Andrea Levy
Born to pioneering parents who sailed on the Empire Windrush, the award-winning novelist frequently examines the experiences of Jamaican migrants in Britain.
Levy only started writing in her thirties after enrolling in Alison Fell’s Creative Writing class. She continued on the course for seven years.
2004 It was her fourth novel “Small Island” (2004) that catapulted Levy to critical acclaim placing her in a new literary league. The fictional story telling a tale of racism and identity scooped three awards including Whitbread Book of the Year, the Orange Prize and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize.
2006 In 2006, “Small Island” was made into a two part television drama and was broadcast on the BBC.
2014 In 2014 Levy tried her hand at shorter prose, her short book “Six Stories and an Essay” was described by Katy Guest in "The Independent" as “a slight collection, but full of important insights.”
Considering herself as a “Black British writer” Levy initially struggled with publishers but is now one of the leading lights of the British literary scene.
After publishing novels, writing short stories and judging literary prizes, who knows what Andrea Levy will do next?
Joseph Pulitzer
The Hungarian-American newspaper publisher goes down in the history books for helping keep the Statue of Liberty in New York.
Pulitzer originally moved to America to become a soldier in the Union Army. He fought during the Civil War, and served for eight months in a battalion of German-speakers. As a result, he didn't become fluent in English until after the war ended.
1874In 1872, Pulitzer bought the "St. Louis Post" for $3,000. He later went on to purchase a German newspaper and sold it for a $20,000 profit. He used his profits to help pay for his political activities and for law school.
1883At 36 years old, Pulitzer purchased the "New York World" paper from businessman Jay Gould for $346,000, with a main focus of "exposing all fraud and sham, fight all public evils and abuses".
1889Pulitzer always had problems with his vision, which resulted in him being turned down for the army in Europe in his early years. In 1889, he went blind.
1911After Pulitzer passed away, he provided $2,000,000 for the establishment of a school of journalism at Columbia University which was stated in his will.
The Pulitzer prizes have been awarded for more than a century. Some of the most prolific winners include Harper Lee, William Faulkner and "The Washington Post" - who is your favourite Pulitzer winner?
Evgeny Lebedev
The Russian-British businessman and journalist is most known for turning around the fortunes of the “London Evening Standard” and massively increasing the profitability of “The Independent” newspaper following its digital only transition.
The 80s saw the birth of Evgeny Alexandrovich Lebedev in Moscow, Russia. Lebedev migrated to London aged eight.
2009In 2009, Lebedev and his father bought a 65% share in the “London Evening Standard” newspaper. This became one of the most iconic milestones of Lebedev’s career and brought him to greater prominence in the UK.
In addition to the “London Evening Standard”, Lebedev purchased “The Independent” and “The Independent on Sunday” only a year later at a time of failing newspaper circulations and title closures worldwide. This risky move proved to be worth it as he guided “The Independent” to a digital only newspaper.
2015Lebedev worked with Space for Giants in 2015 to launch the Giants Club initiative. This initiative works to unite leaders of African states and heads of businesses to save Africa’s elephant population.
2010Becoming a UK citizen in 2010, Lebedev travels and has interviewed global leaders and key political figures including Hamid Karzai, Alexander Lukashenko and Ismail Haniyeh. He also investigated the drug wars in Mexico in 2014.
With a strong interest in the arts, Lebedev currently supports Moscow Arts Theatre and is Chairman of the "Evening Standard Theatre Awards". He continues to strengthen his newspapers and most recently hired George Osborne as "London Evening Standard" editor.
Arianna Huffington
The Greek-born businesswoman and author co-founded the popular “Huffington Post” and is a key figure in media and American politics.
In addition to her Greek roots, Arianna Huffington has spent significant time in the United Kingdom, moving there aged 16. Huffington eventually moved to the United States aged 30 after a romantic breakup.
1971Whilst in the United Kingdom, Huffington became the first foreign and third female President of the Cambridge Union.
