Richard Saghian, founder and CEO of Fashion Nova, built one of the most disruptive fast-fashion brands in the world by mastering social media, influencer marketing, and ultra-fast product cycles. Starting from a family retail background, Saghian scaled Fashion Nova into a global e-commerce powerhouse known for trend velocity, celebrity partnerships, and direct-to-consumer execution. His model reshaped the fashion industry’s marketing playbook, proving that Instagram-era distribution and data-driven design could outperform legacy brands. Beyond fashion, he has become a major luxury real estate buyer, making headlines for high-profile property acquisitions.

Paul Marciano, cofounder and longtime chief creative officer of Guess, helped build one of the most recognizable global fashion brands by blending European sensibility with bold American marketing. After launching Guess in 1981 with his brothers, Marciano shaped the brand’s visual identity, provocative advertising, and denim-driven style that propelled rapid international expansion. Under his creative direction, Guess became synonymous with aspirational imagery and celebrity campaigns, turning a niche denim label into a worldwide lifestyle brand. Marciano’s influence has left a lasting imprint on fashion branding and retail aesthetics.

Patrick Soon-Shiong, physician, biotech entrepreneur, and investor, built one of the most consequential careers at the intersection of medicine, science, and capital. After developing the cancer drug Abraxane, which he sold to Celgene in a multibillion-dollar deal, Soon-Shiong went on to found and back numerous life-sciences companies focused on immunotherapy, data-driven medicine, and personalized healthcare. Beyond biotech, he is the owner of the Los Angeles Times and has invested heavily in medical research, AI-enabled health systems, and pandemic preparedness. His work reflects a long-term ambition to reengineer healthcare around biology, data, and scalable innovation.

Ming Hsieh, founder and executive chairman of Fulgent Genetics, built a leading precision diagnostics company by applying advanced automation, data systems, and scalable lab infrastructure to genetic testing. After decades as a successful entrepreneur in aerospace simulation software, Hsieh founded Fulgent in 2011 and guided it from a startup into a publicly traded genomics platform offering comprehensive clinical and diagnostic testing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Fulgent rapidly scaled nationwide testing capacity, demonstrating its operational agility and cementing its position in molecular diagnostics. Known for his engineering rigor and long-term vision, Hsieh has also emerged as a major philanthropist supporting education, medical research, and STEM initiatives.

Michael Milken, financier and philanthropist, is widely recognized as the pioneer of the modern high-yield bond market, reshaping corporate finance and enabling a wave of entrepreneurial growth in the 1980s. After a controversial career at Drexel Burnham Lambert and subsequent legal challenges, Milken redirected his focus toward global health, medical research, and education—founding research institutions, spearheading public-health initiatives, and establishing major philanthropic programs through the Milken Institute. His enduring influence spans financial innovation and large-scale social impact, making him one of the most consequential—and debated—figures in modern business history.

Georges Marciano, cofounder of Guess, helped define the global rise of designer denim, turning a small California startup into an iconic fashion brand recognized worldwide. After emigrating from France, Marciano and his brothers launched Guess in 1981, blending European style with American marketing savvy to capture the youth and luxury-casual markets. As the company expanded internationally, Guess became synonymous with provocative advertising, celebrity-driven branding, and premium denim. Following his departure from the company, Marciano remained active in private investments, real estate, and philanthropy, maintaining a lasting legacy in the global fashion industry.

Marc Nathanson, cable television pioneer and philanthropist, helped shape the modern media landscape as a founding figure in the early cable industry. As founder of Falcon Cable TV in the 1970s, he built and later sold one of the largest cable operators in the United States, playing a formative role in the expansion of broadband and pay television. Nathanson went on to serve as U.S. ambassador to Norway and became a major force in philanthropy through the Nathanson Family Foundation, supporting education, public health, and cultural institutions. His career reflects a blend of entrepreneurial foresight, public service, and long-term civic impact.

Lowell Milken, cofounder of Knowledge Universe and a longtime leader in education reform and philanthropy, has built a wide-ranging career focused on improving teaching quality and expanding access to effective learning models. After an early career in law and finance, he helped develop Knowledge Universe into one of the world’s largest private education companies, spanning early childhood learning, professional development, and technology-enabled instruction. As chairman of the Milken Family Foundation, he has created nationally recognized programs such as the Milken Educator Awards and TAP: The System for Teacher and Student Advancement. Known for his strategic vision and commitment to education innovation, Milken is a defining figure in modern philanthropic efforts to strengthen America’s schools.

José E. Feliciano, cofounder and managing partner of Clearlake Capital, is one of the most influential private equity investors of his generation, helping build Clearlake into a top-tier global firm focused on technology, industrials, and consumer businesses. Since launching the firm in 2006 with Behdad Eghbali, Feliciano has overseen a disciplined strategy combining operational transformation with data-driven value creation, driving assets under management to well over $70 billion. A leader in expanding Latino representation in finance, he is also a major philanthropist through the SUPERB and Somos foundations, supporting education, entrepreneurship, and social mobility. Feliciano’s blend of investment rigor, cultural leadership, and long-horizon thinking has made him a defining force in modern private equity.

