Elon Musk has been recognized as the most influential business figure of 2024, according to a recent ranking by Fortune. The billionaire tech mogul claimed the top spot on the publication’s list of the 100 most powerful business leaders, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft chair and CEO Satya Nadella, Berkshire Hathaway’s Warren Buffett, and JPMorgan Chase’s Jamie Dimon following closely behind.
The top 10 also featured several prominent figures from the tech industry, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, alongside General Motors CEO Mary Barra.
Nvidia’s Jensen Huang, Microsoft’s Satya Nadella, and Warren Buffett join Musk at the top of Fortune’s list
Fortune highlighted that all those on the list share a remarkable ability to influence others through their actions, words, and wealth. Musk, who is also the wealthiest person globally, owns major companies like Tesla, SpaceX, and the social media platform X, in addition to smaller tech ventures such as AI firm xAI and neurotechnology company Neuralink.
Musk’s wealth has surged in recent weeks, aided by a spike in Tesla’s stock after President-elect Trump’s victory. Tesla’s market capitalization surpassed $1 trillion, continuing its upward trend.
Musk’s influence and financial power were instrumental in supporting Trump during the election, particularly through his $118 million contribution to America PAC, a pro-Trump super PAC he established. Additionally, Musk actively campaigned for Trump, attending rallies and organizing town halls in Pennsylvania during the final stages of the race.
Trump acknowledged Musk’s contribution in his victory speech, praising him as a “new star.” With the new administration taking shape, Musk is expected to have a role, potentially overseeing a government cost-cutting initiative as previously suggested by Trump.
