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page 3 of THE WORLD'S TOP 100 INNOVATION LEADERS OF 2022 - WORLD BIZ MAGAZINE AWARDS
#51
Gaurab Chakrabarti
Chief Executive Officer, Co-Founder
Solugen
Gaurab is the co-founder and CEO of Solugen. As a physician-scientist, Gaurab took an oath to first do no harm—and for him, that goes beyond patients or medicine. So in 2016, he started Solugen to decarbonize the chemicals industry, one of the most damaging for people and the Earth. Gaurab believes in using biology in unconventional ways to solve incredibly complex problems and is building a world-class team to join him on the journey. Gaurab studied computational neuroscience as an undergraduate at Brown University and received his MD & PhD in cancer biology and enzymology at the University of Texas. He is an author or co-author on more than 20 peer-reviewed publications and patents, and he is a Forbes 30 Under 30 in Industry and Manufacturing.
For more information about Solugen, visit: solugen.com
#52
Dr. Waqaas Al-Siddiq
Chairman, CEO and Founder
Biotricity
Waqaas, the founder of Biotricity, is a serial entrepreneur, a former investment advisor and an expert in wireless communication technology. Academically, he was distinguished for his various innovative designs in digital, analog, embedded, and micro-electro-mechanical products. His work was published in various conferences such as IEEE and the National Communication Council.
Waqaas has held several high-level design positions in IBM, AMD, and Intel. His achievements have been numerous in both the technical and academic world. Coupled with this, Waqaas has vast experience in leading various groups through his board experience and executive roles within start-ups, mid-sized companies, and non-profits.
Waqaas has a dual Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering and Economics, a Master’s in Computer Engineering from Rochester Institute of Technology, and a Master’s in Business Administration from Henley Business School. He also holds a Doctorate in Business with a specialty in Transformative Innovations and Billion Dollar Markets.
For more information about Biotricity, visit: biotricity.com
#53
Carlos Tavares
Chief Executive Officer
Stellantis
Carlos Tavares was appointed Executive Director of Stellantis with effect from January 17, 2021 and Chief Executive Officer on January 17, 2021.
Previously, he served as Chairman of the Managing Board of Groupe PSA from March 31, 2014, having joined Groupe PSA’s Managing Board on January 1, 2014.
He held various positions within the Renault Group between 1981 and 2004, before joining the Nissan Group. Carlos Tavares was appointed Executive Vice President, Chairman of the Management Committee Americas and President of Nissan North America in 2009, before being appointed as Chief Operating Officer of Renault, a position he held until 2013.
Carlos Tavares also serves as a director of Airbus Holding S.A., and is a member of the board of directors of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).
Carlos Tavares graduated from École Centrale de Paris.
For more information about Stellantis, visit: stellantis.com
#54
Shoichiro Tanaka
Chief Executive Officer
TANAAKK INC
Shoichiro Tanaka is a Japanese billionaire and philanthropist who started his business in 2006 when he was a law major at the University of Tokyo. Between 2018-2020 he was the youngest public company director in Japan out of 45,000 directors whose average 63 years old.
He has acquired investment experience with VLC Holdings, Cybergym, CEL, GFX and secured exclusive reseller status for ImmuniWeb Japan. Shoichiro was awarded first prize in APAC for managed security consulting by Enterprise Security Magazine, USA in 2022. He recently joined the list of youngest billionaires in APAC at 34 years old.
For more information about TANAAKK, visit: tanaakk.co.jp
#55
Shane Smith
President and Chief Executive Officer
Smithfield Foods
Shane Smith assumed the role of President and Chief Executive Officer for Smithfield Foods in 2021. Based at the global food company’s headquarters in Smithfield, Virginia, he guides its vision and strategic direction across operations in the United States, Europe and Mexico. Mr. Smith has held a variety of leadership roles in the company’s U.S. and international operations since joining in 2003. He most recently served as chief strategy officer, where he helped develop, execute and sustain the company’s efforts to achieve growth through its own resources, as well as through mergers and acquisitions.
As Smithfield Foods is committed to helping feed a world of nearly 8 billion people. We are working harder than ever to provide families with wholesome, safe and affordable food with outstanding quality and value. We also are working hard to find innovative ways to accomplish that — through new products and processes, while being ever mindful of the impact our operations have on our planet. It’s our responsibility...and our promise. We're made in the USA and found on tables everywhere.
