Business

Sergey Brin The Visionary Behind Google’s Technological Revolution By Editorial Desk Sergey Brin stands as one of the most influential figures in the modern technological era, a pioneer whose intellect and curiosity reshaped how the world accesses and processes information. Born in Moscow in 1973, Sergey Mikhailovich Brin’s life journey from a young boy in the Soviet Union to a billionaire innovator in Silicon Valley is one defined by intellect, courage, and a relentless pursuit of knowledge. His story is not only that of personal success but also one of global transformation through technology. The creation of Google, the company he co founded with Larry Page, marked a turning point in human interaction with the digital world, revolutionizing information accessibility and shaping the internet into the indispensable resource it has become today. Brin’s early life laid the foundation for his inquisitive nature and analytical mind. His parents, both highly educated, were deeply involved in academia. His father, Michael Brin, was a mathematics professor, and his mother, Eugenia Brin, worked as a researcher at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. Growing up in a family that valued education and intellectual exploration gave Sergey an environment where questions were encouraged and curiosity was rewarded.  However, his childhood was also marked by the challenges faced by Jewish families in the Soviet Union, where discrimination and restrictions on professional advancement were widespread. This atmosphere ultimately pushed his family to emigrate to the United States in 1979 when Sergey was just six years old, seeking freedom and opportunity that would allow their talents to flourish. The Brin family settled in Maryland, where Sergey quickly adapted to his new surroundings. He displayed an early aptitude for mathematics and computers, showing signs of the analytical thinking that would later define his career. Encouraged by his father and mother, he pursued rigorous studies that combined science, mathematics, and logic. His brilliance was evident even during his school years, and his teachers noted his exceptional talent for problem-solving. Brin’s intellectual development was also shaped by his exposure to computer technology at a young age. His father introduced him to early personal computers, sparking an interest that would grow into a lifelong passion for computing and data analysis. Brin’s academic journey took him to the University of Maryland, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and computer science. His performance was stellar, and his professors recognized his deep understanding of complex computational theories. However, it was his decision to continue his studies at Stanford University that would change the course of his life and the future of the digital world. At Stanford, Brin met Larry Page, a fellow graduate student with a similar fascination for data and technology. The two shared an interest in understanding how vast amounts of information could be organized, analyzed, and retrieved efficiently. Their partnership began as a research collaboration focused on improving search engine technology. At the time, the internet was growing rapidly, but finding useful and relevant information remained a major challenge. Existing search engines ranked results based primarily on how often a term appeared on a webpage, without truly assessing the quality or authority of the content. Brin and Page set out to solve this problem through a novel approach that considered the structure of the web itself. Their idea was to rank pages based on how many other pages linked to them, interpreting these links as indicators of relevance and trust. This system became known as PageRank, and it would form the foundation of Google’s search algorithm. The early stages of Google were marked by hard work, innovation, and an almost obsessive attention to detail. Brin’s technical skills and mathematical precision complemented Page’s analytical thinking and design insight. Together, they transformed their research project into a working prototype that quickly outperformed existing search engines. The simplicity of the Google interface, with its clean white background and single search bar, belied the complexity of the algorithms operating behind it. Their project attracted attention from professors, students, and eventually investors who saw its immense potential. In 1998, Brin and Page officially founded Google, operating out of a rented garage in Menlo Park, California. The name, derived from the mathematical term “googol,” symbolized their ambition to organize an almost infinite amount of information. Google’s mission, “to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful,” reflected Brin’s vision of technology as a tool for empowerment and knowledge sharing. Within a few years, Google grew from a small startup to a global