LONDON – Thinkers50, the global authority on management thinking, has unveiled its inaugural Leaders50
of inspiring organizational leaders. This year, the prestigious list included Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, the chairman of Ayala Corp.
“The challenges facing the world, organizations, and individuals are enormous. We do not know all of the elements, which will be necessary to begin to tackle these challenges. But, we do know that none will be overcome without leadership. Leaders50 shines a light on some exceptional leaders in the hope that others may learn from them, be inspired by them, and take on the mantle of leadership,” says Thinkers50 co-founder Stuart Crainer.
Leaders50 features some familiar names—including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Chanel’s Leena Nair, GM’s Mary Barra, and Ed Bastian of Delta Airlines. But as Leaders50 is truly global and features leaders of non-profits as well as corporations there are plenty of names that are less well known. These include: Shelley
Zalis, founder and CEO of the Female Quotient; Etienne Salborn, founder of the Social Innovation Academy, Uganda; Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva and Asheesh Advani, CEO
of Junior Achievement Worldwide.
Leaders50 includes leaders from more than 20 countries. The biggest grouping is from the United States. Among these leaders, it is notable how many are first or second-generation immigrants—including Tarang Amin (e.l.f. Beauty), Aicha Evans (Zoox), Jensen Huang (NVIDIA), and Hamdi Ulukaya (Chobani). Leaders50 also celebrates African leaders—such as Patricia Obo-nai in Ghana and Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli in Nigeria—as well as Asian leaders like Jaehoon Chang (South Korea) and Nand Kishore Chaudhary
(India).
Leaders50 is unique in that nominations are drawn from the Thinkers50 Community of global thought leaders. Working with a definition of leadership as inspiring purposeful action that achieves
remarkable outcomes, a list of criteria was developed. The foundation elements for any leader are their
contribution in three areas:
• Organisational Impact
• Economic Contribution
• Social Purpose
The second level of analysis is concerned with character:
• Role Model
• Stakeholder Satisfaction
• Leadership Style
The final element looks to the future and the ability of the
leader to build a lasting legacy. It looks at:
• Leadership Development
• Organisational Resilience and Adaptability
• Visionary Impact
Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, who was also included in the list wrote in a Facebook post, “I am deeply honored to be included in Thinkers50’s inaugural Leaders50 list. This recognition belongs to the dedicated employees of the Ayala group, whose unwavering support and commitment enable us to build businesses that help people thrive. I also share this achievement with our partners and stakeholders, who share our purpose and vision, working closely with us to foster communities and, ultimately, a country where more people can thrive. Thank you for being part of this journey.”
