Samsung
Samsung is a South Korean multinational conglomerate with a strong emphasis on technological research and design.
MENACORP
Just three years after taking over the management at the nadir of the financial crisis, ex lawyer and investment banker Fathi Ben Grira (pictured) has transformed an ailing financial services firm into a regional powerhouse covering the whole of the …
Meridian Energy
The state-owned New Zealand electricity generator and retailer Meridian Energy has experienced a transformative year in 2013.
Grieg Music Education
Norwegian technology company Grieg Music Education develops e-learning resources that focus on music.
Tsai Ming-kai, MediaTek
MediaTek is a wireless communication company that offers a range of digital multimedia solutions for smartphones, tablets and other devices.
Odeabank
One of Turkey’s newest entrants to the finance industry, Odeabank is a subsidiary of Lebanon’s Bank Audi, formed in late 2012.
MTN Group
With headquarters in Johannesburg, MTN Group is a multinational mobile telecommunications corporation that serves most of Africa as well as Europe and Asia.
HotForex
Forex and commodities broker HotForex facilitates both retail and institutional trading and promises to uphold an ethos of honesty and efficiency in all of its practices.
Ecopetrol
The largest petroleum company in Colombia, state-owned Ecopetrol has established itself in recent years as a leading provider of energy for the whole of Latin America.
Coca-Cola
Needing little introduction, Coca-Cola’s market dominance grew with that of the US during the 20th century.
Punjab National Bank
One of India’s most productive banks, PNB covers personal, MSME, agricultural, corporate and international banking, as well as a variety of other wealth management services.
Gulf Custody Company
First established in Kuwait and expanding later to Bahrain and Oman, Gulf Custody Company has for over a decade been among the leading fund administrators, custodians and transfer agents providing settlement services to fund managers in the Gulf and MENA …
Apple
The brand that’s synonymous with 21st-century design and technological development, Apple’s dominance of the smartphone, portable media player and tablet markets has seen the firm grow from underdog to so omnipotent it attracts more wealth than most countries’ GDP.
Ooredoo
Formerly known as QTel, Ooredoo is one of the largest public companies in Qatar. Overseen by CEO Dr Nasser Marafih (pictured) it is an exclusive telecommunications provider of mobile, wireless and wireline services, with a customer base of over 93 …
SAS
SAS Institute is one of the world’s largest private software companies, focusing largely on the development of markets analytics software.
SolarCity
While the solar energy industry has suffered a few setbacks in recent years in the US, Elon Musk-backed SolarCity has seen rapid growth since launching in 2006.
Tencent Holdings
Tencent Holdings is a Chinese investment holdings corporation with four wholly foreign owned enterprises and nearly 20 subsidiaries in the internet, mass media, and entertainment sectors, to name but a few.
Grupo Financiero Banorte
With a number of subsidiaries, the fully diversified Grupo Financiero Banorte is a financial services holding company with more than $30bn AUM.
O2
O2 is a telecommunications, internet and financial services provider, which, despite trading and being marketed under the O2 brand, is officially named Telefónica UK.
Novartis
The Swiss multinational pharmaceutical company ranked second in terms of sales in the entire world in 2013 has continued to exert great sway on the industry.
PetroChina
The listed arm of China’s state-owned oil and gas group China National Petroleum Corporation, PetroChina is based in the Dongcheng District of Beijing.
Tarmin
Tarmin is pioneering a new approach to data management, ‘Data Defined Storage’, which empowers businesses to securely unlock the value of data as a strategic business enabler.
Rosneft
As of 2013, Russia’s government-backed oil company Rosneft has become the leading extractor and refinement company domestically.
César Alierta, Telefónica
César Alierta has been in charge of Telefónica since 2000 and under his leadership the Spanish telecoms giant has expanded throughout Europe and cemented its position in South America.
Teva
A specialist in generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals, Israeli firm Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has been in operation in one form or another since 1901.
Crédito Real
One of Mexico’s most profitable and well-capitalised consumer finance providers, Crédito Real offers a wide variety of established products and services.
Chalhoub Group
With a long history spanning back to humble beginnings in the mid-1950s, Dubai-based Chalhoub Group has come to be the leading partner of choice for luxury brands seeking to widen their customer base in the luxury goods market in the …
Americas Trading Group
The Americas Trading Group (ATG) is the market leader in electronic trading products for institutional investors in South America.
Banco BAI
Established in 1996, Banco Angolano de Investimentos (Banco BAI) was the first private bank in Angola and has since expanded its network to comprise of over 120 branches nationwide, with representation in Portugal, Cape Verde, Brazil and South Africa.
Breitling Energy
Since the company’s establishment in 2004, Breitling Energy has employed state-of-the-art petroleum and natural gas technologies to weather the economic downturn and protect an assured return for investors.
With well over 225 million active members, the social networking service for those working in professional roles has enjoyed euphoric success since launching in 2003.
Volkswagen Group
Meaning ‘people’s car’ in German, Volkwagen is one of the most traditional auto-manufacturers in the world, and has nurtured its reputation as a maker of reliable automobiles since its inception over 70 years ago.
