10 Great Leaders Of The World In The Modern History

You might already know it – the great leaders of today have been shaping the world. Be it Falguni Nayar, Rhianna, or Tim Cook, a league of such terrific minds has shown how to break patterns and think out of the box. Some of these powerful leaders did not have an easy start, yet some always knew how to steer. While it’s perhaps too easy to scan where leaders failed, it’s also essential to figure out what made them modern-day leaders. So, let’s go through what makes an inspirational leader of today, their leadership qualities, and a list of the top 10 leaders to look up to. Then, you will know how these great leaders of the world inspire people and help them reach their potential. 

What is Leadership in the Modern World? 

Leadership in modern era goes beyond the command-and-control model. Great leaders of today value emotional intelligence. They foster empathy, stronger relationships, and a diverse work environment. The famous leaders of the world recognise the importance of work-life balance and promote healthy boundaries for well-being. Let’s look at the 10 key leadership skills of today’s leaders: 

Top 10 Great Leaders of Today 

Leadership plays a huge role in shaping the world, but also the next generation. With so many business ideas for college students making rounds, Gen Z is jumping on the bandwagon of start-ups. If you want to find inspiration and know how the great leaders of today impact the global community, you are in the right place. These 10 famous leaders in the world brought changes in politics, beauty, automobiles, e-commerce, and many other industries. Let’s uncover this comprehensive list of great leaders of today and learn their secret sauce to success. 

1. Falguni Nayar (1963-)

Designation: CEO of Nykaa

Net Worth: $3.4 billion  

Falguni’s Secrets to Nykaa’s Success: Falguni Nayar, one of the great modern leaders, prioritised consumer needs. She is firm in her philosophy of being a "genuine" player in the market who pushes out "genuine" products — an important quality of great leaders in the world today. 

Falguni Nayar, now a self-made billionaire and winner of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award (2022), has always had a zeal for creating a venture all by herself. The birth of Nykaa emerged only when she realised her love for cosmetics and a gap in the Indian e-commerce market for beauty products. Following transformational leadership and having an appetite for risk, Nayar realised her dreams at the unconventional age of 50 and took the big step to become one of the best leaders in the world. She experimented with several business ideas, like professionalising nursing homes, before committing to Nykaa. Now, competing with Ambanis as one of the great leaders of today in the beauty industry, the sky seems the limit for Falguni Nayar.

“Don't be afraid to take risks along the way. You are blessed to be entering a world that is now increasingly risk-friendly.”

2. Jacinda Arden (1980-) 

Designation: Ex-Prime Minister of New Zealand (NZ) 

Net Worth: $25 million 

Jacinda’s Secrets to Leadership: Arden embraced humanitarian works by passing laws for the well-being of women, children, & families. She advocated for raising voices through empathy, unity & compassion, which are innate qualities for famous leaders in the world.

"Leadership is about empathy and empowering people,” and Jacinda Arden, one of the best leaders of the world, believed this. With her selfless service for six years, Jacinda Arden helped NZ combat challenges and transitioned into one of the global leaders today. She highlighted the issue of climate change, promoted Kiwi culture, and vouched for the LGBTQ+ minority. Every step of Jacinda Arden brought change and inclusivity, making her one of the modern day leaders and a true New Zealand hero. 

“I never, ever grew up as a young woman believing that my gender would stand in the way of doing anything I wanted.” 

3. Dan Schulman (1958-)

Designation: President of Paypal 

Net Worth: $211 million 

Dan’s Secrets to PayPal’s Success: Dan, a modern day leader, experimented with new technology & offerings and tied up with different partners to ensure success. He created a customer-driven entity instead of being profit-driven to become the great leaders of today. 

Dan Schulman, one of the best leaders in the world, revamped the financial health of billions of people with PayPal. After leaving American Express, Dan envisioned PayPal to be a leading finance product that would help solve pain points like how to manage money, how businesses and customers transact, etc. Embracing purpose-driven leadership and being one of the great leaders of the world, Schulman integrated Venmo, a one-touch feature, acquired various money platforms, partnered with major entities (like Google and Facebook), and created a social impact. Dan's visions and well-defined goals made all these successes come true, and he soared as one of the modern leaders.

