Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella has emerged as the top leader on the inaugural HSBC Hurun Global Indians 2024 list, showcasing his exceptional leadership in driving the company’s global success and technological advancements. Nadella secured the top position with Microsoft’s valuation reaching $3.146 billion. Following closely behind are Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet (Google) and Neal Mohan, CEO of YouTube, with their companies valued at $2.107 billion and $455 billion, respectively. The top 10 executives collectively hold an impressive 73% of the list’s total value, underscoring their significant impact.

The debut of the HSBC Hurun Global Indians 2024 list highlights the remarkable achievements of Indian-origin leaders heading the world’s most valuable corporations. It highlights the crucial role of the Indian diaspora in influencing the global economic landscape. With 226 people from 200 companies with a combined valuation of $10 trillion, this list underscores their exceptional influence across multiple industries.

The 10 most influential Indians in the world

• Satya Nadella (Microsoft): $3.146 billion
• Sundar Pichai (Alphabet): $2.107 billion
• Neal Mohan (YouTube): $455 billion
• Thomas Kurian (Google Cloud): $353 billion
• Shantanu Narayen (Adobe): $231 billion
• Sanjiv Lamba (Linde): US$222 billion
• Vasant Narasimhan (Novartis): $216 billion
• Arvind Krishna (IBM): $208 billion
• Vimal Kapur (Honeywell International): $152 billion
• Kevin Lobo (Stryker): $149 billion

Some of the prominent people featured in the list are Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud; Shantanu Narayen, Chairman and CEO of Adobe; and Vasant Narasimhan, CEO of Novartis. These leaders have been at the forefront of technology and healthcare innovation in their respective companies. In an increasingly digital world, it is noteworthy that 93 companies specializing in artificial intelligence are headed by leaders of Indian descent.

Key aspects:

The list revealed a clear dominance of the software and services sector, with 87 people making the cut, followed by the financial services and healthcare industries. In particular, 73% of the total value of the list is concentrated in the top 10 Indians in the world.

San Francisco emerges as the city with the highest number of entries, with 37 people residing there. London and Dubai also leave their mark with 8 and 6 entries, respectively.

On average, people on the Hurun 2024 Global Indians list are 56 years old, emphasizing the wealth of experience and knowledge that underpins their leadership roles.

In addition to the tech giants, Neha Narkhede of Confluent, Anjali Sud of Tubi, Yamini Rangan of HubSpot and Leena Nair of Chanel are among the women leaders making a significant impact. Collectively, they oversee companies with a total value of $436 billion, exceeding Malaysia’s GDP.

The diverse group of leaders of Indian origin highlights the dynamism of entrepreneurship, hailing from regions such as Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Kerala and Maharashtra. They are based in global hubs such as the US, UK, UAE and Singapore.