2026 Global Recognition Award: shortlisted professionals
Below are the 2026 shortlisted professionals who have been selected for their outstanding contributions across a variety of sectors.
Shortlisted
Miranda Wang
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Co-founder and CEO of Novoloop, pioneering chemical recycling technology that transforms unrecyclable plastics into high-performance materials, recognized as UN Young Champion of the Earth and Forbes 30 Under 30
Industries: Environmental Technology, Waste Management
Shortlisted
Leanne Kemp
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Founder and CEO of Everledger, using blockchain technology to track provenance of high-value assets from diamonds to wine, combating fraud and unethical practices across global supply chains
Industries: Legal Technology, Blockchain
SHORTLISTED
Jessica Walsh
Entrepreneurial Ventures: CEO, Founder, and Creative Director of &Walsh, leading a branding and advertising agency known for emotion-driven work, 2024 D&AD President’s Award winner, and founder of Ladies, Wine & Design serving 280 cities
Industries: Creative Design, Branding
Shortlisted
Danielle Strachman
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Co-founder of 1517 Fund, backing young entrepreneurs and dropouts working on hard problems and scientific innovations, previously led operations for Thiel Fellowship supporting founders of billion-dollar companies
Industries: Venture Capital, Fintech
Shortlisted
Deb Strickland
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Credit risk management leader at Wells Fargo, integrating machine learning and AI into credit decisioning strategies to create fairer, more accurate lending systems while expanding financial inclusion
Industries: Financial Technology, Credit Risk Management
Shortlisted
Dr. Rumman Chowdhury
Entrepreneurial Ventures: CEO and co-founder of Humane Intelligence, pioneering community-driven AI auditing through bias bounties, serving as U.S. Science Envoy for AI and member of NYC’s AI Steering Committee
Industries: AI Ethics, Machine Learning
Shortlisted
Evan Brumley
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Software Engineering Discipline Lead at WSP’s Digital team, guiding digital transformation projects across Australia’s infrastructure sector from smart cities to transportation systems
Industries: Software Engineering, Digital Transformation
Shortlisted
Anne Neuberger
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Former Deputy for Cyber & Emerging Technology, coordinated U.S. cyber policy, established Cybersecurity Directorate, and forged 70-nation Counter Ransomware Initiative
Industries: Cybersecurity, Emerging Technologies
Shortlisted
Bevan Slattery
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Australian technology entrepreneur who founded five ASX-listed companies, including NEXTDC and Megaport, transforming telecommunications and data infrastructure across the Asia-Pacific region
Industries: Telecommunications, Network Infrastructure
Shortlisted
Dr. Kathryn Sullivan
Entrepreneurial Ventures: Geologist, former NASA astronaut, and NOAA Administrator, first American woman to walk in space and first woman to reach Challenger Deep, championing science-based climate action and ocean conservation
Industries: Oceanography, Environmental Science
