CNBC AI News reports on August 15th that Fortune magazine has released its highly anticipated “100 Most Influential Business Leaders Globally” list for 2025. Nvidia’s CEO and co-founder, Jensen Huang, has clinched the top spot, marking a significant win for the AI chip titan.
The overall list sees a strong showing from Chinese enterprises, with 11 business leaders hailing from the region, including BYD’s Wang Chuanfu at number 5.
Other notable names from China include Huawei’s Ren Zhengfei (7th), Xiaomi’s Lei Jun (16th), Alibaba’s Joe Tsai (21st), Tencent’s Ma Huateng (25th), CATL’s Zeng Yuqun (30th), ByteDance’s Zhang Yiming (43rd), and Vanke’s Liang Wenfeng (72nd).
Lei Jun, one of China’s most followed entrepreneurial figures online, has garnered considerable attention. Fortune‘s assessment of Lei Jun highlights a compelling narrative:
Lei Jun, founder of Xiaomi, the world’s third-largest smartphone manufacturer, has long held Steve Jobs as an inspiration. But Lei Jun has now achieved something Apple hasn’t: producing electric vehicles.
According to Lei Jun, Xiaomi’s debut EV, the SU7, has seen sales exceeding 240,000 units since its launch in 2024. The company’s latest model, the YU7 SUV, reportedly received a staggering 200,000 pre-orders within just three minutes of its debut. Xiaomi, renowned for its smartphones, now aims to ship 350,000 cars this year, signaling a bold expansion into the competitive EV market.
Lei Jun views Xiaomi’s brief inclusion on a U.S. trade blacklist in 2021 as a pivotal moment that spurred the company’s pivot towards the automotive sector. This experience seemingly galvanized Xiaomi, leading them to explore new avenues for growth and innovation.
What enabled Xiaomi to succeed where Apple has so far faltered? The company invested a significant RMB 10 billion (approximately $1.42 billion USD) and deployed a team of 3,400 engineers dedicated to developing its initial EV prototypes. This substantial investment underscores Xiaomi’s commitment to establishing a strong foothold in the electric vehicle industry and challenging established players.
Original article, Author: Tobias. If you wish to reprint this article, please indicate the source:https://aicnbc.com/7228.html
