Businesspeople & Entrepreneurs, COO-FAY
Explore the notable businesspeople and entrepreneurs whose ambition, risk-taking, and innovation built companies, transformed industries, and changed the way people live and work.
Businesspeople & Entrepreneurs Encyclopedia Articles By Title
Cook, Tim
Tim Cook (born November 1, 1960, Mobile, Alabama) is an American business executive who was chief executive officer......
Cooke, Jay
Jay Cooke was an American financier and fund-raiser for the federal government during the American Civil War. At......
Cooper, Alison
Alison Cooper is a British business executive who was CEO (2010â20) of the multinational Imperial Brands PLC (formerly......
Cooper, Kent
Kent Cooper was an American journalist who achieved prominence as executive director of the Associated Press (AP).......
Cooper, Wilhelmina
Wilhelmina Cooper was a Dutch-born fashion model and businesswoman who, with her husband, founded the modeling......
Cornell, Ezra
Ezra Cornell was a businessman, a founder of the Western Union Telegraph Company, and a guiding force in the establishment......
Coup, W.C.
W.C. Coup was an American businessman, cofounder and manager of P.T. Barnumâs âGreatest Show on Earth.â Working......
Courteen, Sir William
Sir William Courteen was an English merchant and shipowner noted especially for his enterprises in the West Indies......
Cowell, Simon
Simon Cowell is an English entrepreneur, recording executive, and television producer and personality known for......
Cramer, Jim
Jim Cramer is an American television personality known for his investment advice show Mad Money (2005â ). Cramer......
Craven, Danie
Danie Craven was a South African rugby union football player, coach, and administrator who was one of the most......
Crawford, Cindy
Cindy Crawford is an American fashion model and television personality who first gained fame in the 1980s and was......
Crerar, John
John Crerar was a U.S. railway industrialist and philanthropist who endowed (1889) what later became the John Crerar......
Crocker, Charles
Charles Crocker was an American businessman and banker, chief contractor in the building of the Central Pacific......
Crockford, William
William Crockford was the founder and proprietor of a famous English gambling establishment. Crocker was the son......
Crown, Henry
Henry Crown was a business executive and philanthropist. Crown left school in the eighth grade, worked as an office......
Cruyff, Johan
Johan Cruyff was a Dutch football (soccer) player and coach renowned for his imaginative playmaking. He won numerous......
Cuban, Mark
Mark Cuban is an American entrepreneur, venture capitalist, businessman and television personality who cofounded......
Cunard, Sir Samuel, 1st Baronet
Sir Samuel Cunard, 1st Baronet was a British merchant and shipowner who founded the first regular Atlantic steamship......
Cunliffe (of Headley), Walter Cunliffe, 1st Baron
Walter Cunliffe, 1st Baron Cunliffe was an English banker who established in London the merchant banking business......
Cuno, Wilhelm
Wilhelm Cuno was a German politician and business leader, general director of the Hamburg-American Line, and chancellor......
Curran, Charles
Charles Curran was a British broadcasting administrator best known for his leadership at the British Broadcasting......
Currie, Sir Donald
Sir Donald Currie was a shipowner and politician, founder of the Castle Line of steamers between England and South......
CĂłrdova, France A.
France A. CĂłrdova is a French-born American astrophysicist who served in multiple prominent leadership positions......
Daly, Augustin
Augustin Daly was an American playwright and theatrical manager whose companies were major features of the New......
Daly, Marcus
Marcus Daly was an American mining tycoon. Known as the âCopper King,â he was the prime mover behind the Anaconda......
Dan Takuma
Dan Takuma was the manager of the giant Mitsui zaibatsu, the greatest of the family-owned combines in pre-World......
Dangote, Aliko
Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who is the founder and CEO of the Dangote Group conglomerate,......
Dario Amodei
As a founder of artificial intelligence giant Anthropic, Dario Amodei is, as Time magazine declared in 2025, one......
Dashkova, Yekaterina Romanovna Vorontsova, Knyaginya
Yekaterina Romanovna Vorontsova, Princess Dashkova was an associate of Empress Catherine II the Great and a prominent......
Datini, Francesco
Francesco Datini was an Italian international merchant and banker whose business and private papers, preserved......
