Most Iconic Leaders to watch in 2026
Editor's Note
Leadership today is defined not by titles or influence alone, but by vision, resilience, and the ability to lead through constant change. In this special edition of Most Iconic Leaders to Watch in 2026, ValiantCXO shines a spotlight on exceptional individuals who are shaping industries, inspiring teams, and redefining what it means to lead with purpose in a complex global landscape.
The leaders featured in this issue stand apart for their clarity of thought and strength of character. They are innovators, strategists, and change-makers who balance bold decision-making with responsibility and long-term thinking. Whether navigating digital transformation, driving organizational growth, or building cultures rooted in trust and inclusion, these icons of leadership are setting benchmarks for the future.
As you explore their stories, we invite you to look beyond achievements and metrics to understand the values and mindset that power their success. At ValiantCXO, our mission is to celebrate leadership that creates impact beyond business—leadership that influences people, progress, and possibility. We hope this issue inspires you to lead with confidence, courage, and conviction in the year ahead.
Henry Wilson
Chief Editor, ValiantCXO Magazine
COVER STORY
Wissam J. El Akkawi: Designing Experiences, Leading with Purpose
Wissam J. El Akkawi, Founder and CEO of Fiesta Group, stands as a powerful example of how curiosity and vision can shape enduring leadership. What began in 1994 as a small creative experiment evolved into Fiesta Group—a multi-division enterprise spanning events, entertainment, fireworks, architecture, contracting, real estate, tourism, and media. His journey reflects a rare ability to see opportunity where others see limits, turning simple ideas into meaningful, large-scale experiences.
At the core of Wissam’s success is a deeply human leadership philosophy. He leads with trust, humility, and collaboration, believing that leadership is about guidance rather than authority. By empowering his teams to take ownership and innovate freely, he has built a culture where creativity thrives and long-term loyalty is the norm—an approach that continues to fuel sustainable growth across diverse industries.
As industries move toward AI-driven systems and experience-led economies, Wissam remains a leader to watch in 2026 for his balanced vision of technology and humanity. He embraces innovation as an enabler, not a replacement, of creativity and values. Focused on impact, integrity, and inspiration, Wissam J. El Akkawi represents the new-age iconic leader—one who builds not just businesses, but lasting legacies.
Featured
Designation
Discription
Wissam J. El Akkawi
Founder and CEO
Fiesta Group
Great stories often begin in unexpected places. For Fiesta Group, the story began in 1994 with a young architect, a small workspace in Beirut and a single balloon printing machine. Nothing about it suggested the beginnings of a major enterprise. But sometimes, a simple idea grows into something far beyond its original purpose. This is the story of Wissam J. El Akkawi, the founder and CEO of Fiesta Group. Over more than thirty years, he turned a one machine experiment into a group of companies that today works in events, entertainment, fireworks, architecture, contracting, real estate, tourism and media…
When Bruno Goulet founded Business in a Box (then Biztree) back in 2002, he wasn’t trying to build a software empire. He was trying to solve a problem he saw everywhere: Entrepreneurs drowning in paperwork. From contracts and proposals to HR policies and business plans, small business owners were wasting hours creating documents they didn’t have the time or expertise to draft. Bruno believed there had to be a better way. His vision was straightforward: give entrepreneurs a professional, trustworthy library of ready-to-use business documents so they could spend less time battling administrative tasks and more time building their companies…