Haute 100: New York City

The most influential people in the world’s most powerful city

Michael Bloomberg
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: New York City and Bloomberg L.P.
INDUSTRY: Politics
What Makes Him HAUTE: He became Mayor of New York City in 2002, was reelected in 2005, and in 2008 convinced the City Council to extend the two-term limit so that he could run a third term. He earned his fortune by selling financial data and analytic tools to companies on Wall Street, which he eventually turned into his namesake company Bloomberg L.P. The company now has its own magazine, cable network, and radio station. In 2010, Forbes named Bloomberg the 10th richest person in the entire United States, with an estimate net worth of $18 billion. He’s also an active philanthropist; he reportedly donated $254 million to charity in 2009 alone, and this year, he joined several other billionaires in the “Giving Pledge,” vowing to donate most of his wealth to worthy causes.

Daniel Boulud
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Daniel Boulud
INDUSTRY: Restaurants
What Makes Him HAUTE: His restaurant Daniel on the Upper East Side is often regarded as one of the best restaurants in the world and was awarded three Michelin stars and five Forbes stars in 2010. With this success, the famed restaurateur continues to expand his empire. In the past year, he has opened Bar Boulud in London, db Bistro Moderne in Miami, and will soon open the new Mediterranean grill on the Upper West Side, which will be called Boulud Sud.

Edgar Bronfman, Jr.
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Warner Music Group
INDUSTRY: Media
What Makes Him HAUTE: Bronfman has been the chairman and CEO of Warner Music Group since 2004. In his time there, he has helped the company tremendously by increasing their digital music sales, and is recognized in the industry for growing the company’s presence online with social media. His net worth has been estimated at around $2 billion.

Tory Burch
CATEGORY: Designers
COMPANY: Tory Burch
INDUSTRY: Fashion
What Makes Her HAUTE: She exploded on the fashion scene back in 2004, and has since then evolved from a small fashion label operating out of her NYC apartment into a fashion powerhouse with 26 stores, with an ambitious plan to open an additional 100 in the next five years. The Tory Burch name has become synonymous with chic luxury, her clothes frequently donned by A-list celebrities and Manhattan socialites.

Beyoncé Knowles and Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter
CATEGORY: Power Couples
INDUSTRY: Music
What Makes Them HAUTE: Together, this music duo makes up one of the wealthiest couples in the entertainment industry. Beyoncé alone was ranked number two on Forbes’ most powerful and influential celebrities in the word, and the number one most powerful musician in the world. At the 2010 Grammys, she made history as the first female artist to earn a whopping six Grammys in the same evening. Likewise, hubby Jay-Z also has broken several industry records. He’s also part owner of the New Jersey Nets and creator of the clothing line Rocawear, which boasts an annual sales of $700 million. The two celebs can’t seem to stay out of the press; earlier this month, it was reported that Beyoncé treated Jay-Z to the world’s most expensive car, a Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport for his 41st birthday.

Joe Cayre
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Midtown Equities, Core Group Marketing
INDUSTRY: Real Estate, Sales
What Makes Him HAUTE: Cayre made his fortune by selling videos to discount retailers such as Wal-Mart. In 2009, his real estate investment and developing firm, Midtown Equities joined IDB Group in acquiring HSBC Bank USA’s headquarters for $330 million. In August, the company paid $33 million for a five-story, 77,000-square-foot office building in downtown Brooklyn, which is famous for being the location where baseball legend Jackie Robinson signed his first MLB contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The building was added to Midtown Equities’ portfolio of more than 100 properties across the country.

Kenneth Chenault
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: American Express
INDUSTRY: Finance
What Makes Him HAUTE: The Long Island born, Harvard Law School graduate has been CEO and chairman of American Express since 2001. As the head of such a powerful financial institution, it’s no wonder that his estimated annual earnings in 2009 were more than $16 million. This November, Chenault was honored with the Third Lantern Award by the Old North Foundation for his commitment and dedication to public service, an honor that he shares with some prestigious people including President Bill Clinton, Boston’s Mayor Thomas Merino, and Senator Ted Kennedy.

Eva & Michael Chow
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: Mr Chow
INDUSTRY: Restaurants
What Makes Them HAUTE: He’s the brains behind the trendy Mr Chow restaurants; she’s by his side lending her creativity to conceive the design of each location. The authentic Chinese cuisine was first introduced in London in 1968, and since then, the famed restaurateur has opened four U.S. locations (Beverly Hills, two in New York City, and Miami), with plans to open his fifth in Las Vegas.

Maggio and Ignazio Cipriani
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: Cipriani
INDUSTRY: Hospitality
What Makes Him HAUTE: The young heirs to the Cipriani empire have already shown determination to take on the family business. This year alone they have helped open the new Cipriani Yas Island Abu Dhabi, the recently opened Cipriani Istanbul, along with focusing on the opening in the Spring of their first Mr. C Hotel in Los Angeles.

Hillary & Bill Clinton
CATEGORY: Power Couples
COMPANY: United States Government
INDUSTRY: Politics
What Makes Them HAUTE: The political husband-and-wife team continues to be active participants in the bettering of the United States and the world. As Secretary of State, Hillary has firmly advocated for peace in the Middle East, introduced the Global Hunger and Food Security Initiative, and pushed for the Senate to sign the New START treaty, an arms reduction agreement with Russia. Husband Bill is also giving back; the widespread charitable donations and calls to action by the William J. Clinton Foundation have led to improving more than 220 million lives worldwide.