Davenant, Sir William
Sir William Davenant was an English poet, playwright, and theatre manager who was made poet laureate on the strength......
David Ellison
David Ellison is an American film producer and media executive who founded Skydance Media, the studio behind some......
Davis, Al
Al Davis was an American gridiron football coach and executive who, as commissioner of the American Football League......
Davis, Clive
Clive Davis was an American music executive and producer who headed several labels, notably CBS Records (1967â73)......
Daymond John
Daymond John is an American entrepreneur and investor. As the cofounder and chief executive officer of the apparel......
Deak, Nicholas L.
Nicholas L. Deak was a banker and founder of an internationally renowned retail currency-exchange service and dealer......
Dell, Michael
Michael Dell is an American entrepreneur, businessman, and author, known as the founder and CEO of Dell Inc., one......
Demorest, Ellen Louise Curtis
Ellen Louise Curtis Demorest was an American businesswoman, widely credited with the invention of the mass-produced......
Dempsey, Sister Mary Joseph
Sister Mary Joseph Dempsey was an American nurse and hospital administrator, remembered for her exceptional medical......
Desmond, Viola
Viola Desmond was a Canadian businesswoman and civil libertarian who built a career as a beautician and was a mentor......
Devrient, Eduard
Eduard Devrient was an actor, director, manager, translator of Shakespeare into German, and author of the first......
Dexter, Timothy
Timothy Dexter was an American businessman known for his eccentric personality. He grew extremely wealthy through......
Di Stéfano, Alfredo
Alfredo Di Stéfano was an Argentine-born football (soccer) player and manager, regarded as one of the greatest......
Dibdin, Charles
Charles Dibdin was a composer, author, actor, and theatrical manager whose sea songs and operas made him one of......
Dietz, Howard
Howard Dietz was an American motion-picture executive and songwriter. After graduating from Columbia University......
Diller, Barry
Barry Diller (born February 2, 1942, San Francisco, California) is an American media executive who led Paramount......
Dingelstedt, Franz Ferdinand, Freiherr von
Franz Ferdinand, count von Dingelstedt was a German poet, playwright, and theatrical producer known for his biting......
Disney, Walt
Walt Disney was an American motion-picture and television producer and showman, famous as a pioneer of animated......
Dodge, John V.
John V. Dodge was an American editor and publishing executive of the EncyclopĂŠdia Britannica. A graduate of Northwestern......
Doherty, Henry L.
Henry L. Doherty was an American businessman and utilities expert who formed the holding company Cities Service......
DokĆ Toshio
DokĆ Toshio was a Japanese businessman who was instrumental in revitalizing Japanese manufacturing after World......
Donald Trumpâs very busy calendar
Campaigning for president of the United States is a full-time job. There are speeches to deliver, debates to prepare......
Dorsey, Jack
Jack Dorsey is an American Web developer and entrepreneur who, with Evan Williams and Christopher Stone, cofounded......
Douglas, Donald
Donald Douglas was an American aircraft designer who founded the Douglas Aircraft Company. Douglas assisted Jerome......
Dow, Herbert H.
Herbert H. Dow was a pioneer in the American chemical industry and founder of the Dow Chemical Company. Dow first......
Drew, Daniel
Daniel Drew was an American railway financier of the 19th-century ârobber baronâ era. After a successful career......
Drew, John, Sr.
John Drew, Sr. was a theatrical manager and leading American actor of Irish romantic comedy. One of his best roles......
Drexel, Anthony Joseph
Anthony Joseph Drexel was an American banker and philanthropist who founded the Drexel Institute of Technology......
Drucker, Peter F.
Peter F. Drucker was an Austrian-born American management consultant, educator, and author, whose writings contributed......
Drummond, Henry
Henry Drummond was a British banker, writer, and member of Parliament who helped found the Catholic Apostolic Church.......
Dryden, John Fairfield
John Fairfield Dryden was an American senator and businessman, the founder of the Prudential Insurance Company......
du Maurier, Sir Gerald
Sir Gerald du Maurier was an actor-manager, the chief British exponent of a delicately realistic style of acting......
du Pont, Pierre Samuel
Pierre Samuel du Pont was a manufacturer and the largest American munitions producer during World War I. Pierre......
du Pont, Pierre-Samuel
Pierre-Samuel du Pont was a French economist whose numerous writings were mainly devoted to spreading the tenets......
