Brian Chesky

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky has transformed the couch-surfing service he cofounded in 2007 into a home rental giant that has radically remade the travel industry. The company’s popularity, plus Chesky’s media-friendliness, has helped make him a kind of role model for the next generation of entrepreneurs. At the same time, Airbnb has become a major threat to hotel giants like Hilton and Hyatt, by siphoning away their customers. Chesky’s current mission is to expand Airbnb beyond its roots and into more of a one-stop travel shop. One idea is a service that lets homeowners hire hosts to manage their properties for them. A previously abandoned effort to sell tours and classes to customers will get a do-over next year.