Dialog / a private society’s websites, before and after they were deleted.
A record of what was found, where, and when. Each item gives the saved-copy address, the capture date, and the page status. Every source is a primary one: the Internet Archive, the sites’ own records, or a government filing. Nothing here is taken from news reporting. All times UTC.
OrganisationCalled Dialog. Main website: dialog.org.
Web propertiesFour: the main site (dialog.org) and three subdomains — app.dialog.org, portal.dialog.org, dating.dialog.org.
Status beforeAll four returned normal pages (HTTP 200) up to 16 June 2026.
Status afterBetween 16–17 June 2026 they were either removed from the internet (NXDOMAIN) or locked to the public (HTTP 403).
PreservedThe Internet Archive had saved all four before that. The saved copies remain viewable.
Verified = seen directly in a primary record (an archived page, a DNS record, the site’s own code).
Reported = stated in a leaked record but not independently confirmed against a second primary source.
Open question = unresolved or not confirmable from public records.
What each site showed before it was taken down. Saved copies are held in the Internet Archive and remain viewable.
dialog.org — the main site
Showed (16 Jun 2026, 13:20)The word “DIALOG”, one line — “leaders join Dialog to discuss topics off-the-record” — one email, nominations@dialog.org, and a “Sign in” button. That is the entire public page.
Status changeHTTP 200 (working) on 16 June; HTTP 403 (blocked) on 17 June 2026, 21:00.
Capture history413 saved copies, 5 Dec 1998 – 17 Jun 2026.
Source-code snapshotThe 113-name list was embedded in this site’s page code. Snapshot cited: 15 Jan 2026.
app.dialog.org — the member portal
WasThe members’ sign-in application, internally labelled “Dialog Global 2026”.
NoteThe saved page looks blank because it loads content only after login. The evidence is its saved code and internal page list, not a picture.
Status afterNXDOMAIN — the address was removed from the internet entirely.
Capture history20 saved copies, 9 Apr 2025 – 31 Mar 2026.
Internal pages present/signin · /auth/logout · /callback · /api/auth/session (returned data, 200) · /stripe/checkout · /stripe-billing?customerId= · /api/query · /data · /poll · /modtimes · /form · /user · /records · /app-hotjar.js · /portal-hotjar.js
portal.dialog.org — the second login page
ShowedThe “DIALOG” wordmark and a “Fetching page…” loading screen (the point where it would load a member’s private data after login).
Capture history18 saved copies, 21 Feb 2025 – 17 Jun 2026.
Status across the leak“Not found” (404) at 00:15 on 16 Jun → working (200) at 13:21 on 16 Jun → blocked (403) on 17 Jun, 17:27.
dating.dialog.org — the members’ dating app
ShowedThe “DIALOG” logo; the text “Meaningful connections for an extraordinary community” and “Meaningful connections for exceptional people”; email + password sign-in; a “Continue with Google” button; a QR code labelled “Scan to install / Get the native app”.
CaptureOne saved copy only, 16 Jun 2026 at 17:14 (the day the leak broke).
Status afterNXDOMAIN — removed from the internet.
From the saved page code (31 Mar 2026) and the sites’ own DNS records.
Website builder
ToolBuilt with a no-code website tool called Aeropage (aeropage.io), hosted on Vercel. The saved code calls Aeropage’s service at https://api.aeropage.dev/api.
Two projectsdialog.org → Aeropage site ID web-a64832e1-14d3-4efd-81cd-24734d998058. app.dialog.org → web-9683a1b3-b45b-42a7-8367-4fda7e539ef8.
Database
Stored inAirtable (an online spreadsheet/database service). Confirmed three ways:
1 · DNSdialog.org’s email settings (DMARC record) contain an Airtable database ID: appbtcMH93Qj6dcJG.
2 · App codeThe saved app page contains two more database IDs (apppjukLwW9z6NVNd, app3KwOOBv0peQJXi), plus 13 table IDs and 13 view IDs.
3 · Member tableNamed in the data: “Participants” (database apppjukLwW9z6NVNd, table tblvCRoNsYXauxADB).
What was stored on each person
Field names foundAppPasscode (a login passcode) · Email · Display Name · Attend Status · AppRegistered · Capacity · FirstTimers · Book Recommendation · “Attendee: Fact” · AppModerator · AppScoreCard · AppPreviousRetreats · AppNominationFormURL · AppRequestFormURL · BO1–BO4 with Label/Topic/ID (breakout-session assignments).
