Who We Are

Where we come from, what we do, and why.

About Thinkers50

Every two years, Thinkers50 salutes the leading business and management ideas of our age with its Ranking of Management Thinkers and Distinguished Achievement Awards, known as

“The Oscars of management thinking” (Financial Times).

The Thinkers50 annual Radar list identifies emerging thinkers with the potential to make a significant contribution to management theory and practice, and the Thinkers50 Hall of Fame recognises and celebrates the legacy of thinkers whose lifetime’s work has had a lasting influence on business and management.

The Thinkers50 brand, built on the core values of independence, integrity, and accessibility, is admired globally for objective market intelligence, positioning Thinkers50 as the leading authority in management ideas.

Our Beliefs

Our Mission

Our core values

Our story

Thinkers50 was the brainchild of business writers and commentators, Des Dearlove and Stuart Crainer, brought to life over a pizza in 2000. Launched in 2001, Thinkers50 was the first-ever global ranking of management thinkers and remains the world’s pre-eminent ranking of its kind.

“We believe that ideas have the power to change the world. That’s what inspired us to create Thinkers50.”

– Des Dearlove.

The Thinkers50 Awards Gala was introduced in 2011. This extraordinary event celebrates the very best in management thinking and provides a forum for the Thinkers50 community to share the leading business and management ideas of our age.

Held every other year in central London, the Thinkers50 Awards Gala draws thinkers from across the globe for debate, discussion, and networking, followed by an iconic evening black tie awards ceremony.

Highlights of the Gala:

THINKERS50 CEO

Mikko Leskelä is a former CEO of a strategy consulting company, a former head of strategic planning of a major European bank, and a board professional. He has published several books on multidisciplinary research, data analysis, and collaborative methodologies in business development. Mikko holds a M.Sc. degree in both finance and Western theology.

Thinkers50 Founders

Stuart Crainer and Des Dearlove are internationally recognised experts and commentators on management thinking. For more than two decades they have championed the very best new management ideas through Thinkers50.

The editors of the Financial Times Handbook of Management, Des and Stuart are the authors of a number of best-selling books, including: Generation Entrepreneur, Firestarters, and Gravy Training. Their books are available in more than 20 languages.

Through their work with Thinkers50, Des and Stuart are frequently asked to advise organisations and individuals on how to maximise the impact of their ideas. Their clients include some of the world’s leading business schools and corporations.

Des and Stuart’s work in business thought leadership led Management Today to describe them as “market makers par excellence.”

Des Dearlove

Des is a former columnist to The Times (London), contributing editor to Strategy+Business, and co-editor of the bestselling Financial Times Handbook of Management. He has taught at some of the world’s leading business schools, including IE Business School and the Said Business School at Oxford University, where he is an associate fellow. He is also the author of the Archie Greene trilogy of children’s books under the pen name D. D. Everest.

Stuart Crainer

Stuart is the former editor of London Business School’s award-winning magazine Business Strategy Review. He has taught in executive education programs around the world, including at IE Business School and in the Strategic Leadership programme at Oxford University. Stuart’s book credits include The Management Century and a biography of management icon, Tom Peters. He is also the author of Atlantic Crossing, a collection of poems based on his experiences sailing the Atlantic.

Des Dearlove

Des is a former columnist to The Times (London), contributing editor to Strategy+Business, and co-editor of the bestselling Financial Times Handbook of Management. He has taught at some of the world’s leading business schools, including IE Business School and the Said Business School at Oxford University, where he is an associate fellow. He is also the author of the Archie Greene trilogy of children’s books under the pen name D. D. Everest.

Stuart Crainer

Stuart is the former editor of London Business School’s award-winning magazine Business Strategy Review. He has taught in executive education programs around the world, including at IE Business School and in the Strategic Leadership programme at Oxford University. Stuart’s book credits include The Management Century and a biography of management icon, Tom Peters. He is also the author of Atlantic Crossing, a collection of poems based on his experiences sailing the Atlantic.

Stuart and Des are the authors of Generation Entrepreneur, Firestarters, and Gravy Training.

Our partners

Media partners

Business Ecosystem Alliance

The Business Ecosystem Alliance is a network of organisations and individuals who share an interest in business ecosystems. Founded in 2020, by one of Thinkers50’s founders, Stuart Crainer, the BEA identifies and shares best practice in the field of business ecosystems.

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Thinkers50 Awards Gala 2023

Join us in celebration of the best in business and management thinking.