The Financial Times has revealed a 15‑strong longlist for the FT and Standard Chartered Business Book of the Year Award, signalling continued global interest in books that scrutinise the economic and technological forces reshaping business. The prize this year carries a top award of £30,000 and is supported by FT owner Nikkei, with Standard Chartered joining as backer for the first time.
Three former winners return
Among the authors on the longlist are three previous recipients of the prize: William Cohan, Liaquat Ahamed and Sebastian Mallaby. Their inclusion underlines the judging panel’s preference for deep historical and institutional analysis alongside contemporary business reporting. The 2026 edition is the 22nd time the award has been made.
The longlist groups the books broadly into themes the judges say define modern business discourse:
- Business and power — works that trace the institutions and personalities that wield economic clout.
- Business and innovation — titles exploring technology, markets and the firms changing industries.
- Business and society — books examining the social consequences of economic decisions and corporate behaviour.
Notable entries and what they examine
Liaquat Ahamed’s contribution looks back to the financial upheaval of the 1870s to draw parallels with present‑day geoeconomic risks. The author, who previously won the prize for a work on interwar finance, examines how political and banking mistakes then can illuminate vulnerabilities in today’s system.
William Cohan, whose earlier book on Lazard won the award in 2007, returns with a contemporary portrait of private equity and its personalities. His new title focuses on Leon Black and Apollo Global Management, chronicling the firm’s rise and the controversies surrounding its founder.
The longlist also includes memoirs and executive accounts that aim to lift the lid on corporate power. One entry is a first‑hand recollection from a former Goldman Sachs chief executive, offering insights into the culture of elite banking across a career marked by major market shocks.
| Author | Subject focus |
|---|---|
| Liaquat Ahamed | 1873 financial crisis and policy lessons |
| William Cohan | Private equity, Leon Black and Apollo |
| Unnamed former Goldman CEO | Memoir of banking and crisis management |
Why it matters for business readers in South Africa
Although the award is UK‑based, the books under consideration tackle themes with direct bearing on South African companies, investors and policy makers. Debates about the governance of large financial institutions, the social impact of business strategy, and the disruptive effects of new technologies resonate in local boardrooms and among household savers.
For readers budgeting for books or professional development, the award highlights titles likely to shape discussion in the year ahead. The FT prize has a track record of elevating books that influence investment thinking, regulatory debate and corporate strategy. Winning and shortlisted titles often appear on reading lists for senior executives and regulatory advisers.
Longlisted titles will now proceed to a shortlist and final judging. The prize’s organisers say they assess entries for both readability and the quality of insight into contemporary business issues — criteria that have seen technological subjects dominate recent years.
The continued prominence of technology in the longlist follows the 2025 winner, Stephen Witt’s study of a major chipmaker, illustrating how semiconductors, platforms and artificial intelligence remain central to business narratives worldwide.
Announcements of the shortlist and the eventual winner will determine which of the longlisted titles gains wider traction among corporate readers and policymakers. For now, the longlist provides a curated window into the ideas likely to animate business debates over the coming year.
WE NEWS does not provide financial advice.
