Chief Executive and Chairman, NantWorks

As a physician, South African-born Soon-Shiong developed therapies for diabetes and cancer including Abraxane, which is used for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, lung cancer and advanced pancreatic cancer. He made his fortune selling two companies he started: the $4.6 billion sale of generic drug company APP Pharmaceuticals in 2008 and the $3.8 billion sale of Abraxis Bioscience in 2010. He then funded and assembled several health care, technology and communications businesses under an umbrella company called NantWorks. In 2018, Soon-Shiong purchased the Los Angeles Times and several smaller publications for $500 million. Soon-Shiong topped the Business Journal’s 2021 list of Wealthiest Angelenos with a net worth of $20.4 billion.

YEARS ON THE LA500: 7