#8 Jeff Bezos, Founder & CEO, Amazon
Since the company’s inception, Bezos has been the driving force behind Amazon’’sdiversification, seeking to create product offerings across adjacent connected industries. Amazon’s business was initially built on eCommerce, before the launch of Amazon Web Services. Amazon’s transition from pure eRetailer to eContent aggregator was most noticeably shown by its acquisition of the DVD, and latterly cloud-based, video rental service, LOVEFiLM, in 2011.
Bezos has consistently pursued a growth over profits strategy. His latest initiatives include TV set-top boxes, original TV content, smartphones and unlimited eBook access. The company is also seeking to acquire an eRetailmarket share in China, taking on Alibaba in its home market. While the Amazon Fire Phone failed to spark interest, its other nascent ventures are expected to show strong growth, consolidating Amazon’s primacy across a range of sectors.