1973The early 70s saw Huffington release “The Female Woman”, a book attacking the Women’s Liberation movement. She would later become a prominent media personality representing a traditionally Republican view of politics, before becoming a vocal liberal in the late 90s and beyond.
2006Fifteen years after becoming a naturalised American Citizen, Arianna Huffington founded “The Huffington Post” (later to be known as "The HuffPost") in 2006.
2016In 2016, Huffington received an honorary degree from Colby College in Maine, United States.
As a key media figure and influencer, Arianna Huffington continues to work in business and most recently became the public face of taxi brand Uber.
Andy Warhol
The artist who was born to Slovakian parents, is best known for his contribution to the pop art movement. He produced work that is still loved today.
Warhol was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Slovakian immigrant parents. His father was a labourer and his mother cleaned houses.
You may know Warhol as an artist, but one of his earlier jobs in the 1950s was for the magazine, “Glamour”, where he wrote an article titled; “Success is a Job in New York”.
Warhol was credited as producer of The Velvet Underground’s first album, “The Velvet Underground and Nico” but his greatest contribution to the band's success was likely the iconic 'banana' cover art of the album.
1967 Warhol was one of the founding artists of the New York Academy of Art in 1980, an art university that combines technical training in fines arts and traditional methods and techniques.
1987 The “Andy Warhol Museum” was built in Warhol’s memory and has seven floors, with over 77 sculptures, 900 paintings, 2,000 paper works, 1,000 prints, 4,000 photographs and 4,350 films and videos. It stands in Warhol’s hometown of Pittsburgh.
1994 The “Andy Warhol Museum” was built in Warhol’s memory, and has seven floors, with over 77 sculptures, 900 paintings, 2,000 paper works, 1,000 prints, 4,000 photographs and 4,350 films and videos. It stands in Warhol’s hometown for Pittsburgh.
Lupita Nyong’o
The award-winning Kenyan-Mexican actress made famous for her role in “12 Years A Slave”, was born in Mexico City to Kenyan parents. She lived in Kenya before moving to the United States.
Nyong’o started her career working within film production. Amongst others, Nyong’o cites Ralph Fiennes as someone who inspired her to pursue acting.
2009Nyong’o has famously studied her craft. In 2009 she enrolled in a Master’s degree programme in Acting at the Yale School of Drama where she appeared in many productions. She later won the Herschel Williams Prize for “Acting students with outstanding ability.”
2013Nyong’o’s breakthrough role with “12 Years A Slave” led to her winning many awards. Most noticeably she became the first African actress to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She also became the first Kenyan actress to win an Oscar, and the first Mexican to win the award.
20142014 proved to be a busy year for Nyong’o. She was chosen as a face of Miu Miu’s spring campaign, named “The Most Beautiful Woman” by "People" magazine and became the new face of Lancôme being the first black woman to appear on the brand.
2015In 2015, Voza Rivers, the head of the New Heritage Theatre Group and Congressman Charles Rangel surprised Nyong’o by announcing October 20th as Lupita Nyong’o day in Harlem.
2018Nyong’o will soon be seen in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" and will appear in the upcoming film "Black Panther" film in 2018. Nyong’o currently resides in Brooklyn, New York.
Natalie Portman
A Jerusalem-born, award-winning actress, Natalie Portman is best known for her roles in the "Star Wars" series and "Black Swan".
1981Born Neta-Lee Hershlang, Portman was brought into the world in Jerusalem in 1981. She moved to the United States three years later and has dual American and Israeli citizenship.
1994Portman made her film debut in the French thriller, "Leon: The Professional", shortly after securing the role she took her paternal grandmother’s maiden name “Portman” as a stage name, later citing privacy and family identity reasons for the switch.
1999In 1999, the actress made a debut as Padmé Amidala in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace", continuing with the role in Episode II and Episode III. Once quoted as saying that she would 'rather be smart than a movie star', Portman skipped the premiere of her film "Star Wars: Episode I" so she could study for her final exams.
