Tang Zhuang, director and deputy general manager of Maxscend Microelectronics, is part of the leadership team behind one of China’s most important RF chip companies. As Maxscend grew from a niche semiconductor designer into a major supplier of RF front-end components for smartphones and wireless devices, Tang helped shape its rise in switches, low-noise amplifiers, and filters used across leading consumer electronics supply chains. His profile reflects the broader emergence of China’s domestic semiconductor champions in strategically critical communications technologies.

Zach Perret, cofounder and CEO of Plaid, built one of the most important financial infrastructure companies in fintech by making bank-account connectivity a core layer of the digital economy. Since launching Plaid in 2012, Perret has helped turn the company into a trusted data network powering payments, lending, investing, and personal finance apps used by millions of consumers and businesses. Under his leadership, Plaid has expanded from account-linking tools into a broader platform for open finance, fraud, and identity products, cementing its role as a foundational enabler of modern financial services.

Jia Yueting, also known as YT Jia, is the Chinese entrepreneur behind LeEco and Faraday Future, whose career has been defined by outsized ambition, financial controversy, and repeated attempts at reinvention. After building LeEco into a high-profile consumer tech and streaming empire before its collapse, Jia shifted his focus to electric vehicles through Faraday Future, where he returned to a top leadership role as co-CEO in 2025. His profile remains unusually polarizing: to supporters, he is a visionary founder still chasing a breakthrough in premium EVs; to critics, he is a symbol of overreach and unresolved financial turmoil.

Willis Johnson, founder and chairman of Copart, built one of the most dominant businesses in auto remarketing by turning a single salvage auction yard in California into a global online vehicle auction powerhouse. Since launching Copart in 1982, Johnson helped redefine how insurers, dealers, dismantlers, and buyers transact damaged and used vehicles, scaling the company through technology, logistics, and a highly efficient auction model. He served as CEO until 2010 and has remained chairman since 2004, continuing to shape the company’s long-term direction as Copart expanded internationally and became a major force in digital auto auctions.

William C. Young, founder of Plastipak, built one of the world’s largest privately held plastic packaging and recycling companies by focusing on engineering innovation, operational scale, and long-term family ownership. Since cofounding the business in 1967 with his parents, Young expanded Plastipak into a global supplier serving major food, beverage, and consumer products companies across dozens of facilities worldwide. Under his leadership, the company became a major force in PET packaging and bottle-to-bottle recycling, combining manufacturing scale with sustainability investment. Following his 2024 transition from the CEO role, Young continued as chairman while the company moved to its next generation of leadership.

William Wrigley Jr. II, former chairman and CEO of the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, led the iconic chewing gum manufacturer through a period of global expansion before orchestrating its landmark $23 billion sale to Mars in 2008. A great-grandson of the company’s founder, he modernized Wrigley’s international operations and strengthened its position as the world’s dominant chewing gum brand. After leaving the company, Wrigley focused on private investing through his firm Parallel49 Equity, backing consumer and lifestyle businesses while remaining a prominent figure in American business and philanthropy.

William C. Stone, chairman and CEO of SS&C Technologies, built one of the most influential financial software and services companies serving asset managers, banks, and insurers worldwide. Since acquiring SS&C in 1986, Stone expanded the firm through relentless acquisitions and disciplined integration, transforming it into a global platform providing investment management software, fund administration, and financial operations services. Known for aggressive dealmaking and operational efficiency, he has positioned SS&C as a critical infrastructure provider to the global financial industry.

William C. Rudin, co-executive chairman of Rudin Management, leads one of New York City’s most prominent real estate families, overseeing a major portfolio of office and residential properties across Manhattan. As a third-generation leader of the privately held firm founded in the 1920s, Rudin has guided the development and modernization of landmark buildings while expanding the company’s presence in commercial real estate and urban development. Known for long-term ownership and deep ties to New York’s civic and business institutions, he remains a central figure in the city’s real estate landscape.

William P. Lauder, executive chairman of The Estée Lauder Companies, helped expand the family-founded beauty empire into a global powerhouse of prestige cosmetics, skincare, and fragrance brands. After serving as CEO and guiding major international growth, brand acquisitions, and digital expansion, Lauder transitioned to executive chairman, continuing to shape long-term strategy and governance. A grandson of founders Estée and Joseph Lauder, he represents multigenerational leadership at one of the world’s most influential luxury beauty groups, blending heritage stewardship with modern global scale.

