5-6 November, London & 4-5 October, virtual pre-event
The Thinkers50 Awards Gala is back – bigger, bolder, and better!
Starting with our virtual Pre-event on 4 & 5 October and culminating in the in-person Thinkers50 Awards Gala at London’s iconic Guildhall on 5 & 6 November, where we will unveil the 2023 Thinkers50 Ranking and the recipients of the Thinkers50 Distinguished Achievement Awards. We couldn’t be more excited! We are especially thrilled to welcome the Thinkers50 community back to London as we invite you to Reconnect, Rethink, and Reset – everything you thought you knew about management.
The Thinkers50 community is a talent pool like no other. Join the world’s leading business thinkers as we explore the ideas and best practices redefining the world of work, leadership, and the role of business in society. From climate change to AI, from inclusive organisations to new models of leadership, and from new ways of working to new ways of thinking.
We believe that the thorny issues facing humanity are management challenges. Tackling the toughest challenges will require us to revisit many of our assumptions and preconceptions about the purpose of work, business, and power – and about the capitalist system itself. We need a boldness of intent and the courage to try new things. We need to think bigger and move faster. We need to reconnect to a higher purpose, to rethink our modus operandi, and reset our aspirations.
At Thinkers50, we couldn’t be more passionate about our mission. Now more than ever, we believe that ideas can change the world, management matters, and fresh thinking can bring a better future for all. What new ideas will you bring to the party? What will you do to reshape the leadership landscape?
Join us on this unique journey – to reimagine the future of business.
7 AM EDT / 12 PM UK
Collaboration has emerged as one of the most critical skills in business and life. Working effectively with others is regarded as both beneficial to fostering a positive culture and a necessary requirement for tackling challenges big and small. Everything from addressing global warming, to simple work tasks such as scheduling meetings, takes a degree of collaboration. But that does not make working with other people easy, automatic, or even natural. So, what does it take to be truly collaborative and to foster collaboration in an organization? And how can smarter collaboration lead to better outcomes for all?
8 AM EDT / 1 PM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
9 AM EDT / 2 PM UK
Perspective is everything. How we see the world depends on the lens through which we view it. No one exemplifies this better than great artists and original thinkers. They offer a unique angle, one that is authentic and deeply felt and expressed. They ask new questions and offer new answers. So, what can business leaders and practitioners learn from the likes of artists, philosophers, and scientists? How can they train themselves to seek out alternative points of view to gain a deeper understanding of the ‘?’?
10 AM EDT / 3 PM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
11 AM EDT / 4 PM UK
Kickstarted by the pandemic and the advent of new enabling technologies, the world of work is being reinvented. But, despite the progress in terms of remote working and other enlightened practices, many companies are now retrenching, insisting that workers return to their office cubicles. What is driving business leaders to get their people back in the building? And how can smart organizations make the best of the hybrid opportunities?
12 PM EDT / 5 PM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
1 PM EDT / 6 PM UK
The world’s business schools have proved adept at moving and adapting. Today, the agenda for those they educate is becoming ever wider, embracing, among other things, social issues, and climate change. The next generation of business leaders are intent on changing the world as well as making money. So, how are b-schools responding to their more altruistic students and what is their role in creating a better world?
2 PM EDT / 7 PM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
3 PM EDT / 8 PM UK
Once taboo, mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, and burn-out are increasingly on the organizational agenda. Research suggests a hidden mental health pandemic was exacerbated by COVID-19 – and working practices and the support for employees now require a fundamental rethink. But how far should employers’ responsibilities go when it comes to mental health? And how can organizations create more healthy working environments for our minds as well as our bodies?
4 AM EDT / 9 AM UK
Artificial intelligence and other nascent technologies will have a profound impact on how organizations are managed and led in the future. But that doesn’t have to mean that leadership will be dehumanized. Tomorrow’s leaders will be shaped by character, and caring – as much as AI. How can we harness technology to measure and interact with the softer elements of leadership and management? How can we calculate the ROI on compassion?
5 AM EDT / 10 AM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
7 AM EDT / 12 PM UK
In this session, we explore the potential behind the recent shift towards ecosystem thinking and the opportunities that open up for business and society at this level. Taking on an ecosystem lens means adjusting our focus to a scale and a set of design principles better suited for our time, whether we are working on solutions to our many systemic issues, unlocking radically new value in our field, or meeting the more fundamental aspirations of our stakeholders. We also explore the capability upgrade required to thrive and deliver the goods – a shift from a disruption to an up-ruption mindset. Up-ruption leaders are already out there and more are emerging. It’s a movement. They need to be identified, seen, and supported, so they can do the collective work we need them to do.
