Influentials agree: 'Chairman Bill is the bestest'

Jobs misses top spot by a Bono

By Ashlee Vance in Mountain View • Get more from this author

Posted in Bootnotes, 15th December 2005 01:52 GMT

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Chairman Bill is the most admired global leader. Period. End of question.

That's according to a study conducted by Burson-Marsteller with the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) that polled 600 global business "influentials" in 65 countries.

"The selection of Bill Gates as the 2005 world's most admired leader not only recognizes his ongoing stewardship at the company he founded but it also acknowledges the powerful effect that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has had on Bill Gates' reputation," said Dr. Leslie Gaines-Ross, Burson-Marsteller's study architect. "Leaders and their companies can no longer safely ignore the value placed on corporate responsibility and commitment by 21st century citizens."

Oh yeah, and he's really, really, really rich - something influentials often find influential.

Lucky for us all, the venerable Wall Street Journal uncovered some of the secrets behind Gates' genius and humanity during an exclusive "Think Week" visit earlier this year. Most of you will have heard of the Think Weeks where Gates came up with Microsoft's cutting-edge internet, security and video game plans years after the competition already had strongholds in these markets.

In the Journal piece, it was revealed that Gates wears stockings around the house, likes grilled cheese sandwiches and pounds Diet Orange Crush.

Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, Michael Dell and Richard Branson (the rest of the top five) might consider adopting this lifestyle should they want to unseat Gates.

You can find the complete list of admired ones here. ®

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