Steve Jobs

Steven Paul Jobs (born February 24, 1955) is the co-founder and CEO of Apple and was the CEO of Pixar until its acquisition by Disney.^[2] He is currently the largest shareholder at Disney^[5] and a member of Disney's Board of Directors. He is considered a leading figure in both the computer and entertainment industries.^[6]

Jobs' history in business has contributed greatly to the mythos of the quirky, individualistic Silicon Valley entrepreneur, emphasizing the importance of design while understanding the crucial role aesthetics play in public appeal. His work driving forward the development of products that are both functional and elegant has earned him a devoted cult following.^[7]

Together with Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Jobs helped popularize the concept of the personal computer in the late '70s. In the early '80s, still at Apple, Jobs was among the first to see the commercial potential of the mouse-driven GUI.^[8] After losing a power struggle with Apple's board of directors in 1985, Jobs founded NeXT, a computer platform development company specializing in the higher education and business markets. NeXT's subsequent 1997 buyout by Apple brought Jobs back to the company he co-founded, and he has served as its chief executive officer since his return.