About the Awards
The Atlantic Council Distinguished Leadership Awards celebrates the highest-achieving individuals who embody the pillars of the transatlantic relationship. Each year, the event convenes an elite, international audience—including current and former heads of state, political and policy leaders, ambassadors, members of Congress and the administration, military commanders, international business leaders, and leading members of the media. The event is regularly featured by national and international media outlets, including the Associated Press, CBS News, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, POLITICO, Thomson Reuters, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post, among others.
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2023 Honorees
The Atlantic Council honors individuals for their achievement in the fields of political, military, business, humanitarian, and artistic leadership. This year we featured our first all-female honoree slate, inspired by the past year of remarkable accomplishments by women in the world. Aside from our usual list of honorees, the Atlantic Council called attention to the rising role of women’s leadership in shaping a better world.
Distinguished International Leadership Award
The Hon. Avril Haines
Director of National Intelligence
Introduced by Atlantic Council Chairman of the International Advisory Board Stephen J. Hadley
Distinguished Business Leadership Award
Adena T. Friedman
Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Nasdaq, Inc.
Introduced by Co-Chair and Co-Founder of The Carlyle Group David M. Rubenstein
Distinguished Military Leadership Award
Gen. Laura J. Richardson
Commander, US Southern Command
Introduced by Atlantic Council Executive Vice Chair Adrienne Arsht
Distinguished International Leadership Award
Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Director-General, World Trade Organization
Introduced by American University President Sylvia Mathews Burwell
Distinguished Humanitarian Leadership Award
The Women and Girls of Iran
Introduced by Executive Director of the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security Ambassador Melanne Verveer
Accepted by
Dr. Mahnaz Afkhami
President & CEO, Women’s Learning Partnership
Azam Jangravi
Iranian women’s rights advocate and a Girl of Revolution Street
Dr. Mehrangiz Kar
Iranian women’s rights lawyer and writer
Nazanin Nour
Actress, writer, and activist
Related event
Distinguished Leadership Awards
Each year, the Distinguished Leadership Awards salutes an exemplary group of individuals who have contributed to the Atlantic Council mission of shaping the global future together.
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