Farazad Investments
Farazad Investments Inc. (FII) provides global access to capital and assistance in obtaining loans for industrial and commercial projects, with a uniquely constructive approach.
Azrulnizam Abdul Aziz, Al Rajhi Bank
The recently appointed CEO for Al Rajhi Bank, Azrulnizam Abdul Aziz, has been widely touted as the future of Middle Eastern banking.
Jeffrey Bezos, Amazon
Jeffrey Bezos has progressed from an unknown Silicon Valley entrepreneur to a household name, thanks largely to retail brand Amazon.
KBL European Private Bankers
KBL European Private Bankers (KBL epb), founded in 1949, is headquartered in Luxembourg with a pan-European presence in nine countries.
Orascom Group
The Orascom Group includes subsidiaries in telecoms, construction, development, and technology.
K Wah International Holdings
With over 50 years experience in real estate development in Hong Kong, China and South-Eastern Asia, K Wah International Holdings is set to have its best year yet.
Dubai Islamic Bank
Dubai Islamic Bank (DIB), established in 1975, is the first Islamic bank in the world to have incorporated the principles of Islam in all its practices and is the largest Islamic bank in the UAE.
VK
VK or VKontakte (In Contact, in English) is Russia’s number one social network and the second most visited website in Russia after search engine Yandex.
América Móvil
América Móvil, Latin America’s leading wireless services provider and brainchild of billionaire Carlos Slim (pictured), has this past year capitalised on a resounding boom in mobile services and consolidation in the telecoms sector.
Dr Salimo Abdula, Intelec Holdings
Intelec’s Chairman is a well-known figure among Mozambique’s business elite. His contribution to the country’s business development stretches over 30 years and his efforts to bring the country’s standards within the private sector up to international levels have had a …
Eurex
Since launching in 1998, German derivatives exchange Eurex has grown to become one of the leading platforms for trading in alternative assets.
Telstra
With a history dating back to 1975, Australian company Telstra has helped shape the country’s telecommunications industry.
Akbank
Originally founded in 1948, Akbank has since cemented a reputation as one of the leading banks, and most valuable companies in terms of its market capitalisation in the whole of Turkey.
Intelec Holdings
With interest in a wide variety of markets – from energy and mining to telecommunications, advertising, tourism, construction and financial services – Intelec’s presence in Mozambique is extensive.
Rosetta Stone
Rosetta Stone began in 1992 as Fairfield Language Technologies, founded by Allen Stoltzfus.
Morgan Stanley
Despite the crisis of the last few years, leading Wall Street financial services firm Morgan Stanley has emerged from the difficulties in a much stronger position.
Miloud Chaabi, YNNA Holding
Miloud Chaabi is the founder of YNNA Holding, and the owner of the Ryad Mogador Hotels, as well as the Moroccan supermarket chain Aswak Assalam, through the Chaabi Group, one of Morocco’s largest employers.
IBM
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is a technology company with headquarters in New York that manufactures hardware and software.
Christopher Viehbacher, Sanofi
Christopher Viehbacher, German-Canadian businessman and head of the world’s second-largest pharmaceuticals company Sanofi, has fought a long battle to combat the age-old structural inadequacies of the industry since his appointment as CEO in late 2008.
ANZ
The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ) is the third-largest banking company in Australia, in terms of market capitalisation.
TradeNet
Revolutionising the world of online trading, TradeNet has approached the retail brokerage market with an app store model.
Grupo GNP
Providing a wide range of local and international tax services according to the requirements of each industry, Grupo GNP works closely with its clients in order to understand their philosophy and to transform tax consulting and compliance into strategies and …
Tamer Group
The Tamer Group has come a long way since 1922, when Dr Mohammed Said Tamer established the first pharmacy in Saudi Arabia.
Credit Suisse
As one of the most recognisable and prestigious financial institutions, Credit Suisse has built operations across the world.
CIMB
Kuala Lumpur-based CIMB Group is one of Malaysia’s leading financial institutions. Serving the burgeoning southeast Asian economies, it offers consumer banking, corporate banking, investment banking, asset management and insurance services.
POSCO
POSCO (formerly Pohang Iron and Steel Company) has been one of the foremost steelworks in South Korea since its inception in 1968.
Progressive
Progressive, one of the largest auto insurers in the US, announced plans early in 2013 to launch nine new service centres throughout the year, bringing the total to 63.
BFC Group Holdings
BFC Group Holdings was born from Bank Alkhair’s acquisition of Bahrain Financing Company, Bahrain Exchange Company and BFC Exchange Ltd, and specialises in remittance and forex products.
Reckitt Benckiser Group
An innovative and flexible consumer giant, Reckitt Benckiser is constantly expanding within a focused network.
Gail Kelly, Westpac
When Gail Kelly was appointed CEO of Australia’s St George Bank in 2002, she became the first ever woman to head up one of the country’s largest corporations.
Tesla Motors
Tesla Motors is a California-based company that focuses on designing, manufacturing, and selling electric vehicles.