2011Portman’s role as The Swan Queen in "Black Swan" strengthened her career and won her an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.
2015In February 2015, Portman was amongst other prolific alumni of Harvard University who wrote an open letter to the school demanding it divest its $35.9 billion endowment from coal, gas and oil companies.
2017Portman missed the 2017 Oscar ceremony after giving birth to her second child. Portman continues to act and is represented by Creative Artists Agency.
Freddie Mercury
Born on the Tanzanian island of Zanzibar, the music legend brought us some of the most iconic musical hits in the world.
Born Farrokh Bulsara on the island of Zanzibar, Mercury didn't actually move to England until he was in his teenage years.
1973Queen’s first album, titled “Queen” was released in 1973 and brought Mercury and his band into the limelight.
You may know him as the “Don’t Stop Me Now” frontman, but did you know that Mercury also put out two solo albums and several singles? Although his solo work was not as commercially successful as most Queen albums, he still got into the top 10 of the UK Music Charts.
1975One of Queen’s biggest hits “Bohemian Rhapsody”, held the number one position in the charts for an astonishing nine weeks.
1994Mercury was referenced in Kurt Cobain’s suicide note which mentioned how Cobain admired and envied the way Mercury “seemed to love, relish in the love and adoration from the crowd”.
Summary 1991 was a sad year for the music industry as Mercury passed away. He left behind iconic hits that would still be loved and played decades later.
Harry Houdini
The Hungarian illusionist is best known for his sensational escape acts which resulted in him being awarded a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
1874Harry Houdini, born Erik Weisz, was brought into the world in March 1874 in Budapest, Hungary. He later moved to Wisconsin, USA, with his family, where his father served as a Rabbi.
18911891 saw the start of Houdini’s magic career, after the received his big break thanks to his handcuffs act.
1911In 1911, Houdini was challenged by a group of American businessmen to escape from the belly of a 1,550 pound “sea monster” that had washed up in a harbour. Houdini was handcuffed, shackled in leg irons and wedged inside the carcass but nevertheless emerged triumphant after escaping in just 15 minutes.
You may know Houdini for his magic career, but he was also an American patriot and avid supporter of the U.S. involvement in World War I. He even cancelled his touring season to devote himself to entertaining soldiers and raising money for the war effort.
1926Since the 1930s, fans have held Houdini séances every Halloween in an attempt to communicate with the magician’s ghost.
On Halloween in 1926, Houdini passed away and left behind a legacy that is still remembered today.
Markus Persson
The Swedish video game developer who developed the hugely successful "Minecraft."
1979The late 70s saw the birth of Markus Alexej Persson, who was born in Stockholm, Sweden to a Finnish Mother and a Swedish Father.
2004By the age of 18, Persson landed a programming job at Midasplayer, later rebranded as King.com, the developers of the giant mobile app "Candy Crush."
2009In 2009, at Midasplayer, Persson befriended Jakob Porser and the two quickly gathered attention from other game companies for their talent. Persson left Midasplayer and built "Minecraft" in a week.
2014Despite setting up his own company with Porser for "Minecraft" (Mojang games) Persson was growing tired of the development grind. In June 2014, he tweeted out whether anybody wanted to buy his stake in Mojang. He sold it to Microsoft for $2.5 Billion in March 2015 and celebrated by buying a Beverly Hills Mansion for $70 million.
Did you know that Persson’s nicknames include "Notch" or "xNotch"?
Now, Persson has a number of active projects on the go and is looking into other game development options.
Mo Farah
A Somalia-born sporting legend, Mo Farah wrote himself into the history books for his heroics in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
1983Mo Farah was born in 1983 in Somalia. He later moved to England when he was eight years old to join his father, who was born in London.
Farah won the first of five English school titles in cross-country championships, which convinced athletics philanthropist Eddie Kulukundis to pay the legal fees to complete his naturalisation as a British citizen.
2011You may know Farah for his sporting triumphs, but he also has an active role in philanthropic initiatives. He launched the Mo Farah Foundation after a trip to Somalia in 2011.
