Fortune magazine's 40 Under 40 is a list of individuals the publication considers to be the most influential young leaders for the year. The list has existed in two phases: First, from 1999 to 2003, the list was presented purely as a numeric ranking of wealth, capturing the first dot com boom.^[1] The current iteration started in 2009 and is a subjective ranking of power and influence.^[2] The list includes business executives, political figures, sportsmen, fashion designers, and others who are under the age of forty years old.^[3] The majority of the list members are business executives from the tech industry.^[4]

The list often features business men and women who have made their names in various enterprises, and does not always choose candidates from blue chip industries.