession.

"We sought to identify executives who kept their companies out of trouble and took advantage of the downturn to expand, make shrewd acquisitions, feast on the problems of competitors or otherwise distance themselves from rivals," the editors of the business publication said about the list featured in the March 29 issue.

Barron's compiled the list by looking at how well a company's shares performed and by asking investors, analysts and executives to name those chiefs who have made a difference within their companies and with shareholders.

After all of the accolades, Mulally may well want a raise. Mulally earned $17.9 million for 2009, according to the Associated Press' calculations, up 1 percent from 2008. He received no bonus for 2009 and was hit with a 30-percent pay cut, bringing his salary to $1.4 million. However, the company performed well enough that the Ford stock he owns paid the difference. And Mulally receives other perks, including the use of a private jet, which adds about $128,000 to his pay package.

Chairman Bill Ford is to receive no salary until Ford is consistently profitable, but he received $16.8 million in his stock compensation package, the AP reported.

Ford earned $2.7 billion last year, its first yearly profit in four years. The company reports its first quarter 2010 profit next month.