As 2025 winds down, it’s becoming clear the year wasn’t just about dramatic headlines, but about the people who quietly, and sometimes loudly, changed the global script. From a political comeback in Washington and a historic rise in Tokyo to the stumbles of edtech giants and the arrival of “agentic AI,” these eight figures sat right at the centre of the world’s shifting balance
As the curtain falls on 2025, the year will be remembered not just for its volatile headlines, but for the people who reshaped the global order.
From the return of a political juggernaut in Washington to the rise of a historic leader in Tokyo, and from the collapse of edtech giants to the dawn of “Agentic AI,” these eight figures stood at the centre of the world’s gravity.
The disruptor’s return: Donald Trump
No person dominated the global news cycle quite like
Donald J. Trump. His inauguration as the 47th President of the United States on January 20, 2025, sent immediate shockwaves through international diplomacy. Trump’s “Golden Age” began with a flurry of executive orders aimed at dismantling federal bureaucracy through the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). His 2025 was defined by “common sense” populism and a radical reassertion of American sovereignty, forcing every world leader to recalibrate their relationship with a more isolationist, tariff-heavy United States.
The visionary of ‘Viksit Bharat’: Narendra Modi
While the West grappled with political upheaval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent 2025 cementing India’s status as a rising superpower. Marking 11 years in power, Modi’s government shifted its focus to “Saturation”—the ambitious goal of ensuring every citizen has access to basic digital and physical infrastructure. Under his leadership, India’s GDP growth hovered near 7%, and his successful diplomatic tightrope walk between the US and Russia solidified India as the “Vishwa Mitra” (Global Friend) in a fractured world.
Breaking the glass ceiling: Sanae Takaichi
In late 2025, Japan made history by electing Sanae Takaichi as its
first female Prime Minister. A hawk on national security and a pioneer in “crisis management investment,” Takaichi moved quickly to modernize Japan’s defense posture and secure its semiconductor supply chains. Her rise signaled a shift in East Asian politics, as she prioritized economic security and nuclear fusion energy, proving that 2025 was the year Japan stepped into a more proactive leadership role.
The engine of the AI age: Jensen Huang
While politicians redrew borders, Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, redrew the limits of human capability. In 2025, Huang became the face of the “Agentic AI” revolution. As Nvidia’s Blackwell chips became the most sought-after commodity on Earth, Huang’s influence transcended tech. He spent the year acting as a bridge between Silicon Valley and global governments, advising on “AI factories” and the re-industrialization of the global economy through automation.
The arbiter of global reform: Muhammad Yunus
In the wake of Bangladesh’s political transition, Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus emerged as a defining figure of 2025. Leading an interim government tasked with “cleansing” the nation’s systemic corruption, Yunus became a symbol of democratic resilience. His presence on the global stage in 2025 reminded world leaders that economic stability cannot exist without social justice, as he worked to rebuild a nation while maintaining its status as a global textile hub.
The titan of tech diplomacy: Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s 2025 was perhaps his most eclectic yet. Beyond leading SpaceX to new heights with the Starship programme, Musk’s appointment to the DOGE initiative in the Trump administration made him a formal architect of US policy. Simultaneously, his platform X (formerly Twitter) became the primary battleground for global discourse. Musk’s dual role as a government reformer and a private space pioneer made him the ultimate “Power Player” of the year.
The cautionary tale: Byju Raveendran
Not all who defined 2025 did so through triumph. Byju Raveendran became the year’s defining cautionary tale as his edtech empire, BYJU’S, faced a final, dramatic collapse. Entrenched in legal battles and held personally liable for billions in concealed funds by US courts, Raveendran’s fall from grace marked the end of the “growth-at-all-costs” era for Indian startups. His story forced a global reckoning on corporate governance and the sustainability of unicorn valuations.
The icon of excellence: Simone Biles
In the realm of culture and sports, Simone Biles redefined what it means to be a “Titan.” In 2025, Biles continued to dominate the narrative, not just through her unmatched athletic prowess, but through her advocacy for mental health and athlete safety. As she was named one of the most influential people of the year, Biles represented the human spirit’s ability to overcome systemic pressure, standing as a beacon of integrity in an era often dominated by data and politics.
A world transformed
The year 2025 was a year of “The builders” and “The disruptors.” Whether they were building new government frameworks, neural networks, or national identities, these eight individuals shared a common trait: they refused to accept the status quo.
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