Max Levchin, Affirm
Co-founder and former chief technology officer of leading online payment service Paypal, Max Levchin is one of Silicon Valley’s most prominent internet entrepreneurs.
Qatar Islamic Bank
Qatar Islamic Bank (QIB) was founded in 1982, becoming the country’s first Islamic financial institution with a 35 percent share of the Islamic sector and a nine percent share of the overall banking market.
Temasek Holdings
Owned by the Government of Singapore and run by the wife of the Prime Minister Ho Ching (pictured), Temasek is an investment management company, in operation since 1974.
Paprec Group
Specialists in the collection and recycling of waste products, the Paprec Group dominates the plastics and paper recycling industry, as well as the electronic equipment disposal sector globally.
HTC
Founded in 1997, HTC only started to sell its own branded mobile devices in 2006 after designing OEM-branded mobile phones for other companies.
KB Kookmin Bank
South Korea’s largest bank was launched over 60 years ago in Seoul and offers clients across the country a wide range of financial products, including commercial and industrial loans, consumer loans, foreign exchange and investment advisory products.
SAP
The German business software firm provides services to 248,500 customers in 188 countries and brings in annual revenue in the region of €16bn.
Coursera
Currently offering over 400 free courses to eager-to-learn students around the world, Coursera is making a name for itself in the world of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs).
Ford Motor Company
Founded by the inventor of large-scale car manufacturing, Henry Ford, in 1903, Ford Motor Company is considered one of the most important companies in US history.
BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton, the Anglo Australian multinational mining and petroleum company has enjoyed a strong year in 2013.
Adnan Ahmed Yousif, Al Baraka Banking Group
Adnan Ahmed Yousif, President and CEO of Al Baraka Banking Group (ABG), is a highly regarded senior banker with over 37 years of experience.
Bidvest Group
The Bidvest Group is an international trading and distribution company, listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange, and is currently the largest food service business outside of North America.
Afschrift Law Firm
Headed by Thierry Afschrift and partners, the Brussels-based tax law specialist has served innumerable individuals and organisations in resolving tax disputes since its beginnings almost two decades ago.
Daiichi Sankyo
Japan’s second largest pharmaceutical firm, Daiichi Sankyo, was formed in 2005 as a result of a merger between the Sankyo Company and Daiichi Pharmaceutical Company.
Started by two PhD students at Stanford University in 1998, Google’s unofficial slogan at the time was “don’t be evil”. Now, the mission statement is to “organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful”.
Offshore Solutions Group
Situated in Belize and comprised of three distinct company components, Offshore Solutions Group (OSL Group) is independent of any given financial institution and is therefore ideally positioned to manage a diverse array of finances in ways unattainable by archaic conglomerates.
Sina Weibo – the word ‘Weibo’ meaning ‘microblog’ in Mandarin – is the most popular social networking site in China, with close to 500 million registered users as of December 2012.
AKSAL Group
Comprised of retail, luxury and real estate companies, the AKSAL Group stands at the forefront of North Africa’s budding retail sector.
TEB Private Banking
Industry pioneer TEB Private Banking has offered its services since 1989 and is now collaborating with its partner BNP Paribas – organised as BNP Paribas Wealth Management and TEB Private – to share with its customers the concept of TEB …
Shinhan Financial Group
Shinhan Financial Group was South Korea’s first financial holding company to deliver solutions through a one-portal network.
Mizuho Financial Group
Mizuho is one of Japan’s leading financial services groups with a strong global presence. Mizuho Financial Group was founded after the merger of Dai-Ichi Kangyo Bank, The Fuji Bank, and the Industrial Bank of Japan, some of the country’s oldest …
Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani, QIPCO
Sheikh Hamad Bin Abdullah Bin Khalifa Al Thani has spent the majority of his adult life pursuing the growth of his native Qatar.
Petrobras
Petrobras is a world leader in the development of deep-sea oil drilling technology and carries out research, extraction and refining.
Tata Motors
Tata Motors is the largest auto manufacturer in India, with consolidated revenues of over $34bn in 2012-13.
ICBC
The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia has been working tirelessly since 1973 to provide universal car insurance for drivers in the westernmost province of Canada.
IronFX Global
IronFX Global is an online broker with 15 platforms trading over 200 instruments in forex, metals and CFDs on stocks and commodities.
Othman Benjelloun, BMCE Bank
As Chairman and CEO of BMCE Bank, Othman Benjelloun has encouraged growth across a number of regions, including Africa, Europe and Asia.
Bank Nizwa
Oman’s first Islamic bank, Bank Nizwa, is fully sharia- compliant and offers a vast array of products and services.
Analytica Investments
Led by General Director and Senior Partner Ramiro Crespo (L) and co-CEO Eduardo Checa (R), Analytica Securities/Analytica Investments is an investment bank based in Quito, Ecuador.
Nidec Group
Founded in 1973 in Kyoto, Nidec Group has forged a strong industry presence, becoming a leader in the motor manufacturing industry.
Manulife Financial
Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services company which has a rich history stretching over 120 years, claiming the first Canadian Prime Minister, Sir John A Macdonald, as its first president.