Did you know that Farah is an avid fan of Arsenal F.C and has indicated his desire to become its fitness coach when he retires?
2012Farah is known for his signature pose, the “Mobot” and this was first introduced following a television appearance on “A League of Their Own”.
The 10 successive global title winner was awarded a CBE for his services to athletics in 2013. He completed his last ever major track race in August 2017.
Chris Froome
Born in Nairobi, Kenya, Froome is a modern giant of British cycling. Chris Froome joined the very exclusive club of British Tour De France winners, winning the competition for the fourth time this year.
With British parents, Froome grew up in Kenya and South Africa but has ridden under a British licence since 2008.
2006Froome caught the eye of Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford at the young age of 21. This was due to strong performances for Kenya in the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.
2007After turning professional in 2007, Froome won his first professional race, the second stage of the Giro del Capo in Durbanville, South Africa.
2013Froome was crowned winner of the Tour De France in 2013, having helped Bradley Wiggins win the competition the year before.
2017Froome won his fourth Tour De France in 2017 writing his name in history of British Cycling.
Froome is now the reigning Tour de France champion and is one of the most successful riders in the history of the Tour after winning it four times in 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017.
Anthony Joshua
Born to a Nigerian mother and British father of Nigerian and Irish descent, Joshua is a boxing superstar who turned his back on crime to become the world’s best.
2007Joshua began boxing aged 18 in 2007 after his cousin suggested he take up the sport.
2009In 2009, Joshua's misdemeanors led to him experiencing a stay in Reading Prison and being made to wear an electronic tag on his ankle when released. Focusing on his boxing he turned his life around, leaving crime in the past.
2010In 2010, his success earned him a place on the GB Boxing team and later that same year he became British amateur champion at the GB Amateur Boxing Championships.
2013He was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2013.
You may know him as a boxer but did you know that Joshua has an interest in chess and reading as a way to reinforce his boxing and tactical abilities?
2017Anthony Joshua's amazing focus has rewarded him with World Championship title after defeating Wladimir Klitschko.
Lou Gehrig
Born as Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig to German migrants, Lou Gehrig was the American baseball legend who has left a lasting impact on the game, and the world.
1903Born in 1903 in New York, he was the second of four children of German immigrants, Christina Foch and Heinrich Gehrig.
1926Having joined the New York Yankees in 1923, Gehrig enjoyed a breakout season, batting an American League leading 20 triples and 16 home runs.
1932In 1932, Gehrig became the first player in the 20th Century to hit four home runs in a game.
1939After a barnstorming career, winning 6 World Series Titles, he was tragically diagnosed with ALS and was forced to retire.
1941A monument in Gehrig's honor, originally dedicated by the Yankees in 1941, currently resides in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium. In addition to this, The Lou Gehrig Memorial Award is given annually to the MLB player best exhibiting his integrity and character.
Lou Gehrig died at the age of 37. His wife, Eleanor, dedicated the rest of her life to researching what is now known as Lou Gehrig's disease. Awareness of the disease reached new heights more recently through the Ice Bucket Challenge.
Hope Solo
Born in Washington, Solo’s Italian-American father taught her to play soccer at a young age. She is now widely regarded as one of the top female goalkeepers in the world and currently holds the U.S. record for most career clean sheets.
In Richland High School, Solo played forward and scored 109 goals leading her team to three league titles between 1996 to 1998 as well as a state championship in her senior year.
2011During the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, her exceptional skill was highlighted during a quarter-final match against Brazil, which the U.S. won on penalty kicks. She received the Golden Glove award for best goalkeeper as well as the Bronze Ball award for her overall performance at the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
2012Solo received her second Olympic gold medal in 2012 at London, and went on to publish her best-selling autobiography "Solo: A Memoir of Hope."
2015As the starting goalkeeper at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup, Solo helped the U.S. win the national team’s third World Cup Championship since 1991. The final was the most watched televised soccer game ever in the United States.