powerhouse, fundamentally changing how people searched for and consumed information. Brin’s role at Google extended beyond his contributions as a programmer and data scientist. He was known for his creativity, curiosity, and willingness to explore unconventional ideas. While Larry Page often focused on long-term strategic goals, Brin gravitated toward experimentation and new technologies. His leadership style was characterized by openness to innovation and a belief in the power of data-driven decision-making. Under their combined direction, Google expanded rapidly, launching products that would redefine communication and digital life, including Gmail, Google Maps, Google News, and the Android operating system. As Google evolved, Brin’s interests shifted toward more futuristic projects that combined technology, science, and social impact. He played a major role in the establishment of X, formerly known as Google X, a research division dedicated to ambitious projects known as “moonshots.” These initiatives aimed to tackle some of humanity’s most complex challenges through technology. Among these projects were self-driving cars, smart glasses, and renewable energy solutions. Brin’s fascination with artificial intelligence and machine learning also guided much of his later work, as he envisioned a future where intelligent systems could augment human capabilities and solve global problems. Brin’s leadership within Google and later its parent company Alphabet was marked by his preference for exploration rather than administrative control. In 2015, when Google underwent corporate restructuring and Alphabet was created as the parent entity, Brin assumed the role of president of Alphabet. This allowed him to focus more on experimental projects while delegating daily management

Sumbul Desai Apple and the Culture of Human Tech By Jane Stevens In a world increasingly shaped by the intertwining of technology and human health, few figures embody that convergence quite like Dr Sumbul Desai. As Vice President of Health at Apple Inc, she sits at the heart of one of the boldest cultural shifts of our time. The sleek devices in our pockets have become tools of self-knowledge, personal empowerment, and collective data-driven wellbeing. Her journey is hardly linear. It is layered, rooted in heritage, pivoted by crisis, and propelled by a deep commitment to bridging disparate worlds. Sumbul Desai was born in Sweden to Indian-origin parents, her mother hailing from Delhi and her father from Uttar Pradesh. She grew up oscillating between the global and the intimate. “Whenever you go back, you really go back to your roots and it grounds you,” she once reflected. Her upbringing is steeped in the kind of duality many migrant families know, loyalty to tradition, and yet the ambition to chart new terrains. Her parents, like many in their generation, held firm beliefs about what a “successful” child should be, doctor or engineer. In one telling anecdote, Desai says, “My parents wanted me to be either a doctor or an engineer.” It was, she implies, the safest path. But she didn’t always want safe. She longed for something broader, journalism, media, communication. That longing took her into the world of newsrooms and studios. Her first degree, unexpectedly, was in computer science with a minor in communications, but those choices were still shaped by her father’s insistence on a “respectable” major. What is telling is how these early steps, media, business strategy, and engineering, were not detours but building blocks of what was to come. Then came the crucible. In August 2001, while visiting family in New York, her mother suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke. Suddenly, the world shifted. Desai watched helplessly in an ICU as the hospital became part of the story of her mother’s survival, but also of her own awakening. That moment redirected her trajectory from media to medicine. She realised that her hunger for impact, her desire to work with people, not just communicate about them, needed the rigour of science and care. She entered medical school, trained in internal medicine, and gradually moved into digital-health innovation at Stanford Medicine. Before joining Apple, she served as Vice Chair of Strategy and Innovation at Stanford, Associate Chief Medical Officer at Stanford Healthcare, and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine. What’s remarkable is that rather than view the jump from media to medicine as a break, Desai sees it as continuity. The “through-line,” she says, is empowerment. “How do you have impact, and how do you make good in the world?” In 2017, Apple hired Desai to lead its health initiatives. The hire came at a pivotal moment. Wearable devices, sensors, and smartphones were poised to become not just lifestyle accessories but portals into our physiology. Under her leadership, Apple began betting that health tech would be more than tracking