Social Intelligence Insider 50
Every year, we celebrate the professionals showing the world the importance of social data in their own unique way.
Nominations open until November 9th, 2025.
Should you be on the list?
The social intelligence industry wouldn't exist without people doing the work. That's why, every year, we celebrate those showing the world the importance of social data in their own unique way. The pioneers, the innovators, the workhorses, the rising stars.
Each of you are shaping the future of social intelligence, but only the most influential make it into the top 50. Have you got what it takes to make it in 2026? Or know someone who does?
Categories
We're recognising people who are shaping the social intelligence industry in the following five categories...
Nominate for the 2026 SI Insider 50
Who should nominate?
Nominations are open to anyone working with or around social data. You can nominate yourself, a colleague, a collaborator, a client, a mentor. Whoever is helping to push the industry forward.
Don't worry about job titles or LinkedIn clout, we're looking for impact not buzzwords. Social intelligence might not even be in the job title, you could work in social media, marketing, innovation, insights. If your nominee analyses social and internet data and is having an impact, they're in with a chance of winning.
Why nominate?
Recognition changes things.
Being see on the SI Insider 50 help people get buy-in, land new projects, and influence others. But more than that, it shows the industry what good looks like.
If we ant social intelligence to grow as a discipline, we need to spotlight the people doing it well. That starts with you.
How we decide
Every nomination is reviewed by our expert judging panel.
They're past winners, industry leaders, and practitioner who understand what real influence looks like, because they've lived it.
We look for more than job roles or company names. If your nominee is having a clear contribution to the field, a track record of influence, and evidence of impact on teams, clients, thinking, or outcomes they should be nominated.
It's not about having the loudest voice, it's about impact and making a difference. Here's the questions you'll be answering in each category:
Brand leaders setting their organisation up for success
1. How has the nominee integrated social intelligence into decision-making across different parts of their organisation?
2. In what ways has the nominee shaped the company culture around social data, such as improving literacy, building trust, or shifting how teams engage with insight?3. Can you share a concrete example of where the nominee’s work influenced strategy, innovation, or policy?
4. How has your nominee cultivated a reputation in advocating for the importance and value of social intelligence and demonstrating thought leadership?
Agency and freelance professionals pushing boundaries of clients innovation
1. What types of problems is your nominee uniquely good at solving with social data?
2. Has your nominee introduced a unique perspective or lens into the social intelligence space?
3. What impact has that thinking had?In what ways has your nominee made social intelligence more credible or respected in their organisation, community, or with clients?4. In what ways has your nominee mentored or developed others in the practice of social intelligence? Possibly building capabilities, confidence, or creativity?
Technology mavericks bringing new approaches to industry challenges
1. What product, feature, or innovation has this nominee contributed to that changed how users work with social data?
2. In what ways has your nominee mentored or developed others in the practice of social intelligence? Possibly building capabilities, confidence, or creativity?
3. How does your nominee foster collaboration between product, insight, and business teams? And what’s changed as a result?
4. How does your nominee help shape the broader tech ecosystem? Through content, conversations, or partnerships? And what impact have they had?
The up and comers with less than four year's experience but making a big impact
1. What impact has the nominee made that feels exceptional for their level of experience?
2. How has the nominee shown originality, skill, or leadership in their current role?
3. What makes the nominee someone to watch for the future of social intelligence?
4. How has the nominee contributed to team success or brought fresh thinking to a challenge?
The people who have made big and lasting change to the industry
1. How has the nominee contributed to shaping the discipline of social intelligence?
2. How has the nominee pushed boundaries or elevated neglected perspectives (e.g. DEI, ethics, emerging markets)?
3. In what ways has your nominee mentored or developed others in the practice of social intelligence? Possibly building capabilities, confidence, or creativity?
4. What public-facing work (events, writing, research, panels) has the nominee led that influenced the field? (not just a list of speaking events, but the impact that the work has had on the industry)
Meet the judges
Our judges have the tough task of separating the good from the great in 2026. Here's why they're qualified to decide...
The Social Intelligence Lab
Nichefire
Gravity Road
Keurig Dr Pepper Inc.
Nestlé
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Publicis Groupe
Mondelēz International
Microsoft
Nestlé
Weber Shandwick
Hilton
Meet our previous winners
Christoper Chen
Christopher Chen was crowned the most influential professional in social intelligence in 2022.
Desiree Nattell
Desiree topped the list of the most influential professionals in social intelligence in 2023.
Melissa MacGregor
In 2024, Melissa didn't just make the list, she led it. Crowned the most influential professional in social intelligence in that year.
Judit Major
In 2025, Judit set the bar. Her work earned her the top spot in the SI Insider 50 list, and the respect of the whole industry.
Ready to nominate?
You know what we’re looking for, so now it’s decision time. Who do you think deserves to be recognised on this year’s list?
Remember, you can nominate yourself. You can also nominate more than one person, even if they’ve been on the list before.
To submit your entry, complete the form before November 9th.
*The form will automatically save your responses, so you can leave and come back.
HALL OF FAME
Make the SI Insider 50 three times, and you don't just get another badge, you join the Hall of Fame.
It's our way of recognising the few professionals whose influence has shaped the industry over time, not just in one year, but again and again.
Our Hall of Famer's, become a global ambassador for social intelligence, with exclusive access to thought leadership and perks. See who's made it in.
The Social Intelligence Insider 50 is the first curated list of influential professionals working in and around the social listening industry.
Nominations for the 2025 list will close on the November 9th, 2025 at 23:59 GMT.
Any professional working in and around the social listening industry who is doing and achieving big things. They should be considered a practitioner rather than professionals in sales, development, or commercial positions.
Nominations are free thanks to our partnership with Nichefire.
No. You can nominate as many people and as many times as you like.
The Social Intelligence Lab and judging panel reviews every nominee, focusing on how their nomination submitted during the competition. Nominations are judged blind with all names and company names removed from nominations.
Whether you’re nominating yourself or someone else, you want to highlight how you, or they, are making a difference in social intelligence and merit consideration for the list.
There are four questions to answer in the nomination process. Each question has a specified maximum word count. Answers should focus on the impact the individual is making and provide tangible evidence of this impact and leadership.
Yes. All personal details are removed from your nomination. The judges review the written submission and this is not shared beyond the judges. We take your confidentially seriously.
Making the SI Insider 50 list is a highly coveted honour and those making the list widely reference the benefits of being recognised.
Making the grade increases your industry visibility (both within your organisation and externally), opens doors to other opportunities.
In 2023, over 500 nominations were received for The SI Insider 50. This reflects the status of The Social Intelligence Lab in the industry and the ambition of leading practitioners to be included. So, if you make the final list, it is a real indication of your stature in the social intelligence industry.
We highly encourage self-nominations. The nominations that are self-nominations tend to be of a higher quality than those from a third party.
Judges are unaware if the nomination is a self-nomination or not. We do not share this information. There is no ego is self-nominating.