Businesspeople & Entrepreneurs, KAT-MAH
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
Katzenberg, Jeffrey
Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American entrepreneur who played a pivotal role in transforming the Walt Disney Company......
Kawabuchi Saburō
Kawabuchi Saburō is a Japanese businessman who played a significant role in the launch of Japan’s first professional......
Kawamoto Nobuhiko
Kawamoto Nobuhiko is a Japanese business executive who, as president of Honda Motor Company, Ltd. (1990–98), oversaw......
Keating, Charles H.
Charles H. Keating was an American businessman best known for his role in the savings and loan crisis of the 1980s......
Keene, Laura
Laura Keene was an actress and the first notable female theatre manager in the United States. Mary Moss, as her......
Keith, Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin Keith was an American impresario who founded the most powerful circuit of theatres in vaudeville......
Keller, Thomas
Thomas Keller is an American chef and restaurateur whose restaurant the French Laundry, in Yountville, California,......
Kellogg, W(ill) K(eith)
W. K. Kellogg was an American industrialist and philanthropist who founded (1906) the W.K. Kellogg Company to manufacture......
Kemble, Charles
Charles Kemble was a theatrical manager, the first to use appropriately detailed historical sets and costumes on......
Kemble, George Stephen
George Stephen Kemble was an English actor and theatrical manager. Kemble’s mother, the actress Sarah Kemble, acted......
Kemble, John Philip
John Philip Kemble was a popular English actor and manager of the Drury Lane and Covent Garden theatres in London,......
Kemble, Roger
Roger Kemble was an English actor and theatre manager and founder of the famous Kemble family. Kemble’s fancy was......
Kennedy, Joseph P.
Joseph P. Kennedy was an American businessman and financier who served in government commissions in Washington,......
Keohane, Nannerl Overholser
Nannerl Overholser Keohane is an American academician and administrator who gained particular prominence when she......
Khodorkovsky, Mikhail
Mikhail Khodorkovsky is a Russian oil tycoon and, at one time, was the richest man in Russia. He was imprisoned......
Killanin, Michael Morris, 3rd Baron
Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin was an Irish author and businessman who in 1972 succeeded Avery Brundage as......
Killian, James Rhyne, Jr.
James Rhyne Killian, Jr. was an American statesman and academic administrator who was instrumental in the formation......
Kim Woo Choong
Kim Woo Choong was a Korean businessman and founder of the Daewoo Group. Kim’s actions leading up to Daewoo’s eventual......
Kim, Jim Yong
Jim Yong Kim is an American physician and anthropologist who was the 12th president of the World Bank (2012–19).......
King, Mervyn
Mervyn King is a British economist who served as governor of the Bank of England (BOE; 2003–13). King, the son......
Kiritsis, Tony
Tony Kiritsis was an American businessman who took mortgage executive Richard (Dick) Hall hostage for some 63 hours......
Kirk, Erika
A beauty pageant winner, an athlete, an entrepreneur, a Christian podcaster, a wife, and a mother. That pretty......
Klaus Schwab
For more than half a century, Klaus Schwab presided over the World Economic Forum, transforming it from a modest......
Klum, Heidi
Heidi Klum is a German American supermodel, television personality, and businesswoman who hosted Germany’s Next......
Knight, John S.
John S. Knight was a widely respected American journalist and publisher who developed Knight Newspapers, one of......
Knight, Phil
Phil Knight is an American businessman who cofounded (1964) the multinational sportswear and sports equipment corporation......
Knox, Rose Markward
Rose Markward Knox was an American businesswoman who was highly successful in promoting and selling gelatin for......
Knudsen, William S(ignius)
William S. Knudsen was a Danish-born American industrialist, an effective coordinator of automobile mass production......
Knudstorp, Jørgen Vig
Jørgen Vig Knudstorp is a Danish business executive who was CEO (2004–16) and executive chairman (2017– ) of the......
Kohli, F.C.
F.C. Kohli was an Indian businessman and engineer who was a pioneer of that country’s information technology industry.......
Kraft, Robert
Robert Kraft is an American industrialist, sportsman, founder (1998) of the Kraft Group (a holding company for......
Kresge, S.S.
S.S. Kresge was an American merchant who established a chain of nearly 1,000 variety and discount stores throughout......
