Brand Finance, a global consulting agency dealing with brand valuation and corporate leadership analysis, has released its annual ranking of the world's top CEOs. The list features 100 outstanding executives, with the majority representing US-based companies. Let's find out who made it into the top five of this prestigious list.
Satya Nadella
Topping the list is Satya Nadella, who has been at the helm of Microsoft for over a decade. Under his leadership, the tech giant’s market value soared from $381 billion to $3 trillion. Microsoft now leads confidently in cloud computing, AI, and enterprise solutions. In recent years, the company has strengthened its position by embedding AI into products like Windows, Office, and Azure, and by finalizing the record-breaking acquisition of gaming giant Activision Blizzard.
Tim Cook
Second place goes to Tim Cook, who has led Apple since 2011. Under his guidance, the company reached a market capitalization of $3 trillion. Apple Inc. sets industry standards with innovative products like the iPhone, Mac, iPad, and Vision Pro. Besides, Apple is investing heavily in artificial intelligence through its Apple Intelligence platform, focusing on user personalization and data privacy.
Jensen Huang
Jensen Huang, the co-founder and CEO of NVIDIA since 1993, takes third place. Under his visionary leadership, NVIDIA has become the world’s leading producer of GPUs and semiconductors, playing a pivotal role in the AI revolution. In 2024, NVIDIA surpassed a market cap of $3.34 trillion, overtaking giants like Microsoft and Amazon. Last year, Huang was also elected to the US National Academy of Engineering for his groundbreaking contributions to GPU development.
Benedetto Vigna
Benedetto Vigna ranks fourth, who has been Ferrari's CEO since September 2021. Previously a top executive at STMicroelectronics, he made notable contributions to microchip and sensor technology. Under his leadership, Ferrari is blending heritage with innovation. The company is set to unveil its first fully electric vehicle in 2025, reflecting a strong commitment to sustainability and technological progress.
Sundar Pichai
Sundar Pichai is fifth on the list. He became Google CEO in 2015 and later in 2019 - CEO of its parent company Alphabet. Google remains a global leader in internet services and technologies, including its search engine, ad platforms, Android OS, and YouTube. Under Pichai’s leadership, the company maintains dominance in digital advertising and search, while expanding in AI and cloud computing.