steps. Rather, it would be about insights, empowerment, and relationship building. She often describes Apple’s health work as “like an orchestra in a symphony,” where engineering, design, regulatory expertise, research, and the actual human patient all have to perform together. That orchestration is cultural in the richest sense. It asks engineers to think like ethicists, doctors to think like product designers, and users to think of data as personal storylines. For Apple, this means features like the ECG app, irregular heart rhythm notifications, blood-oxygen monitoring in the Apple Watch Series 6, hearing-health features in AirPods Pro, and sleep tracking, among many others. But beyond features, it’s about agency. In Desai’s words, it is about “empowering individuals to feel they are in control of their health journey,” rather than being passive recipients of medical data. It is here that culture comes into play. Apple’s “own your device, own your data” stance is not just technological, it is ethical, psychological, even spiritual. It merges Eastern ideas of self-care and Western models of quantified self-tracking. Desai, with her background bridging media, medicine, and technology, embodies this merging. In a corporate arena still dominated by the few, Desai stands out not just for her role but for who she is, a Muslim woman of Indian descent leading at one of the world’s most influential tech companies. She reflects on this with characteristic humility and insight. “The one thing that I’m blessed with is that as a woman, and especially as a Muslim woman, my parents always felt that I should be independent.” Her identity informs her values, independence, integrity, and service. And her leadership style reflects it, less hierarchical brilliance, more orchestral harmony. She invites disciplines to collaborate rather than dominate. She invites individuals to understand rather than outsource their wellbeing. In an interview she noted, “The ability to communicate is really critical. You want to be able to take very complex topics and figure out how to distill them down in a simple way.” That communication draws from her media days, reminding us that technology alone does not provoke culture, stories do. Let’s pause and consider the cultural moment Desai inhabits. Think of a person’s wristwatch not just telling the time but signalling an alert, “Your rhythm is irregular.” Think of an iPhone not just holding apps, but holding a record of your walking, your breathing, your daylight exposure, your moods. In that shift lies a recalibration of everyday life, how we care for ourselves, how we talk with our doctors, how we share our bodies, in encrypted, private form, with platforms and with each other. Desai and Apple are part of this reshaping of culture. For many people, their first experience with medical insight comes from a wearable gadget, not a specialist. The rituals of measuring steps, of being notified of breathing stability, of logging mood, all reflect a flattened boundary between tech lifestyle and health practice. In this sense,

Barron Trump The 19-Year-Old Building a $150 Million Fortune By Jane Stevens At just 19 years old, Barron Trump, the youngest son of Donald Trump and Melania Trump, has emerged from relative childhood obscurity into a figure of serious financial and entrepreneurial interest. Recently, Forbes estimated his net worth at approximately $150 million, a figure that would be remarkable for anyone, let alone someone still enrolled in university. Born on March 20, 2006, Barron William Trump grew up as the sole child of Donald and Melania. He spent much of his formative years under a high-profile spotlight, think White House, Mar-a-Lago, media attention, yet kept a relatively low public profile compared to his older half-siblings. Standing at 6’7” and still growing, he has often been described as having a commanding physical presence, something he and the media have noted over the years. He enrolled at New York University as a business student, taking his place among peers while carrying a familial legacy few can claim. The headline figure of $150 million comes from Forbes, which attributes the vast bulk of Barron’s fortune to emerging ventures in cryptocurrency and digital assets, areas in which he appears to have played a more active role than many expected for his age. Barron is credited with influencing the Trump family’s turn toward crypto investments. His father once remarked, “He’s got four wallets or something, and I’m saying, ‘What is a wallet?’” suggesting a youthful fluency in digital finance that older generations are still trying to grasp.  