8 AM EDT / 1 PM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
9 AM EDT / 2 PM UK
Confronted with surging inflation, an energy crisis, supply chain disruption, and geopolitical decoupling, business leaders are feeling under pressure. But smart companies don’t simply curtail corporate development. They don’t blindly scale back every innovation during tough times. Instead, they prioritize; they choose. Being future-ready means delivering today and winning tomorrow. Business success depends on preparedness for future disruptions. So, how can future readiness be measured? And how can organizations ensure they are fit for the next challenge?
10 AM EDT / 3 PM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
11 AM EDT / 4 PM UK • Sponsored by Wiley
Today, the only certainty is uncertainty. Disruption is to be expected and requires an adaptable response. To be able to respond better to unforeseen events, we need to build resilience and agility into our lives, including the way business operates. Certain Uncertainty is the title of a new Thinkers50 book, which examines how to lead with agility and resilience in an unpredictable world. We can’t go back. We must go forward. So, what do the next generation of leaders need to know about living with certain uncertainty? And how can they develop a mindset to handle constant change?
12 PM EDT / 5 PM UK
Time to connect, reflect, and refresh. Join us to take part in conversations led by Thinkers50 founders Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove.
2 PM EDT / 7 PM UK
A new generation of business leaders have grown up with the twin challenges of performance and sustainability. To remain competitive and thrive, organizations must innovate and adapt to ongoing change. At the same time, they also need to act with urgency to help tackle climate change and the complex social challenges that have brought sustainability to the forefront of business priorities. But what does sustainable behavior in organizations really look like in practice? And how can this generation of leaders balance growth with environmental and social responsibility?
November 5th
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Welcome to Guildhall! Registration with coffee/tea |
| 14.00 – 14.15 | Introduction from Stuart Crainer & Des Dearlove |
| 14.30 – 16.15 | Three powerfully practical workshops |
| 16.15 – 17.00 | Special announcement: Coaching Legends |
| 17.00 – 18.30 | Networking drinks and jazz in the Crypts |
Carrying on networking? Looking for a pint and a pie? See our curated list of pubs and restaurants.
November 6th
| 08.00 – 09.00 | Welcome! Registration with coffee/tea |
| 09.00 – 17.00 | Debate, discussion, and dialogue with the Thinkers50 community |
| 17.00 – 18.15 | Change for dinner: onsite or at your hotel |
| 18.15 – 19.15 | Evening drinks and music in the Old Library |
| 19.15 – 20.00 | Introduction to the Thinkers50 2023 Awards Gala Ceremony |
| 20.00 – 21.15 | Dinner is served |
| 21.15 – 22.55 | Announcement of the Thinkers50 2023 Ranking and Distinguished Achievement Awards |
| 22.45 – 23.15 | Celebratory drinks |
November 5th
| 13.00 – 14.00 | Welcome to Guildhall! Registration with coffee/tea |
| 14.00 – 14.15 | Introduction from Stuart Crainer & Des Dearlove |
| 14.30 – 16.15 | Three powerfully practical workshops |
| 16.15 – 17.00 | Special announcement: Coaching Legends |
| 17.00 – 18.30 | Networking drinks and jazz in the Crypts |
Carrying on networking? Looking for a pint and a pie? See our curated list of pubs and restaurants.
November 6th
| 08.00 – 09.00 | Welcome! Registration with coffee/tea |
| 09.00 – 17.00 | Debate, discussion, and dialogue with the Thinkers50 community |
| 17.00 – 18.15 | Change for dinner: onsite or at your hotel |
| 18.15 – 19.15 | Evening drinks and music in the Old Library |
| 19.15 – 20.00 | Introduction to the Thinkers50 2023 Awards Gala Ceremony |
| 20.00 – 21.15 | Dinner is served |
| 21.15 – 22.55 | Announcement of the Thinkers50 2023 Ranking and Distinguished Achievement Awards |
| 22.45 – 23.15 | Celebratory drinks |
Thinkers50 Limited
The Studio
Highfield Lane
Wargrave RG10 8PZ
United Kingdom
Thinkers50 Limited
The Studio
Highfield Lane
Wargrave RG10 8PZ
United Kingdom
