BEYONCÉ KNOWLES-CARTER

CEO, PARKWOOD ENTERTAINMENT

For two decades, her anthems have formed the soundtracks for virtually every modern women’s movement. Most recently, she has become a case study in the value of controlling one’s own global brand and owning one’s own intellectual property. Successfully using social media and innovative techniques to market her albums, she has repeatedly disrupted music’s business as usual. The 2013 surprise release of her namesake visual album resulted in record sales in the iTunes store, and she just keeps reinventing that wheel. From her 2010 creation of Parkwood Entertainment to last year’s announcement of a $60 million Netflix deal, Knowles-Carter has proven that she is way more than a multifaceted performer, she’s a significant employer of incredibly diverse talent and she’s become a business beast. Her partnership between her athletic apparel line, Ivy Park, and Adidas has made headlines as did a recently announced global agreement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing, covering her entire song catalog.

BACK TO 50 MOST IMPACTFUL WOMEN LISTING