CEO of the Year
Identifying 15 Game-Changing Executives
Leadership is not a title—it’s leading the transformation, motivating companies, and transforming industries. The CEO of the Year page recognizes 15 visionary CEOs who have left their marks with their superb business acumen, pioneering thinking, and unrelenting pursuit of perfection. This roll call of the best-of-the-best CEOs across various industries such as technology, finance, health care, retail, telecom, and more, and the ripples they are creating.”.
All of the CEOs on this page are characterized by their visionary leadership, adaptability to emerging market dynamics, and commitment to nurturing growth. From building startup companies into industry giants to guiding multinational companies through intricate situations, all of these executives can be best defined as resilient, visionary, and strategic. Their success not only speaks of corporate achievement but also sets trends in the industry and encourages future generations of business leaders and entrepreneurs.
In addition to being profitable, this page also points out their role in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and diversity efforts. These CEOs are not only leading profitability but also ethical business and positive societal impacts. Their stories are inspiring, demonstrating that leadership is not only an activity done in the boardroom—it builds the future.
Read about the stories of these 15 remarkable CEOs, learn from them, and find out how they are rewriting the standards of success in their respective industries.
1.
CEO | Bank of America
Brian Moynihan is a strategic thinker with a corporate citizen and a change agent’s heart at his center. Under his leadership, the bank steadied and went on to become the financial services leader and a consistently ranked donor by employees and the community.
2.
Chairman & CEO | JPMorgan Chase
Jamie Dimon is the world’s most powerful man in finance. Respected for his toughness and vision, Dimon has navigated JPMorgan through difficult times and transformed it into the United States’ largest bank.
3.
President & CEO | Saudi Aramco
Amin H. Nasser, President and CEO of Saudi Aramco, is an actual example of an uncharted journey from a young petroleum engineer to the leader of the world’s biggest oil producer. It is a tale of hard work, vision, and leadership that changes.
4.
Chairman & CEO | ExxonMobil
Darren W. Woods, born with modest beginnings before ascending to the role of CEO and Chairman of ExxonMobil in 2017. His is a tale of persistence, vision, and dogged pursuit of innovation. His actions went beyond peak oil production myths and proved the power of innovation in oil production.
5.
Chairman & CEO | Microsoft
Hyderabad-born businessman Satya Nadella made Microsoft a world technological giant and icon of persistence and wit. He reshaped Microsoft with its emphasis on cloud computing and AI development and guided the company towards inclusiveness and sustainability. Padma Bhushan award in 2022, his vision will inspire generations to come.
7.
CEO | Shell
Wael Sawan, January 2023 Chief Executive of Shell plc, is a forward-thinking executive who has guided the company into the low-carbon age of energy. His growth and innovation strategy has placed Shell at the forefront of energy transition in low-carbon.
8.
Chairman & Representative Director | Toyota Motor
Akio Toyoda, a leader bent on change as the Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation, emerged as the man of the hour with his will and innovative mind. Being the grandnephew of Toyota’s founder, not only did he tread the paths of the company’s history but also recharted its destiny, leading Toyota to the zenith of the world’s most powerful auto giants.
10.
President & CEO | Samsung Electronics
Kyung-Kye Hyun’s is an inspiration to his commitment to persistent innovation and leadership in the semiconductor industry, impacting technologies that fuel today’s world.
11.
CEO | Tesla, SpaceX, X (formerly Twitter), xAI
Elon Musk was a child who loved technology and was one of the most powerful people in the contemporary world who have made a remarkable contribution to innovation. Musk transformed industries—electric vehicles, space travel, artificial intelligence—while entertaining millions with his promise of multi-planetary human civilization. He is an icon of perseverance and innovativeness.
12.
CEO | Nvidia
The journey of Jensen Huang is one of grit and frugality, building a young immigrant with ambitions into a worldwide technology pioneer who mapped the destiny of computing. NVIDIA grew into a $3 trillion tech titan under Huang’s guidance, leading the edges of AI, gaming, and autonomous driving.
13.
CEO | Alphabet (Google)
The rise of Sundar Pichai from humble beginnings in Chennai, India, to Alphabet Inc. and Google Chief Executive Officer is a symbol of resilience and forward-thinking leadership.
14.
Chairman & MD | Reliance Industries
Mukesh Ambani has a rags-to-riches tale of unbridled willpower and entrepreneurship. Reliance Industries on April 19, 1957, became India’s giant conglomerate with its establishment at Aden in Yemen.
15.
CEO | Citigroup
Jane Fraser, the pioneering CEO of Citigroup, has revolutionized banking leadership to become the first woman to head a large American bank in 2021.