Jeffrey Gundlach, founder and CEO of DoubleLine Capital, is one of the most influential bond investors of his generation, often referred to as the “Bond King” for his prescient calls on interest rates, credit cycles, and macroeconomic trends. After rising to prominence at TCW, he launched DoubleLine in 2009, quickly attracting tens of billions in assets and building a reputation for disciplined portfolio construction and rigorous market analysis. Known for his outspoken commentary and data-driven contrarian views, Gundlach has become a key voice shaping fixed-income strategy and broader market sentiment across Wall Street.

Isaac Larian, founder and CEO of MGA Entertainment, built one of the world’s largest privately held toy companies, best known for creating the global hit Bratz dolls and, more recently, the L.O.L. Surprise! franchise. An Iranian-born immigrant, Larian started with a small import business before transforming it into a multibillion-dollar toy empire that competes with industry giants like Mattel and Hasbro. Known for his bold marketing strategies and willingness to take creative risks, he has made MGA a dominant force in the global toy market while also engaging in philanthropy and outspoken advocacy on industry issues.

Pedro Franceschi, Brazilian-born entrepreneur and technologist, is the cofounder and co-CEO of Brex, a fintech company transforming how startups and enterprises manage credit and financial services. A coding prodigy from a young age, he gained early recognition for developing tools to bring Siri to non-Apple devices before joining forces with Henrique Dubugras to launch Brex in Silicon Valley. Together, they scaled the company into a multibillion-dollar fintech platform, making Franceschi one of the youngest self-made billionaires and a leading voice in the future of global finance and technology.

Henrique Dubugras, Brazilian-born entrepreneur, is the cofounder and co-CEO of Brex, the fintech company revolutionizing corporate credit cards and financial services for startups and enterprises. A tech prodigy, he launched his first startup as a teenager before moving to Silicon Valley, where he and cofounder Pedro Franceschi built Brex into a multibillion-dollar company backed by leading investors. Known for his sharp vision and ability to scale fast-growing businesses, Dubugras has become a defining figure in the new wave of fintech, bridging Silicon Valley innovation with global entrepreneurship.

Geeta Gupta-Fisker, cofounder, CFO, and COO of Fisker Inc., has played a pivotal role in shaping the electric vehicle company’s financial and operational strategy. With a background in investment management and healthcare finance, she has combined disciplined capital allocation with a vision for sustainable innovation. Alongside her husband, Henrik Fisker, she has helped position the company as a challenger in the EV space, driving the launch of models like the Fisker Ocean while focusing on affordability, design, and environmental impact. Gupta-Fisker is recognized for her leadership in both corporate governance and advancing women in business and technology.

Henrik Fisker, Danish-born automotive designer and entrepreneur, is best known for creating some of the world’s most iconic luxury cars and for founding Fisker Inc., an electric vehicle manufacturer. After a celebrated design career at BMW and Aston Martin—where he shaped models like the BMW Z8 and Aston Martin DB9—he launched his own ventures to blend sustainability with high design. Although his first company, Fisker Automotive, faced setbacks, he returned with Fisker Inc., focusing on stylish, affordable EVs like the Fisker Ocean. Renowned for bold creativity and resilience, Fisker remains a leading figure in the push toward sustainable mobility.

Geoffrey H. Palmer, founder of G.H. Palmer Associates, is one of Los Angeles’s largest apartment developers, with more than 13,000 units across the metro. He stamped downtown with Italianate mega-complexes like the Medici, Orsini, Piero, Da Vinci, and Lorenzo, and reshaped policy with the 2009 appellate win Palmer v. City of Los Angeles, which limited rental inclusionary mandates under California’s Costa-Hawkins Act. A prolific Republican donor, he remains a powerful—if polarizing—force in L.A. real estate.

Gary Michelson, orthopedic spinal surgeon turned inventor and philanthropist, amassed his fortune through more than 950 patents for medical devices, instruments, and procedures that revolutionized spinal surgery. After a landmark $1.35 billion settlement with Medtronic in 2005 over patent disputes, he shifted his focus to philanthropy, founding the Michelson Medical Research Foundation, Michelson 20MM Foundation for education, and Michelson Found Animals Foundation for animal welfare. His career blends groundbreaking medical innovation with a deep commitment to scientific research, education, and social impact.

Evan Spiegel co‑founded Snap Inc. (initially Snapchat) in 2011 while studying product design at Stanford. Under his leadership, Snap evolved into a global social media firm with ~400+ million daily users, launching viral innovations like Stories and AR lenses. Spiegel holds over 95 % of Snap’s voting power alongside co‑founder Bobby Murphy and remains its CEO. He also supports youth arts and education through the Spiegel Family Fund with his wife Miranda Kerr.

Edward P. “Ed” Roski Jr. is the billionaire president and chairman of Majestic Realty Co., one of the largest privately held real estate developers in the U.S., with over 80–90 million square feet of industrial and commercial properties. A decorated Vietnam veteran who earned two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star, he is also a part-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers and Kings, co-founded the Land of the Free Foundation supporting veterans, and serves on USC’s board and numerous museum and civic boards. 

Donald E. “Don” Friese rose from an orphanage in rural Pennsylvania to become a self-made billionaire. He joined C.R. Laurence in 1961 as a warehouse worker, bought full ownership by the 1990s, and grew it into the largest glazing‑supplies company in the U.S. He sold the business in 2015 for $1.3 billion while personally gifting more than $86 million in bonuses to employees and remains active philanthropically through the Friese Foundation.