The list highlights business leaders from eight different countries
Reliance group chairman Mukesh Ambani has made it to the top position in the Forbes’ Global Game Changers List 2017 for his latest telecommunication venture Jio, which enabled internet access to masses in India.
Forbes’ second annual Global Game Changers list includes the names of 25 business leaders who transformed their industries and changed the lives of billions of people around the globe.
The list highlights business leaders from eight different countries as well as six immigrants to the US, including yogurt king Hamdi Ulakaya and WeWork’s Adam Neumann.
“Oil and gas tycoon entered the country’s telecom market with a bag, offering fast internet at dirt-cheap prices. Gained 100 million customers in six months and set off a wave of consolidation in the market,” Forbes’ summary about Ambani’s success story read.
“Anything and everything that can go digital is going digital,” Forbes quoted Ambani. “India cannot afford to be left behind.”
Forbes said that the trailblazers on the list benefited handsomely from bringing their ideas to the world, with 14 billionaires among the ranks of game changers. Among the youngest on the list are Stripe co-founder John and Patrick Collison, 26 and 28, who have made it effortless for merchants to accept online and mobile payments. Snapchat creator Evan Spiegel, 26, and Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman,31, were also featured in the list.
The list also includes Mobileye co-founders Ziv Aviram and Amnon Shashua from Israel, Slack co-founder Stewart Butterfield, Dyson founder James Dyson, Atlassian co-founders Scott Farquhar and Mike Cannon-Brookes, BlackRock co-founder Larry Fink, Merck CEO Ken Frazier, TransferWise co-founders Taavet Hinrikus and Kristo Kaarmann, Vail CEO, Rober Katz, Nirvana Asia founder David Kong, Twilio founder Jeff Lawson, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell, Two Sigma co-founders John Overdeck and Deavid Siegel, Lens Technology founder Zhou Qunfei, Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino, Embraer CEO Paulo Cesar de Souza e Silva, Cainiao CEO Judy Wenhong Tong, Didi Chuxing founder Cheng Wei and 23 and Me co-founder Anne Wojcicki.