Other sectionsRetreat Application · Team · Comms · Dialog Operations · Dialog Retreat · Homepage · a page titled “DG24 (August 8-11)” — the 2024 retreat.
Payments, tracking, email
PaymentsA Stripe account is verified against dialog.org (a Stripe token is in its DNS records); the app contains /stripe/checkout and /stripe-billing pages. A 2022 invitation listed a fee of US$16,846.
Behaviour trackingThe saved app code loads Hotjar (records what users do on a page) and switches it on for app.dialog.org and portal.dialog.org.
EmailSends through Google Workspace and MailerSend (from DNS records).
WhenOn 31 March 2026, between 00:34:08 and 00:38:17, the Internet Archive saved dialog.org and app.dialog.org in one systematic sweep.
What was savedNot just the homepages. The sweep requested the apps’ internal pages, including back-end ones a normal visitor would never click: /stripe/checkout · /api/auth/session · /records · /web/web- · /api/manifest/web- · and developer placeholder paths (Bun, Deno, Node.js, jsdom).
TimingMore than two months before the public leak (16 June 2026).
Embedded upload datesThe site’s own uploaded-image filenames contain dates: logos uploaded 2 Sep 2024 and 25 Nov 2024; content images uploaded 26 May 2025 (across one morning, 09:07–11:29).
Open questionWho performed the 31 March sweep is not identifiable from public records.
The 113 names embedded in dialog.org’s own page code, each with the role exactly as it appears in the source. The list is verified; nothing about who met, or why, is confirmed. Tap any name to open documented context — the power they hold, their networks, and their history — and decide for yourself why such nodes might gather. Filter by category to explore. Two things are marked plainly: the category tags are my own organising aid (assigned from each person’s stated role), not a claim about them; and the “why a node like this” line in each card is interpretation, labelled as such. Everything else is documented fact. Verify the names in the Internet Archive (15 Jan 2026 snapshot).
IA
PowerAkhund leads Mercury, a fintech banking platform serving over 300,000 businesses including approximately one in three U.S. startups. Mercury has reached $650 million in annualized revenue, has been GAAP profitable for more than three years, and raised $200 million at a $5.2 billion valuation in 2025.
NetworksY Combinator (former part-time partner); backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Coatue, and CRV. Angel investor in over 350 companies including Rippling, Airtable, Substack, Rappi, and Applied Intuition. Milken Institute Global Conference speaker.
HistoryBorn in Pakistan, raised in the UK, Akhund started building companies in 2006. He founded Heyzap (mobile developer tools) in 2009, sold it to Fyber for $45 million in 2016. He conceived Mercury in 2013 and incorporated in 2017 after years of banking frustrations as an entrepreneur. Mercury launched in April 2019 and accelerated significantly during the March 2023 Silicon Valley Bank crisis.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the operator of banking infrastructure for a large share of the U.S. startup ecosystem, Akhund sits at the intersection of capital formation and founder networks — the kind of off-the-record forum where fintech power and tech-founder capital converge.
TS
PowerPrince Turki is a senior member of the Saudi royal family, founder and trustee of the King Faisal Foundation, and chairman of the King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies. He represents Saudi soft power internationally through these institutions, which award major prizes in science, medicine, and Islamic studies.
NetworksSaudi royal family (son of King Faisal); Georgetown University alumnus; World Economic Forum participant; King Faisal Foundation; Milken Institute Middle East summit; former Saudi diplomatic missions in Washington and London.
HistoryServed as director-general of Saudi Arabia’s General Intelligence Directorate (Al Mukhabarat Al A’amah) from 1977 to 2001—a 23-year tenure overseeing Saudi foreign intelligence. Resigned ten days before the September 11 attacks. Subsequently served as Saudi Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Ireland (2002–2005) and Ambassador to the United States (2005–2007), then retired from public office. Co-founded the King Faisal Foundation with his siblings after King Faisal’s assassination in 1975.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A former intelligence chief and senior royal with decades of geopolitical relationships across the West and Arab world, Prince Turki is exactly the kind of figure sought for off-record elite dialogue—someone with sovereign access and deep institutional memory in the Saudi state, relevant to energy, security, and Gulf-West relations.
PowerPrincess Reema bint Bandar Al Saud serves as Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to the United States, a rank equivalent to minister. She is the direct channel between Riyadh and Washington on diplomatic, economic, and security matters, and sits on the International Olympic Committee. Her father, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, held the same ambassadorial post for 22 years.
