Former Apple executive Trip Hawkins founded Electronic Arts in 1982, establishing a professional publishing model that transformed home computer software into team production.
Fig. 1.2Ron DennisPhoto: Tristram Biggs / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Ron Dennis — Founder, Chairman and CEO, McLaren Technology Group
From mechanic to principal owner, Ron Dennis transformed McLaren into a championship-winning Formula One contender and high-performance supercar manufacturer.
Fig. 1.3Greg LanskyPhoto: Toglenn / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Shiv Nadar — Founder and Chairman, HCL Technologies
Shiv Nadar built HCL Technologies into a global IT services enterprise, steering its transition from calculator sales to an international technology corporation.
Fig. 2.3Xavier NielPhoto: cmichel67 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Xavier Niel, founder of Iliad, has driven significant change in telecommunications, extending his disruptive approach to the Italian market with Iliad Italia.
Fig. 3.1Rich SkrentaPhoto: Burnszilla / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Garrett Camp, a software engineer and investor, helped establish the personalized search platform StumbleUpon before co-founding the global transportation company, Uber.
Fig. 3.3Josh HarrisPhoto: Josh Harris / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Following a significant career in private equity, Josh Harris established 26North, an alternative asset firm focused on diverse financial strategies and growth.
Fig. 4.1Alexis OhanianPhoto: TechCrunch / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Bill Ackman — Founder and Chief Executive, Pershing Square Capital Management
How Bill Ackman built Pershing Square Capital Management into a focused activist investment firm known for corporate turnarounds and swift portfolio hedges.
After transforming the mortgage industry, Dan Gilbert applied the mechanics of the stock market to high-demand consumer goods through the Detroit-based platform StockX.
From co-founding PayPal to establishing Founders Fund, Luke Nosek has been instrumental in backing transformative companies, including an early investment in SpaceX.
Fig. 6.2Adam NeumannPhoto: TechCrunch - Max Morse / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5
James H. Clark applied his enterprise background to create myCFO, establishing an advisory firm that joined Harris Bank to serve high-net-worth clients.
Fig. 8.1Tony FernandesPhoto: lastsham / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Andrew Ng has significantly expanded access to AI education, reaching millions through online platforms. His work at DeepLearning.AI is central to this global effort.
Fig. 8.3Bram CohenPhoto: Ijon / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
After reshaping digital distribution, Bram Cohen co-founded Chia Network to build a storage-driven cryptocurrency protocol aimed at reducing energy waste.
Fig. 9.1Chad HurleyPhoto: The Bui Brothers / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Patrick Collison — Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stripe
From programming competitions in Ireland to leading Stripe, Patrick Collison has built one of the foundational software engines of the digital economy.
Fig. 11.3Peter MolyneuxPhoto: DanielAlexanderSmith / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.5