Robert Ziff, co-head of Ziff Brothers Investments, is part of one of America’s most prominent private investment families, managing multibillion-dollar wealth built from the publishing legacy of Ziff Davis. Alongside his brothers, Ziff oversees a diversified portfolio spanning hedge funds, private equity, real estate, and opportunistic investments, operating with a low public profile and institutional-grade discipline. Known for long-term capital allocation and discreet influence, he represents the modern evolution of a media fortune into a sophisticated global investment operation.

Robert F. Smith, founder, chairman, and CEO of Vista Equity Partners, built one of the most successful private equity firms in the world by specializing in enterprise software and technology-enabled businesses. Since launching Vista in 2000, Smith developed a disciplined playbook focused on operational improvement, recurring revenue models, and data-driven management, enabling Vista to scale into a global investment powerhouse with billions in assets. Known for combining engineering-style rigor with dealmaking speed, he has shaped the modern software buyout market. Smith is also a major philanthropist, supporting education, racial equity, and community initiatives, including a landmark gift to eliminate student debt for an entire graduating class at Morehouse College.

Robert Nutting, businessman and sports owner, built his fortune through media and manufacturing holdings, most notably as chairman and CEO of Ogden Newspapers and a major stakeholder in television and print assets across the U.S. He is widely known as the owner of Major League Baseball’s Pittsburgh Pirates, having acquired the franchise in 2007 and overseeing its long-term operations in one of the league’s smaller markets. Nutting’s career reflects a blend of traditional media ownership, regional business influence, and high-profile sports franchise control.

Bobby Kotick, former CEO of Activision Blizzard, is one of the most consequential executives in the history of interactive entertainment, having transformed a struggling publisher into a global gaming powerhouse. After taking control of Activision in the early 1990s, Kotick pursued aggressive acquisitions and franchise-driven strategy, culminating in the 2008 merger that created Activision Blizzard. Under his leadership, the company scaled blockbuster franchises such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush, generating billions in annual revenue and shaping the modern games-as-a-service model. Known for hard-nosed execution and investor focus, Kotick’s tenure remains both highly influential and widely debated.

Robert Hale, cofounder and CEO of Granite Telecommunications, built one of the largest privately held providers of business communications services in the United States. Starting with a focus on reliability and customer service, Hale scaled Granite into a national platform delivering voice, data, internet, and managed network solutions to thousands of enterprise and government clients. Known for operational discipline and a service-first culture, he has maintained Granite’s steady growth while remaining privately owned. Hale is also a major philanthropist, supporting education, healthcare, and poverty-alleviation initiatives through large-scale charitable giving.

Robert Faith, founder and CEO of Greystar, built the largest apartment management and rental housing platform in the United States by combining institutional capital, operational scale, and disciplined real estate execution. Starting Greystar in 1993, Faith expanded the company from a regional property manager into a global multifamily powerhouse spanning development, acquisitions, and fund management. Known for strong operating systems and long-term partnerships with pension funds and sovereign capital, he positioned Greystar as a dominant force in modern rental housing and urban living.

Richard Barton, serial entrepreneur and cofounder of Zillow and Expedia, has repeatedly built category-defining consumer internet companies by applying transparency, data, and user-first design to opaque markets. After helping launch Expedia inside Microsoft, Barton went on to cofound Zillow, reshaping real estate search through pricing data and digital discovery tools, and later founded Glassdoor to bring similar transparency to the labor market. Known for a consistent “power to the people” philosophy, Barton has influenced how millions make decisions about homes, jobs, and travel.

Ric Elias, cofounder and CEO of Red Ventures, built one of the most influential digital media and marketing platforms by combining performance marketing with data-driven consumer acquisition. Since launching Red Ventures in 2000, Elias has expanded the company through disciplined reinvestment and major acquisitions, building a diversified portfolio of well-known brands across travel, finance, and home services, including properties such as The Points Guy and Bankrate. Known for an intense execution culture and long-term ownership mindset, Elias has turned Red Ventures into a powerhouse at the intersection of media, commerce, and analytics.

Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential entrepreneurs and investors, known for shaping professional networking at global scale. After early roles at PayPal and Socialnet, Hoffman launched LinkedIn in 2002, turning it into the world’s dominant platform for career identity, recruiting, and business relationships before its landmark acquisition by Microsoft. As a partner at Greylock, he backed major companies including Airbnb and Facebook, while also becoming a prominent public intellectual through books, podcasts, and AI advocacy. Hoffman’s work blends network economics, venture investing, and strategic thinking about the future of technology.

Reed Hastings, cofounder and former CEO of Netflix, reshaped global entertainment by transforming a DVD-by-mail startup into the world’s dominant streaming platform. Under his leadership, Netflix pioneered subscription streaming, disrupted traditional media distribution, and later reinvented television again by investing heavily in original programming and global content production. Known for his bold strategic pivots, data-driven culture, and the influential “Netflix culture deck,” Hastings helped build one of the most impactful consumer technology companies of the modern era. Beyond business, he is a major philanthropist focused on education reform and civic initiatives.

