They could be the defining faces of this next decade
Hasan Minhaj
Comedian, political commentator
Such was the impact of Hasan Minhaj’s critique of the Indian elections on his Netflix show The Patriot Act that the artiste was denied entry at the Howdy Modi event in Houston in 2019. The backlash is unlikely to deter Minhaj from speaking his mind. Born in the US to Indian parents who migrated from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh, Minhaj is known to be uninhibited in airing his views on social issues. He has spoken extensively about immigration, censorship, student loans etc. With US President Donald Trump being impeached and the country up for elections in November 2020, Minhaj is likely to have plenty to talk about.
Aditya Mittal
Group CFO and CEO, ArcelorMittal Europe
The financial brain behind the world’s largest steelmaker recently earned the biggest feather in his cap with the acquisition of Essar Steel. All along, Mittal has ensured that the 114 million-tonne company survives the downcycle. Key among his plans has been a debt reduction target to $6 billion and generating $2billion of additional cash flow. A successful entry to India, reduction in Chinese capacity and a strong lineup of technologically advanced steel would allow Mittal to be a part of a far more profitable empire in the next decade.
Peter Buttigieg
Mayor of South Bend, Indiana, USA
At just 37, this Rhodes Scholar has worked at McKinsey, served in Afghanistan and been mayor of South Bend. Now, as he campaigns to be the next Democratic nominee for the US presidential election, he’s been relentlessly attacked by rivals on televised debates—usually a sure sign of rivals taking a candidate seriously. Whether or not he makes it through the caucuses remains to be seen but expect to hear a lot more from Buttigieg as he continues to prepare for public office in the years to come.
(This story appears in the 17 January, 2020 issue of Forbes India. To visit our Archives, click here.)