Prime Highlights
- Boston-based leaders Abigail Johnson, Reshma Kewalramani, and Larry Culp earned spots on Fortune’s 2025 list of the 100 most powerful people in business.
- Their recognition reinforces Boston’s growing position as a hub for financial, biotechnology, and aerospace leadership.
Key Facts
- Abigail Johnson, CEO of Fidelity Investments, ranked 44th, moving up 20 places from last year; Reshma Kewalramani, CEO of Vertex Pharmaceuticals, ranked 62nd; and Larry Culp of GE Aerospace was included for the second consecutive year.
- Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang topped the 2025 list, with Nvidia also announcing plans for a new quantum computing research center in Boston.
Background
Three Boston-based business leaders have secured spots on Fortune magazine’s 2025 list of the 100 most powerful people in business, joining global leaders such as Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos.
Fidelity Investments CEO and Chair Abigail Johnson secured the 44th rank this year, moving up 20 spots from her previous position. Johnson was recognized for her leadership in one of the world’s largest financial firms and her growing influence in the investment industry.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ President and CEO, Reshma Kewalramani, secured the 62nd spot. She is credited with leading biotechnological innovation and increasing access to a cure for rare diseases, solidifying the position of Vertex as a key player in the healthcare industry across the globe.
The list once again included GE Aerospace Chairman and CEO Larry Culp, making it his second consecutive recognition. Formerly at the helm of General Electric, Culp was praised for overseeing GE’s restructuring into three separate public companies, a move that Fortune described as a smart and forward-looking decision.
Fortune stated that the ranking highlights leaders who can shape industries and influence future directions of business. While financial strength was a consideration, the magazine emphasized that power was measured more by impact and influence. Politicians, regulators, and inactive billionaires were not included in the assessment.
Topping the 2025 list is Jensen Huang, co-founder, president, and CEO of Nvidia. His company, which dominates the artificial intelligence chip market. Nvidia has just stated that they are to establish a quantum computing research center in Boston, citing the city’s high academic institutions and technical talent.
The presence of Johnson, Kewalramani, and Culp also reinforces the fact that Boston is an emerging financial, biotechnology, and aerospace leadership center.
