Monday 23 / June / 2025
Muscat: The Royal Academy of Management (RAM) in partnership with the globally leading organisation in management thinking, Thinkers50, has announced the launch of the Future Readiness Award, which recognises leaders who demonstrate excellence in preparing for future challenges and opportunities, supporting national visions, and driving innovation and resilience across institutions.
The launch of this award stems from RAM’s strategic vision of cementing Oman’s position in future readiness and empowering individuals, institutions, and nations to anticipate emerging shifts and navigate complexity with agility, while advancing prosperity amid accelerating change and transformational societal and technological dynamics. Future readiness encompasses several dimensions, most notably fostering a culture of innovation and creativity, developing strategic foresight skills to anticipate the future, and instilling a mindset of adaptability and resilience to ensure sustainable success.
Dr. Ali Qassim Al Lawati, President of RAM, stated on this occasion: “Preparing future leaders is not limited to adapting to change, but extends to the ability to anticipate it, guide its direction, and lead effectively through it”. He confirmed that the Royal Academy of Management as part of its strategic plans places special emphasis on nurturing this type of leadership through enriching structured dialogue, exploring global trends, and transforming enlightened ideas into applied solutions with tangible impact.
Al Lawati further added: “This award reaffirms our shared belief with Thinkers50 that ambitious ideas, when grounded in practical reality, have the power to redefine how institutions prepare and lead the future.”
From his side, Des Dearlove, Co-founder of Thinkers50, emphasised the need for leaders at all levels to adopt a strategic approach focused on building organisational resilience to effectively confront rapid and unforeseen transformations, alongside the ability to anticipate future developments and apply anticipatory innovation through the capacity to forecast change and develop creative solutions ensuring continuity of growth and institutional success.
Submissions will be assessed according to five key criteria:Rigour, reflecting the strength of the evidence base and the credibility of sources;Reach, evaluating the work’s relevance across industries and geographies;Resonance, measuring its potential to influence decision-makers and institutions in meaningful ways; Responsiveness, assessing how the ideas address evolving challenges through innovation; and Relevance, examining the extent to which the research provides timely and critical solutions to the pressing issues of 2025 and beyond.
Submissions will be considered by an expert Assessment Committee carefully selected based on criteria such as global standing in the field of future readiness, geographical diversity, and diverse expertise from both the public and private sectors, as well as academia. The committee was established in collaboration between the Royal Academy of Management and Thinkers50.
Thinkers50, established in 2001, is one of the world’s leading organisations in ranking and sharing management thinking and intellectual contributions. It has built an extensive network of international thought leaders and specialists across fields and sectors. The organisation publishes the global Thinkers50 ranking every two years and hosts a prestigious award ceremony in London for the most outstanding contributions in management thinking and practice. Often referred to as“the Oscars of management thinking”, as described by the Financial Times, Thinkers50 has become a global benchmark for excellence in leadership and innovation.
It is worth noting that the launch of the Future Readiness Award marks a significant step by the Royal Academy of Management towards promoting a culture of preparedness and recognising outstanding efforts in this field both locally and globally. It also seeks to reinforce the concept of future readiness as a strategic asset for leaders and institutions in collaboration with a globally renowned institution like Thinkers50, giving RAM both international significance and high-level impact.