“A lot of people say that I'm an activist CEO. I just think I'm a responsible leader of a business.” 

4. Rihanna (1988-)

Designation: Singer & Businesswoman

Net Worth: $1.4 billion 

Rihanna’s Secrets to Fenty Beauty’s Success: Rihanna, being one of the contemporary leaders, debunked the myths around beauty standards and created a makeup brand “for women of all shades, personalities, attitudes, cultures, and races.” 

With millions of fans across the globe and 9 Grammy awards, Rihanna’s mega popularity did not stop her from diving into the world of business. She turned herself into one of the great leaders of the world with the launch of Fenty Beauty. This $2.8 billion-worth brand stands tall to make makeup inclusive and for all skin tones. Rihanna tapped into the complexities and racial discrimination of the cosmetic industry. Being one of the best leaders in the world, she has made Fenty Beauty available in 150+ countries for any skin tone & type, 100% gluten-free, cruelty-free & vegan. 

‍”Keep your eyes on the finish line and not on the turmoil around you.” 

5. Tim Cook (1960-)

Designation: CEO of Apple 

Net Worth: $1.9 billion  

Tim Cook’s Secrets to Apple’s Success: Cook focuses on near-term demands with a keen eye on the long-term vision. This contemporary leader breaks away from conventional decision-making and grants autonomy to the team. 

After the death of Steve Jobs, Tim Cook has been wheeling Apple’s success and how well! In five years, he has not only become one of the most famous leaders in the world but nearly doubled Apple’s stock prices as well. Being a democratic & inspirational leader of today, Cook and encourages different perspectives. A reason to become one of the great leaders of the world is that Cook ensures that every team member participates in decision-making and brings value, collaboration & brilliant ideas to the table. So, the official mantra of the CEO of the Decode by CNN (2014) is "lead with the pack."  

“Work takes on new meaning when you feel you are pointed in the right direction. Otherwise, it’s just a job, and life is too short for that.” 

6. Akio Toyoda (1956-)

Designation: Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation 

Net Worth: $2.5 billion   

Akio Toyoda’s Secrets to Toyota’s Success: Akio believes that solving problems in real-time and stably managing things is the essence of thriving management. As one of the 10 greatest leaders of all time, Akio Toyoda made long-term sustainability a priority and invested in R&D for hydrogen fuel cells and more.

Did you know that Toyota started its journey as a fabric company in 1918? After 15 years, Kiichiro Toyoda saw the potential in automobiles and founded today’s $262 billion brand. Currently, Akio Toyoda, one of the great leaders of today, guides Toyota to sail through the competitive market. Also, as the former CEO of Toyota, he successfully became one of today’s leaders in modern society, saved the company from a major financial crisis and quadrupled the stock market value. Today, the company holds on to Akio’s principles and values to cater to local needs. Like other famous leaders of today, he also follows "genchi genbutsu" – the philosophy of focusing on first-hand observation & understanding the crux of a situation instead of relying on data, reports, etc.  

“When consumers purchase a Toyota, they are not simply purchasing a car, truck or van. They are placing their trust in our company.” 

7. Barbara Corcoran (1949-)

Designation: Businesswoman & Investor 

Net Worth: $100 million 

Barbara Corcoran’s Secrets to Success: Barbara highlights the importance of "delegation" and its advantages, such as regulating workload, increasing production, and identifying strengths and weaknesses. As one of the best leaders in the world, she is a "woman of her own words" and remains resilient. 

Barbara Corcoran, with a whopping 15+ years’ experience on Shark Tank, has been a known face and one of the contemporary leaders. Since 2009, Barbara has been one of the famous leaders that are still alive, invested in over 80 businesses on Shark Tank and turned many of her partners into millionaires. Her entrepreneurial leadership resolves problems with delegation. Like most of the great leaders of today, she delegates her work to focus on high-priority tasks, gives people a chance to take responsibility, helps grow productivity, & enhances collaboration. 