Ramzi Musallam, CEO of Veritas Capital, built one of the most powerful private equity platforms focused on mission-critical software, defense, healthcare, and government services. Since taking the helm in 2012, Musallam has scaled Veritas through a disciplined strategy of acquiring complex, data-rich businesses with long-term contracts and high barriers to entry, then driving transformation through operational modernization and technology upgrades. Known for high-conviction dealmaking and deep sector specialization, he has positioned Veritas as a leading buyer of strategic assets at the intersection of technology and national infrastructure.

Rajiv Jain, founder and chief investment officer of GQG Partners, built one of the fastest-growing global asset managers by applying a disciplined, long-term approach to emerging and developed market equities. After a long tenure at Vontobel, Jain launched GQG in 2016 with a focus on fundamental research, downside protection, and concentrated portfolios. The firm quickly scaled to manage tens of billions of dollars for institutions and wealth clients worldwide, earning a reputation for resilience across volatile market cycles. Jain is known for his independent thinking, conservative risk posture, and consistent performance.

Raj Sardana, founder and CEO of Innova Solutions, built a global technology and workforce solutions company by focusing on scalable delivery, long-term client partnerships, and operational discipline. Starting with a small IT services firm, Sardana expanded Innova into a multinational platform providing digital transformation, engineering, and talent solutions across North America, Europe, and Asia. His growth strategy emphasizes organic expansion, selective acquisitions, and consistent execution, positioning Innova as a trusted partner for enterprises navigating complex technology and staffing needs.

Pierre Omidyar, founder of eBay, created one of the internet’s earliest and most enduring marketplaces by enabling peer-to-peer commerce at global scale. Launching eBay in 1995, Omidyar built trust mechanisms and open access that allowed millions of individuals and small businesses to transact online, helping define modern e-commerce. After stepping back from day-to-day operations, he focused on impact investing and philanthropy through the Omidyar Network, backing initiatives in financial inclusion, governance, journalism, and technology for social good.

Philippe Laffont, founder and CEO of Coatue Management, built one of the most influential technology-focused investment firms by blending public-market investing with private venture capital. After starting his career at Tiger Management, Laffont launched Coatue in 1999, developing a research-driven model that spans hedge fund strategies and late-stage technology investments. Under his leadership, Coatue became a major backer of category-defining companies across software, fintech, internet platforms, and AI. Known for deep data analysis and thematic conviction, Laffont has helped shape the modern crossover investing landscape.

Peter Thiel, cofounder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential and contrarian thinkers, known for backing companies that challenge consensus and reshape entire industries. As an early investor in Facebook and the first outside investor in several category-defining startups, Thiel helped popularize a philosophy centered on building monopolies through deep technology rather than incremental competition. Through Founders Fund, he has backed transformative ventures across software, defense, biotech, and space. Thiel’s impact extends beyond investing into ideas, shaping debates around technology, globalization, and the future of innovation.

Peter Gassner, cofounder and CEO of Veeva Systems, built one of the most successful vertical software companies by focusing exclusively on cloud solutions for the life sciences industry. After an early career at Salesforce, where he helped scale enterprise cloud adoption, Gassner launched Veeva in 2007 to serve pharmaceutical and biotech companies with regulated, mission-critical applications. Under his leadership, Veeva became a publicly traded, highly profitable software company known for deep industry specialization, long-term customer relationships, and disciplined execution. Gassner’s approach exemplifies the power of focus and vertical expertise in enterprise software.

Peter Briger Jr., co-CEO of Fortress Investment Group, is one of the most prominent investors in alternative assets, known for turning distressed credit and special situations into durable, large-scale platforms. After an early career at Goldman Sachs, where he became a partner and helped run the firm’s principal investment businesses, Briger joined Fortress in 2002 and helped shape its expansion into credit, real estate, and private equity. Under his leadership, Fortress became a major force in opportunistic investing, managing billions across market cycles through disciplined risk management and a dealmaker’s instinct for dislocation. Briger remains a defining figure in modern credit investing and private capital.

Pablo Legorreta, founder and CEO of Royalty Pharma, built a category-defining firm by pioneering royalty-based investing in biopharmaceutical innovation. After founding the company in 1996, Legorreta created a model that provides non-dilutive capital to drug developers in exchange for royalty streams on approved medicines, helping finance breakthroughs while managing risk through diversified cash flows. Under his leadership, Royalty Pharma scaled into a multibillion-dollar, publicly traded platform that partners with leading biotech companies and academic institutions worldwide, reshaping how life-science innovation is funded.

Oren Zeev, founder of Zeev Ventures, is a contrarian growth investor known for backing category-defining technology companies at pivotal moments. After early success in private equity and distressed investing, Zeev shifted to long-term minority investments, helping scale businesses such as Chegg, Audible, and TripActions. His hands-on, founder-aligned approach emphasizes durable unit economics, product leadership, and patient capital. Operating largely outside traditional venture cycles, Zeev has built a reputation for high-conviction bets that compound over time.