Robin Zeng

Robin Zeng rode China’s EV boom to become the world’s battery king. CATL makes over a third of the world’s EV batteries, supplying global automakers like Tesla and Toyota as car fleets electrify. Zeng set up CATL in 2011 after Beijing required that foreign automakers transfer technology to a local company to qualify for EV subsidies. Despite being placed on a U.S. blacklist of “Chinese military companies” in January, CATL has nevertheless had a hugely successful year: The company’s secondary listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in May was the world’s largest IPO year to date.