Business tycoon Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman of Ayala Corp., has been named the sole Filipino honoree in the inaugural Thinkers50 Leaders list.
The recognition highlights his global leadership and impactful contributions.
Zobel, who leads the Philippines’ oldest conglomerate, oversees businesses in banking, real estate, telecommunications, manufacturing, and energy.
Zobel expressed his gratitude in a social media post, saying, “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,” said Zobel.
The Thinkers50 Leaders list, launched by business writers Des Dearlove and Stuart Crainer, evaluates leaders based on their organizational impact, economic contribution, and social purpose. Leaders are also assessed for qualities such as character, stakeholder satisfaction, and adaptability.
The list includes prominent figures including Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, Chanel’s Leena Nair, GM’s Mary Barra, and Ed Bastian of Delta Airlines.
The list also includes global and features leaders of non-profits as well as corporations namely Shelley Zalis, founder and chief executive 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.
“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,” said Thinkers50 cofounder Stuart Crainer.
