1. STEVE JOBS
Apple
Steve Jobs co-founded technology giant Apple in 1976. With iPods, iPhones, iPads and MacBooks being the most sought-after gadgets on the market, Apple is dominating the consumer technology world.
According to a report conducted by the prestigious Harvard Business Review, Apple’s market value has increased by $150 billion since Jobs’ return to the company in 1997. Upon his return, he reversed the company’s failing fortunes with three key innovations - Mac computers, iPhones, and iPods.
In 2009, Fortune magazine listed Jobs as ‘CEO of the decade’. His radical and lucrative reordering of the music, mobile technology, and movie markets and his continued impact on the computing industry over the past 10 years has been truly phenomenal.
Jobs is also the co-founder and former CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, the creator of such wonderful and successful animated films like Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo.
Jobs has recently announced that he is taking a two-year medical leave of absence to focus on his flailing health.
2. INDRA NOOYI
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi was recognised as the most powerful woman in US business for the fifth year in a row by Fortune magazine in September 2010. PepsiCo has the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. With nearly $60 billion in revenue, PepsiCo employs 285,000 people worldwide. Nooyi heads this vast empire and is considered as the chief architect of PepsiCo's multi-year growth strategy.
3. CHUNG MONG-KOO
Hyundai
From the year 2000 and onwards, Chung Mong-Koo turned the Hyundai brand into a superpower, boosting global sales and share in the midst of a turbulent world economy that had its rivals struggling for survival. The Korean boss pushed his company into new segments, built on steady and dramatic improvements in quality and handed US executives more autonomy.
4. LASHMI MITTAL
ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal is the largest steel company in the world and has operations in more than 60 countries. A regular fixture on Forbes’ rich list, Lakshmi Mittal built his empire on a bet that steel had a great future for someone who could achieve sufficient scale.
5. ALAN MULALLY
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, which came close to bankruptcy five years ago, is now highly profitable. In fact, it witnessed the biggest increase in US market share of any company in Year 2010. Under Alan Mulally, the company cut brands, simplified its mission, and put in place a management team that meets weekly to review all aspects of the business.
6. IRENE ROSENFELD
Kraft Foods
Irene Rosenfeld frequently makes an appearance on world’s most powerful women lists – usually behind Michelle Obama. Her empire incorporates some of the world’s best-known brands: Philadelphia, Ritz, Dairylea, Oreo, Kenco, Toblerone, Capri Sun and now Cadbury.
7. ELON MUSK
Tesla Motors
South African-American entrepreneur Elon Musk is the co-founder of PayPal. He is currently Chairman of Solar City and CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX. Several mainstream publications have compared him with Henry Ford for his revolutionary work on advanced vehicle power trains.
8. MARK PARKER
Nike
Mark Parker has been the CEO of Nike since 2006. He has extensive knowledge and experience regarding company operations, sports marketing, manufacturing, research, design, development, and management besides being an effective leader for Nike, of course.
9. CARLOS GHOSN
Nissan
In 2009, Ghosn executed the Nissan Revival Plan (NRP) by cutting costs and increasing revenues at the same time. He turned around Nissan to profitability in less than 18 months and achieved the best financial performance in the company’s history. Nissan became the car manufacturer that grew the most, not only in growth rate but in absolute numbers too.
10. SAMUEL J. PALMISANO
IBM
Samuel J. Palmisano joined IBM in 1973. After undertaking a range of roles within the company he finally became President and Chief Operating Officer in 2000, CEO in 2002 and Chairman of the Board in 2003. He played a key role in creating and leading IBM’s Global Services, rising to senior vice president, and building the largest and most diversified IT services organisation in the industry.
Apple
Steve Jobs co-founded technology giant Apple in 1976. With iPods, iPhones, iPads and MacBooks being the most sought-after gadgets on the market, Apple is dominating the consumer technology world.
According to a report conducted by the prestigious Harvard Business Review, Apple’s market value has increased by $150 billion since Jobs’ return to the company in 1997. Upon his return, he reversed the company’s failing fortunes with three key innovations - Mac computers, iPhones, and iPods.
In 2009, Fortune magazine listed Jobs as ‘CEO of the decade’. His radical and lucrative reordering of the music, mobile technology, and movie markets and his continued impact on the computing industry over the past 10 years has been truly phenomenal.
Jobs is also the co-founder and former CEO of Pixar Animation Studios, the creator of such wonderful and successful animated films like Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Monsters, Inc and Finding Nemo.
Jobs has recently announced that he is taking a two-year medical leave of absence to focus on his flailing health.
2. INDRA NOOYI
PepsiCo
PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi was recognised as the most powerful woman in US business for the fifth year in a row by Fortune magazine in September 2010. PepsiCo has the world's largest portfolio of billion-dollar food and beverage brands, including 19 different product lines that each generate more than $1 billion in annual retail sales. With nearly $60 billion in revenue, PepsiCo employs 285,000 people worldwide. Nooyi heads this vast empire and is considered as the chief architect of PepsiCo's multi-year growth strategy.
3. CHUNG MONG-KOO
Hyundai
From the year 2000 and onwards, Chung Mong-Koo turned the Hyundai brand into a superpower, boosting global sales and share in the midst of a turbulent world economy that had its rivals struggling for survival. The Korean boss pushed his company into new segments, built on steady and dramatic improvements in quality and handed US executives more autonomy.
4. LASHMI MITTAL
ArcelorMittal
ArcelorMittal is the largest steel company in the world and has operations in more than 60 countries. A regular fixture on Forbes’ rich list, Lakshmi Mittal built his empire on a bet that steel had a great future for someone who could achieve sufficient scale.
5. ALAN MULALLY
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, which came close to bankruptcy five years ago, is now highly profitable. In fact, it witnessed the biggest increase in US market share of any company in Year 2010. Under Alan Mulally, the company cut brands, simplified its mission, and put in place a management team that meets weekly to review all aspects of the business.
6. IRENE ROSENFELD
Kraft Foods
Irene Rosenfeld frequently makes an appearance on world’s most powerful women lists – usually behind Michelle Obama. Her empire incorporates some of the world’s best-known brands: Philadelphia, Ritz, Dairylea, Oreo, Kenco, Toblerone, Capri Sun and now Cadbury.
7. ELON MUSK
Tesla Motors
South African-American entrepreneur Elon Musk is the co-founder of PayPal. He is currently Chairman of Solar City and CEO of Tesla Motors and SpaceX. Several mainstream publications have compared him with Henry Ford for his revolutionary work on advanced vehicle power trains.
8. MARK PARKER
Nike
Mark Parker has been the CEO of Nike since 2006. He has extensive knowledge and experience regarding company operations, sports marketing, manufacturing, research, design, development, and management besides being an effective leader for Nike, of course.
9. CARLOS GHOSN
Nissan
In 2009, Ghosn executed the Nissan Revival Plan (NRP) by cutting costs and increasing revenues at the same time. He turned around Nissan to profitability in less than 18 months and achieved the best financial performance in the company’s history. Nissan became the car manufacturer that grew the most, not only in growth rate but in absolute numbers too.
10. SAMUEL J. PALMISANO
IBM
Samuel J. Palmisano joined IBM in 1973. After undertaking a range of roles within the company he finally became President and Chief Operating Officer in 2000, CEO in 2002 and Chairman of the Board in 2003. He played a key role in creating and leading IBM’s Global Services, rising to senior vice president, and building the largest and most diversified IT services organisation in the industry.
