Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

MacRumors

macrumors bot
Original poster
Apr 12, 2001
63,194
30,136



To commemorate its launch in 1989, CNBC today ranked the most influential business and financial leaders from the past 25 years. Topping the list in the number one spot is Apple's own "iVisionary" Steve Jobs.

steve-jobs-iphone.jpg
Steve Jobs was recognized by CNBC not only for his work at Apple, but also for his influence on the wider culture both in business and in people's personal lives.
His creative genius revolutionized not just his industry and its products, but also everything from music and movies to smartphones. He provided a platform for others to create and distribute apps, bringing innovation and change to an even wider sphere. Apple's co-founder tops our anniversary list of the 25 most transformative leaders, icons and rebels of the past-quarter century. More than any other member of our group of extraordinary entrepreneurs and executives--all outstanding leaders--his vision spurred changes far beyond his industry and put an indelible stamp on the wider culture.
When assembling the list, the editorial board at CNBC focused on business, eliminating politicians and government leaders from its top 25. They considered only those business men and women who were transformative both in their own field and beyond. Though most are well-known billionaires, the list was not based on personal financial success or popularity.
We made the decision early on to eliminate heads of government and state from our deliberations. This is a list, after all, about business people, not politicians. It's about the men and women who, for better or worse, have had the most transformative effect on commerce, finance, markets, human behavior and global culture over the past 25 years. So out went Bill Clinton, Angela Merkel, Jiang Zemin, Hu Jintao, Lee Kuan Yew and Vladimir Putin. In came Oprah.
Also included on the list are other notable technology leaders including Microsoft's Bill Gates at number two, Amazon's Jeff Bezos at number five, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg at number eight and Google's trio of Sergey Brin, Larry Page and Eric Schmidt, who collectively share the number four spot.

Article Link: CNBC Recognizes Steve Jobs as Most Influential Business Leader in the Past 25 Years
 

Popeye206

macrumors 68040
Sep 6, 2007
3,148
836
NE PA USA
I thought it would have been John Scully for sure. :roll eyes:

Steve was the obvious winner… he defined what we take for granted today.
 

camnchar

macrumors 6502
Jan 26, 2006
434
415
Yeah Steve was a no-brainer. Lots of other technology CEOs in the top 25 too. I guess other fields are just not as sexy.
 

pedromcm.pm

macrumors 6502
Mar 23, 2014
483
0
Porto, Portugal
Great lider.

However, he was far from being Apple's biggest strength. Steve's accomplishment was making Ive, Cook and others work together and give their best to Apple.
 

Traverse

macrumors 604
Mar 11, 2013
7,688
4,399
Here
I don't care for him as a person, but as a business man I have great respect.

I admire how much effort and focus he put into the small details like font spacing or menubar color. Those were the reasons I made the switch to Apple.
 

Tankmaze

macrumors 68000
Mar 7, 2012
1,707
351
Yup, the most influential business leader that I admire.
well him and also bill gates.
 

Wiesenlooser

macrumors 6502a
Jul 9, 2010
981
1,539
And it is very justifiable - but the whole Steve Jobs ethos and fetischization has to end. Its time to look forward - for Apple and the industry as a whole.

There are tons of really bright people out there.
 

ryanasimov

macrumors 6502
Apr 1, 2007
310
291
Seeing the glossy icons and dock reflections makes me realize just how alien iOS 6 looks to me now (though I guess that's iOS 5 when Steve was holding it).
 

rei101

macrumors 6502a
Dec 24, 2011
976
1
God bless him.

We had the privilege to live with one of the best minds of the world. He was a teacher.

God bless him.
 

Jynto

macrumors 6502
Jan 16, 2012
382
119
Nottingham, UK
Seeing the glossy icons and dock reflections makes me realize just how alien iOS 6 looks to me now (though I guess that's iOS 5 when Steve was holding it).

Actually it's even older, iOS 4. Look at the bottom-right app icon, and you can see it's iPod, not Music. Also, Steve would have been on his deathbed when the iPhone 4S (and by extension iOS 5) came out.
 

peterdevries

macrumors 68040
Feb 22, 2008
3,146
1,135
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
It all depends on how it is measured, but I can't help but think that Bill Gates touches everyone's lives more than Steve Jobs. I prefer Steve myself, but all ATM's run windows, all airlines and 99% of all businesses run windows or MS DOS (Saw KLM use MS DOS a few days ago).

Although from a consumer point of view Steve is a clear winner, it is Bill Gates' technology that touches the live of most people on this planet through all the processes and embedded systems that run his technology.
 

albusseverus

macrumors 6502a
Nov 28, 2007
744
154
Oh I think he was a lot more than that.

Thankfully it wasn't ABC (Disney owned) who made the call.
Maybe they're smarter than that after all, but be on the look-out for a quid pro quo from ABC about a GE property/partner. Then you'll get a pass in real-world media studies.
 
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.