Climbers in the magazine's "New Establishment 2007" include New York Mayor and financial news kingpin Michael Bloomberg (ninth place from 36th last year). The highest new entry, at number 11, is Carlos Slim Helu, the Mexican telecommunications titan and art collector.
There is little science in lists such at these – the magazine weighs wealth (Slim has more money than anyone) and other such intangible factors as influence and general shininess. They are the people, allegedly, who shape our world.
Not so shiny is Sumner Redstone, 84, the head of Viacom, who plunges 40 points to 70th place after several nasty legal spats. Celebrities considered to have waned include Tom Hanks and Tom Cruise.
The top 20...
1. Rupert Murdoch
(last year: 1) He won the top spot last year for his purchase of MySpace.com. This year's booty: The Wall Street Journal
2. Steve Jobs
(3) Apple's iPod might have been in danger of becoming a bit 'yesterday' were it not for its beautiful spin-off, the iPhone
3. Sergey Brin and Larry Page
(2) The 'twins' continue to conquer the cyber-world from their Google headquarters. Latest acquisition: YouTube for $1.65bn
4. Stephen Schwarzman and Pete Peterson (34) Not household names perhaps, but the men behind the equity behemoth, the Blackstone Group
5. Warren Buffett (6) The long-reigning champion of savvy investing may be 76 but his Berkshire Hathaway generates $100bn a year
6. Bill Clinton (7) Still near the top nearly seven years after leaving office thanks to his charity works. Soon to be First Dude?
7. Steven Spielberg (10) Another old-timer with new projects afoot that include Indiana Jones 4 and a series of 3-D animations of Tintin
8. Bernard Arnault (19) Luxury brands under the control of his LVMH group range from Louis Vuitton to Fendi, Moet Hennessy, Dom Perignon and TAG Heuer
9. Michael Bloomberg (36) New York is buzzing along under his stewardship. With high approval ratings some think he will run for president
10. Bill and Melinda Gates (5, for Bill Gates; Melinda Gates appears for the first time) Bill may have been overtaken by Carlos Slim as the richest man, but he and his Missus are the biggest philanthropists ever
11. Carlos Slim Helú (new entry) Wealth counts. Fortune says he is the world's richest, with some 200 companies under his belt representing 7 per cent of Mexico's GDP
12. H. Lee Scott (4) Wal-Mart had to pop up sooner or later. But the chain has had its problems, so its CEO slips eight places
13. Ralph Lauren (21) His Polo Ralph Lauren brand continues to thrive with its preppy allure. Sales last year reached $4.3bn
14. Oprah Winfrey (9) She is down five points, but Oprah still rocks. Watch her wield her influence in the 2008 presidential derby
15. Barry Diller and Diane von Furstenberg (12) The power couple retain their wattage, with Barry astride the Web and wife set to open new shops worldwide for her fashions
16. David Geffen (22) Co-chief of the Dreamworks studio, this Hollywood shaker kept his coffers full in part by selling paintings by Jackson Pollock and others
17. Howard Stringer (14) For ever aloft commuting between New York, Toyko and London, the sociable (and Welsh) head of Sony got big help this year from Spiderman 3.
