Business finance is about knowing not just about how to do business, but also who to do business with. The Business Insider recently released a list of some of the most powerful people in the world, and a big percentage of this list consisted of hedge fund managers, corporate CEOs and finance managers.
These are some of the most influential people in the business world, and if your company is to grow and become great, you will need to know who to talk to, who to emulate, where to glean your wisdom from and who to do business with.
The following list comprises some of the most influential people in the finance industry, and the people it’s always good to know.
01.Ding Xuedong – Chairman and CEO, China Investment Corporation
Ding Xuedong is the CEO and chairman of the China Investment Corporation, and according to the Business Insider, one of the most influential people in the business field today.
He manages over $700 billion in assets, and he is a long-term employee of the Ministry of Finance in China. The particular fund that he manages oversees all of China’s Foreign Exchange dealings, and he also oversees the China International Corp.
02.Lloyd Blankfein – CEO, Goldman Sachs
Lloyd Blankfein is the CEO of the US-based Goldman Sachs, which is one of the strongest banks in the world. Company assets are worth over $800 billion, and it ranks in the top two banks in the United States alongside its greatest rival the JP Morgan Chase bank.
03.Yngve Slyngstad – CEO, Norges Bank Investment Management
The Norges Bank is worth over $800 billion, and this is a man that is at the top of this great company.
He is well learned with four masters degrees, and he is also the overseer of a number of global market fluctuations. If you as a business organization need to know where to bank, or where to find start-up capital, then this is a good company to invest in and know about.
Yngve Slyngstad firmly believes in investments and has been able to invest more than 60% of the firm’s assets in order to make much more than they are worth.
04.Sir Richard Branson – CEO Virgin Atlantic
Everyone in the world knows Sir. Richard Branson. He has talked about his life and his philosophy many times which makes him a great person to look to for advice on success, and in his writings and interviews he clearly outlines how he started his great business and rose up to be one of the best in the business in many fields, including the airline industry.
Following Richard Branson helps you glean much more knowledge on how to conduct your business and the power of persistence.
He is one of the most influential people, not just in the UK but all over the world. His company is now worth over $5 billion.
05.Sir Charlie Mayfield – John Lewis
He is one of the most famous inventors in Britain. He is, in fact, an icon in British entrepreneurism, and he started with a piece of cardboard and a good idea that has turned his business into a multibillion-dollar empire. Currently, his fortune is estimated to be $5 billion
06.Ray Dalio – Founder, Bridgewater Associates
Bridgewater Associates is not just a hedge fund, it is the biggest hedge fund in the world. It is based in the US and has a portfolio worth $160 billion. Dalio himself is personally worth over $11 billion. This money is just part of what fuels his power, and it is the reason why he has become one of the most influential financial managers in the world.
09.Carl Icahn – Founder, Icahn Enterprises
Carl Icahn is an activist and investor in his own enterprise. His photocopy company is hugely successful on its own, but he also has shares in Apple valued at $1 billion dollars making him a very influential person.
10.Paul Polman – Unilever
Paul Polman is the Dutch-born chief of global giants, Unilever. This is a company that has over 400 brands under its label making it one of the biggest companies in the world. It may have had some difficulties in the past, but under the leadership of Paul Polman, this is a company that is going to rise up again.
11.Carolyn Fairbairn – Confederation of British Industry
Carolyn Fairbairn is one of the most influential women in the UK. She represents and is a figurehead for British business and is in a position to call any CEO she wishes. She has been at the top of her career for more than 30 years.
12.Lakshmi Mittal – ArcelorMittal
Lakshmi Mittal is listed as one of the richest people in the UK, and his net worth is estimated to be $16.7 billion. He was born in India and is currently the CEO of the biggest Steel Manufacturer in the UK
13.Sir Jonathan Ive – Apple
He works with Apple as a designer. He is also one of the most celebrated and iconic designers in Britain, and so far, he has earned over $130 million from Apple.
14.Mike Ashley– Sports Direct
He may be controversial, but he is also very rich and very influential. He is the creator of Sports Direct, and currently, he has been able to net over $2.7 billion in profits from the business.
15.Mark Carney – Bank of England:
This man remains very powerful in England, even after the EU referendum. He is the man in charge of the Bank of England and oversees whether UK interest rates rise or fall.
These are just a few of the many people it’s good to know if you are working in commercial finance. Take time to read their stories if you want to succeed in business because some of them started very humbly and have gone on to be the owners of the biggest businesses all over the world, and some of them have the power to influence all our lives now. Either way, they’re good to know!
