IEL is delighted to unveil its 2026 Tomorrow’s Leaders survey: a list of 34 rising stars who will be at the forefront of addressing future labour and employment challenges.

We received nominations from around the globe, and have carefully reviewed submissions to produce a list of 34 employment and labour specialists, with less than ten years’ post-qualification experience. 

Hailing from five continents, these experts come from the magic circle, international and national firms, and from within in-house teams at global brands, as well as the independent Bar.

Two things qualify a lawyer for inclusion in IEL’s Tomorrow’s Leaders survey: their involvement in cutting-edge advisory work, or on innovative disputes; the second is their expert opinions on the future challenges set to rock the workplace, and how these challenges can be mitigated or overcome by global employers.

This year, a top concern for our leaders of tomorrow remains pay transparency. From shifting power dynamics to potential benefits for employers, as well as concerns around the required nuances for legislating in this space, much work lies ahead for the employment counsel of tomorrow, and not just those based within the EU.

Other key topics identified by the class of 2026 include geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, concerns around psychosocial risk in APAC, and the development of platform work legislation in Africa – as well as, not least, continued challenges surrounding the strategic deployment of AI the world over. 

Read what this group of rising stars has to say on the most important issues facing global employers today, and what changes are on the horizon – both locally to them, and in the context of unprecedented worldwide shifts.

The full survey is available here.