2016From 2016, Solo has racked up several U.S. goalkeeper records including most appearances (202), starts (190), wins (153), shutouts (102) wins in a season (26), as well as consecutive minutes played (1,256), and longest undefeated streak (55 games).
Surprisingly, Hope Solo is not currently playing for her national team. Following controversies at the 2016 Rio Olympics, US Soccer suspended Solo for sixth months and terminated her national contract.
Sadiq Khan
The first Muslim Mayor of London and former Labour MP for Tooting, born to Pakistani parents.
You may know Khan for his political work, but he actually started his career as a human rights solicitor.
2005After studying law at University of North London, he went on to become London’s youngest councillor, aged 23. He also became the first Muslim Member of Parliament to be elected in London, in 2005.
2005Keen to connect British Muslims with communities, Khan has written a book titled, “Fairness Not Favours: How to reconnect with British Muslims”
20162016 saw Khan become the first Muslim Mayor of London, after battling a hard-fought and occasionally personal campaign against the Conservative candidate, Zac Goldsmith.
In addition to becoming London’s first Muslim mayor, he also won the election with a landmark majority - the biggest mandate of any London mayor in history.
The politician now focuses on a variety of issues to help make living and working in London easier for its residents. Among many other topics, he is currently campaigning for a zero-tolerance policy on acid attacks, greater access to social housing and a 30% increase in London tourism by 2025.
Gina Miller
Born Gina Nadira Singh in British Guiana, Miller is a perennial fighter who won't go quietly. Gina Miller took on the Government and won.
2009Having been sent to England by her parents at the age of 10 in 1975, Gina gained a degree in Marketing and an MSc in Human Resource Management at the University of London. In February 2009 she co-founded SCM Private (now SCM Direct), an investment firm, with her husband Alan Miller.
2009In January 2009, Gina Miller set up the “True and Fair” campaign which sought greater transparency in the financial markets. Worried bosses called her a disgrace, stating that her lobbying efforts would bring down the entire city.
2016In 2016, having been a Remain supporter, Gina Miller sought to challenge Brexit, arguing that the Government should have to pass a vote on the issue.
2016After a difficult battle, in January 2016 Gina Miller won her case by a High Court ruling majority of 8-3.
2017Although you may know her as the woman who took on the Government in court, did you know that Miller organised a crowdfunding campaign to back candidates opposed to a Hard Brexit in the 2017 general election? By the 21st April 2017, the campaign had raised more than £300k.
Gina Miller is a prime example of being brave within politics. Miller has admitted that she has been threatened multiple times in 2017 and fears leaving her home. Despite this, Miller has continued to stand up for what she believes in.
Barack Obama
The first African-American President of the USA and a man who gave to hope to millions.
1961Born to Barack Obama Sr and Ann Dunham in 1961, a Kenyan father and an American mother.
1981After enrolling at Occidental College in 1979, Obama made his first public speech, calling for the College to disinvest from South Africa in response to Apartheid.
2004In 2004, having lectured at the University of Chicago Law school for 12 years, Obama ran for the Senate elections in Illinois. He won with over 70% of the vote.
2008Obama ran against John McCain and became the first African-American President in history in 2008.
2012Obama successfully won another Election, beating Mitt Romney in 2012 and left office with polling figures heralding him as one of the most popular outgoing US Presidents of all time.
Despite no longer serving as President, Barack Obama continues to comment on live political issues and has so far retained widespread public appeal.
Rupert Murdoch
Born in Australia, Murdoch is one of the most influential media moguls the world has ever seen.
1931Keith Rupert Murdoch was born in 1931 to parents of Scottish and Irish descent.
1969Already owning some Australian media outlets, in 1969 Murdoch expanded into the UK and took over “News of the World”. Murdoch later took over “The Sun”, now the UK's most popular print newspaper and a great influencer of public opinion; as claimed in 1992 with Neil Kinnock surprisingly defeated at the last minute by The Sun's preferred candidate.
