Meet the 2025 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize winners

Each of the three winners of the 2025 Tällberg-SNF-Eliasson Global Leadership Prize is a specialist in translation: Rhett Ayers Butler translates local perspectives into global environmental impact through journalism. Bryan Doerries translates ancient Greek texts—literally as well as metaphorically—into theater experiences that speak to pressing social issues. And David Gruber seeks to translate the language of whales into something we humans can understand.

“That this year’s winners all focus on fostering communication and collaboration, empathy, and greater understanding speaks to the Tällberg Foundation’s vision of leadership as nurturing new connections that shift our perspective and realign our priorities. It’s a vision that SNF is proud to support,” said Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos.

The Prizes seek to recognize established leaders from around the world whose work is innovative, courageous, and helps catalyze positive change at a global level, and SNF has been a longstanding supporter of the Tällberg Foundation’s efforts to promote leadership that fits this bill, including the Prizes and the Tällberg Leaders Mentoring Leaders initiative.