Kress, S.H.
S.H. Kress was an American merchant and art collector who used the wealth from his chain of five-and-ten-cent stores......
Kreuger, Ivar
Ivar Kreuger was a Swedish financier, known as “the match king,” who attempted to gain a worldwide monopoly over......
Kroc, Ray
Ray Kroc was an American restaurateur and a pioneer of the fast-food industry with his worldwide McDonald’s enterprise.......
Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, Alfried
Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach was a German industrialist, the last member of the Krupp dynasty of munitions......
Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach, Gustav
Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach was a German diplomat who married the heiress of the Krupp family of industrialists,......
Krupp, Alfred
Alfred Krupp was a German industrialist noted for his development and worldwide sale of cast-steel cannon and other......
Kurien, Verghese
Verghese Kurien was an Indian engineer and entrepreneur who was regarded as the architect of India’s “white revolution,”......
Kushner, Jared
Jared Kushner is a billionaire real estate developer, a two-time Nobel Peace Prize-nominee, the first son-in-law,......
K’ung, H.H.
H.H. K’ung was a banker and businessman who was a major figure in the Chinese Nationalist government between 1928......
La Fontaine, Henri
Henri La Fontaine was a Belgian international lawyer and president of the International Peace Bureau (1907–43)......
Laffitte, Jacques
Jacques Laffitte was a French banker and politician prominent in public affairs from the end of the Napoleonic......
Lai, Jimmy
Jimmy Lai’s life has been defined and bookended by the actions of the Chinese Communist Party. As a boy, his family......
Laliberté, Guy
Guy Laliberté is a French Canadian performer and entrepreneur who cofounded (1984) the acrobatic troupe Cirque......
Lambert, Gerard Barnes
Gerard Barnes Lambert was an American merchandiser and advertiser who marketed his father’s invention of Listerine......
Lamont, Thomas William
Thomas William Lamont was an American banker and financier who began his career by reorganizing corporations and......
Lampert, Eddie
Eddie Lampert is an American investor who was perhaps best known for orchestrating the merger of the American retail......
Lander, Harald
Harald Lander was a Danish dancer and choreographer who was primarily responsible for rebuilding the faltering......
Langdell, Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus Langdell was an American educator, dean of the Harvard Law School (1870–95), who originated......
Lange, Christian Lous
Christian Lous Lange was a Norwegian peace advocate, secretary-general of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (1909–33),......
Langston, John Mercer
John Mercer Langston was an American educator, activist, politician, and diplomat who is often credited with being......
Lansky, Meyer
Meyer Lansky was one of the most powerful and richest of U.S. crime syndicate chiefs and bankers. He had major......
Larry Fink
Few people in the financial industry are as well-known as Larry Fink, the cofounder, chair, and chief executive......
Lasker, Albert (Davis)
Albert Lasker was an American advertising executive and philanthropist who is credited with being the founder of......
Laud, William
William Laud was the archbishop of Canterbury (1633–45) and religious adviser to King Charles I of Great Britain.......
Lauder, Estée
Estée Lauder was an American businesswoman who cofounded (1946) Estée Lauder, Inc., a large fragrance and cosmetics......
Lawes, Lewis Edward
Lewis Edward Lawes was a U.S. penologist whose introduction of novel penal administrative policies helped to emphasize......
Lawrence, Abbott
Abbott Lawrence was an American merchant and philanthropist who was a major developer of the New England textile......
Lawrence, Mary Wells
Mary Wells Lawrence was an American businesswoman who made a mark in advertising during an age when men dominated......
Lawson, Fremont
Fremont Lawson was a newspaper editor and publisher, one of the first in the United States to assign correspondents......
LeBow, Bennett S.
Bennett S. LeBow is an American businessman who became the first tobacco executive to publicly admit to the dangers......
Lee Kun-Hee
Lee Kun-Hee was a South Korean businessman who was chairman (1987–2008; 2010–20) of the conglomerate Samsung Group......
Lee Myung-Bak
Lee Myung-Bak is a South Korean business executive and politician who was president of South Korea from 2008 to......
Lei Jun
Lei Jun is a Chinese business executive who was a cofounder (2010) of electronics maker Xiaomi Corp.; he also serves......
