Bill Ackman, founder and CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, is one of the most prominent activist investors of his generation, known for high-conviction, concentrated bets on public companies. Since launching Pershing Square in 2004, Ackman has pursued large stakes in companies where he believes operational, strategic, or governance changes can unlock substantial shareholder value. His career has included both high-profile wins and costly missteps, reinforcing his reputation for bold, research-driven investing. Beyond markets, Ackman is active in philanthropy and public policy, frequently engaging in debates on corporate governance and economic reform.

Tony Xu is the billionaire co-founder and CEO of DoorDash. In early 2026, he is leading a massive "AI-native" overhaul to unify international brands like Wolt and Deliveroo into a single global tech stack. Beyond scaling autonomous delivery with the "DoorDash Dot" robot, Xu is a vocal proponent of human-led fulfillment in the face of rising AI agents. A Meta board member and signatory of the Giving Pledge, he focuses his philanthropy on underfunded "dreamers and doers." His current strategy prioritizes long-term engineering leverage as the company expands into retail and grocery.

Thomas Secunda is a co-founder and Vice Chairman of Bloomberg L.P., where he famously served as the chief engineer for the Bloomberg Terminal. Over his four-decade career, he has been the primary architect of the company’s financial products, overseeing the development of the data and analytics tools that define modern global finance. In early 2026, he made headlines for his landmark $30 million gift to his alma mater, Binghamton University, to establish the Center for AI Responsibility and Research. This contribution is a cornerstone of the "Empire AI" initiative, a public-private partnership aimed at positioning New York as a leader in ethical and transparent artificial intelligence development.

Ron Conway, founder of SV Angel, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential early-stage investors, known for backing some of the most successful technology companies of the modern era. Often called the “Godfather of Silicon Valley,” Conway made early investments in companies such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, and PayPal, building a legendary track record in startup finance. Beyond investing, he is a major civic force in San Francisco and California, actively shaping policy conversations around housing, homelessness, and technology’s role in society. Conway’s career reflects unmatched network power, founder access, and long-term influence in venture capital.

Bob Parsons, founder of GoDaddy, built one of the most recognizable internet services companies by making domain registration and small-business web tools simple, affordable, and mass-market. A former U.S. Marine and serial entrepreneur, Parsons grew GoDaddy through bold branding and aggressive customer acquisition, turning it into a dominant platform for entrepreneurs launching online businesses. After exiting GoDaddy, he expanded his business interests through YAM Worldwide, investing in real estate, golf, motorcycles, and hospitality, including the PXG golf brand. Parsons is also a major philanthropist supporting veterans, healthcare, and community development.

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.

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.

Phillip Ragon, founder and CEO of InterSystems, built one of the most influential private software companies in the world by focusing on high-performance data platforms for healthcare, finance, and government systems. Since founding InterSystems in 1978, Ragon has guided the company’s development of mission-critical database and interoperability technologies used by hospitals, banks, and national infrastructures globally. Known for remaining fiercely private, profitable, and independent, he has prioritized long-term engineering excellence over short-term growth. Ragon is also a major philanthropist, supporting global health, education, and human rights initiatives.

Paul Singer, founder and CEO of Elliott Investment Management, is one of the most influential activist investors in the world, known for combining deep legal expertise with relentless capital discipline. Since launching Elliott in 1977, Singer has built a multibillion-dollar firm that targets complex situations across public equities, debt, and sovereign restructurings, often pushing for governance reform and value realization. His campaigns have reshaped outcomes at major corporations and governments alike, cementing Elliott’s reputation for rigor, persistence, and results. Beyond investing, Singer is a prominent political donor and philanthropist focused on free markets, democracy, and human rights.

Paul Sciarra, cofounder of Pinterest, helped build one of the most distinctive consumer internet platforms by focusing on visual discovery and intent-driven inspiration. After early roles in venture capital and startups, Sciarra partnered with Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp to launch Pinterest, shaping its early product vision, fundraising, and growth into a global platform used by hundreds of millions. Following his time at Pinterest, he returned to investing and advising entrepreneurs, bringing a founder’s perspective to early-stage technology companies.

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.

Nicolas Berggruen, investor and philanthropist, built a global reputation as a contrarian thinker blending capital, policy, and long-term societal vision. Founder of Berggruen Holdings and the Berggruen Institute, he has invested across real estate, finance, and special situations while championing ideas around governance reform, technology, and globalization. Known for his unconventional lifestyle and intellectual focus, Berggruen has positioned himself less as a traditional financier and more as a patron of cross-disciplinary thought, convening global leaders to address structural challenges facing modern societies.

