Lakshmi Mittal

Lakshmi Mittal is the chairman and CEO of ArcelorMittal, the world's largest steelmaker, and one of the most transformative figures in the history of global industry. Through a combination of bold acquisitions, operational excellence, and an unshakable belief in the steel industry's potential for consolidation, Mittal built a company that produces approximately 70 million tonnes of steel annually — enough to supply nations — and fundamentally reshaped the global steel landscape. His journey from a modest steel-making family in Rajasthan to the summit of world industry is one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial stories of the modern era.

Mittal's genius lay in recognizing that the global steel industry was ripe for consolidation at a time when most investors had written off steel as a declining, fragmented industry. Beginning in the 1970s with a single plant in Indonesia, he systematically acquired underperforming steel mills around the world — in Trinidad, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Germany, and beyond — and transformed them through operational improvements, technology upgrades, and skilled management. Each acquisition demonstrated his remarkable ability to see value where others saw only problems, and to execute turnarounds that seemed impossible.

The crowning achievement of Mittal's career was the 2006 merger with Arcelor, which created the world's first 100-million-tonne steel company. The deal, initially fiercely resisted, ultimately succeeded through Mittal's persistence, diplomatic skill, and compelling vision for a globally competitive steel champion. Beyond steel, Mittal has been a generous philanthropist, supporting education, healthcare, and sports in India and around the world, including significant contributions to the London Olympics and numerous charitable institutions.