Sundar Pichai surpasses Nadella as No. 1 global Indian leader:Google’s parent company valuation jumps 98% since 2024, Hurun report reveals

Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has moved ahead of Microsoft’s Satya Nadella to become the world’s leading Indian-origin business leader, according to Hurun’s Global Indian Leaders List 2026. Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO of Micron Technology, secured the third position. The ranking, released by research firm Hurun, highlights Indian-origin executives leading some of the world’s largest companies. Alphabet, Google’s parent company, has also overtaken Microsoft in company valuation, helping Pichai claim the top spot. Alphabet’s value rises 98% since 2024 Alphabet’s valuation has increased by 98% since 2024, while Microsoft’s value has declined by 17% during the same period. Alphabet is now valued at ₹395.19 lakh crore, according to the report. The change in rankings reflects the growth of Alphabet and the changing valuations of some of the world’s biggest technology companies. Micron records 1,174% growth amid AI demand Micron Technology, led by Sanjay Mehrotra, recorded the strongest growth among the companies highlighted in the report. Its valuation increased by 1,174% to ₹131.65 lakh crore, driven by rising demand for AI chips. YouTube CEO Neal Mohan and Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian also feature in the top five. Together, the companies led by these five executives have a reported combined valuation of around ₹855.82 lakh crore. 236 Indian-origin leaders head the world’s 200 largest companies The Hurun report identifies 236 Indian-origin leaders managing the world’s 200 largest companies. These businesses employ around 5.3 million people globally. Their combined valuation has reached $15 trillion (approximately ₹1,410.73 lakh crore), marking a 53% increase compared with 2024. AI accounts for more than half of the companies For the first time, Hurun has included artificial intelligence as a separate industry in its list. This category features 18 companies with a combined valuation of around ₹21.35 lakh crore. However, AI’s influence extends much further. As many as 103 of the 200 companies are either driven by or have integrated AI into their operations. Their combined valuation stands at approximately ₹1,006.18 lakh crore. AI is also shaping the startup ecosystem. Cursor, valued at $60 billion, emerged as the most valuable startup on the list. Seven of the 10 most valuable startups are AI-related, with all seven headquartered in the United States. US leads in Indian-origin business leaders The United States has the largest concentration of Indian-origin leaders, with 177 executives based there. Of these, 91 live in California, including 40 in San Francisco. The 2026 list also records Indian-origin business leadership across five continents. Africa has been included for the first time, with Arvind Pathak, managing director of the Dangote Group, representing the region. 16 women feature on the Hurun list The ranking includes 16 women leaders whose companies have a combined valuation of ₹65.73 lakh crore. Jayshree Ullal of Arista Networks tops the list of women leaders, followed by Reshma Kewalramani and Gunjan Kedia. The list also reflects a wide age range, from 23-year-old co-founders Adarsh Hiremath and Surya Midha to 79-year-old Romesh Wadhwani. The average age of the leaders is 55. IIT Delhi leads among Indian educational institutions Around 58% of the leaders completed their undergraduate or initial college education in India. IIT Delhi leads among Indian institutions, with 15 leaders, followed by the University of Mumbai with 12 and IIT Madras with 11. The report also highlights the role of overseas education. Around 73% of the leaders pursued postgraduate studies in the United States, with Stanford University being the most popular institution, attended by 19 of them.