EmergeTech 2026 Leadership Excellence Awards
Celebrating Visionary Leadership Shaping the Future of Technology
The EmergeTech 2026 Leadership Excellence Awards recognise leaders who are not just navigating change, but actively shaping the future of technology, innovation, and enterprise transformation.
Curated by The Mainstream, these awards honour individuals who demonstrate strategic vision, bold innovation, and the ability to translate emerging technologies into real-world impact. The EmergeTech 2026 Leadership Excellence Awards spotlight leaders who: – Drive innovation with purpose – Build future-ready organisations – Inspire teams and ecosystems to adapt and scale – Set new benchmarks for leadership in technology-led growth.
Please Select the Category
Leadership in Innovation & Vision Award
This category recognises established leaders who have demonstrated exceptional vision and innovation in steering their organisations through technological change.
Who should be nominated: - CXOs, founders, or senior leaders - Individuals driving large-scale digital, AI, cloud, or cybersecurity initiatives - Leaders whose strategic decisions have resulted in measurable business or societal impact
Emerging Leadership Award
This category honours rising leaders who are shaping the future with fresh thinking, agility, and impact.
Who should be nominated: - Next-generation leaders and change-makers - Professionals leading high-impact initiatives or teams - Individuals demonstrating rapid growth, leadership potential, and innovation mindset.
Nomination Process
Nominations are open to self-nominations and peer nominations
Each nomination will be reviewed by an independent jury panel comprising industry experts and editorial leadership from The Mainstream
Shortlisted nominees may be contacted for additional information or validation
Who Should Nominate
Industry peers and colleagues
Organisations recognising internal leadership excellence
Individuals who believe their work and impact deserve recognition
Jury Judging Criteria
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Evaluation
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Weightage for Jury
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|
|---|---|---|
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Leadership & Vision
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20%
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Clarity of technology vision, leadership maturity, decision-making influence, and strategic foresight
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|
Technology-Led Innovation
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20%
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Originality, innovation, and effective use of emerging or next-gen technologies
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|
Execution & Ownership
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15%
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Personal leadership role, governance, execution rigor, and ability to drive outcomes
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|
Business Impact & Outcomes
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20%
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Measurable results such as revenue growth, cost optimisation, efficiency, resilience, CX, or risk reduction
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|
Scale, Sustainability & Future Readiness
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15%
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Enterprise-wide impact, scalability, long-term value creation, and future readiness
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|
People, Culture & Capability Building
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10%
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Team enablement, culture change, talent development, and cross-functional collaboration
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What started as CIO News in June 2020 grew rapidly into a trusted resource for CIOs, CISOs, and tech leaders, focusing on cybersecurity and emerging technologies. With 70,000+ subscribers and 500+ podcasts, the platform recognized tech’s expanding role across all industries. In November 2024, it rebranded to The Mainstream to reflect the wider influence of technology. Now, with a global reach across the Middle East, ASEAN, USA, and UK, The Mainstream continues to provide insightful content that keeps professionals ahead of the curve.