Sun Yafang

The reclusive chairwoman, known as the “Queen of Huawei,” has made the telecom company one of the world’s leading telecommunications hardware suppliers. This year, Huawei pivoted from low-end smartphone models to high-end phones with wider profit margins. Global sales of phones priced at more than $300 rose by 70% in the first half of the year, positioning Huawei as China’s premier smartphone company abroad. Wang is also spearheading the company’s continued international expansion in Europe and emerging markets like Myanmar, where the company controls roughly half the smartphone market. —Claire Groden