Elon Musk is thought by many to be the best CEO of all time, but he’s now revealed who he believes is the smartest CEO going around.
During a recent appearance on the podcast hosted by Senator Ted Cruz, Elon Musk delved into a fascinating discussion about intelligence and leadership. When asked about the smartest CEO he’d encountered, Musk’s response offered a glimpse into his perspective on what constitutes true brilliance in the business world. His answer was surprisingly nuanced, acknowledging the difficulty of quantifying intelligence while highlighting the achievements of several prominent figures.
“Who’s the smartest guy you’ve ever met? You hang out with some brilliant people. Other than yourself, what CEO do you say, ‘Damn, that guy’s good’?” US politician Ted Cruz asked him.
“Larry Ellison is very smart, Musk replied “So, there. Ellison’s one [of the] smartest people,” he added. Larry Ellison is the 80-year-old founder and CEO of Oracle, and among the richest men in the world.
Musk then mentioned Google co-founder and fomer CEO Larry Page. “You know, Larry Page…I mean, a lot of people that are very smart. It’s hard to say,” he said. Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos also made the list. “You know, Jeff [Bezos] has done a lot of difficult and significant things,” he said.
Musk then elaborated on the challenge of ranking intelligence: “You know, I think smart is as smart does. So, yeah, what have they done that is typical and significant?” Musk said. “I mean, there are a lot of smart humans. I call them ‘smart for a human.’ A lot of people who are in this ‘smart for a human’ category,” he joked.
Musk thus believes Oracle’s Larry Ellison, Google’s Larry Page, and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos are some of the smartest CEOs he’s ever seen. Musk believes that true intelligence isn’t just about raw intellectual horsepower, but also the ability to translate that intelligence into tangible, real-world impact. All these three CEOs have founded and led companies that have made tremendous impacts on the world.
This perspective aligns with Musk’s own trajectory. He’s known for his ambitious, often seemingly impossible, ventures like Tesla and SpaceX. These endeavors aren’t just technologically complex, they also require navigating intricate regulatory landscapes and overcoming significant logistical hurdles. His appreciation for those who tackle “difficult and significant things” may reflect his own experience and the unique challenges faced by CEOs at the helm of transformative companies. It also underscores the increasing complexity of the modern business world, where intelligence alone is insufficient for success. Leadership, vision, and the ability to execute complex strategies are equally, if not more, crucial.