January 21

Born in 1917, Erling Persson opened his first women’s clothing store, Hennes, in 1947 in Västerås, Sweden. He expanded the business by acquiring Mauritz Widforss in 1968, forming Hennes & Mauritz (H&M). Under his leadership, the company grew internationally, offering affordable and stylish apparel. Persson pioneered the concept of fast fashion, blending runway trends with budget-friendly prices. His vision laid the foundation for H&M to become a global brand with thousands of stores across multiple continents.

Mike Medavoy (born January 21, 1941) is a Chinese-born American film producer and studio executive. He co-founded Orion Pictures in 1978, the studio behind acclaimed films such as 'Platoon' and 'The Silence of the Lambs'. Prior to Orion, he served at United Artists, contributing to classics like 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'. Medavoy later led TriStar Pictures and MGM, overseeing major franchises and championing creative talent. His production credits exceed 100 films across diverse genres, earning him multiple Academy Awards. Medavoy has also served on juries at renowned film festivals and supports film education initiatives. His influence on Hollywood spans creative vision and strategic leadership, shaping modern cinema.

Born in 1953 in Seattle, Paul Allen partnered with Bill Gates to launch Microsoft in 1975, driving the personal computing revolution. As executive vice president, he guided the development of MS-DOS and early Windows before departing in 1983 due to health concerns. Allen founded Vulcan Inc. to manage his diverse business and philanthropic ventures, which included owning the Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers. Passionate about science and innovation, he established the Allen Institute for Brain Science and funded space exploration projects like Stratolaunch. His investments and philanthropy spanned the arts, education, and environmental conservation. Allen's vision and generosity continue to influence technology and global research initiatives.

Rick Falkvinge is a Swedish technology entrepreneur and politician best known as the founder of the Swedish Pirate Party in 2006. Under his leadership, the party gained international attention for its advocacy of digital freedom, copyright reform, and privacy rights. He served as the party's first leader until 2011 and influenced similar movements worldwide. Beyond politics, Falkvinge has written extensively on internet policy and digital ethics. He continues to be a leading voice in debates over information freedom and online civil liberties.

Kim Dotcom (born Kim Schmitz on January 21, 1974) is a German-Finnish Internet entrepreneur and political activist. He founded the file hosting service Megaupload, which became one of the largest platforms for file sharing. After Megaupload was shut down by authorities, Dotcom faced high-profile legal battles over copyright infringement. He has since launched similar ventures, including Mega, and remains a controversial figure online. Dotcom is also active in political advocacy, founding the Internet Party in New Zealand. His outspoken nature and high-profile legal cases have kept him in public attention.

Aivaras Abromavičius was born in Vilnius, Lithuania in 1976 and built a career in finance before entering Ukrainian politics. In 2014, he was appointed Minister of Economic Development and Trade of Ukraine, where he led key anti-corruption and economic reform initiatives. Abromavičius advocated for transparency, deregulation, and foreign investment to stabilize Ukraine's economy amid political turmoil. He resigned in 2016 citing resistance to his reform agenda. After leaving government, he continued to work in the private sector and international development, promoting good governance and sustainable economic growth.