Thinkers50 Ranking
For over 20 years, Thinkers50 has been identifying, ranking, and sharing the very best ideas and thought leaders in management and business. The Thinkers50 Ranking is published every two years and unveiled at the Thinkers50 Awards Gala – the “Oscars of management thinking” – Financial Times.
Highlighting the important work of 50 thinkers whose work provides practical, compelling insights with real-world impact, the Thinkers50 Ranking is the original and pre-eminent global ranking of its kind.
The methodology is organised by two broad concepts: Viability – the quality and relevance of ideas; and Visibility – the influence and impact of ideas in the world. These concepts are quantified using 10 criteria.
VIABILITY (THE 4RS):
VISIBILITY (IMPACT):
Nominations are accepted between 1 May and 30 June in odd-numbered years.
Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Awards
Founded in 2011, the Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Awards are presented to individuals who have made outstanding contributions in a particular field of management thinking. These categories are listed below.
Nominations are accepted throughout May and June and the shortlists are announced every Monday starting in August. The final recipients are invited onto the stage at the Thinkers50 Awards Gala to be presented with their “Oscar” of management thinking.
Nominations for the Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Category Awards are open from May to July in Thinkers50 Awards Gala years (odd-numbered years), and shortlists are announced in late summer. Awards are conferred in November at the biennial Thinkers50 Awards Gala event.
All nominations for the Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Awards are considered by the Thinkers50 Panel of Advisors.
Public participation is an important part of the Awards process. In Thinkers50 Awards years (odd-numbered years) all interested parties are invited to participate in the nomination process by submitting online the names and qualifications of thinkers they wish to put forward for consideration. Nominations from across the globe are accepted – and encouraged.
for the 2025 Thinkers50 Ranking and Distinguished Achievement Awards!
Nominations open from 1 May to 30 June 2025.
Nomination fee: £50.00 (incl. VAT)
Each Gala year, we receive thousands of highly valued nominations for the Thinkers50 Ranking and Distinguished Achievement Awards. The administrative process involved in properly researching and weighing all nominations — to ensure the quality and independence Thinkers50 is renowned for — is a job we take very seriously.
To cover a portion of the costs involved in this work, all nominations incur a non-refundable processing fee.
From Taylorism to The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, new ideas have redefined our understanding and practice of business and management. The Thinkers50 Breakthrough Idea Award celebrates an innovative thinker whose groundbreaking insights have the power to revolutionise management thinking. Who will be the next game-changer?
Great leaders rarely develop in isolation. Since ancient times, the impact of advisors has been profound. Today’s executive coaches serve as both wisdom-bearers and cross-pollinators of best practices, transferring innovative ideas between thought leaders and practitioners. The Thinkers50 Coaching and Mentoring Award honours the influential work of those behind the scenes.
The acceleration of technological advancement – particularly AI – is rapidly and fundamentally reshaping the business landscape. The Thinkers50 Digital Thinking Award applauds a visionary whose work illuminates the complex implications of our evolving digital reality. It celebrates thought leaders who translate the technological revolution into practical management frameworks.
In an era where global disruptions have exposed vulnerabilities in critical systems, the ability to anticipate and prepare for both challenges and opportunities ahead has become paramount. The Future Readiness Award recognises thought leadership that helps organisations develop the agility, talent, and infrastructure needed to thrive amid uncertainty and change.
While necessity is the spark for invention, innovation translates possibility into reality. The Thinkers50 Innovation Award celebrates the thought leader whose recent contributions have most significantly advanced our understanding of innovation – offering frameworks and approaches that help transform creative thinking into tangible progress and meaningful change.
Across teams, companies, and organisations of every kind, effective leadership is a key ingredient for success. However, the concept of leadership – and the expectations placed upon leaders – continues to evolve in response to changing contexts and challenges. The Thinkers50 Leadership Award honours individuals who offer compelling, original insights for leading in the modern world.
Drawn from the Radar Classes of the previous two years, the Thinkers50 Radar Award throws the spotlight on a rising star in management thinking – an exciting new voice with the potential to impact businesses and organisations in the years to come. With so many complex challenges facing leaders today, the need for fresh, new thinking and practical ideas has never been greater.
Regenerative business is the future of business. A regenerative business moves beyond sustainability by seeking to restore, renew, and enhance the natural and social systems it depends upon. The Thinkers50 Regenerative Business Award salutes the work of those helping organisations take the step from net zero to net positive outcomes for the environment, society, and the economy.
Strategy lies at the core of effective leadership and organisational success – charting direction, aligning resources, and guiding decision-making. The Thinkers50 Strategy Award highlights a thinker providing outstanding insight, clarity, and impact in the field of strategic thinking. It honours those whose ideas leaders turn to when determining where to go – and how best to get there.
The challenge of attracting, developing, and retaining top talent has never been greater. In today’s global economy, talent is one of the most vital and sought-after assets. As workplaces evolve and new generations reshape expectations around work, the Thinkers50 Talent Award recognises a thinker who has advanced our understanding of the fast-evolving talent landscape.
The public is invited to participate in the online nomination process for both the Ranking and the Distinguished Achievement Awards by submitting the names and qualifications of thinkers they wish to put forward for consideration. Nominations are accepted and encouraged from individuals and organisations across the globe.
The new Ranking and Award recipients will be announced at the
Lifetime Achievement Award
The Thinkers50 Lifetime Achievement Award is given to someone who has had a long-term impact on the way people think about and practice management. The first-ever award in this category was given to Charles Handy in 2011. Recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award gain automatic entry into the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame.
Founders’ Award
For an individual who has paved the way for thought leadership to flourish
Join us at the ‘Oscars of management thinking’, where we announce the recipients of the 2023 Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Awards.
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Thinkers50 Limited
The Studio
Highfield Lane
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United Kingdom
Thinkers50 Limited
The Studio
Highfield Lane
Wargrave RG10 8PZ
United Kingdom
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