William Koch, energy investor and member of the prominent Koch family, built a diversified fortune through oil, commodities trading, and industrial investments while operating independently of Koch Industries. As founder of Oxbow Carbon, he developed a global business focused on petroleum coke, sulfur, and related energy materials, supplying utilities and industrial customers worldwide. Known for high-profile legal battles, yachting victories, and major art and wine collecting, Koch combines traditional energy entrepreneurship with a strong presence in philanthropy and cultural patronage.

William Hockey, cofounder of Plaid, helped build one of the most important financial infrastructure companies powering the modern fintech ecosystem. As an early leader of Plaid, he played a central role in scaling the platform that connects consumer bank accounts to apps and financial services used by millions worldwide. After helping grow Plaid into a core payments and data connectivity layer for fintech, Hockey went on to found Column, a technology-driven banking platform aimed at modernizing financial infrastructure from the ground up. His career reflects deep influence across the architecture of digital finance.

William Randolph Hearst III is chairman of Hearst, one of the largest privately held media and information companies in the world, spanning television, publishing, data, and digital businesses. A grandson of founder William Randolph Hearst, he has played a central role in modernizing and stewarding the family-controlled enterprise while maintaining its long-term private ownership structure. Earlier in his career he was active in venture investing and philanthropy, including leadership roles within the Hearst Foundations. Known for low-profile governance and multigenerational stewardship, Hearst represents the modern continuation of one of America’s most enduring business dynasties.

William Harrison is an American investor and the founder of Cathexis Holdings, a Houston-based private investment firm that deploys long-duration family capital across real estate and operating businesses. Known for a low-profile, control-minded approach, he has pursued large, concentrated positions and partnerships where patient ownership and hands-on governance matter more than headline velocity—backing assets that range from property to infrastructure-adjacent industrial and services companies, often in complex, cross-border situations.

William P. Foley II, chairman of Fidelity National Financial, built a sprawling financial and business empire spanning title insurance, mortgage services, restaurants, and professional sports. Over decades, Foley became known for acquiring underperforming businesses, imposing strict cost discipline, and scaling them through operational rigor and strategic consolidation. His influence extends beyond finance into hospitality and entertainment, including ownership stakes in the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights. Known for hands-on leadership and deal-driven growth, Foley has remained a defining figure in American financial services and diversified private investment.

William S. Fisher, founder and CEO of Manzanita Capital, is a discreet, long-horizon investor who built a London-based private investment firm focused on premium consumer and luxury brands. A member of the founding family behind Gap Inc., Fisher also serves as a director of the retailer, bringing decades of global retail experience shaped by his earlier leadership of Gap’s international expansion. Through Manzanita, he has pursued brand-led value creation with patient capital, operating with a low public profile while maintaining influence across consumer businesses and governance.

William Conway Jr., cofounder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group, helped build one of the world’s most influential private equity firms by pioneering global buyouts and institutional alternative investing. Since launching Carlyle in 1987, Conway played a central role in expanding the firm across private equity, credit, infrastructure, and real assets, managing capital for sovereign wealth funds, pensions, and major institutions worldwide. Known for disciplined dealmaking and long-term capital relationships, he has been instrumental in shaping modern global private markets. Conway is also a major philanthropist, supporting education and healthcare initiatives across the United States.

Bill Boyd, cofounder and longtime leader of Boyd Gaming, helped build one of the most respected casino operators in the United States by focusing on regional gaming markets, operational discipline, and customer loyalty. The son of industry pioneer Sam Boyd, he expanded the family business from its Las Vegas roots into a nationwide gaming and hospitality company with properties across Nevada and other key markets. Known for conservative management and strong local positioning, Boyd played a central role in shaping modern regional casino operations and maintaining the company’s reputation for steady performance through industry cycles.

William R. Berkley, founder and executive chairman of W. R. Berkley Corporation, built one of the largest and most consistently profitable commercial insurance groups in the United States through disciplined underwriting and decentralized management. Since founding the company in 1967, Berkley expanded it into a global specialty insurer operating across property, casualty, and reinsurance markets, emphasizing niche expertise and conservative risk selection. Known for long-term capital stewardship and a focus on underwriting margins over premium growth, he has remained a defining figure in modern insurance.

Bill Austin, founder and CEO of Starkey Hearing Technologies, built one of the world’s largest privately held hearing aid manufacturers by combining medical innovation, global distribution, and a mission-driven approach to hearing health. Starting with a small hearing aid repair shop, Austin scaled Starkey into a major medical device company serving patients in more than 100 countries, while also pioneering philanthropic hearing initiatives through the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Known for blending entrepreneurship with humanitarian outreach, he has positioned Starkey at the intersection of technology, healthcare, and global access to treatment.

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.