Introducing Fast Company’s 10 Most Innovative People of the Last 10 Years

In honor of Fast Company’s 10th Innovation Festival next week, we identified the industrious leaders whose groundbreaking efforts defined the past decade in business. We spoke to them about their extraordinary achievements in tech, medicine, entertainment, and more. And we explored how the impact of their work has withstood passing fads, various presidential administrations, a pandemic, and many, many quarterly reports. These are the 10 most innovative people of the last 10 years.

José AndrésChef and founder, José Andrés Group; Founder, World Central Kitchen

Jennifer DoudnaFounder, Innovative Genomics Institute; Professor of Chemistry, University of California, Berkely

Lina KhanChair, Federal Trade Commission

Pat McGrathFounder, Pat McGrath Labs

Lin-Manuel MirandaSongwriter, actor, director, producer

Satya NadellaCEO, Microsoft

Sara NelsonPresident, Association of Flight Attendants

Issa RaeActor and producer; Founder, Hoorae

Ryan ReynoldsCofounder, Maximum Effort; Chief creative officer, MNTN

Ted SarandosCo-CEO, Netflix