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24 Power Players: The Untold Secret of 2025’s Founder-CEOs!
Hold onto your hats, folks! Out of a staggering 500 CEOs on the 2025 Fortune list, only 24 of them are founders or co-founders. That’s a jaw-dropping 4.8%! But don’t let that small number fool you—these titans of industry are on FIRE! 🔥
These founder-led companies raked in an eye-popping $862.9 billion in revenue last year! That’s a fortune, proving they’re not just surviving—they’re THRIVING! While the list of founder-CEOs hasn’t grown from last year, it’s a significant leap from just 16 back in 2020.
Flashback to some of the giants that have fallen from founder-led grace. Amazon, FedEx, and Netflix—once kingpins, no longer guided by their visionary founders! But never fear; legends like Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, Elon Musk of Tesla, and Jensen Huang of Nvidia are here to stake their claim at the helm! 🚀
But wait, there’s MORE! Founder-CEOs aren’t just confined to the tech realm. They’re making waves in transportation, hospitality, and consumer goods too. Take a look at Roger Penske, who conquers the automotive world, Rodney Sacks, who powers up Monster Beverage, and Brian Chesky, who revolutionized travel with Airbnb.
Hold onto your seats! These fearless founders are turning the tables on old-school thinking, proving the naysayers wrong. Once believed to struggle with long-term leadership, founder-led companies are blowing up the competition! A study suggested they falter post-IPO, but the current leaderboards scream otherwise!
Notably, while 60% of founders vanish after going public, the select 24 have STAYED put! Some, like Leonard Schleifer of Regeneron, have been holding the reins for 37 years!
But here’s a troubling twist: All 24 of these founder-CEOs are men. In the history of the Fortune 500, just ONE woman has ever held the coveted founder-CEO spot! So where are the trailblazing women? This glaring gap needs to be addressed NOW!
Ready to meet the top dogs? Check out the highest-ranking founder-CEOs:
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Mark Zuckerberg
CEO, Meta Platforms
Revenue: $164.5 billion -
Jensen Huang
CEO, Nvidia
Revenue: $130.5 billion -
Elon Musk
CEO, Tesla
Revenue: $97.69 billion -
Michael Dell
CEO, Dell Technologies
Revenue: $95.57 billion -
Richard Fairbank
CEO, Capital One Financial
Revenue: $53.94 billion -
Marc Benioff
CEO, Salesforce
Revenue: $37.9 billion -
Roger Penske
CEO, Penske Automotive Group
Revenue: $30.46 billion -
Bom Kim
CEO, Coupang
Revenue: $30.27 billion -
Marc Rowan
CEO, Apollo Global Management
Revenue: $26.26 billion - Jack Dorsey
CEO, Block
Revenue: $24.12 billion
As the corporate landscape evolves, the stakes have never been higher. Keep your eyes peeled and stay tuned for more on these astonishing leaders! The battle for supremacy is just heating up! 🌟
photo credit: fortune.com
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