1981Despite primarily owning tabloids, Murdoch bought “The Times” in 1981 - this was his first British broadsheet.
1985Further developing his media empire, in 1985 he acquired “Twentieth Century Fox”, the corporation behind the blockbuster films: "Deadpool", "Avatar" and "X-Men".
2016Through his various newspapers in the UK, Murdoch has been attributed as a major influence in the UK's decision to leave the European Union, having described Brexit as "wonderful."
2017Though advancing in years and recently married to modelling icon Jerry Hall, Murdoch continues to hold a heavy influence over politics.
Madeleine Albright
Born in Prague, Albright later went on to become the first woman to be the United States Secretary of State.
1948Due to the signing of the Munich Agreement and the disintegration of Czechoslovakia, Albright was forced to flee her native land to escape the Nazis. Albright moved to England, and then to the U.S. in 1948.
After her family moved to Washington D.C., she became more involved in politics, as she served as Senator Edmund S. Muskie’s Chief Legislative Assistant.
19971997 saw Albright become the 64th Secretary of State. At the time of her appointment, she was the highest-ranking woman in the history of the U.S. government.
Despite being known for her political career, Albright is also an author and has written five books.
2001In 2001, Albright became the Michael and Virginia Mortara Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy.
2001Albright has made history with her political achievements. As well as becoming a well-known speaker, she also became the chairman of the board for the National Democratic Institute in 2001, a position she still currently holds.
Marie Curie
Born in Poland but resident for many years in France, Marie Curie is one of the most iconic scientists of all time having discovered two elements. The Marie Curie Foundation is (of course) named after her.
1867Marie Curie was born Maria Sklodowska in Warsaw, Poland and was the youngest child with four older siblings. She moved to France in 1891 to start higher education at Sorbonne University where she studied Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics.
1898In 1898 after realising that pitchblende was four times more radioactive than Uranium itself, Marie Curie began systematically working to isolate what she believed was an undiscovered element - this led to her discovery of Polonium. Further research with her husband Pierre Curie led to the discovery of a second element which was named Radium, and the phrase radioactivity was subsequently coined. The Curies published 32 scientific papers, one of which announced that when exposed to Radium, tumour cells were destroyed more quickly than healthy cells.
1914One of the first mobile X-ray machines named “Petit Curies” was created in 1914 and Curie and her daughter headed to the front lines of the First World War to x-ray soldiers’ wounds to locate bullets and shrapnel.
1934Curie passed away in 1934 due to Aplastic Anemia. It was believed that this was caused by her chronic exposure to radiation as it was unknown at the time the dangers of radiation in relation to health. Her papers are now kept in lead lined boxes.
1948The Marie Curie Foundation was formed in 1948 and was named in honour of Curie and her achievements.
1995Sixty years after her death, both Curie and her husband’s remains were transferred to Paris to be interred in honour of their achievements. Curie became the first woman to be entombed on her own merits in the Pantheon of Paris.
Alfred Noble
The Swedish inventor who invented dynamite brought us the Nobel Prize, one of the most significant international awards.
1833Alfred Bernhard Nobel was born in October 1833 in Stockholm, Sweden.
From his father’s side, Nobel was a descendant of the Swedish scientist Olaus Rudbeck. Nobel quickly developed an interest in engineering, particularly explosives, learning the basic principles from his father at a young age.
1842In 1842, the inventor moved to Saint Petersburg, along with his family to join his father who has grown successful as a manufacturer in the city.
1867Nobel experienced his breakthrough in 1867 when his invention Dynamite, was patented and demonstrated for the first time in Surrey in that year.
1895The Nobel Prize series of awards was established by the will of the inventor in 1895, and Nobel Prizes have been awarded from 1901 onwards to prominent figures across a wide range of fields.
1896Nobel passed away in 1896 however, his legacy and name live on through the esteemed Nobel prizes. Some of the most famous Nobel prize winners include Marie Curie, Nelson Mandela and Ernest Hemingway.
