November 20

Born in Niš in 1783, Sinas built his fortune in Vienna through trade and banking. He founded the Banking House of Sinas, which supported railway and bridge construction across Europe. A patron of the Greek War of Independence, he provided funds and diplomatic support. He served as Bavarian consul general in Athens and supported the restoration of the Acropolis. His philanthropy extended to arts and sciences, endowing the National Observatory of Athens.

Édouard Leclerc (1926–2012) started his first self-service grocery store in Brittany in 1949, pioneering a new model of cooperative purchasing and discount retail. His innovative approach challenged traditional merchants and led to the rapid expansion of the E.Leclerc brand across France. By focusing on low prices, customer choice, and autonomous stores, he reshaped the French retail landscape. Leclerc also championed consumer rights and was involved in various social initiatives to improve food accessibility. Under his leadership, the cooperative grew into one of Europe's largest retail networks. He remained actively involved in the business until his death, leaving a legacy as a visionary in modern commerce.

Jerry Colangelo is a leading American sports executive known for building the Phoenix Suns NBA franchise. He served as the Suns' general manager and president from their inception in 1968 through the early 2000s. Under his leadership, Phoenix became a perennial playoff team and a model for modern NBA operations. Colangelo later acquired the Arizona Diamondbacks, guiding the Major League Baseball franchise to a World Series title in 2001. As chairman of USA Basketball, he oversaw multiple Olympic gold medal teams and global competitions. His innovative approaches in team management and sports marketing have left a lasting impact on American sports.

David Douglas-Home inherited the title of 15th Earl of Home in 1995 and balanced his responsibilities as a hereditary peer with a career in international business. He held leadership roles in banking and energy sectors, bringing strategic vision to corporate boards. In the House of Lords, he sat as a crossbench peer from 1995 until the House of Lords Act 1999 removed most hereditary seats. He remained an active voice on economic and foreign policy and was known for his commitment to public service. An advocate for education and the arts, he supported several UK institutions and scholarship programs. He passed away in 2022, remembered for bridging business acumen with public duty.

Born in 1951, David Walters began his career in the private sector before entering politics. As the 24th Governor of Oklahoma, he oversaw state government operations and public programs. Walters has engaged in various business ventures, leveraging his expertise in finance and management. After leaving office, he continued to participate in civic and philanthropic activities. His work bridges public policy and entrepreneurship, reflecting his commitment to community development.

Born in 1955, Ray Ozzie launched Iris Associates to develop Lotus Notes, pioneering groupware software. His innovation led Lotus to acquire Iris in 1987, cementing Notes as a leading collaboration platform. In 2005, he founded Groove Networks, which Microsoft acquired, and in 2006 he succeeded Bill Gates as Chief Software Architect. At Microsoft, Ozzie championed cloud computing with Azure and Office 365. His work has shaped modern collaborative and cloud-based software.

David Einhorn is an American investor and hedge fund manager who founded Greenlight Capital in 1996. He gained prominence for his value-oriented investment style and outspoken activism in corporate governance. Einhorn’s early success included correctly shorting Enron and holding influential positions on shareholder boards. He authored the best-selling book 'Fooling Some of the People All of the Time', detailing his investment battles and philosophy. Beyond finance, Einhorn is noted for his philanthropic efforts in education and renewable energy research. His career has made him a respected, if sometimes controversial, figure in the financial world.