IntelliNews Reputation Leaders Awards
Overview
The IntelliNews Reputation Leaders Awards recognise companies across Eastern Europe, Eurasia, MENA and Africa who stand out for their leadership and public reputation in key areas of business performance and impact.
Selections are based on an independent review of publicly available information, including corporate disclosures and communications, activity within professional platforms and trade/industry associations, analyst and media coverage, and social media sentiment. Using open-source research and analysis, the awards identify companies whose performance and professional credibility have advanced their industries and gained public trust.
The award programme is held annually, with awards announced across four categories for the respective year. In each category, 10 companies will be selected from a longlist of nominees to be recognised as Reputation Leaders. The awards are not intended as a ranking.
2026 Award Categories
CITIZEN
OF THE YEAR
PERFORMER
OF THE YEAR
In the future, awards may be presented across additional categories and may recognise individuals in addition to companies, including founders, executives, managers, and influential industry voices whose leadership and reputation have made a public impact
Structure
The awards are a year-long programme. Each award category follows a cycle spanning approximately 3 months
- Category announcement and opening of submissions
- Nomination period
- Editorial research and data analysis
- Publication of a longlist
- Jury selection and announcement of winners
At the end of the year, IntelliNews may publish a summary of all recognised Reputation Leaders.
Nominations
Candidates may be nominated through:
- open submissions made by companies or individuals
- Third-party recommendations
- independent research based on publicly available information
Submission does not guarantee inclusion in the longlist or winner selection.
Evaluation
For each category, candidates are assessed based on submitted and publicly available information pertaining to the preceding 12 months of their activity. This may include corporate reporting and communications, sustainability disclosures, industry benchmarks, media coverage, social media perception and third-party audits/endorsements. All available information will be analysed across several key dimensions, including:
- Professional credibility and governance
- Market perception and stakeholder trust
- Innovation and strategic momentum
- Contribution to industry development
Longlist and Winner Selection
A longlist of candidates will be compiled for each award category based on the results of open submissions, third-party recommendations and independent research carried out by IntelliNews and its partners. Subscribers to bne IntelliNews will have the opportunity to take part in the selection process by voting on the longlist of candidates.
Final decisions are made by an expert panel consisting of IntelliNews editorial staff, with input from key outlet contributors and analysts with relevant sector expertise.
Editorial Independence
The award organisers and expert jury rely on transparent, data-driven criteria and public disclosures to maintain the highest standards of integrity. We do not accept financial contributions during the nomination or selection process.
Research and analysis may be carried out with the support of third-party partners. All final decisions will be made by the IntelliNews panel of experts and editorial staff.