GFC White Paper on New Leadership Models for Future Generations 2026

Foreword Rethinking leadership in a time of unprecedented technological disruption, stretched planetary boundaries, and growing global and societal divisions is essential for restoring trust in leaders and societies at large as well as for achieving better outcomes for people and the planet. The Forum of Young Global Leaders (YGLs) is proud to be doing so in a dialogue- and action-driven way with the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Leadership (GFC). The council aims to reimagine leadership and explore what leadership models, skills, and mindsets can help to address current and emerging global challenges effectively and close the trust gap. The GFC is rooted in the vibrant community of YGLs – composed of leaders from all walks of life between 30 and 40 as well as a growing group of alumni – who contribute a unique vantage point by combining experience with fresh perspectives. The backgrounds of the council members span executive and legislative experience in the public sector, corporate leadership, entrepreneurship, civil society, and research and education. The council is made up of members representing 17 countries, enabling a global approach that is sensitive to regional and cultural contexts. It is also thanks to this plurality in the council – and a reflection of global realities – why we do not aim to provide a single prescriptive model for the future of leadership, but rather consider what leadership futures may look like. This approach is timely given the constant evolution of challenges leaders face – a static model of leadership would quickly become outdated. We instead focus on four systemic leverage points vital in the leadership cycle. These points allow us to adopt an integrated approach and unlock new leadership futures: Starting with the leadership pipeline and the selection of leaders, then exploring how they are trained, how they make decisions and take action and, ultimately, how they manage succession and leave a lasting legacy. We believe that these systemic leverage points are likely to stand the test of time and, importantly, they can be adapted to different contexts, whether cultural, sectoral, or institutional. Additionally, we highlight different leadership innovations related to each leverage point in spotlight boxes to inspire new thinking and encourage dialogue. Numerous discussions beyond the GFC on Leadership itself have contributed to the creation of this report. They included the broader YGL community as well as the GFCs on Artificial General Intelligence, Climate and Nature Governance, Faith in Action, and Good Governance, illustrating the intersection at which modern leadership sits. Building on the above, we suggest four strategic shifts for leadership to become future-proof and to be fuelled by dialogue and next generation thinking: moving from linear to intergenerational leadership, from control to co-creation, from individual authority to shared agency, and from short-term performance to long-term impact. These suggestions and the report as such are meant to inspire current and emerging leaders and to serve as a starting point rather than an end point: We conclude with an invitation to collaborate on a global leadership lab – an open, collaborative, and dynamic platform for dialogue and action as we venture into new leadership futures to rebuild trust.Next Generation Leadership for a World in Transformation: Driving Dialogue and ActionJanuary 2026 Thomas Roulet Professor, Organisational Sociology and Leadership, Judge Business School and King’s College, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom Judy Sikuza Chief Executive Officer, The Mandela Rhodes Foundation, South Africa Ida Jeng Christensen Head, Forum of Young Global Leaders, World Economic Forum; Director, Forum of Young Global Leaders Foundation Marie Sophie Müller Insights Lead, Future of Leadership, Forum of Young Global Leaders, World Economic Forum 3 Next Generation Leadership for a World in Transformation: Driving Dialogue and Action