For more information about Smithfield Foods, visit: smithfieldfoods.com
#56
Bernardo Lustosa
Chief Executive Officer
ClearSale
Bernardo draws on his background in statistics and his love of problem solving to create an industry-changing fraud management process based on statistics, IT, and human capital.
Since Bernardo joined ClearSale in 2004, the company has grown from a small start-up to the dominant CNP fraud-management provider in one of the world’s largest economies.
Bernardo’s passion for data-driven problem solving drives his work as ClearSale’s Chief Executive Officer and his other professional contributions. The Endeavor Global organization in New York named Bernardo a high-impact international entrepreneur in 2011.
Bernardo holds an Executive Program degree from Stanford Graduate School of business, and degrees from three of Brazil’s top 10 universities: a Ph.D. in Business Management from FGV, a Master of Economics degree from UCB-DF, and a degree in statistics from UNICAMP.
For more information about ClearSale, visit: clear.sale
#57
Aaron Rubin
Chief Executive Officer
ShipHero
Aaron Rubin is a software engineer that started selling online in 1999, founding and running a martial arts apparel ecommerce company that includes 93Brand.com and BJJHQ.com, which he owned and ran until the founding of ShipHero. In 2013 he founded ShipHero to solve some of the logistics challenges he was facing as an ecommerce business owner. He is currently the CEO of ShipHero where he dedicates a significant amount of time toward innovations on the software side in order to improve warehouse management processes.
Once upon a time, our CEO and Founder, Aaron Rubin, owned his own lifestyle eCommerce brand and was frustrated with the shipping software options available – they all sucked. So in 2013, he decided to do something about it – and the ShipHero warehouse management software (WMS) was born to make it easier to ship eCommerce.
ShipHero simplifies the complicated. We make sure you deliver your eCommerce. Software for your warehouse, and outsourced shipping if you’re hands-off. Today, we make sure over 5,000 eCommerce brands and 3PLs the world over deliver eCommerce every day. It’s simple – you succeed, we succeed.
For more information about ShipHero, visit: shiphero.com
#58
Matt Strang
Chief Executive Officer
Delic
Matt Stang was an Owner and Operator of High Times, the most recognized brand in cannabis, for 17 years prior to its sale to a private equity fund. During that time, he played a major role advocating for the legalization of cannabis in multiple states, launched the Cannabis Cup in America, and helped build the legal cannabis industry. For almost 20 years he has met and interacted with all corners of the cannabis community.
As one of the most connected people in the Alternative Drug space, he helped found DELIC over three years ago as the first psychedelic corporation. His expertise in business includes marketing, branding, business development and product viability.
Delic is a leader in new medicines and treatments for a modern world, improving access to health benefits across the country, and reframing the conversation on psychedelics. With the largest infrastructure of psychedelic wellness clinics in the U.S., Delic is making these affordable, effective new classes of medicine available to more people.
Our self-sustaining ecosystem of brands includes clinics, media outlets, in-person experiences, and research facilities, and is strategically positioned to educate, influence, and deliver wellness solutions at scale.
For more information about Delic, visit: deliccorp.com
#59
Sumir Meghani
Chief Executive Officer
Instawork
Sumir Meghani is the Co-founder and CEO of Instawork, the leading digital marketplace connecting local businesses with more than 1.5 million skilled hourly professionals.
Sumir’s expertise on the evolving labor market has been leveraged by leading industry conferences and has been featured on CNBC, Fortune, The New York Times, Washington Post, CBS News, and more. Prior to co-founding Instawork, Sumir had a variety of leadership roles at Groupon and Yahoo!. Sumir is a graduate of Stanford University and Harvard Business School.
Instawork is the leading flexible staffing solution for local, hourly professionals. Its digital marketplace connects businesses and qualified professionals across the U.S., filling a critical role in local economies.
For more information about Instawork, visit: instawork.com
#60
Mark DePristo
Chief Executive Officer
BigHat Biosciences
Mark DePristo is CEO and co-founder of BigHat Biosciences, an early-stage Bay Area startup reimagining antibody discovery and engineering with synthetic biology and machine learning to create better antibodies faster and undertake novel designs far beyond what's possible today.
