The Future Leader Awards, presented by Digiday, Glossy, Modern Retail and WorkLife, honor the next generation of leaders leaving their mark in their industry, with 10 years of experience or less.
The winners demonstrated an ability to innovate and execute creative strategies that push their respective companies forward. They also have strong leadership qualities that allow them to cultivate and develop their teams. While the winners possess expertise across multiple disciplines, there is a clear emphasis on mindsets that promote sustainability and social impact.
For instance, Reba Hatcher, chief commercial officer at ButcherBox, is recognized in the Modern Retail Future Leader – Established Retailer category. Since joining the company in 2017, Hatcher has risen through the ranks, bringing a unique blend of strategic insight, operational excellence and people-first leadership to every role she’s held. Now responsible for driving revenue, partnerships and retention, she plays a central role in ButcherBox’s sustained growth. Her leadership style is rooted in curiosity, accountability and customer obsession, and she’s known for diving into new challenges headfirst — mastering unfamiliar topics, mentoring her team and modeling the continuous learning mindset that defines successful direct-to-consumer businesses.
Macmillan Publishers’ Darlene Fernandes is the winner in the WorkLife Future Leader – DE&I category. As the publisher’s senior manager of diversity, equity and inclusion, she is a driving force behind its efforts to build a workplace where equity and belonging are not just goals but embedded realities. With a collaborative, systems-level approach, Fernandes has designed and implemented initiatives that empower employees across departments to engage in DEI work. She co-created Macmillan’s Changemaker Award to spotlight employees who go above and beyond to shape an inclusive workplace and developed a digital platform to amplify their stories, underscoring her understanding that equity requires removing structural barriers hindering progress.
In the Omnichannel Strategy Leader category, Makoto Rheault-Kihara, vp of growth at Hopper, is recognized for shaping the future of travel tech. Over his six-year tenure, he has helped grow the company’s revenue thirtyfold and has transformed Hopper into the most downloaded travel app in North America. Rheault-Kihara leads a 30-person cross-functional team spanning marketing, product and engineering, driving both Hopper’s direct-to-consumer business and its fast-growing advertising division. In 2024, Rheault-Kihara expanded his role to include product, empowering his team to build features aligned with marketing strategies. His ability to scale nine-figure marketing budgets while maintaining profitability has made him one of the most influential young executives in travel.
This year’s Future Leader Awards winners are rising talents who are setting new standards for leadership and innovation. See the complete list of winners below.
Digiday Future Leader – Agency
Olivia Clarke – Nebo Agency
Digiday Future Leader – Brand
Gregory Constantine – AIRCO
Digiday Future Leader – Publisher
Alice Severs – T Brand Studio of New York Times Advertising
Digiday Future Leader – Technology Provider
Anastasia Georgievskaya – Co-Founder and CEO of Haut.AI
Harry Rein – ShopMy
Glossy Future Leader – Beauty
Marguerite Rivara – Maesa
Glossy Future Leader – Fashion
Tiffany Lopinsky – ShopMy
Glossy Future Leader – Wellness
N.B. Patil – Ozlo Sleep
Modern Retail Future Leader – Established Retailer
Reba Hatcher – ButcherBox
Modern Retail Future Leader – Legacy Brand
Mina Haque – Tony Roma’s CEO
Omnichannel Strategy Leader
Makoto Rheault-Kihara – Hopper
WorkLife Future Leader- DE&I
Darlene Fernandes – DEI, Macmillan Publishers
WorkLife Future Leader- HR
Vanessa Bohorquez – Dagne Dover
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