What do startup founders, CEOs of multinationals and Harvard professors have in common? They can all name a book that has changed how they live, think or lead. In this annual roundup episode, look for your new read (or a gift for that hard-to-buy for person on your list) from the recommendations of the world's top thinkers and change makers. Our annual books roundup collects books that have transformed how some of the top global leaders manage teams, get inspired, and make things happen. This year's recommendations include fresh takes on classic business books, histories, time-honored works of literature, and new favorites that can change how you build and lead. 

About this episode: 
Transcript: https://www.weforum.org/podcasts/meet-the-leader/episodes/2025-book-recommendations-leaders

Books and leaders in this episode:
Books to deepen your understanding of the world
-Angela Odour Lungati, Ushahidi
Book: The Power of Geography, Tim Marshall
-Sherry Madera ,CEO, CDP
Book: Pricing the Priceless: The Financial Transformation to Value the Planet, Solve the Climate Crisis, and Protect Our Most Precious Assets, Paula DiPerna
-Sanjeev Mankotia, CEO, Gaeastar
Book: Benjamin Franklin: An American Life, Walter Isaacson
-Jumana Al Hashat, CEO and co-founder, Voltaire.ai
Book: The Message, Ta-Nehisi Coates
-Alicia Chong Rodriguez, founder, Bloomer Tech
Book: The Vagina Business, Marina Gerner

Books to understand the moment we're in
-Nathan Metenier, co-director, Youth Climate Justice fund
Book: Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World, Naomi Klein
-Steven Pinker, Harvard cognitive psychologist and author
Book: The Beginning of Infinity: Explanations That Transform the World, David Deutsch

Books to teach you more about yourself
-Kian Katanforoosh, CEO, Workera
Book: The Molecule of More, Daniel Z. Lieberman and Michael E. Long
-Diallo Powell is the CEO and Co-Founder, Stak Mobility
Book: It's Sid Bernstein Calling, Arthur Aaron
-Liz Centoni, Cisco
Book: The Courage to Be Disliked Fumitake Koga and Ichiro Kishimi

Books to inform how you'll lead
-Adam Grant, author and Wharton organizational psychologist
Book: Calling In, Loretta J. Ross
Book: Validation, Caroline Flack
-Alfred Stern, CEO, OMV
Book: Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Carol Dweck
-Ayumi Moore Aoki, Who, Not How

Books that help you meet the moment
-Mohit Joshi, CEO, Tech Mahindra
Book; Meditations for Mortals, Oliver Burkeman
-Nadya Okamoto, Founder, August
Book: Pleasure Activism, The Politics of Feeling Good, Adrienne Maree Brown
-David Steinbach, CIO, Hines
Author: Viktor Frankl