His fortune is not just from a one-off windfall, Forbes suggests he may still hold large amounts of locked-up tokens, which could potentially elevate his net worth further. While exact financial records for a private individual at this age are scarce, these estimates draw upon their connection with the family’s broader financial infrastructure, including the crypto venture World Liberty Financial, and public statements or filings related to the Trump organization’s crypto sales. To unpack the estimate, several elements appear crucial. Crypto token sales and holdings play a major part, as WLFI reportedly sold hundreds of millions in tokens, and Barron is credited in some reporting as a co-founder or key participant, even if his exact stake is not publicly confirmed. Influence on family wealth is another factor, Forbes places the Trump family’s overall crypto-adjacent gains at over a billion dollars, of which an estimated 10 percent, about $150 million, is attributed to Barron. Locked-up holdings may also play a significant role, as some reports suggest his actual potential could rise enormously when future unlocks occur, meaning assets not yet liquid or tradable but with strong future value. Beyond crypto, he is described as having spent a summer meeting business partners, exploring ventures, and quietly building a profile as a budding entrepreneur, not just an heir. Why is a 19-year-old’s net worth headline-worthy? Because it reflects broader themes and potential shifts. Barron seems to epitomize the younger generation’s comfort with digital assets, online platforms, and non-traditional wealth-creation models. His early adoption of wallets and crypto strategies signals a break from purely real-estate-based legacies. The Trump family has long been associated with real estate, licensing, and brand value, yet Barron’s emergence suggests a pivot, or at least an expansion, toward tech, crypto, and younger-skewing entrepreneurial activities. While many college students focus on campus life or internships, Barron is reportedly engaged in multi-million-dollar network building and strategic discussions, blurring the line between student life and enterprise. At a time when student debt, cost-of-living crises, and modest incomes dominate youth economic narratives, Barron’s reported fortune stands as an extreme counterpoint, raising both fascination and critique. Of course, with big figures come big caveats. Some of the key questions to keep in mind include the reliability of underlying data, as none of Barron’s holdings are independently audited in the public domain. Forbes’ numbers are estimates, using available disclosures, token sale figures, and family statements. Liquidity and realizable value are also uncertain, even if he “owns” millions in locked tokens, the value of those depends on market conditions, vesting schedules, and whether holders can realistically convert them. The crypto sector remains volatile, and Barron’s fortune is therefore exposed to systemic risks. Being the son of a high-profile political figure subjects even a business student to media, political, and regulatory attention, meaning his moves will not remain under the radar. While some might view this as inherited wealth in a modern form, Barron appears to be trying to differentiate himself not solely as heir but as active participant, which means expectations are higher. So what might come next for Barron Trump? He remains at NYU, and how he leverages his education into his ventures, network, and projects will be key. If his crypto work is only part of his focus, we might see real estate, tech, or other business arms developing. If he truly holds meaningful stakes in WLFI or similar ventures, he could take on more visible leadership roles, raise capital, or launch spin-offs. Thus far, Barron has maintained relative privacy, and time will tell if he steps fully into the limelight as a public business figure or continues to build quietly behind the scenes. Whether his $150 million becomes $300 million, $500 million, or more will depend on asset diversification, market conditions, and his strategic decisions. The locked-token potential suggests upside, but also uncertainty. As the son of a former and potential future president, his business choices may attract not just investor interest but political and regulatory scrutiny. The $150 million figure is impressive, especially for someone at the start of adult life. It places Barron in a unique position, not just as heir, but as an emerging business figure. However, the number is not guaranteed wealth in hand. Much depends on asset realization, market context, and his ability to deliver beyond early token sales. His story symbolizes a shift from traditional wealth inheritances to digitally native portfolios and new-economy thinking. The next few years will be pivotal, determining whether he becomes