NetworksHouse of Saud (great-granddaughter of Ibn Saud, granddaughter of King Faisal); IOC member and IOC Women in Sports Commission; World Bank Advisory Council for the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative; World Economic Forum participant; George Washington University alumna. Sibling ambassadors to the UK.
HistoryBorn in Riyadh in 1975, she spent her formative years in Washington D.C. while her father was ambassador, and graduated from George Washington University with a B.A. in museum studies (1999). She returned to Saudi Arabia and became CEO of Alfa International Company/Harvey Nichols Riyadh (2007–2015), pioneering female workforce inclusion. She moved into public service in 2016 at the Saudi General Sports Authority, then led the Mass Participation Federation before her appointment as ambassador in February 2019 — the first woman to hold that role in Saudi history.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the Kingdom’s top diplomat in Washington and a royal with extensive U.S. ties and business networks, she sits at the nexus of Saudi-American strategic interests — the kind of figure who operates fluidly between government power and elite private networks across both countries.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / World Economic ForumJA
PowerCo-chairs Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic LLC that has disbursed over $2 billion targeting systemic reform in criminal justice, healthcare, education, public finance, and energy policy. Runs offices in Houston, New York, and Washington with more than 150 staff. Also co-founded Grid United, a high-voltage electricity transmission developer.
NetworksGiving Pledge signatory (along with his wife Laura); board member of Meta; advisory board of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy; former board member of KIPP Houston. Centaurus Advisors alumni network; Houston civic and energy circles.
HistoryBegan career as an energy derivatives trader at Enron, becoming one of the firm’s most profitable traders before its collapse. Founded Centaurus Advisors in 2002 with his Enron bonus; the Houston-based energy hedge fund generated extraordinary returns, making him the youngest U.S. billionaire in 2007. Closed Centaurus in 2012 at age 38 to pursue philanthropy full-time. Co-founded the Laura and John Arnold Foundation in 2008, restructured as Arnold Ventures LLC in 2019.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Arnold controls one of the largest evidence-based philanthropy operations in the United States, with significant lobbying reach into criminal justice, health policy, and public finance. A billionaire who deliberately structured his giving vehicle as an LLC to enable direct political advocacy represents exactly the kind of private power-broker sought in off-the-record elite dialogue.
PowerAthey holds the Economics of Technology chair at Stanford GSB and is Associate Director of Stanford’s Human-Centered AI Institute. She is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a 2007 John Bates Clark Medal recipient — the top economics award for American economists under 40. She advises firms and governments on markets, digital platforms, and AI policy.
NetworksStanford GSB; Stanford HAI; National Academy of Sciences; American Academy of Arts and Sciences; American Economic Association (former Vice President). Former consulting chief economist to Microsoft. Advisor to NYCA Partners and X/Seed Capital. Former board member of Ripple.
HistoryAthey earned a BA from Duke and a PhD in economics from Stanford. She held faculty positions at MIT and Harvard before joining Stanford GSB. From 2001 to 2004 she served as Chief Economist of the Antitrust Division at the U.S. Department of Justice. She went on to advise Microsoft extensively, helping architect Bing’s advertising platform. Her academic work spans auction theory, market design, and machine learning-based econometrics.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Athey occupies a rare position at the junction of elite academic economics, government antitrust enforcement, and Silicon Valley venture networks — making her valuable to any forum bridging technology policy, capital, and regulation.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsPA
PowerAttia runs Early Medical (formerly Attia Medical), a concierge preventive medicine practice with fees in the six-figure range. His book Outlive (2023) was a New York Times bestseller, and his podcast The Peter Attia Drive has a large following across the longevity and high-performance health community. He was named to Time’s 2024 list of influential people in health.
NetworksStanford University School of Medicine (graduate); Johns Hopkins Hospital (surgery residency); McKinsey & Company (former consultant); Nutrition Science Initiative (NuSI, co-founded with Gary Taubes); Tim Ferriss and Joe Rogan podcast networks; longevity-focused Silicon Valley investor circles.
HistoryGraduated Stanford Medical School in 2001 and began a general surgery residency at Johns Hopkins, which he left in 2006 before completion. Worked briefly at McKinsey in the Corporate Risk and Healthcare practices. Founded a private longevity medicine clinic in 2014, which became Early Medical. Built a major media presence through his podcast and the book Outlive (2023). Appeared on CBS 60 Minutes in October 2025; resigned from a CBS News contributor role in February 2026 following the release of Epstein files showing he had exchanged emails with Jeffrey Epstein.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Attia sits at the intersection of elite health optimization and the high-net-worth tech and finance world—his concierge practice and public platform make him a trusted figure for wealthy clients who treat longevity as a serious personal project, the same demographic that populates off-record networks.
