Explorers & Business
53 entries in the Historical Figures compendium.
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Akio MoritaJapanese entrepreneur and co-founder of Sony.Aldus ManutiusThe printer who revived Greek classics and invented the portable book.Andrew CarnegieScottish-American industrialist and philanthropist who led the expansion of the American steel industry.Andrew MellonBanker, Treasury secretary, and art patron who shaped 1920s fiscal policy.
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Basil ZaharoffThe 'merchant of death' who sold faulty arms to both sides.Bill GatesCo-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist
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Calouste GulbenkianArmenian-British oil magnate and philanthropist known as 'Mr. Five Per Cent'Carl IcahnAmerican businessman and investor, founder of Icahn Enterprises, known as a pioneer of activist investing.Clive SinclairEnglish inventor and entrepreneur who pioneered home computing.
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G. D. BirlaIndian businessman and member of the Birla FamilyGeorge WestinghouseInventor of the railway air brake and AC power pioneer.
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H. L. HuntOil tycoon, patriarch of the Hunt dynasty, and one of the world's richest men.Henry FordPioneer of affordable automobiles and FordismHenry J. HeinzThe man behind the 57 varietiesHoward HughesAviator, filmmaker, and business magnate who shaped aviation and Hollywood.
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J. P. MorganThe financier who shaped America's industrial age.J. Paul GettyAmerican petroleum industrialist and founder of Getty Oil CompanyJames H. ClarkPioneer of computer graphics and the internet boomJay CookeFinancier of the Union and pioneer of American investment banking.Jeff BezosFounder of Amazon, Blue Origin, and owner of The Washington Post.Jerry YangCo-founder of Yahoo! and founding partner of AME Cloud Ventures.John D. RockefellerOil magnate and philanthropist who founded Standard Oil and shaped modern philanthropy.John D. Rockefeller Jr.Financier, philanthropist, and developer of Rockefeller Center.John Jacob AstorThe first multi-millionaire in the United States, who built his fortune on fur, opium, and New York real…
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Kerry PackerAustralian media tycoon who founded World Series Cricket and built a vast media and gambling empire.King C. GilletteInventor of the bestselling safety razor and founder of the Gillette company.
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Marc RichBelgian-American commodities trader and founder of Glencore, indicted for tax evasion and trading with Iran…Matthew BoultonEnglish businessman, inventor, and partner of James WattMelinda French GatesAmerican philanthropist and former co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationMeyer GuggenheimPatriarch of the Guggenheim family, who built a fortune in mining and smelting.Michael BloombergBusinessman, philanthropist, and 109th mayor of New York City.Michael DellFounder, chairman, and CEO of Dell Technologies; pioneer of direct-to-consumer PC sales.Michael MilkenThe 'Junk Bond King' who reshaped finance, faced conviction, and turned to philanthropy.Mikhail KhodorkovskyExiled Russian oligarch and opposition activistMilton S. HersheyThe man who made milk chocolate a mass-market delight and built a company town.Mohamed Al-FayedEgyptian businessman who owned Harrods and the Ritz Paris, later accused of sexual assault.
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Ray KrocBusinessman who built McDonald's into a global fast food empire.Richard BransonEnglish business magnate and founder of the Virgin GroupRobert BoschGerman engineer and founder of the Bosch company.Roger AilesTelevision executive and media consultant who shaped conservative media and advised Republican presidents.Rupert MurdochAustralian-born American media mogul and former business magnate
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Sergey BrinCo-founder of Google and Alphabet Inc.Steve BallmerFormer Microsoft CEO and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers.
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Ted TurnerThe media mogul who founded CNN, revolutionized cable television, and became a leading philanthropist.Thomas J. WatsonThe IBM chairman who built a global tech giant while navigating controversial ties to Nazi Germany.
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Warren BuffettThe Oracle of OmahaWilliam CaxtonFirst English printer, translator, and promoter of Chancery Standard.William Knox D'ArcyBusinessman who founded the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, later BP.
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