The Unconventional Rise ofZhong Shanshan China’s Water & Health Mogul By Jane Stevens The narrative of Zhong Shanshan is one of the most compelling and unconventional success stories in modern China, a tale less about the breakneck speed of the internet age and more about the fundamental, persistent demands for pure water and good health. Unlike his flashier counterparts in the technology and real estate sectors, Zhong, the founder of the beverage giant Nongfu Spring and controlling shareholder of the pharmaceutical firm Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, built his immense fortune through shrewd understanding of consumer needs in essential industries, earning him the moniker “The Lone Wolf” for his reclusive nature and preference for steering clear of the public and political spotlight. Zhong Shanshan’s early life was marked by the turbulence of the Cultural Revolution, a period that forced him to drop out of elementary school. This challenging start, however, instilled a resilience and adaptability that would prove invaluable later in his entrepreneurial journey. He worked a variety of odd jobs, including as a construction worker and later as a newspaper reporter at the Zhejiang Daily, gaining practical insights into different sectors and the workings of Chinese society. His attempts at entrepreneurship in the 1980s were varied, from selling mushrooms and prawns in Hainan to working as a sales agent for the beverage company Wahaha, experiences that provided him with a crucial, ground-level understanding of market dynamics, distribution, and the consumer mindset. The true breakthrough came in 1996 with the founding of a bottled water company in Hangzhou, which would become Nongfu Spring. China’s bottled water market was nascent but poised for explosive growth as disposable incomes rose and concerns over the quality and safety of tap water grew. While competitors were largely selling purified or distilled water, Zhong made a visionary move, staking Nongfu Spring’s reputation on natural mineral water, a strategic positioning that emphasized purity and health benefits, a stark contrast to the chemically treated offerings of the time. This decision, backed by clever marketing slogans like “Nongfu Spring: A little bit sweeter,” successfully differentiated his product, turning the distinctive red-capped bottles into a national household staple and securing the company’s long-term market dominance in China’s packaged drinking water sector. The company later expanded its portfolio to include teas, juices, and functional beverages, creating a comprehensive beverage empire. Zhong Shanshan’s entrepreneurial acumen was not confined to beverages, he exhibited remarkable strategic diversification by entering the healthcare industry. He acquired a majority stake in Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy Enterprise, a company specializing in vaccines and diagnostic tests, demonstrating a foresight in recognizing the potential of the rapidly developing Chinese healthcare market. This investment proved exceptionally lucrative, particularly when Wantai played a significant role in developing and distributing diagnostic kits and vaccines during the global pandemic, highlighting the synergy and stability of an empire built on the twin pillars of essential consumer goods, water, and essential healthcare. The pivotal moment that propelled Zhong into the global consciousness as one of the world’s richest individuals was the pair of successful Initial Public Offerings (IPOs) in 2020. Beijing Wantai Biological Pharmacy went public in Shanghai in April, followed by the highly anticipated listing of Nongfu Spring on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in September. The spectacular market debuts of both companies, with Nongfu Spring’s offering being massively oversubscribed, saw Zhong’s net worth skyrocket, instantly vaulting him past long-time Chinese wealth leaders like Jack Ma of Alibaba and Pony Ma of Tencent. His wealth accumulation was less a product of fleeting technological trends or speculative real estate booms and more a consequence of the robust, enduring, and profitable nature of his consumer-focused businesses. Zhong’s business philosophy is one rooted in quality, branding, and a keen focus on long-term value over short-term gains, a principle that resonates with his image as “The Lone Wolf.” He remains famously private, rarely grants interviews, and actively avoids the celebrity and political fanfare that often accompany Chinese billionaires. This hands-off, focused approach allows him to concentrate on the core competencies of his businesses, maintaining control and steering his enterprises with a pragmatic and decisive leadership style. His success stands as a powerful testament to the value of building enduring brands in industries that cater to the most basic and constant human needs, a truly inspiring narrative of persistence and strategic vision that turned a school dropout’s diverse experiences into a multi-billion dollar empire. He embodies the idea that in a competitive economy, wealth can be reliably generated and sustained by delivering high-quality, trustworthy products to the masses, one bottle of natural spring water and one diagnostic kit at a time.

