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Most powerful: Fraudster
Bernard Madoff
Madoff will go down in history as the financial world’s most accomplished fraudster, after allegedly masterminding a $50bn Ponzi scheme.
Madoff, a former chairman of NASDAQ, duped monied clients into parting with billions of dollars, in what is thought to be the biggest financial scandal in Wall Street’s history. For more than a decade, his dazzling double-digit returns went unnoticed by US regulators — until the recession exposed the scam.
Such was his influence that when news broke of his arrest, stock markets worldwide plummeted. In the weeks that followed the global list of Madoff’s victims spiralled into the thousands. Some of the biggest losers included Fairfield Greenwich Group, which lost an estimated $7.5bn, and HSBC which lost an estimated $1bn.
Japan’s banking powerhouse Nomura was also hit to the tune of $300m, while US philanthropist Carl Shapiro and superstar director Stephen Spielberg reportedly lost millions.
Hundreds more ‘mini-Madoffs’ are now under investigation by US regulators for similar scams, in a trend dubbed ‘Ponzimonium’. The rise and fall of Madoff serves as warning – power can corrupt.
Most powerful: Car
SSC Ultimate Aero
There’s tough competition for the title of world’s most powerful car. Among those jostling for position include the Bugatti Veyron, the Hennessey Venom Viper, and the turbocharged Bristol Fighter T.
And these super-cars come in at super speeds — the Bugatti can hit 253mph, while the Bristol Fighter T claims a top speed of 270mph.
But the crème de la crème of street cars, according to the Guinness Book of Records, is the SSC Ultimate Aero. With a top — and tested — speed of 273mph, the car can reach 0 to 60mph in under three seconds and needs only around 100ft to get back down to zero.
It boasts 1,183hp and 1,094 foot-pounds of torque, meaning the Ultimate Aero’s turbocharged V8 has more horsepower than any other street-legal production car. In the automotive Power Lists, this car is top of the tree.
Still, those with a real need for speed might want to consider swapping the highroad for the high tides. With 108,920hp the Wartsila-Zulzer boat engine is the biggest reciprocating engine in the world. But at 2,300 tonnes, it’s unlikely to fit on your yacht.
Most powerful: Goal
El Salvador v Honduras
If you’re surprised to see a footballer gracing the list (No.41 Amr Zaki), don’t be. Never underestimate the power of the beautiful game. It can start wars.
In 1969, feuding South American countries Honduras and El Salvador were pitched against each in a number of qualifying matches for the 1970 FIFA World Cup. With tensions at fever pitch between the two countries, the first game resulted in a 1-0 Honduran win.
In the second, played nine days later, El Salvador snatched victory with a 3-0 win. The third and final match was played in riot conditions. Enraged fans surrounded the stadium, while media in both nations drummed up hostilities with front-page coverage of the rivalries underscoring the game.
El Salvador won 3-2. In the Guerra del Fútbol (Football War) that followed some 2,000 people were killed, the Salvadoran air force was all but wiped out and the Organisation of American States was forced to intervene to negotiate a cease-fire.
As legendary British football coach Bill Shankly once observed: “Some people believe football is a matter of life and death. I’m very disappointed with that attitude.”
“I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.”
Most powerful: Tycoon
Warren Buffett
Iconic investor Buffett might not be the richest man in the world — he is the second, according to Forbes magazine’s most recent listings — but in terms of influence he is unrivalled.
The Oracle of Omaha is likely the only chairman in the world whose annual company letter is as eagerly anticipated by news editors as by shareholders.
One of the most quoted businessmen Buffett recently compared the global downturn to “an economic Pearl Harbour”, observing that “you only find out who is swimming naked when the tide goes out”.
An early starter, Buffett filed his first tax return when he was 13. He has since built a multibillion fortune through his firm Berkshire Hathaway, the majority of which will be donated to charity after his death. His bridge partner is Bill Gates.
Despite his success, Buffett has remained modest. As he remarked to US President Barack Obama: “I happen to have a talent for allocating capital. But my ability to use that talent is completely dependent on the society I was born into. If I’d been born into a tribe of hunters, this talent of mine would be pretty worthless. I can’t run very fast. I’d probably end up as some wild animal’s dinner.”
Most powerful: Jet
F-22 Raptor stealth jet
This machine literally leaves all other models in its wake. Admittedly more of a military tool than a status symbol, the F-22 fighter is nevertheless the world’s most powerful jet.
Its top speed is thought to exceed 1,300mph, meaning it could travel from Dubai to London in less than three hours. Its stealth characteristics are the most sophisticated available — the jet is virtually invisible to radar — ensuring the city wouldn’t see it coming.
In excess of 62ft long, the F-22 is more than 16ft tall. Super stealthy, supersonic and super expensive, the jet costs a cool $339m and is currently owned exclusively by the US military.
The price tag on a new LearJet, the tycoon’s plane of choice, costs a mere $5m by comparison.
Most powerful: Athlete
Usain Bolt
Go back 12 months and Bolt was unheard of. What a difference a year makes. Bolt streaked his way into the limelight at last year’s Beijing Games, becoming the first man in history to win the 100m, 200m and team relay in a single Olympics.
Nicknamed ‘Lightning Bolt’, Usain lit up the track with a 9.69 second win in the 100m, scoring him the title of fastest man in the world.
It may even have been faster, had Bolt waited till he was past the line to start celebrating.
An avid Manchester United football supporter, Bolt is set to visit Old Trafford in May to share speed tips with Cristiano Ronaldo. Last year Bolt wrote to the footballer to ask for a signed jersey. Ronaldo agreed — in exchange for a one-to-one training session.
Posted by Abdullah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 6 October 2009 at 03:17 UAE time
I'm Saudi, and I don't think Fayez Al Maliki should make any list here. No disrespect, but he's no where near any influencial status, he's not the best saudi actor, he's not very popular. he's the subject of jokes. it's just that MBC and Rotana keeps enforcing him and other nobodys in our Ramadan after breakfast time! he's not the director, he's not the guy behind this (Prince Al-Waleed)...I'm not sure i'd be interested in reading your lists again if the #10 is a nobody!
Posted by umar farooq, Lahore, Pakistan on 24 July 2009 at 09:41 UAE time
Must be quite inetersting to know the Power 100
Posted by Sami, Beirut, Lebanon on 22 May 2009 at 19:08 UAE time
I can't deny that I'm a bit surprised with the list... Also surprised that many names are very new to me... But that's a good thing, for then I can search and find out who they are (tried it on some, and it's amazing what people have been achieving)...
But 2 quick remarks:
- Couldn't but be proud to be Lebanese, seeing that 17 names out of the hundred came out of our small country, which is war torn and has one of the lowest populations... I'm just wondering if all our Middle East finds peace, how much can we all achieve!
- One has to still admit that the ratio of men to women is quite high... Although some women made the list, but it's clear that we still live in a society that doesn't give women all the potential to realise themselves...
Great work and I have some more searching to do :)
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