The Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards are presented annually by the Atlantic Council to individuals who demonstrate inspired leadership across key pillars of transatlantic relations, including political, business, military, artistic, and humanitarian sectors.
Recipients
Recipients of the awards are as follows:
2026
Ana Botín – Distinguished Business Leadership Award
Mike Wirth – Distinguished Business Leadership Award
Pierre Vandier – Distinguished Military Leadership Award
Tanya Tucker – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2025
Andrej Plenković – Distinguished International Leadership Award
John W. Raymond – Distinguished Military Leadership Award
Judy Collins – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
Victor Pinchuk – Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award
Stephen Hadley – Distinguished Service Award
2024
Klaus Iohannis – Distinguished International Leadership Award Gina Raimondo – Distinguished International Leadership Award Christopher G. Cavoli – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Michelle Yeoh – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2023
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala – Distinguished International Leadership Award Avril Haines – Distinguished International Leadership Award Adena T. Friedman – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Gen. Laura J. Richardson – Distinguished Military Leadership Award The Women and Girls of Iran – Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award
2022
H.E. Mario Draghi – Distinguished International Leadership Award Claudio Descalzi – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Jamala – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award The People of Ukraine – Distinguished Leadership Award
2021
Ursula von der Leyen – Distinguished International Leadership Award Albert Bourla – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Uğur Şahin – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Özlem Türeci – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Dua Lipa – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2020
Kristalina Georgieva – Distinguished International Leadership Award Luis Alberto Moreno – Distinguished International Leadership Award Lionel Richie – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2019
NATO – Distinguished International Leadership Award Christine Lagarde – Distinguished International Leadership Award Frederick W. Smith – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Adrienne Arsht – Distinguished Service Award
2018
George W. Bush – Distinguished International Leadership Award Howard Schultz – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Curtis M. Scaparrotti – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Gloria Estefan – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2017
Jens Stoltenberg – Distinguished International Leadership Award William Clay Ford Jr. – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Michelle Howard – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Renée Fleming – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award Princess Haya bint Hussein – Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award
2016
Robert Gates – Distinguished International Leadership Award Henry Kravis – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Joseph Votel – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Vittorio Grigolo – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2015
Ashraf Ghani – Distinguished International Leadership Award Marillyn Hewson – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Philip Breedlove – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Toby Keith – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2014
José Manuel Barroso – Distinguished International Leadership Award Chuck Hagel – Distinguished International Leadership Award Thomas Enders – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Joseph Dunford – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Ruslana Lyzhychko – Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award
2013
Anders Fogh Rasmussen – Distinguished International Leadership Award Hillary Clinton – Distinguished International Leadership Award John S. Watson – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Tony Bennett – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award Juanes – Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award
2012
Ban Ki-moon – Distinguished International Leadership Award Paul Polman – Distinguished Business Leadership Award The Enlisted Men and Women of the United States Armed Forces – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Anne-Sophie Mutter – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award Prince Harry – Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award
2011
Joe Biden – Distinguished International Leadership Award Muhtar Kent – Distinguished Business Leadership Award James G. Stavridis – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Plácido Domingo – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2010
Bill Clinton – Distinguished International Leadership Award Josef Ackermann – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Stéphane Abrial – Distinguished Military Leadership Award James Mattis – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Bono – Humanitarian Leadership Award
2009
George H. W. Bush – Distinguished International Leadership Award Helmut Kohl – Distinguished International Leadership Award Samuel Palmisano – Distinguished Business Leadership Award David Petraeus – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Thomas Hampson – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2008
Tony Blair – Distinguished International Leadership Award Rupert Murdoch – Distinguished Business Leadership Award Michael Mullen – Distinguished Military Leadership Award Evgeny Kissin – Distinguished Artistic Leadership Award
2007
Alan Greenspan – Distinguished International Leadership Award Stephen A. Schwarzman – Distinguished Business Leadership Award James L. Jones – Distinguished Military Leadership Award
2006
John Warner – Distinguished International Leadership Award
2005
Colin Powell – Distinguished International Leadership Award
2004
Chuck Hagel – Distinguished International Leadership Award
2003
Joseph Ralston – Distinguished International Leadership Award George Robertson, Baron Robertson of Port Ellen – Distinguished International Leadership Award
2002
Robert Rubin – Distinguished International Leadership Award
2001
Henry Kissinger – Distinguished International Leadership Award
2000
Brent Scowcroft – Distinguished International Leadership Award
1999
Paul Volcker – Outstanding Contribution to National Policy
1998
Norman Augustine – Outstanding Contribution to National Security
1996
Sam Nunn – Outstanding Contribution to National Security
References