FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thinkers360 Announces Winners of the 2026 Annual Awards Recognizing Global Excellence in Business and Technology Thought Leadership
DALLAS, TX – July 14th 2026 – Thinkers360, the world’s premier B2B thought leader and influencer marketplace, today officially announced the Winners, Distinguished Achievement recipients, and Honorable Mentions for the highly anticipated 2026 Thinkers360 Annual Awards.
This year’s awards program recognized outstanding individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional impact, depth of insight, and sustained excellence across critical business and technology disciplines. Following a highly selective nomination window, an expert evaluation panel reviewed a competitive pool of finalists to select the ultimate honorees based on their verified expertise, cutting-edge research, and real-world execution.
“The caliber of entries for the 2026 Annual Awards was truly extraordinary, reflecting a massive shift toward highly specialized, data-driven expertise in an era dominated by rapid technology transition,” said Nicholas D. Evans, Founder of Thinkers360. “Our 2026 honorees represent the absolute pinnacle of strategic insight and execution. They aren’t just commenting on industry trends, they are actively architecting the future of global enterprise.”
2026 Award Categories & Premier Winners
Across the program, top honors were designated to 18 premier winners who demonstrated standout authority in their respective domains. Below is the official selection of category winners:
## Personal Excellence Winners
- Thought Leader of the Year: John Spence (John Spence, LLC)
- Analyst of the Year: Maribel Lopez (Lopez Research)
- Author of the Year: Simon Hill (Wazoku)
- Consultant of the Year: Dr. Lilly Mbinglo (THE ARK NPS & Regent University)
- Entrepreneur of the Year: Capt Pradeep Singh (Aethon group)
- Influencer of the Year: Damian Piñero (Cima Academy)
- Rising Star of the Year: Dr. Mahesh EV (AMPIN Energy Transition)
- Speaker of the Year: Svitlana Samko (Verizon Connect, W2business)
## Content Excellence Winners
- Article of the Year: Douglas Laney (Douglas B. Laney)
- Book of the Year: Jana Werner (Amazon Web Services)
- Newsletter of the Year: Pascal Bornet (Irreplaceable With AI)
- Podcast of the Year: Pamela (Pam) Harper (Business Advancement Inc.)
- Video Content of the Year: George Firican (LightsOnData Consulting & Training)
## Organizational Excellence Winners
- Thought Leading Company of the Year: EnterpriseDB (EDB)
- Startup of the Year: Lyzr
- Non-Profit of the Year: Future of Life Institute (FLI)
## Technology Excellence Winners
- Best Use of AI/Emerging Technology: Rajesh Lingam (Adobe Inc)
- Innovation for Social Good: EnterpriseDB (EDB)
According to John Spence, Managing Partner, John Spence LLC, “I am deeply honored to receive this recognition from Thinkers360 and humbled to be included among such an accomplished group of thought leaders from around the world. For more than thirty years, I’ve had the privilege of working with organizations across a wide range of industries. Those experiences have shaped my thinking about leadership and organizational success, and I am grateful to Thinkers360 for recognizing that work.”
Distinguished Achievement & Honorable Mentions
In addition to the top category winners, Thinkers360 extended specialized honors to finalists whose exceptional contributions merited distinct recognition:
- Distinguished Achievement Awards: Awarded to individuals showcasing a remarkably high standard of excellence, continuous thought leadership output, and a deep, measurable industry footprint.
- Honorable Mentions: Awarded to rising leaders and dedicated practitioners whose current contributions demonstrate standout impact and vital expertise within their professional niches.
The complete, comprehensive directory of all category winners, distinguished achievement recipients, and honorable mentions – along with links to their verified professional profiles – can be viewed live on the official Thinkers360 showcase page at www.thinkers360.com/tl/annual_awards/results.
Judging Process
The Thinkers360 Annual Awards utilized a rigorous, two-part evaluation process that began with a public voting phase where the broader B2B community helped narrow the field down to the official finalists. Following this public vote, the highest-scoring entries advanced to an exclusive panel of Thinkers360 Ambassadors – comprised of recognized thought leaders and industry authorities – who conducted a comprehensive, holistic review to select the ultimate winners based on the quality, real-world impact, and originality of the work submitted.
Join the Global Thought Leadership Movement
Thinkers360 invites both individual experts and forward-thinking brands to join the world’s premier B2B expert ecosystem. Whether you are an academic, analyst, author, consultant, entrepreneur, executive, influencer, speaker or an organization looking to lead your industry, our platform provides the tools to amplify your impact.
For Individual Experts:
- Build & Amplify Your Brand: Syndicate your latest blogs, podcasts, and whitepapers to a high-intent global audience and use our patented algorithm to benchmark your authority across 100+ topics.
- Earn Expert Certifications: Distinguish yourself with our new Expert Certifications, providing verified credentials that validate your authority to the global market.
- Monetize Your Expertise: Unlock new revenue streams by being discovered by brands seeking high-caliber talent for advisory, consulting, speaking engagements and collaborative content.
For Brands and Organizations:
- Award Recognition: Participate in our live and annual award programs to earn prestigious recognition for your organization’s thought leadership and innovation.
- Build Brand Awareness: Increase your market visibility by showcasing your brand content and collective corporate expertise alongside the world’s top B2B analysts, influencers and decision makers.
- Influence the Influencers: Engage directly with our certified expert community to build strategic relationships and influence the voices that shape your industry.
Sign up for a free profile or explore our enterprise solutions today at thinkers360.com to accelerate your professional brand.
About Thinkers360
Thinkers360 is the world’s first open platform for thought leaders, analysts and influencers, providing a comprehensive ecosystem to showcase, connect, and engage with the world’s leading business professionals (over 100M followers combined). Thinkers360’s mission is to amplify genuine influence and help organizations identify and work with top-ranked industry experts in business and technology.
Media Contact: Thinkers360 Media Relations info@thinkers360.com
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