The Year Ahead 2023

On the Hot Seat for 2023: Masayoshi Son, Changpeng Zhao and More

These business leaders—plus a major central bank and a politically charged investing style—face an especially challenging year.

Photo illustration: 731; Tree illustration: Camilo Medina; Photos: Alamy (3), AP Photo (1), Bloomberg (1), Getty Images (1)

Provide news feedback or report an error

Confidential tip?

Send a tip to our reporters

Site feedback:

Take our Survey

By Bloomberg Businessweek

January 13, 2023 at 7:00 AM EST

This article is for subscribers only.

This article is part of the January 16, 2023 issue of businessweek.

What do a deep-pocketed venture capitalist, an entertainment honcho, the chief of a sports apparel company, the founder of a crypto exchange, a major central bank and a brand of investing all have in common? (Don’t wrack your brain, this isn’t a riddle.) All are staring at a make-or-break year.

For years, SoftBank Group Chief Executive Officer Masayoshi Son directed unprecedented sums of money to hundreds of startups, inflating valuations worldwide by forcing rivals such as Tiger Global Management and Sequoia Capital to match his big bets.