SB
PowerAs Partner and Head of Technology & Innovation at A24, Belsky leads A24 Labs, positioning one of the most influential independent film studios at the intersection of storytelling and emerging technology. He previously steered Adobe’s product direction across Creative Cloud and was a key architect of Adobe Firefly (generative AI).
NetworksA24 (film industry); Adobe alumni; Benchmark Capital (where he was a partner between stints at Adobe); Cornell Tech Council member; venture and design community networks through Behance, which was acquired by Adobe in 2012.
HistoryBelsky founded Behance, the professional creative portfolio network, and built it into the dominant platform for designers and creatives before Adobe acquired it in 2012. He joined Adobe, left for a partnership at Benchmark Capital, then returned to Adobe as Chief Product Officer (2017–2022) and later Chief Strategy Officer. He joined A24 as Partner in January 2025, leading its technology and innovation efforts.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Belsky sits at the intersection of Silicon Valley technology and Hollywood creative culture — a rare operator with fluency in both worlds, the kind of cross-industry connector that elite off-record networks prize.
PowerControls Berggruen Holdings, a private investment company with diversified global holdings spanning real estate, retail (formerly Karstadt department stores in Germany), hotels, and energy. Chairs the Berggruen Institute, a think tank with a $1 billion endowment focused on governance and political philosophy.
NetworksGiving Pledge signatory; co-chairs the Nicolas Berggruen Charitable Fund. Affiliated with Harvard Kennedy School; convenes high-profile political and intellectual gatherings including the Think Long Committee for California. Connected to European political elites through the Berggruen Prize for Philosophy and Culture, awarded annually since 2016.
HistoryBorn in Paris to art dealer Heinz Berggruen; educated partly in the U.S. Co-founded Alpha Investment Management with Julio Mario Santo Domingo Jr. in 1988, a hedge fund of funds sold to Safra Bank in 2004. Known for years as the ‘homeless billionaire’ due to preferring hotels to fixed residences. Founded the Berggruen Institute in 2010 (then Nicolas Berggruen Institute) with a focus on reimagining governance. Has backed policy research in Europe, California, and across the Global South.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Berggruen occupies the intersection of private global capital, political philosophy, and governance reform—a rare mix that makes him valuable in off-the-record forums where policy ideas and financial influence converge without institutional constraints.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerAs U.S. Treasury Secretary since January 2025, Bessent oversees a department with authority over federal fiscal policy, the IRS, financial sanctions, and U.S. debt management. He is the principal economic adviser to the President and a key figure in trade and tariff negotiations.
NetworksKey Square Capital Management (founder); Soros Fund Management (former chief investment officer, 2011–2015 and 1991–2000); Yale University (alumnus and former adjunct professor). Close ties to the Trump administration’s economic and trade inner circle.
HistoryBessent graduated from Yale in 1984 and began his career at Brown Brothers Harriman. He joined Soros Fund Management in 1991, playing a role in the 1992 bet against the British pound that yielded over $1 billion. He founded his own hedge fund, Bessent Capital, from 2000 to 2005, then worked at Protégé Partners before returning to Soros as CIO from 2011 to 2015. In late 2015 he founded Key Square Group, a global macro hedge fund. He was confirmed as Treasury Secretary on January 27, 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]The sitting Treasury Secretary is among the most consequential economic policymakers in the world; his presence in an off-the-record elite forum reflects both his stature and the value such networks have to those seeking advance intelligence on fiscal and trade direction.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Department of the TreasuryPB
PowerAs U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York (2009–2017), Bharara oversaw one of the most powerful prosecutorial offices in the country, bringing cases against Wall Street firms, hedge fund traders (including the SAC Capital insider trading prosecutions), and public corruption figures. He is now a partner at WilmerHale and hosts the podcast Stay Tuned with Preet.
NetworksColumbia Law School (graduate); WilmerHale (current partner); U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee (former chief counsel to Senator Chuck Schumer); Democratic Party legal networks; media presence through podcast and television commentary.