Mark founded and led the Genomics team in Google Brain to apply deep learning technologies to life sciences problems, creating tools such as DeepVariant and research like A deep learning approach to pattern recognition for short DNA sequences and Using deep learning to annotate the protein universe.
Before joining Google, he was Vice President of Informatics at SynapDx, a Google Ventures-backed startup developing a blood-based test for Autism. As Co-Director of Medical and Population Genetics at the Broad Institute, Mark created and led the team that developed the GATK, the gold standard software for processing next-generation DNA sequencing data with over 36,000 registered users throughout the world.
He has a BA in Computer Science and Math from Northwestern University, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge as a Marshall Scholar, and was a Damon Runyon Fellow at Harvard University in evolutionary biology. Dr. DePristo's academic articles are widely published and have received more than 90,000 citations.
For more information about BigHat Biosciences, visit: bighatbio.com
#61
Erez Lorber
Chief Executive Officer
Questar Auto Technologies
Erez Lorber is a highly accomplished executive with over 20 years of domestic and international management experience in strategic planning, operations management, technology and business development and sales with both private and public organizations.
Previously COO of StoreDot, developer of ultra-fast charged batteries for EVs; CEO of Tri-Logical (Acquired), mobile assets management solutions; CEO of BackWeb Technologies (NASDAQ:BWEB) and CEO of Deloitte Israel.
Questar Auto Technologies is a predictive vehicle health company that introduces cutting-edge AI technology for automotive.
For more information about Questar Auto Technologies, visit: questarauto.com
#62
Andrew Barnell
Chief Executive Officer
Geneoscopy
Andrew Barnell graduated from Cornell University with a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Economics & Management and a specialization in Finance. Andrew started his career as a financial analyst in J.P. Morgan’s healthcare investment banking group.
At J.P. Morgan, Andrew completed $20 billion of transactions across 13 total deals (M&A, equity, debt). Subsequently, Andrew worked as an associate at Lindsay Goldberg, a private equity firm with $10 billion of assets under management and a focus on partnering with family businesses and entrepreneurs.
Andrew then received an MBA in Health Care Management and Entrepreneurial Management from The Wharton School. While at Wharton, Andrew co-founded Geneoscopy, a molecular diagnostic company, with his sister, Dr. Erica Barnell (Geneoscopy’s Chief Science Officer).
Geneoscopy is committed to providing safe, effective, and innovative non-invasive tests to improve the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of gastrointestinal diseases. This includes the improvement of cancer screening compliance to facilitate early-stage detection.
For more information about Geneoscopy, visit: geneoscopy.com
#63
Mike Darrow
President and Chief Executive Officer
TrueCar
Mike Darrow is the President and Chief Executive Officer of TrueCar, Inc. He has more than 30 years of experience working in the automotive industry.
Mike joined TrueCar in 2017, serving as our Executive Vice President of OEM and Partner Development and President of ALG before being appointed President and Chief Executive Officer. Before joining TrueCar, Mike gained over 14 years of leadership experience at Edmunds.com, serving as the Chief Executive Officer of Edmunds Data Services and Chief Sales Officer. Before joining Edmunds, Mike spent nearly 20 years with Chrysler and Nissan in a variety of leadership roles in Sales, Marketing and Incentives.
TrueCar is a leading automotive digital marketplace that seeks to make car buying and selling easy, transparent and efficient. From discovery to delivery, consumers can use TrueCar to explore new and used vehicles from an expansive, cross-brand selection of inventory from our vast network of Certified Dealers.
Founded in 2005, TrueCar has built a trusted brand and a strong reputation for providing consumers with useful tools, research, market context and pricing transparency as they embark on their car-buying journey. The Company is bringing more of the purchasing process online by allowing consumers to find a new or used vehicle that is right for them, secure financing, sell or trade-in their current vehicle and complete their purchase with a reputable dealer all from the comfort of their home.
TrueCar powers auto-buying programs for more than 250 leading brands, including Sam's Club, Navy Federal Credit Union and American Express. We partner with our Certified Dealers to help millions of consumers find the right new or used vehicle that meets their needs, delivering a great consumer experience that is personalized and efficient.