Levassor, Émile
Émile Levassor was a French businessman and inventor who developed the basic configuration of the automobile. Levassor......
Lever, William Hesketh
William Hesketh Lever was a British soap and detergent entrepreneur who built the international firm of Lever Brothers.......
Li Ka-shing
Li Ka-shing is a Chinese entrepreneur and philanthropist, widely considered one of the most influential businessmen......
Li Ning
Li Ning is a Chinese gymnast and entrepreneur, who amassed six medals at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.......
Li Ruigang
Li Ruigang is a Chinese businessman who rose to prominence as president of the state-owned conglomerate Shanghai......
Liddy, Edward M.
Edward M. Liddy is an American businessman who held executive positions at a number of companies, including G.D.......
Lilienthal, David E.
David E. Lilienthal was an American businessman and government official, who was codirector (1933) and first chairman......
Lipton, Thomas
Thomas Lipton was a British merchant who built the Lipton tea empire and also won fame as a yachtsman. Lipton,......
Lisa Su
When Lisa Su became chief executive officer of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) in 2014, the semiconductor company......
Little, Royal
Royal Little was an American businessman and investor who founded Textron, Inc., the first major American corporation......
Livingstone, Sir Richard Winn
Sir Richard Winn Livingstone was a classical scholar and university administrator who championed the classical......
Lloyd, John Henry
John Henry Lloyd was an American baseball player and manager in the Negro leagues, considered one of the greatest......
Loew, Marcus
Marcus Loew was an American motion-picture executive and pioneer motion-picture theatre owner whose consolidation......
Longair, Malcolm
Malcolm Longair is a Scottish astronomer, noted for his scholarship and teaching, who served as astronomer royal......
Longford, Edward Arthur Henry Pakenham, 6th earl of, Baron Silchester of Silchester
Edward Arthur Henry Pakenham, 6th earl of Longford was a theatre patron and playwright who is best-remembered as......
Lori Greiner
Lori Greiner is an American entrepreneur and inventor who built a career developing consumer products and bringing......
Lovell, Sir Bernard
Sir Bernard Lovell was an English radio astronomer, founder and director (1951–81) of England’s Jodrell Bank Experimental......
Low, Seth
Seth Low was an American municipal reformer, university builder, and philanthropist who, during his tenure as president......
Lowell, A. Lawrence
A. Lawrence Lowell was an American lawyer and educator, president of Harvard University from 1909 to 1933, who......
Lubbock, John, 1st Baron Avebury
John Lubbock, 1st Baron Avebury was a banker, influential Liberal-Unionist politician, and naturalist who successfully......
Lucas, Robert E., Jr.
Robert E. Lucas, Jr. was an American economist who won the 1995 Nobel Prize for Economics for developing and applying......
Ludwig, Daniel Keith
Daniel Keith Ludwig was an American entrepreneur who parlayed a $5,000 loan on his father’s signature into a global......
Lundeberg, Christian
Christian Lundeberg was an industrialist and politician who presided over the 1905 Swedish government, which negotiated......
Ma Huateng
Ma Huateng is a Chinese business executive who cofounded the Internet company Tencent Holdings in 1998 and is Tencent’s......
Ma, Jack
Jack Ma is a Chinese entrepreneur who was head of the Alibaba Group, which comprised several of China’s most popular......
Mack, Connie
Connie Mack was an American professional baseball manager and team executive, the “grand old man” of the major......
Mackay, Clarence Hungerford
Clarence Hungerford Mackay was a U.S. communications executive and philanthropist who supervised the completion......
MacKaye, (James Morrison) Steele
Steele MacKaye was a U.S. playwright, actor, theater manager, and inventor who has been called the closest approximation......
MacKenzie Scott
MacKenzie Scott is an American billionaire, philanthropist, and novelist. According to Forbes magazine, in March......
Macpherson, Sir David
Sir David Macpherson was a Scottish-born politician and railway builder who served as the Canadian minister of......
Madoff, Bernie
Bernie Madoff was an American hedge-fund investment manager and former chairman of the NASDAQ (National Association......
Maes, Pattie
Pattie Maes is a Belgian-born software engineer and entrepreneur who changed the interactive relationship between......
Mahone, William
William Mahone was an American railroad magnate and general of the Confederacy who led Virginia’s “Readjuster”......