HistoryAfter Columbia Law School, Bharara worked as an assistant U.S. attorney in the SDNY and as a federal public defender. He became chief counsel to Senator Chuck Schumer on the Senate Judiciary Committee before being nominated by President Obama as U.S. Attorney for the SDNY in 2009. During his eight-year tenure he prosecuted insider trading rings, public officials, and financial fraud. He was fired by President Trump in March 2017 after refusing to resign when asked. He subsequently joined WilmerHale.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A former top federal prosecutor with encyclopedic knowledge of financial and political corruption at the highest levels, Bharara is valued in elite off-record settings as someone who understands how power is abused—and how the legal system constrains or enables it.
PowerBlackburn is one of the most decorated living scientists: 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (co-discovered telomerase and the role of telomeres in aging and cancer), former President of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies (2016–2023), and Professor Emeritus at UCSF. Her research underpins a global biotech and longevity industry.
NetworksSalk Institute; University of California San Francisco; Nobel community; U.S. Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues (served 2009–2017, was removed and later reinstated); National Academy of Sciences; American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
HistoryBorn in Hobart, Tasmania, she earned her doctorate in molecular biology from Cambridge (1975) and conducted postdoctoral work at Yale. She joined UC Berkeley in 1978, moved to UCSF in 1990, and chaired its Department of Microbiology and Immunology from 1993 to 1999. She became President of the Salk Institute in 2016. Her discovery of telomerase with Carol Greider and Jack Szostak earned the 2009 Nobel Prize.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A Nobel laureate who led a leading biomedical research institution, Blackburn represents scientific credibility and the longevity/biotech frontier — fields attracting intense elite investment and policy interest.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsSB
PowerAs President of Xbox (October 2023–February 2026), Bond oversaw Microsoft’s entire gaming platform and ecosystem including hardware, cloud gaming, Game Pass, and the integration of Activision Blizzard following its $69 billion acquisition. She commanded one of the largest gaming platforms globally with hundreds of millions of users. Now serves as Special Advisor to the Xbox CEO.
NetworksBoard member of Zuora, Chegg, and the Entertainment Software Association. Executive sponsor of the Blacks at Microsoft employee resource group. Alumni of Yale University (economics) and Harvard Business School. Previous affiliations: McKinsey & Company, T-Mobile.
HistoryStarted career at McKinsey & Company; moved to T-Mobile as chief of staff to CEO John Legere and later SVP of corporate strategy. Joined Microsoft/Xbox in 2017 as CVP of Gaming Partnerships and Business Development; promoted to CVP of Game Creator Experience in 2020. Played a central role representing Microsoft during FTC v. Microsoft litigation over the Activision Blizzard acquisition. Elevated to President of Xbox in October 2023—the first Black woman to lead a major multinational gaming platform. Departed in February 2026 alongside CEO Phil Spencer.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As head of a platform reaching hundreds of millions of users globally and the executive who steered one of the largest tech acquisitions in history, Bond represents the convergence of consumer technology, regulatory strategy, and AI-driven entertainment—areas of growing elite policy interest.
PowerBooker is the senior U.S. Senator from New Jersey, serving since 2013. He sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Foreign Relations Committee, and Agriculture Committee, giving him reach into criminal justice, foreign policy, and food policy. In March 2025 he delivered the longest speech in U.S. Senate history — 25 hours 5 minutes.
NetworksDemocratic Party leadership; Senate Democratic Strategic Communications Committee (Chair, 2025). Rhodes Scholar network (Oxford, 1994). Yale Law School. Former Newark mayor coalition. National criminal justice reform advocacy networks.
HistoryBooker earned a BA and MA from Stanford, a Rhodes Scholarship to Oxford, and a JD from Yale Law (1997). He served on Newark City Council from 1998 to 2002, lost a mayoral race in 2005, then won in 2009 and served as mayor until 2013. He was the first Black U.S. senator from New Jersey, elected in a 2013 special election. He ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination before withdrawing in January 2020.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A senator with committee reach across judiciary, foreign policy, and agriculture, combined with national profile and tech-friendly positioning, makes Booker an attractive participant for elites seeking to influence Democratic Party direction and legislative outcomes.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. SenateRB
PowerBrand served as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Walmart—the world’s largest retailer by revenue—overseeing all legal affairs for a company with over $600 billion in annual sales, before departing in January 2026. As Associate Attorney General under Jeff Sessions, she was the third-ranking official at the DOJ and was directly in the line of succession for overseeing the Mueller investigation.
NetworksHarvard Law Review (alumna); DOJ career spanning Bush and Trump administrations; American Bar Association Standing Committee on the Federal Judiciary; corporate governance networks.
