Where the World's
Leaders Converge

Global coalition uniting entrepreneurs, investors, public officials and NGO leaders for responsible, innovative and inclusive leadership.

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Our Vision

A new leadership model

We believe the great challenges of the 21st century (climate, inclusion, innovation governance) cannot be solved by states, companies or civil society alone.

Companies
Entrepreneurs, investors, executives
States and institutions
Elected officials, senior public officers
Civil society
NGOs, academics, social entrepreneurs

Brought together in one space of trust, these three worlds build what none of them could build alone.

Our Model

Three pillars, one unique model

The only organization combining peer learning, prestige events and societal impact.

01
The core
Peer forums
Confidential groups of 8 to 12 leaders. Monthly. Confidentiality. Zero business.
8 to 12 peers
Monthly
No soliciting
Authentic sharing
02
The showcase
Prestige events
Lunches with former heads of state, CEOs. Annual summit.
Prestige lunches
Annual summits
Study trips
International summit
03
The purpose
Societal impact
Thematic initiatives. Annual report. Member op-eds.
Climate
Human rights
Governance
Responsible AI
Our Pillars

Six strategic domains

Human capital
Leadership
Executive development, mentoring.
Future
Innovation
Tech × impact solutions.
Planet
Sustainability
ESG and environmental leadership.
Society
Inclusion
Diversity and cross-cultural dialogue.
Economy
Business
Partnerships among members.
AI × Data
Technology
AI and digital transformation.
Governance

Multi-stakeholder governance

Strategic Council
Executives, decision-makers, philanthropists.
Ethics Council
NGOs, academics, civil society.
Executive Team
Implementation and follow-up.
Local Chapters
Global regional anchoring.

Independent approval committee: 5 to 7 members (executives, civil society, academics), simple majority vote.

Manifesto

Our commitments

Six principles we commit to: not as a marketing promise, but as a daily standard we hold ourselves to, toward our members and toward the world.

01
People and the planet
before short-term profit
We believe economic performance cannot be decoupled from societal and environmental responsibility. Every decision we make passes through this lens.
02
No soliciting
the forum is a space of trust
Zero pushed business between members. Relationships form through affinity, never through commercial pressure. Value comes from the depth of sharing, not from transactional opportunities.
03
Diversity as a principle
not as a quota
Eight categories, six continents, rigorous parity. No global challenge is solved from a single perspective. The composition of our forums is a condition of their relevance.
04
Transparency and accountability
we hold ourselves to our own standards
Annual impact report published. Open books. Our members must be able to demand from WLS what they demand from their own organizations.
05
Free speech, absolute confidentiality
Chatham House, in perpetuity
What is said in a forum never leaves it. This is the non-negotiable condition of sincerity between peers. We will defend it at all costs.
06
The long view
we build for the generations to come
Our horizons are measured in decades, not quarters. Every member, every program, every alliance is evaluated by this measure. It is our counter-model to prevailing short-termism.
World Leaders Society
Paris · 2025

Do you share these commitments?

Membership

Join WLS

Reserved for presidents, CEOs, politicians and executives.

50 inaugural seats

Eligibility criteria

Business leader (min. USD 5M revenue, 50+ employees), elected official or senior public officer
Recommendation by 2 members
Local committee approval
Annual fees disclosed upon acceptance

What you get

Confidential peer forum
Quarterly lunches by invitation
Events and annual summit
Study trips
International network
Op-eds and impact

Familiar with YPO, EO or Vistage? See how WLS differs →

Events

Upcoming gatherings

Each quarter, an exclusive program of high-caliber gatherings (private cocktails, business lunches and curated introductions) convenes our members around distinguished guests of honor: unicorn founders, senior political figures and CAC 40 executives.

June
12
WLS Founding Summit
Paris
Launch with founding members.
Sept
18
AI Prestige Lunch
Paris
Guest from the tech world.
Oct
22
CEO Roundtable Africa
Nairobi
Leadership in Africa.
Dec
10
Year-end Gala
New York
Celebration and new members.
The WLS 100 · 2026 Edition

The WLS 100,
in depth. Before anyone else.

A rare letter. Profiles, tomorrow's candidates, analyses: for those who truly care.

01
Quarterly dossier
10 in-depth profiles
02
The Next 100
The 2027 candidates, first look
03
Exclusive essays
4 leadership analyses per year
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global leadership?

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