For more information about TrueCar, visit: truecar.com
#64
Kim Rivers
Chief Executive Officer
Trulieve Cannabis Corp
Kim Rivers currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of Trulieve Cannabis Corp., a vertically-integrated "seed-to-sale" operation based in Florida. Rivers joined Trulieve at its inception and has been the key driver for the Company’s customer-centric vision, strong growth, strategic expansion, and industry-leading profitability. Ms. Rivers oversees every activity involved with the cannabis process from seed to sale to ensure quality, operational integrity and financial success.
Prior to Trulieve, Ms. Rivers spent several years in private practice as a lawyer where she specialized in mergers, acquisitions, and securities for multi-million dollar companies and has run a number of successful businesses from real estate to finance. Her experience has been instrumental in building Trulieve’s market leading position in its home state of Florida and provides the solid foundation on which to execute on growth and expansion initiatives as a multi-state operator.
Ms. Rivers also plays an active role in her community in addition to serving on numerous charitable boards. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Multinational Business and Political Science from Florida State University, where she also served as FSU’s student body President, and her Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida.
Trulieve is an industry leading, vertically integrated cannabis company and multi-state operator in the U.S. operating in 11 states, with leading market positions in Arizona, Florida, and Pennsylvania. Trulieve is poised for accelerated growth and expansion, building scale in retail and distribution in new and existing markets through its hub strategy. By providing innovative, high-quality products across its brand portfolio, Trulieve delivers optimal customer experiences and increases access to cannabis, helping patients and customers to live without limits.
Today, with the completion of the Harvest acquisition, our Company has over 100 stores in Florida, and approximately 150 operated and affiliated dispensaries nationwide, with more growth ahead. Strong financial performance, driven by sales to a loyal and dedicated group of patients affectionately called Trulievers, positions Trulieve’s commitment to continue its pattern of growth.
As the company continues to expand as an Multi-State Operator (MSO) in our hub model, we are broadening our support into new states. With operations including Massachusetts, California, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, the company added application wins in West Virginia in our northeast hub and Georgia in our southeast hub in 2021. In addition, Trulieve’s recent news of acquiring Harvest Health expands our footprint in the northeast with additional affiliated facilities in Pennsylvania and entry into Maryland, in the southeast with additional stores and cultivation and production facilities in the Florida, and adds a southwest hub with dispensaries in California, cultivation and production facilities in Nevada and Colorado, and a leading vertical presence in Arizona. By delivering strong financial discipline, building a recognized brand through optimal customer experiences, and executing on our hub model strategy, we have become an industry leading MSO holding licenses to operate in 11 states and the largest operating retail and cultivation and production footprint in the country.
For more information about Trulieve, visit: trulieve.com
#65
Michael P. Bailey
President and Chief Executive Officer
AVEO
Michael P. Bailey serves as president and chief executive officer of AVEO and a member of the company’s board of directors, bringing more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry to the company. He joined AVEO in 2010 as the company’s chief commercial officer, was named chief business officer in 2013 and assumed his current roles in January 2015. He currently serves on the board of directors of IMV Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of cancer immunotherapies and vaccines to treat infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
Mr. Bailey joined AVEO from Synta Pharmaceuticals, where he served as senior vice president, business development, and chief commercial officer since 2008. Prior to joining Synta, Mr. Bailey led ImClone Systems’ (now Eli Lilly) Worldwide Commercial Organization. During his nine-year tenure at ImClone, he was responsible for commercial aspects of the planning and launch of ERBITUX® (cetuximab) across multiple oncology indications, as well as new product planning for the ImClone development portfolio, which included CYRAMZA® (ramucirumab) and necitumumab.
In addition, Mr. Bailey was a key member of the strategic leadership committees for ImClone and its North American and worldwide partnerships. Prior to joining ImClone, Mr. Bailey managed the cardiovascular development portfolio at Genentech, Inc., and was a key member of their global commercial partnership teams. Mr. Bailey started his career in the pharmaceutical industry as part of SmithKline Beecham’s Executive Marketing Development Program, where he held a variety of commercial roles, including sales, strategic planning, and product management.
Mr. Bailey received a B.S. in psychology from St. Lawrence University and an M.B.A. in international marketing from the Mendoza College of Business at University of Notre Dame.