Marissa Mayer
Born to a mother of Finnish descent, the former president and CEO of Yahoo! has had key roles in Google. Mayer has also been featured in “Fortune” magazine's list of America's “50 Most Powerful Women in Business” for six consecutive years.
1975Marissa Ann Mayer was born in 1975 in Wisconsin, to a Finnish art teacher mother and American father.
1997Following her high school education where she excelled at Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Calculus, Mayer went on to pursue Science and Engineering as her career. In 1997, Mayer went on to graduate with honours from Stanford university with a B.S. in Symbolic Systems, and she later graduated with an M.S. in Computer Science in 1999.
1999Mayer made history in 1999 when she became Google’s first female engineer - at the time she’d received 14 job offers. At Google she coded and worked on search offerings as a Silicon Valley pioneer.
2012Embracing a career in tech, Mayer was appointed president and CEO of Yahoo! On July 16, 2012.
2017In June 2017, Mayer announced her resignation from Yahoo!, having stewarded the company towards a multi-billion dollar sale to Verizon.
Mayer has achieved both positive and negative press attention but has continued to forge a path in tech. Playing on a Vince Lombardi quote she famously once stated that her priorities are “God, family and Yahoo!, except I'm not that religious, so it's really family and Yahoo!”. Few predict that she will stay out of tech for long following the Verizon acquisition.
Albert Einstein
Born in 1879 in Ulm, Germany, the renowned theoretical physicist brought us the theory of relativity and goes down in the history books for the mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2.
1909Following his education, Einstein became a lecturer at the University of Bern. After giving a lecture on electrodynamics the following year, the principal of the University of Zurich recommended him to the faculty. Einstein became an associate professor in 1909.
1911In 1911, Einstein produced a formula to describe the relationship between mass and energy, the well-known but little-understood equation E=mc2.
1916Only five years later in 1916, the early 20th century saw Einstein's final form on general relativity published.
1940Having lived in the USA since 1933 following the swift rise to power of the Nazi regime, Einstein's Jewish heritage made a return impossible, and he finally became an American citizen in 1940.
You may know him as the famous scientist but did you know that he was also passionate about civil rights? Considering racism a disease, Einstein gave speeches about racism in America famously stating “I do not intend to be quiet for it.” One Princeton resident remembered Einstein paying the college tuition for an African-American student.
Einstein’s achievements and knowledge have firmly embedded him within culture and history with his name becoming synonymous with the word “genius”.
Elon Musk
Born in South Africa, the investor is most well known for growing PayPal, being chairman of Tesla and creating SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company.
1971Born in 1971, Elon Reeve Musk was born in South Africa to a Canadian mother and South African father.
1989Just before his 18th birthday in 1989, Musk moved to Canada and gained Canadian citizenship through his Canadian-born mother.
20022002 proved to be an eventful year for Musk; two short years after being removed as CEO of PayPal, he gained American citizenship as well as founding SpaceX - an American aerospace manufacturer. Developing and manufacturing space launch vehicles with an emphasis on advancing the state of rocket technology, the first two aircrafts created were Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets - not-so-subtly referencing Star Wars’ Millennium Falcon. Four years later, SpaceX was awarded a contract from NASA to support development of further launch vehicles.
2004Musk joined Tesla in 2004 which is arguably one of his most famous roles. Musk actively managed the Roadster product design but did not involve himself with day-to-day business operations. Following the financial crisis in 2008, Musk rose to the challenge and assumed leadership as both a product architect as well as the CEO. Delivering cars and electric powertrain systems, Musk was able to bring in both Daimler and Toyota as long-term investors in Tesla.
2016Continuing his vehicle and transport legacy, whilst stuck in traffic Musk created “The Boring Company” in 2016, an infrastructure and tunnelling company aiming for fast and hassle free travel.
With an abundance of ambition, Musk aims to reduce the cost of human spaceflight by a factor of 10. In addition to this, he previously stated in 2011 that he hopes to send humans to the surface of Mars within 10-20 years.