18. Richard Parsons (11) His Time Warner group seems to have regained its footing this year. Some say he wants to succeed Bloomberg as NY mayor
19. Al Gore (33) He rises ever higher like a blimp on the winds of global warming. Good concerts Al, now run for president (Not likely)
20. Larry Ellison (8) The long-time Silicon Valley honcho has steered his Oracle into more acquisitions while its stock soared 35 per cent
... and the rest
21. Herb Allen (48) Owner of Allen & Co, investment house
22. Jeff Bewkes (16) No 2 at Time Warner
23. Jeff Bezos (42) Amazon is his baby
24. Peter Chernin (15) Runs News Corp day to day
25. Leslie Moonves (18) CBS chief
26. Jerry Bruckheimer (28) Hollywood producer
27. George Clooney (23) Newly Oscared actor
28. Bono (24) Rock star/ campaigner for Africa
29. François Pinault (26) Luxury brands king/ art collector
30. Roman Abramovich (50) Russian oil mogul, financier
31. Ronald Perelman (31) Controls Revlon
32. Tom Hanks (25) Actor/producer
33. Jacob Rothschild (80) Financier
34. Robert De Niro (27) Actor/producer
35. Howard Schultz (new entry) Founder Starbucks
36. Robert Iger (13) Disney boss
37. Giorgio Armani (32) Fashion boss
38. Jeffrey Katzenberg (45) DreamWorks co-chief
39. Ronald Lauder and Leonard Lauder (40) Estée Lauder brothers
40. George Lucas (41) Producer, Lucas Films
41. Harvey Weinstein and Bob Weinstein (39) The Weinstein Company (films)
42. Diane Sawyer and Mike Nichols (47) TV anchor/film director
43. Bruce Wasserstein (38) Head of Lazard investment house
44. Miuccia Prada (58) Handbags etc
45. Steven Cohen (29) Financier – SAC Capital Advisers
46. Tom Cruise (35) Actor/producer
47. Jay-Z (46) Rapper/entrepreneur
48. Ron Meyer (returning) Universal Studios chief
49. Frank Gehry (77) Architect
50. Arnold Schwarzenegger (new entry) Governor of California
51. Henry Kravis (new entry) Private equity king
52. Karl Lagerfeld (60) Controls Chanel fragrances
53. Oscar and Annette de la Renta (65) Fashion couple
54. Martha Stewart (returning) Omnimedia chief
55. Mickey Drexler (84) Retail chief – J. Crew
56. Michael Moritz (new entry) Financier, Sequoia Capital
57. Brian Roberts (52) Head of Comcast, cable TV
58. Roger Ailes (44) Head of Fox News channel
59. Vivi Nevo (61) Investor, NV Investments
60. Mick Jagger (56) Rock star
61. Jeff Skoll (87) Film Producer
62. Vinod Khosla (new entry) Green technology investor
63. Diego Della Valle (new entry) Chief of luxury shoe giant, Tod's
64. Stacey Snider (returning) Co-chief DreamWorks.
65. Brian Grazer and Ron Howard (64) Producers, Imagine Entertainment
66. John Lasseter (67) Heads Disney/Pixar studios
67. George Soros (new entry) Money manager
68. Philippe Dauman
(new entry) Runs Viacom media giant
69. John Malone (71) Runs Liberty Media
70. Sumner Redstone (30) Owner Viacom/CBS
71. Paul Allen (37) Head of Vulcan investment house
72. Eddie Lampert (51) Money manager, ESL Investments
73. Leon Black (new entry) Private equity, Apollo Management
74. Jann Wenner (75) Owns Rolling Stone magazine
75. Eric Fellner and Tim Bevan (new entry) Working Title Films, London
76. Jerry Weintraub (new entry) Producer (Ocean's Eleven)
77. Donatella Versace (81) Fashion
78. Thomas L Friedman (68) New York Times columnist
79. Tim Russert (49) Political pundit, NBC TV
80. Charlie Rose (62) Political pundit, PBS TV
81. Joel Silver (63) Film producer, Dark Castle
82. Frank Rich (57) New York Times commentator/author
83. Jonathan Ive (new entry) Designer/Apple
84. Larry Gagosian (85) Gallery owner (NY, LA, London)
85. Charles Saatchi (90) Saatchi Gallery
86. Jean Pigozzi (96) Art collector/playboy
87. Stephen Colbert (new entry) TV political satirist/host
88. Bill O'Reilly (54) Fox TV conservative talk show host
89. Jon Stewart (new entry) TV political satirist/host
90. Steve Bing (92) Film producer, Shangri-La
91. Eli Broad (78) Billionaire philanthropist
92. Michael Milken (79) Philanthropist, anti-cancer champion
93. Arthur Sulzberger Jr. (new entry) Owner, The New York Times
94. Ron Burkle (89) Supermarket and media magnate
95. Scott Rudin (new entry) Hollywood producer (The Queen)
96. Jimmy Buffett (new entry) Balladeer/ musician
97. Steven Rattner (99) Fund manager/ investor
98. Arianna Huffington (76) Political blogger/pundit
99. Doug Morris (69) Runs Universal Music
100. Jimmy Iovine (97) Interscope Records
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