Nathan Blecharczyk, cofounder and chief strategy officer of Airbnb, is the technical architect behind one of the world’s most influential travel platforms. After building Airbnb’s original website and payment systems, he helped scale the company from a startup renting air mattresses into a global marketplace operating in nearly every country. Blecharczyk has played a central role in shaping Airbnb’s long-term strategy, trust and safety infrastructure, and international expansion, while also serving as chairman of Airbnb China. Known for his engineering-first mindset and low public profile, he remains a key force behind the platform’s global growth and resilience.

Mitchell Rales, cofounder of Danaher Corporation, is one of America’s most successful industrial builders, known for pairing disciplined capital allocation with a relentless focus on operational excellence. Alongside his brother Steven, Rales transformed Danaher from a small real estate company into a global science and technology conglomerate by pioneering the Danaher Business System, a management framework rooted in continuous improvement and lean manufacturing. After stepping back from day-to-day operations, Rales has remained an influential investor and philanthropist, supporting education, public policy, and cultural institutions through the Rales Foundation and Glenstone Museum.

Sir Michael Moritz, legendary partner at Sequoia Capital, is one of Silicon Valley’s most influential venture capitalists, helping back transformative companies such as Google, PayPal, YouTube, Stripe, and Airbnb. A former Time magazine journalist turned investor, Moritz played a key role in shaping Sequoia’s disciplined, founder-focused strategy and global expansion. His philanthropic efforts—through the Crankstart Foundation—support education, social mobility, and civic initiatives in the U.S. and U.K. Moritz’s combination of narrative instinct, strategic clarity, and generational dealmaking has left an unrivaled mark on the tech landscape.

Mark Pincus, founder and former CEO of Zynga, was a pioneer of social gaming, turning casual games into a mass-market phenomenon on Facebook and mobile platforms. After early ventures in internet services and venture capital, Pincus launched Zynga in 2007, scaling hits like FarmVille and Words With Friends into a multibillion-dollar business that went public in 2011. Known for his aggressive growth strategies and product experimentation, he later stepped back from daily operations while remaining an active investor and entrepreneur through Reinvent Capital. Pincus continues to influence consumer technology at the intersection of gaming, social interaction, and digital monetization.

Mario Gabelli, founder and CEO of GAMCO Investors, is one of Wall Street’s most respected value investors, known for applying fundamental research and private-market valuation techniques to public equities. After beginning his career at Loeb, Rhoades & Co., Gabelli launched GAMCO in 1977 and built a multibillion-dollar asset management firm specializing in value, merger arbitrage, and global equity strategies. His disciplined approach emphasizes cash flow, asset value, and management quality, often coupled with active engagement in corporate governance. Beyond finance, Gabelli is a major philanthropist and art collector, supporting education, cultural institutions, and charitable causes worldwide.

Leon Cooperman, founder of Omega Advisors, is one of Wall Street’s most respected value investors, known for decades of disciplined stock-picking and outspoken market commentary. After a long career at Goldman Sachs, where he led the asset management division, Cooperman launched Omega in 1991 and produced strong returns through concentrated, research-driven investing in equities and credit. Though he has since converted Omega into a family office, he remains active in markets and philanthropy, donating hundreds of millions to education, medical research, and Jewish causes. Cooperman’s blend of candor, conviction, and lifelong commitment to investing has made him a defining figure in the hedge fund era.

Ken Langone, cofounder of Home Depot, is one of America’s most respected entrepreneurs and dealmakers, helping turn a radical big-box retail concept into one of the largest home-improvement chains in the world. After early success on Wall Street as an investment banker, Langone helped finance and launch Home Depot in 1978, and the company’s explosive growth made him a billionaire. Known for his blunt, patriotic style and deep loyalty to employees, he is also a major philanthropist—funding medical research, education, and veterans’ causes, including a landmark gift to make tuition free at NYU’s medical school. Langone remains a prominent voice on business, capitalism, and civic leadership.

Joe Mansueto, founder and executive chairman of Morningstar, transformed a one-man startup launched in his Chicago apartment into one of the world’s most trusted providers of investment research, ratings, and financial data. Since founding the company in 1984, he has championed transparency, independent analysis, and investor empowerment, expanding Morningstar into a global platform serving millions of investors and thousands of institutions across more than 25 countries. After taking the company public and stepping back from day-to-day operations, Mansueto has become an influential civic leader, philanthropist, and sports owner—acquiring Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire and supporting major cultural and educational initiatives. His legacy combines entrepreneurship, integrity, and a long-term commitment to investor advocacy.