/ BLUEGAIN TRANSFORMATION EXCELLENCE
AWARD
The award is rooted in what we do every day: accompanying leaders through critical transformations across Digital, AI and IT, Circularity and Sustainability, and Business Model Transformation. It brings together executive experience from large-scale programs, a rigorous research backbone, and leadership enablement through the bluegain Academy. In that context, the award recognizes not ambition alone, but transformation leadership that holds under pressure – where direction is clear, execution is real, and system-level progress creates lasting value.
/ AWARD RECIPIENTS
The recipients reflect different expressions of transformation excellence – from entrepreneurial capability building to institutional leadership at strategic scale. What connects them is the ability to move beyond incremental change and create progress with relevance beyond their own organization. The next recipient will continue that story in Davos in 2027.
/ 2025 | Prof. Peter Sarlin
Founder & Chairman, PostScriptum; Co-founder, Silo AI
Recognized for building one of Europe’s defining AI capability stories. Under his leadership, Silo AI became Europe’s largest private AI lab and was acquired by AMD in a transaction valued at approximately $665 million – a landmark signal of Europe’s growing strategic weight in artificial intelligence.
/ 2026 | Dr. Josef Aschbacher
Director General, European Space Agency
Recognized for advancing one of Europe’s most strategic long-term frontiers with institutional clarity and ambition. Under his leadership, ESA’s 2025 Ministerial proposal secured the largest Member State contributions in the Agency’s history – totalling €22.3 billion – underscoring both the scale of the mandate and the strategic relevance of Europe’s space agenda.
/ 2027 | To be announced
Next recipient revealed in Davos
The next recipient will be announced at the bluegain CxO Luncheon in Davos in January 2027. The award will continue to honor transformational leaders whose work unites strategic vision, strong execution, and a level of impact that extends well beyond incremental progress.
/ WHAT THE AWARD RECOGNIZES
We recognize leaders, teams, and organizations who demonstrate transformation excellence with evidence of outcomes:
/ Clarity of North Star: a coherent transformation intent that aligns strategy, priorities, and decisions
/ Measurable Outcomes: clear value realized through performance, resilience, customer impact, or sustainability progress
/ Execution Excellence: disciplined delivery, accountable ownership, and governance that holds under real constraints
/ People and Culture Shift: adoption, capability building, and behavior change that makes transformation stick
/ Technology and Data Enablement: fit for purpose platforms, data foundations, and AI readiness where relevant
/ Responsible Leadership: trust, transparency, and long term value beyond short term optimization
/ HOW RECIPIENTS ARE SELECTED
The standard the award recognizes is the same standard applied in selection. The process is designed to identify leaders whose work combines strategic relevance, credible execution, and meaningful impact over time.
/ 01 Nomination and Application
Potential recipients may enter the process through nomination or direct application. Candidates are identified based on the significance of their transformation contribution, the strength of their leadership, and the broader relevance of their impact. The application deadline is August 31 each year.
/ 02 Review and Evaluation
Candidates are assessed against bluegain’s award criteria, including strategic relevance, measurable outcomes, execution excellence, people and culture shift, technology and data enablement where relevant, and responsible leadership. The review process culminates in a final expert or jury decision in September.
/ 03 Final Selection and Notification
Following the September review, the final recipient is selected and notified ahead of the official public announcement. This stage is intended to ensure that the recognition reflects not only ambition, but credible evidence of transformation impact and broader relevance.
/ 04 Recognition in Davos
The award is presented during the bluegain CxO Luncheon in Davos in mid-January of the following year, typically during the third week of January in the context of World Economic Forum week.
/ NOMINATE OR APPLY