Dona Bertarelli A Life of Velocity, Value & Vocation By Peter Davis Dona Bertarelli is a Swiss entrepreneur, philanthropist, and dedicated ocean advocate whose remarkable life blends high-stakes business, record-breaking competitive sailing, and a profound commitment to environmental conservation. Born in Rome, Italy, in 1968, her influence is felt across multiple global sectors, all driven by a powerful sense of purpose. The foundation of Dona Bertarelli’s story lies with the family’s biotechnology company, Serono, which was founded in Rome in 1906. Along with her brother, Ernesto Bertarelli, she inherited the company, which grew to become a leader in the field, particularly known for its pioneering treatments for female infertility. Dona was actively involved in the business, serving as Executive Director, Public and Professional Affairs from 1992 to 1997. During this time, she established the Serono Symposia and the Serono Foundation, driving the company’s philanthropic and educational initiatives. The family sold Serono to the German drugmaker Merck KGaA in 2007, and since then, Dona has focused on managing her investments, which include luxury hospitality assets such as the five-star Grand Hôtel Park in Gstaad and the acquisition of the Italian fashion brand Fiorucci. From Helmswoman to Ocean Advocate Bertarelli’s lifelong passion for the sea evolved into a formidable competitive sailing career. Since 2007, she has raced with her professional team, Sails of Change (formerly Spindrift Racing), which she co-founded with her husband, Yann Guichard. Their racing fleet is used as a highly visible platform to promote their environmental mission, notably carrying the ’30×30′ message, which calls for the protection of at least 30% of the earth and the ocean by 2030. Her sailing achievements are numerous and impressive. She became the first helmswoman to win the prestigious Bol d’Or Mirabaud on Lake Léman in 2010, a victory she repeated in 2014. She also secured two victories in the Rolex Fastnet Race. Her most iconic achievement came in the winter of 2015-2016 during a Jules Verne Trophy challenge, a non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the world aboard the maxi-trimaran. While the team narrowly missed the overall record, Dona Bertarelli earned the title of the fastest woman to sail around the world. Her experience on the world’s oceans solidified her dedication to their protection, making her an ocean advocate first and a sailor second. “The ocean needs us now, and what we do in the next five to ten years will decide the fate of our marine ecosystems and, ultimately, our own.” Driving Global Marine Conservation Dona Bertarelli’s philanthropic work, primarily focused on ocean conservation, has become her central mission. She is the Co-chair of the Bertarelli Foundation, which she helped shift to prioritize marine protection alongside life sciences. She is a co-founder of the Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, which partners with The Pew Charitable Trusts to establish large-scale, highly protected marine areas. This work has led to the safeguarding of millions of square kilometers of ocean globally. Demonstrating a business-minded approach to philanthropy, she supported the government of Ecuador’s 2023 debt-for-nature conversion, the largest such deal to date, to secure funding for the perpetual protection of the Galápagos Islands’ marine ecosystem. Recognized for her leadership, Dona Bertarelli served as the Special Adviser for the Blue Economy for the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and is a Patron of Nature of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). She has also founded Global Fishing Watch Marine Manager, a technology portal created to help transform the management of marine protected areas. Through these roles, she champions the idea of a sustainable blue economy, promoting the responsible and regenerative use of marine resources to support both economic growth and ecosystem health. Her commitment to conservation has earned her high honors, including the Prince Albert I Grand Medal and the distinction of Knight of the National Order of the Legion of Honour of France. Dona Bertarelli’s career is a testament to the power of using personal success as a springboard for global good. She embodies the rare fusion of a driven entrepreneur and a passionate adventurer, translating her accomplishments on the water into a powerful voice for environmental action. “Sailing connects you with nature in the purest way. When you are out there, you realize how small you are and how much we need to protect this beautiful, fragile world.”