“I have a theory and I really believe it. I think your worst weakness can become your greatest single strength.”

8. Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)

Designation: Professional Boxer

Net Worth: $80 million 

Muhammad Ali’s Secrets to Success: Ali followed transformational leadership, stood by his unwavering conviction & spoke the truth. This modern leader’s journey teaches us to have well-defined goals & use our versatility to create our brand. 

If you are a business student, then you have a lot to learn from Muhammad Ali, the professional boxer, activist, and management genius. Self-confidence, resilience, adaptability, and persistence are the essentials to becoming one of the best leaders today — yes, Muhammad Ali ticked all the boxes. This Olympic gold medalist surfaced as one of the respectable leaders, opened multiple steakhouses, acquired endorsement deals, and became a co-founder of Galfar Engineering & Contracting. His iconic status played a role; however, he had a sense of business. As one of the great leaders of today, he knew who to collaborate with and leverage commercial benefits. 

“If my mind can conceive it, if my heart can believe it – then I can achieve it.” 

9. Oprah Winfrey (1954-)

Designation: Philanthropist 

Net Worth: $2.8 billion 

Oprah Winfrey’s Secrets to Success: Oprah Winfrey believes in communicating her vision and clarity with her team members while reminding them that success doesn’t come without challenges. A true example of a famous leader today, she is always open to new perspectives. 

Being a voice for shaping dialogues on race and societal issues and the winner of Kennedy Center Honors (2010), Oprah Winfrey is one of the modern leaders of our time. Oprah's purpose on television is to transform the world for the better, making her one of the current great leaders of today. It does not come as a shock that Oprah's various programmes, like Oprah's Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa, "O" Magazine, Oprah Winfrey Network, & more, have brought a lot of light and change in the world. But this change on the door was only possible due to her goals of prioritising "people, visions, and values."  

“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.” 

10. Jack Ma (1964-) 

Designation: Co-founder of Alibaba Group 

Net Worth: $25.1 billion 

Jack Ma’s Secrets to Alibaba’s Success: Ma, one of the great leaders of the world, is adept at taking risks in evolving market conditions. Even though this inspirational leader of today built a brand (Alibaba) worth $182 billion, he is humble and does not shy away from accepting his mistakes.

Over the years of building Alibaba, Jack Ma has emerged as one of the best leaders in the world in the 21st century. He is not only China’s cultural icon but also one of the most inspiring leaders today. Jack used his crucial management skills to foster Alibaba’s growth while focusing on employee motivation. The secret to this balance lies in his laissez-faire style that the strong leaders in the world follow. Mr. Ma believes that good management from the top leaders in the world stems from not micromanaging day-to-day decisions. As one of the great leaders of today, he insisted on giving employees a chance to channel their creativity and experiences to meet an end goal.  

“Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.” 

Other Powerful World Leaders in the 21st Century

Inevitably, the list of famous leaders in the world is essentially evolving. By considering their modern management styles, we offer a list of 5 great modern leaders alive today. The more you look into these great leaders and their qualities, the better you will realise the necessary skills for students. 

1. Elon Musk (CEO of Tesla & SpaceX) is one of the inspiring leaders of today in the EV and space industries. 

2. Greta Thunberg (Climate change activist) sparked a global movement to address climate change. 

3. Volodymyr Zelensky (President of Ukraine) is one of the great modern leaders to fight in defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty. 

4. Malala Yousafzai (Activist of female education) is a Nobel Prize laureate and inspires millions of girls. 

5. Jeff Bezos (Executive Chairman of Amazon) is one of the great leaders of the world for his focus on customer satisfaction. 

There is no universal thumb rule for becoming a great leader of today because leadership is not a one-size-fits-all outfit. If you know what resource management is in education, you will know how to manage your time, finances, energy, and materials. Setting the building blocks will help you shape your future at the earliest stage. So, set your goal and vision, learn from experiences, and get inspired by the best leaders in the world - a change will surely await you. You can also join amber’s Ambassador Program to create your brand and identity. So, good luck with your endeavours!