Phil Ruffin, casino and real estate magnate, built a fortune through high-conviction bets on hospitality, energy, and distressed assets, most famously in Las Vegas. After early success in oil and gas, Ruffin acquired and revitalized major properties including the Treasure Island hotel-casino, applying hands-on operations and disciplined capital allocation. Known for opportunistic dealmaking and a long-term owner’s mindset, he has remained a powerful figure in gaming and commercial real estate, pairing bold acquisitions with tight cost control and patient value creation.

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.

Phillip Frost, physician and entrepreneur, built a biotechnology empire by identifying undervalued medical assets and scaling them through disciplined science-driven investing. As founder and chairman of OPKO Health, Frost assembled a diversified healthcare platform spanning diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and medical technologies, often through strategic acquisitions and partnerships. Earlier in his career, he sold IVAX Corporation to Teva in a multibillion-dollar transaction, cementing his reputation as a leading dealmaker in life sciences. Known for a long-term approach to innovation and capital allocation, Frost remains a central figure in global healthcare entrepreneurship.

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.

Philip Milstein, founder and CEO of Ogden CAP Properties, built a major New York–based real estate investment platform focused on value-oriented acquisitions across office, residential, and mixed-use properties. After early experience in property development and asset management, Milstein expanded Ogden CAP by targeting complex, underperforming assets and repositioning them through active management and long-term capital discipline. Known for a hands-on approach and deep market knowledge, he has assembled a sizable portfolio while maintaining a low public profile. Milstein’s career reflects patient investing and contrarian thinking within urban real estate markets.

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 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 Szulczewski, founder and former CEO of Wish, built one of the world’s largest mobile-first e-commerce platforms by reimagining online shopping around price discovery and global supply chains. A former Google engineer, Szulczewski launched Wish to connect value-seeking consumers directly with manufacturers, prioritizing personalization, scale, and mobile engagement over traditional retail norms. Under his leadership, Wish grew rapidly worldwide and went public, becoming a defining—if unconventional—player in cross-border e-commerce. His career reflects a willingness to challenge entrenched retail models through engineering-led experimentation.

Peter Kellogg, cofounder and CEO of Kellogg Capital Group, is a veteran hedge fund manager known for navigating global markets with a disciplined, risk-aware trading approach. After an early career in derivatives and proprietary trading, Kellogg built his firm around multi-asset strategies spanning equities, credit, commodities, and macro opportunities. Operating with a low public profile, he has maintained longevity in an industry defined by volatility, earning respect for adaptability across market cycles and a focus on capital preservation alongside returns.

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.

Paul Tudor Jones, founder and chief investment officer of Tudor Investment Corporation, is a legendary macro trader best known for predicting and profiting from the 1987 stock market crash. Over decades, Jones built one of the world’s most respected hedge funds by combining global macroeconomic analysis with disciplined risk management. Beyond finance, he is a pioneer of impact investing and philanthropy, founding Robin Hood to combat poverty and advocating for market reforms tied to sustainability and social outcomes. His career reflects a rare blend of trading mastery, adaptability across cycles, and civic engagement.

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.

Paul Saville, longtime executive and vice chairman of NVR, is one of the key architects behind one of the most consistently profitable homebuilders in the United States. As a senior partner of investor David A. Tepper in NVR’s early years, Saville helped shape the company’s distinctive, asset-light business model, emphasizing land optioning, strict cost controls, and disciplined capital allocation. This approach allowed NVR to outperform peers across housing cycles while maintaining high returns on equity and a strong balance sheet. Saville’s influence reflects a rare blend of financial rigor and operational restraint in a cyclical industry.

Paul Merage, cofounder of Chef America Inc., built one of the most iconic consumer food brands in the U.S. by transforming a simple frozen snack into a mass-market staple. Alongside his brother David, Merage created Hot Pockets in the 1980s, pioneering the handheld frozen-meal category and scaling distribution nationwide through grocery and convenience channels. The success of Chef America culminated in its multibillion-dollar sale to Nestlé, marking one of the most successful exits in packaged foods. Since then, Merage has focused on private investing, real estate, and philanthropy, particularly in education and community development.

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.

Paul Foster, founder and former CEO of Western Refining, built a major independent refining and fuel distribution business by acquiring underperforming assets and improving operational efficiency across the Southwest. Starting with a small El Paso refinery in the 1990s, Foster expanded Western Refining into a vertically integrated energy company before merging it with Andeavor, a deal that ultimately led to its acquisition by Marathon Petroleum. Beyond energy, he is a prominent philanthropist and civic leader in Texas, funding education, healthcare, and community development initiatives. Foster’s career reflects disciplined execution in cyclical industries paired with long-term regional impact.

Paul Fireman, founder and longtime CEO of Reebok International, built one of the most recognizable athletic footwear and apparel brands by fusing performance design with global marketing. After acquiring the fledgling company in the late 1970s, Fireman drove Reebok’s explosive growth in the 1980s through aerobics, celebrity endorsements, and international expansion, turning it into a dominant force in sportswear. He later sold Reebok to Adidas in a multibillion-dollar deal and went on to invest in real estate, hospitality, and philanthropy, extending his influence beyond consumer brands.

Patrizio Vinciarelli, founder and CEO of Vicor Corporation, is a pioneer in advanced power electronics whose work has reshaped how electricity is delivered inside high-performance computing systems. Trained as a physicist and engineer, Vinciarelli founded Vicor in 1981 and spent decades developing high-density, modular power conversion technologies that became critical to data centers, aerospace, defense, and AI-driven computing. Under his long-term leadership, Vicor evolved into a publicly traded company known for deep intellectual property, engineering precision, and its role in powering next-generation processors and accelerated computing architectures.