Dongmi Choi Redefining Modern Leadership Through Purpose and Presence By Indira (Anju) Thawani With a calm confidence and a thoughtful gaze, Dongmi Choi embodies the kind of leadership that feels both contemporary and timeless. Her presence commands attention not through volume, but through clarity, precision, and intent. Over the years, she has become known for her work at the intersection of business strategy, leadership development, and personal transformation, reminding professionals that real influence begins within. For Dongmi, the foundation of success starts with a single question: “Why?” She often speaks about how early in her career she realized that purpose must come before ambition. “I’ve always believed that real impact happens when you combine authenticity with action,” she says. “When you understand the ‘why’ behind what you do, your decisions become clearer, your leadership becomes stronger, and your relationships become more meaningful.” Her approach is grounded yet visionary, practical yet deeply reflective. When asked what advice she offers to those navigating uncertainty in their careers, she smiles and says, “Start with your question. Ask yourself what makes you come alive.” For her, purpose isn’t a destination. It’s a compass. The more you align your work with that inner clarity, the more naturally your impact grows. She also speaks passionately about leadership presence and personal branding, two concepts she believes are inseparable. “Leadership presence,” Dongmi explains, “is how you carry yourself when no one’s watching. Your personal brand is how people talk about you when you’ve left the room. Both come from consistency, integrity, and clarity of intent.” It’s a refreshing reminder that in a world obsessed with visibility, it is often the unseen discipline and sincerity that build enduring trust. Her work transcends titles and accolades. Dongmi doesn’t define herself by status, but by the ripple effect of her influence. Whether she is mentoring executives, helping founders refine their vision, or guiding young professionals toward purpose, she brings the same blend of empathy, strategic insight, and grounded wisdom. Her message is not about perfection. It’s about alignment. Dongmi’s philosophy of leadership rests on three pillars: authenticity, intentionality, and connection. She believes that leadership is not about commanding authority, but about inspiring belief. “We all have the power to influence,” she says, “but influence without clarity can easily turn into noise. The most lasting kind of leadership is born from care and consistency.” In a business culture often driven by speed and spectacle, Dongmi Choi stands out as a leader of reflection. She doesn’t chase trends or titles; she cultivates purpose. Her conversations carry a stillness that invites you to think more deeply, to question more honestly, and to lead more humanly. There’s power in the pause, she reminds us, because that’s where true understanding begins. As our conversation draws to a close, her final words echo with a quiet authority: “Every impression matters. But the most important one is the one you make on yourself. When you respect your own story, others will too.” That sentiment captures the heart of Dongmi’s philosophy, a vision of leadership that values meaning over metrics, integrity over image, and presence over performance. Through her guidance, her speaking, and her own example, she is reshaping how modern professionals define success. Dongmi Choi’s journey continues to expand, touching industries, teams, and individuals who are ready to lead with intention. In a world that often celebrates speed, she teaches the value of stillness. In an era that prizes visibility, she honors authenticity. Her legacy is one of alignment, a living testament to the idea that real leadership is not about being followed, but about being remembered for the clarity, purpose, and humanity you bring into every space you enter.

CEO OF MICROSOFT AI Mustafa Suleyman A Humanist Architect of Ethical AI By Jane Stevens Mustafa Suleyman has emerged as one of the most important voices in the global conversation on artificial intelligence, a visionary leader whose journey from community activism to the helm of Microsoft’s AI division reflects a rare combination of technical foresight, entrepreneurial daring, and an unwavering moral compass. His story is not just about building some of the world’s most influential AI companies, it is about shaping the relationship between humanity and technology at a time when that relationship is increasingly redefining the future of societies, economies, and individual lives. Born in North London in 1984, Mustafa grew up in a multicultural household, the son of a Syrian taxi driver and an English nurse. These humble beginnings played a profound role in shaping his worldview. From an early age, he developed a strong sense of empathy and responsibility, qualities that would later influence his career and his insistence that technological progress must serve human needs. His educational path began at Queen Elizabeth’s School in Barnet, and he later attended Mansfield College at Oxford University, where he studied philosophy and theology. However, at 19 he made the bold decision to leave Oxford before completing his degree, choosing instead