Global technology leader honored for visionary leadership, responsible innovation, and advancing Chicago’s place on the world stage
CHICAGO, Oct. 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Executives’ Club of Chicago today announced that Chris Leahy, Chair & Chief Executive Officer of CDW, has been named the 2025 International Executive of the Year, the Club’s highest honor recognizing business leadership with global impact.
The award, to be presented at a special program and luncheon on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, celebrates Leahy’s leadership in scaling CDW into one of the world’s most influential IT solutions providers, serving organizations across more than 150 countries. Under her guidance, CDW has become a trusted partner to businesses navigating digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and technology-enabled growth.
“Chris Leahy is steering one of the world’s most influential technology companies through an era defined by AI and digital transformation, and we’re especially proud to honor her as the head of a Chicago company with worldwide impact,” said Dorri McWhorter, President & CEO of the Executives’ Club of Chicago. “Chris’s leadership not only strengthens CDW’s global presence, it also elevates Chicago as a world-class hub for technology and innovation.”
Leahy joins a distinguished lineage of past honorees including Satya Nadella (Microsoft), Marc Benioff (Salesforce), Kenneth Frazier (Merck), Muhtar Kent (The Coca-Cola Company), Jamie Dimon (JPMorgan Chase), and William H. Gates III (Microsoft). Each year, the International Executive of the Year recognizes leaders whose decisions redefine industries, culture, and the future of business.
“I am honored to be recognized by the Executives’ Club of Chicago and grateful for our extraordinary coworkers at CDW who make our impact possible,” said Chris Leahy, Chair & CEO of CDW. “From our Chicago roots to our global reach, we make technology work so people can do great things — shaping not only the future of business, but the future of leadership itself in the digital age.”
On November 18, Leahy will take the stage for a fireside conversation that promises candid insights into what it takes to lead a global enterprise at the crossroads of technology, trust, and transformation.
Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the 2025 International Executive of the Year are available now at www.executivesclub.org.
About The Exec Club
The Executives’ Club of Chicago is the city’s premier resource for connecting, developing, and growing best-in-class leaders to strengthen themselves and their organizations. The Executives’ Club of Chicago is where the relationships that build a better Chicago begin. This is where the future meets. For more information about the nexus of Chicago business, visit www.executivesclub.org.