Ducrow, Andrew
Andrew Ducrow was a spectacular British equestrian performer and an originator of horsemanship acts. Ducrowâs father,......
Duke, James Buchanan
James Buchanan Duke was an American tobacco magnate and philanthropist. The son of Washington Duke, who had entered......
Dunlop, John Boyd
John Boyd Dunlop was an inventor who developed the pneumatic rubber tire. In 1867 he settled in Belfast as a veterinary......
Dunster, Henry
Henry Dunster was an American clergyman and the first president of Harvard College. Dunster was educated at the......
Dupuis, Jean
Jean Dupuis was a French adventurer, trader, and publicist who was associated with the unsuccessful effort to establish......
Durant, William Crapo
William Crapo Durant was an American industrialist and founder of General Motors Corporation, which later became......
Durocher, Leo
Leo Durocher was an American professional baseball player and manager. Durocher played minor-league baseball for......
Dyke, Greg
Greg Dyke is a British businessman, journalist, and broadcaster best known as the director general (2000â04) of......
Dyson, James
James Dyson is a British inventor, industrial designer, and entrepreneur who successfully manufactured innovative......
DâArcy, William Knox
William Knox DâArcy was an English businessman who was the principal founder of the Iranian oil industry. As a......
Easterbrook, Steve
Steve Easterbrook is an English-born business executive and accountant best known for reinvigorating McDonaldâs......
Eastman, George
George Eastman was an American entrepreneur and inventor whose introduction of the first Kodak camera helped to......
Eaton, Cyrus S.
Cyrus S. Eaton was a U.S.-Canadian industrialist and philanthropist, founder of the Republic Steel Corporation......
Eberhard, Martin, and Tarpenning, Marc
Martin Eberhard and Marc Tarpenning are American entrepreneurs who cofounded the electric car company Tesla Motors.......
Ehmann, Freda
Freda Ehmann was a German businesswoman known as the âmother of the California ripe olive industryâ for her contributions......
Eisner, Michael
Michael Eisner is an American business and entertainment executive who was known for his role in reviving the fortunes......
Ek, Daniel
Daniel Ek is a Swedish entrepreneur who in 2006 cofounded Spotify, an Internet music-streaming service that provides......
Eliot, Charles William
Charles William Eliot was an American educator, leader in public affairs, president of Harvard University for 40......
Ellison, Larry
Larry Ellison (born August 17, 1944, New York City, New York) is an American businessman and entrepreneur who cofounded......
Emma Walmsley
Emma Walmsley is a British business executive who was chief executive officer of GSK PLC (GSK) from 2017 to 2025.......
Epstein, Brian
Brian Epstein was an English music manager and entrepreneur who discovered the Beatles in the early 1960s, transforming......
Epstein, Jeffrey
Jeffrey Epstein was an American financier and convicted sex offender who was accused of serial sex trafficking......
Erskine, John
John Erskine was a U.S. educator, musician, and novelist noted for energetic, skilled work in several different......
Esaki, Leo
Leo Esaki is a Japanese solid-state physicist and researcher in superconductivity who shared the Nobel Prize for......
Escher, Alfred
Alfred Escher was a dominant figure in 19th-century ZĂŒrich politics and legislator of national prominence who,......
Evans, John
John Evans was the governor of Colorado Territory, 1862â65, founder of Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.),......
Everett, Edward
Edward Everett was an American statesman and orator who is mainly remembered for delivering the speech immediately......
Faber, Eberhard
Eberhard Faber was a German businessman who, with his brother Lothar, expanded his familyâs pencil company into......
Faber, Lothar von
Lothar von Faber was a German entrepreneur who expanded a family pencil business into a worldwide firm preeminent......
Fabre, Ămile
Ămile Fabre was a French playwright and administrator of the ComĂ©die-Française (1915â36) who developed it into......
Falwell, Jerry
Jerry Falwell was an American religious leader, televangelist, and founder of the Moral Majority, a political organization......
Faust, Drew Gilpin
Drew Gilpin Faust is an American educator and historian who was the first female president of Harvard University......
Fayed, Mohamed al-
Mohamed al-Fayed was an Egyptian businessman who acquired a number of prestigious holdings throughout his career,......