Phil Knight (Sportswear / Consumer Brands) at Nike — Beaverton, United States

Phil Knight co-founded Nike in 1964 as Blue Ribbon Sports, importing Tiger running shoes from Japan, before launching the Nike brand in 1971. He built Nike into the world's most valuable sportswear brand through legendary marketing partnerships, the "Just Do It" campaign, and the Jordan Brand. Knight's memoir Shoe Dog is widely regarded as one of the best business books ever written. A major philanthropist, he has donated billions to the University of Oregon and cancer research.