Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella tops HSBC Hurun Global Indians list 2024

Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella has taken the top spot in the first-ever HSBC Hurun Global Indians List 2024, which features 226 Indian-origin leaders heading some of the world’s most valuable companies.

According to the report, these businesses have a combined value of $10 trillion. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neal Mohan are placed second and third in the rankings, which were compiled through a survey of 400 respondents, including prominent wealth creators from earlier Hurun reports.

Nadella and Pichai most influential global Indians

Nadella and Pichai emerged as the most influential global Indians, with more than half of the survey participants recognizing their impact. The list used market capitalization figures for publicly traded firms and valuations for private companies, based on data collected until Nov. 29, 2024.

It shows that 79% of the Indian-origin leaders featured are based in the United States, followed by 5% in the United Kingdom and 4% in the United Arab Emirates. San Francisco leads as a city of choice, housing 37 of the leaders, followed by New York and Palo Alto, California.

Software sector came out with 87 leaders

The software and services sector came out on top with 87 leaders, reflecting the strong presence of Indian-origin professionals in technology.

The financial services industry and healthcare sector followed with 24 and 21 leaders, respectively. Some of the key names on the list include Vasant Narasimhan of Novartis and Shantanu Narayen of Adobe, underscoring the wide reach of Indian talent across various industries.

The report notes that 57% of those featured are first-generation entrepreneurs, 41% are professionals, and 2% are inheritors. Major first-generation entrepreneurs include Aneel Bhusri of Workday and Prem Watsa of Fairfax Financial Holdings. The list’s youngest entrepreneur is 27-year-old Tanay Tandon, co-founder of the healthtech company Commure.

A total of 12 women appear on the list, led by Reshma Kewalramani of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, followed by Arista Networks CEO Jayshree Ullal and Chanel Global CEO Leena Nair, who is recognized as the most influential woman of Indian origin.