For more information about AVEO, visit: aveooncology.com
#66
Taka Nagao
Chief Executive Officer
Kyoto Fusioneering
Taka Nagao co-founded Kyoto Fusioneering in 2019. As CEO, he launched a nuclear fusion business based on lab-scale R&D, and promoted strategic planning, fundraising, and recruitment. Prior to establishing Kyoto Fusioneering, Taka worked at Arthur D. Little Japan, where he provided strategic consulting services for new businesses, as well as at Eneres, an energy startup, where he contributed to the company’s public listing on to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, leading on capital and business alliances and R&D using AI. He is now an affiliated scientist at Kyoto University.
Taka holds an M.S in Mechanical Engineering from Kyoto University.
Kyoto Fusioneering Ltd. was established in October 2019 as a startup from Kyoto University. The world's most advanced technology cultivated at Kyoto University will fly to the world from the laboratory in Uji City toward the realization of nuclear fusion, which is the ultimate energy.
For more information about Kyoto Fusioneering, visit: kyotofusioneering.com
#67
Sanjay Brahmawar
Chief Executive Officer
Software AG
Sanjay Brahmawar became Software AG's Chief Executive Officer in August 2018. He leads Software AG in a new era of digitalization, a time when digital connections via integration, APIs, the Internet of Things and analytics are increasingly important to ensure business continuity. Before joining Software AG, Brahmawar served as general manager for global revenue at IBM’s Watson IoT and managed the global business of data analytics and artificial intelligence software products in that capacity. He previously held GM, Vice President and Executive Partner roles within various IBM businesses.
Brahmawar brings hands-on IoT expertise, a wealth of international experience and technical know-how blended with an entrepreneurial vision to Software AG. Prior to IBM, he served at PwC, Fedex, DSM and Honda. He is a frequent guest speaker at industry events and conferences where he demonstrates the value of the connected IoT ecosystem and his obsession for customer-centric innovations that can deliver unprecedented organizational performance.
Brahmawar earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Delhi College of Engineering and M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing from University of Leeds. He is a citizen of the world, born in India, and having worked and lived in England, Finland, Belgium, Holland and Germany. An avid cyclist and runner, Brahmawar resides in Darmstadt, Germany.
For more information about Software AG, visit: softwareag.com
#68
Hayden Brown
Chief Executive Officer
Upwork
Hayden Brown is president and CEO of Upwork. Before being named CEO in January 2020, Hayden held leadership roles at Upwork in both product and marketing.
Having been at Upwork since 2011, she is known for bold leadership and her passion for the company’s mission to create economic opportunities so that people live better lives. That passion stems from her childhood years spent living in Kathmandu, Nepal, and she’s committed to building a sustainable, high-performing business that delivers on that mission in ever-bigger ways.
Prior to becoming CEO, Hayden was Upwork’s chief marketing and product officer. In this role, she led the expansion of Upwork’s offerings to attract and serve sophisticated business buyers who could significantly benefit from Upwork’s global pool of talent.
Before joining Upwork, Hayden led corporate development for LivePerson and held strategy and corporate development roles at Microsoft. She began her career as an analyst at McKinsey and Company after earning an AB in Politics from Princeton University. She has been named to Staffing Industry Analysts’ "40 Under 40" and "Global Power 150—Women in Staffing." Hayden is married with two children.
For more information about Upwork, visit: upwork.com
#69
Jessica Billingsley
Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair
Akerna
Jessica Billingsley serves as Akerna’s Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair. She is an accomplished innovator, executive, and board member in public and private international technology with over 20 years of experience.
She co-founded MJ Freeway in 2010, where she served as President until April 2018, and later as the CEO until MJ Freeway was acquired by MTech to form Akerna. Shortly after, as CEO, Jessica led Akerna to become the first cannabis technology company listed on Nasdaq. Akerna provides the most comprehensive technology ecosystem for cannabis operators, governments, and brands, from seed-to-sale, providing transparency along virtually every piece of the supply chain.
Akerna is the first cannabis software company to be listed on a major U.S. exchange. Since that time, Akerna has continued to grow and evolve, focusing on key acquisitions of technology companies specifically designed to support the cannabis industry.
Through its growing family of brands, Akerna connects data points across the global cannabis supply chain to create one of the world’s most transparent and accountable consumer packaged goods supply chains on a global scale. Akerna believes connected data and information will modernize and propel the cannabis industry forward.
For more information about Akerna, visit: akerna.com