to engage directly with the world beyond the lecture halls. It was a decision that would mark the beginning of a career built on action, innovation, and fearless risk-taking. Mustafa’s first major venture reflected his commitment to community service and mental health awareness. He co-founded the Muslim Youth Helpline, a telephone counseling service for young people that soon became one of the largest mental health support services of its kind in the United Kingdom. This work gave him direct exposure to the struggles faced by young people navigating identity, faith, and society, and reinforced his conviction that meaningful impact comes from meeting real human needs rather than abstract theory. His journey continued when he served as a human rights policy officer for the Mayor of London, where he worked on pressing social issues, and later when he co-founded Reos Partners, a consultancy dedicated to resolving deep-rooted social challenges through dialogue and systems thinking. These early roles combined activism, governance, and problem-solving, laying the ethical foundation for what would later become his transformative work in artificial intelligence. In 2010, Mustafa Suleyman joined forces with Demis Hassabis and Shane Legg to co-found DeepMind Technologies, a London-based artificial intelligence company that would soon redefine the global AI landscape. At DeepMind, Mustafa served as Chief Product Officer, helping to shape the company’s research into applied breakthroughs with real-world utility.  His focus was not only on technical achievement but also on ensuring that the work aligned with social responsibility. In 2014, DeepMind was acquired by Google in one of the largest European tech acquisitions to date, a deal that propelled the company into the global spotlight and brought its innovations to a far wider stage. Following the acquisition, Mustafa became Head of Applied AI at DeepMind, where he led a number of pioneering projects. Among them was DeepMind Health, an initiative that worked with the United Kingdom’s National Health Service to apply artificial intelligence in clinical practice. He also oversaw the development of systems that reduced the energy consumption of Google’s massive data centers by up to 40 percent, demonstrating how AI could make a tangible contribution to sustainability. Equally significant was his establishment of DeepMind Ethics and Society, a dedicated team designed to examine the broader implications of AI technologies and ensure that their deployment considered fairness, transparency, and long-term consequences. These initiatives reflected Mustafa’s belief that technology must be guided by ethical principles if it is to benefit humanity as a whole. After a decade at DeepMind and Google, Mustafa decided to embark on a new chapter. In 2022, he co-founded Inflection AI alongside Reid Hoffman. The company’s mission was ambitious yet deeply humanistic, to create artificial intelligence that felt more like a companion than a tool, capable of building lasting and meaningful relationships with users. Inflection launched Pi, a conversational AI designed to provide emotional support, thoughtful dialogue, and continuity in human interaction. Mustafa often described Pi as a potential “digital chief of staff,” a personal assistant that not only managed tasks but also served as a confidant and guide in daily life. The project exemplified his vision of AI as a partner rather than a replacement, one that could enrich human experience without diminishing human agency. In March 2024, Mustafa Suleyman was appointed Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Microsoft AI, a newly created division tasked with overseeing the company’s consumer-facing artificial intelligence products. This included responsibility for Copilot, Bing, Edge, and other platforms that bring AI into the lives of millions of users worldwide. At Microsoft, he has championed a vision of AI that emphasizes accessibility, trust, and long-term relationships between people and their digital companions. His leadership style balances the urgency of innovation with the caution of responsibility, pushing Microsoft to compete in the rapidly evolving AI sector while also foregrounding issues of ethics and user well-being. As Microsoft AI CEO, Mustafa has argued that conversational interfaces will soon be as transformative as the web browser, representing a paradigm shift in how humans interact with information. He sees AI not as a distant, science-fictional pursuit of artificial general intelligence but as an immediate opportunity to improve health care, education, climate action, and communication. Rather than chasing speculative notions of machines surpassing human intelligence, he advocates for a focus on “humanist superintelligence,” a vision of AI that augments rather than eclipses human potential. Beyond his corporate responsibilities, Mustafa Suleyman has become a global thought leader on AI governance, ethics, and the societal consequences of frontier technologies. His book, “The Coming Wave: Technology, Power, and the Twenty-First Century’s Greatest Dilemma,” became an international bestseller, offering a penetrating exploration of how rapidly advancing technologies could reshape power structures, economies, and even human identity. In it, he argues for