Power 25

25 most powerful people in business

Some are empire builders. Others are hired guns. But if they truly have world-class oomph, they're on Fortune's subjective - yet really quite accurate - list of the most powerful businesspeople in the world.
Warren Buffett
BACK NEXT 5 of 25
5. Warren Buffett
Chairman and CEO, Berkshire Hathaway

Of course it matters that Buffett has built Berkshire Hathaway into a massive holding company with interests ranging from underwear to private jets (2006 revenues: $98 billion). Of course it's impressive that since 1965, Berkshire has performed more than twice as well as the S&P 500. Of course it's amazing that Buffett has made millions from something as toxic as Enron bonds. And of course it is somehow unsurprising that he managed to help broker a deal between A-Rod and the New York Yankees.

But the source of Buffett's influence is found in his nickname: the "Sage of Omaha." CEOs - and athletes, obviously, including LeBron James - venture to Nebraska to consult him. And people everywhere listen to his pronouncements on things like managed earnings (against), stock option expensing (for), and the U.S. dollar (pessimistic).
--Cait Murphy

Steve Jobs
Rupert Murdoch
Lloyd Blankfein
Eric Schmidt, Larry Page, and Sergei Brin
Warren Buffett
Rex Tillerson
Bill Gates
Jeff Immelt
Katsuaki Watanabe
A.G. Lafley
John Chambers
Li Ka-shing
Lee Scott
Lakshmi Mittal
Jamie Dimon
Mark Hurd
James McNerney
Marius Kloppers
Steve Schwarzman
Carlos Slim
Steve Feinberg
Indra Nooyi
Ratan Tata
Bob Iger
Bernard Arnault
Power 25
5 in power positions
5 in power positions
Who's in the right place at the right time? (more)
The power of Steve Jobs
The power of Steve Jobs
The charismatic Apple founder pioneered several industries, made an unrivaled comeback, and established a powerhouse brand, placing him at the top of Fortune's 2007 Power 25 list. (more)
The power of one
The power of one
The world economy may seem vast and impersonal. But take a closer look. (more)
Special Offer:
Home | Contact Us | Advertise with Us | Corrections | Career Opportunities | Site Map
RSS | Email Delivery | Portfolio | Podcasts | Mobile | Widgets | User Preferences | Special Sections
| Magazine Customer Service | Download Fortune Lists | Reprints | Conferences | Business Leader Council

Please create a screen name to access this feature.

Screen name (Select one with 3-12 characters; Numbers and letters only)


Forgot password

Enter your e-mail address below and we will send you an e-mail with a link and code to reset your password.

E-mail

Already have the reset code?

Password selection

E-mail

Reset code

New password

Log in & let's get started!

E-mail

Password

Forgot password?


Not a member yet?

Sign up now for a free account

Sign up or log in

Screen name

Select one with 3-12 characters;
Numbers and letters only

E-mail

Make sure you typed it correctly.
You will receive an e-mail to validate your account

Password

Make it 6-10 characters, no spaces

We're Sorry!

This service is temporarily unavailable. Please try again soon.


 

 


Thanks!

Please check your e-mail and click the link to confirm your membership. Then, you'll be ready to participate in all activities and conversations on our site.

Go to your Profile page


Newsletters

  • Be the first to know when there is breaking financial news with timely alerts delivered straight to your inbox.

    Send to:

  • Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt brings you Mac news from outside the reality distortion field.

    Send to:

    • Fortune columnist Anne Fisher answers your career-related questions.

      Send to:

      • Money Magazine's Walter Updegrave answers readers' toughest financial questions.

        Send to:

        • Fortune managing editor Andy Serwer keeps tabs on Wall Street

          Send to:

          • CNN's Gerri Willis gives tips and tools for saving more and spending wisely.

            Send to:

            • A complete roundup of each day's trading activity.

              Send to:

              • Fortune editor at large Pattie Sellers shares fascinating, fun and valuable insights into people who sit at the pinnacle of power.

                Send to:

                • Register now to receive Fortune's newsletter on all the deals that matter -- from Wall Street to Sand Hill Road. Updated every day and when news happens. Coming in September.

                  Send to:
                  Market indexes are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer
                  LIBOR Warning: Neither BBA Enterprises Limited, nor the BBA LIBOR Contributor Banks, nor Reuters, can be held liable for any irregularity or inaccuracy of BBA LIBOR. Disclaimer.
                  Morningstar: © 2010 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Disclaimer
                  The Dow Jones IndexesSM are proprietary to and distributed by Dow Jones & Company, Inc. and have been licensed for use. All content of the Dow Jones IndexesSM © 2010 is proprietary to Dow Jones & Company, Inc
                  Chicago Mercantile Association. The market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved.
                  FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2010. All rights reserved.