From no degree to PhD: how Fortune Future 50 CEOs are breaking the business education mold
Skills like adaptability and curiosity are increasingly driving success among the leaders of top-performing companies—not necessarily degrees like an MBA.
There is a constant desire to find the companies of tomorrow.
For the last seven years, Fortune has highlighted the companies that despite increasing competition and global volatility, are set down a path for long-term growth. The Future 50 list focuses on those likely to adapt, thrive, and grow—and serves in part as a guide for those seeking partners and role models.
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But for those looking to one day lead a company that may be the next big thing, the educational background of the Future 50 CEOs may surprise you.
No, they did not all attend an Ivy League institution or go to business school and get an MBA. The Fortune Future 50 leaders are computer scientists, physicists, and lawyers. They attended state flagship technology institutes in the U.S. and around the globe. Some didn’t even graduate college at all.
Traditional paths to leadership are evolving, especially in tech-driven industries, says Debanjan Saha, CEO of DataRobot, an AI application company that debuted at No. 24 on the Future 50 list.
“Degrees aren’t always necessary nor a requirement to lead a company, but a strong technical background is incredibly beneficial in running a technology-focused organization,” he says.
Saha is one of the unique stories, having first attended the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur and then later obtained a PhD in computer science from the University of Maryland.
“What stands out about PhDs and other advanced degrees is not just the technical expertise they represent, but the curiosity and commitment to learning they signify—qualities essential for leading in today’s rapidly changing environment. Ultimately, leadership success is shaped less by formal education and more by adaptability, vision, and the ability to inspire teams to solve complex problems,” he shares.
Tomer Weingarten, CEO of SentinelOne is on the opposite of the education spectrum. Weingarten did not attend college at all; in fact, he says he thought it was a “waste of precious time.”
“It was clear to me that going to college or university just to earn a degree and land a job to be able to be financially secure was not aligned with either the freedom I wanted to build or the speed with which I wanted to obtain knowledge,” he tells Fortune.
Instead, Weingarten bought programming books and explored the most advanced tech, like algorithms and cloud, on his own
“I continue to believe that integrity, ingenuity, relentlessness and acting with unwavering purpose and determination in everything you do are the keys to success in business and in life,” Weingarten says—who now leads the cybersecurity company at No. 37 on the Future 50 list.
Among Fortune 1000 CEOs, about 40% have MBAs, according to data collected earlier this year by Fortune.