HistoryBrand clerked for a federal appellate judge, then worked in private practice before joining the DOJ during the George W. Bush administration, serving in the Office of Legal Policy. She was confirmed as Assistant Attorney General for Legal Policy in 2005. She was later confirmed as Associate Attorney General in 2017, the third-ranking DOJ official, resigning after eight months in February 2018 to join Walmart as CLO—reportedly partly to avoid being placed in charge of the Mueller investigation. She departed Walmart in January 2026.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Brand sat briefly at the crossroads of the Trump administration’s most politically sensitive legal jeopardy before departing to the world’s largest corporation. Her combination of top-level DOJ experience and Fortune 1 legal leadership makes her a bridge figure between governmental and corporate elite networks.
SB
PowerBraun built one of the most commercially powerful music management and entertainment empires of the modern era. As founder of Ithaca Holdings (sold to Hybe for approximately $1.05 billion in 2021), he became CEO of Hybe America, the U.S. arm of the South Korean entertainment conglomerate behind BTS. He remains the second-largest individual shareholder in Hybe and a board director/senior advisor. He is also a general partner at TQ Ventures with early investments in Uber, Spotify, Dropbox, Pinterest, OpenAI, Nvidia, and others.
NetworksHybe / K-pop global network; TQ Ventures; SB Projects artist management alumni (Justin Bieber, Ariana Grande, Kanye West, Demi Lovato); Emory University; Schoolboy Records / Universal Music Publishing; Goldman Sachs relationships; wide Silicon Valley investor network.
HistoryRaised in Cos Cob, Connecticut, he began promoting parties at Emory University, then became executive director of marketing at So So Def Records under Jermaine Dupri (2002–2005). He discovered Justin Bieber on YouTube in 2008, founded SB Projects in 2007, and built it into the world’s largest music management company by revenue. Ithaca Holdings acquired Big Machine Label Group (and Taylor Swift’s master recordings) in 2019. Hybe acquired Ithaca for ~$1 billion in 2021. He retired from artist management in 2024 after 23 years.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Braun controls a global cultural platform at the convergence of music, technology, and capital — he has demonstrated the ability to move enormous sums across entertainment IP and tech investing, making him a natural participant in elite cross-industry networks.
PB
PowerExecutive Chairman of Fortress Investment Group, which manages tens of billions in alternative assets with a flagship credit and real estate division Briger built from scratch. Fortress is one of the world’s leading private credit managers. Briger also sits on the board of Strategy (MicroStrategy) and is a board member of several major institutions.
NetworksFormerly on PayPal board (2021–2023); board of Princeton University and Princeton University Investment Company (2020–2024); Council on Foreign Relations life member; UCSF Foundation; Tipping Point Community; Stanford GSB lecturer. Princeton University BA; Wharton MBA. Closely networked with Goldman Sachs alumni.
HistorySpent 15 years at Goldman Sachs (1986–2001), becoming partner in 1996 and co-founding the Special Situations Group, which specialized in distressed and illiquid asset trading. Joined Fortress in 2002 to establish its credit and real estate business; co-CEO until 2024, then became Executive Chairman. Fortress went public in 2007 in the first major US private equity IPO. Described as a ‘junkyard dog’ for his expertise buying assets no one else wants. Founded the Briger Foundation for Oncology Research.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Briger’s career has traced the most influential corridors of global distressed credit—Goldman Sachs, Fortress—and he now sits at the intersection of private credit, digital assets, and institutional philanthropy. His participation in elite closed networks tracks his position as a major allocator of alternative capital with governmental and non-profit board reach.
PowerBrockman is a co-founder and President of OpenAI, the organization that developed GPT-4 and ChatGPT, arguably the most influential AI company in the world. He and his wife donated $25 million combined to Trump’s MAGA Inc. super PAC in 2025 and co-founded Leading the Future, a $50 million AI deregulation PAC with Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz.
NetworksOpenAI founding team; Stripe (co-built as founding engineer and CTO 2010–2015); Andreessen Horowitz and Horowitz political networks; Y Combinator alumni; MIT (attended, did not complete degree). Leading the Future super PAC co-founder.
HistoryBrockman briefly attended MIT before dropping out to join Stripe in 2010 as a founding engineer; he became CTO in 2013. In December 2015, he co-founded OpenAI with Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Ilya Sutskever, and others as a nonprofit AI safety organization. He served as CTO of OpenAI until 2019, then became President. He took a leave of absence in late 2024 and returned to his operational role in 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As a co-founder of OpenAI and a major political donor across both parties, Brockman is a central node in the AI governance, technology policy, and Silicon Valley elite networks that elite forums like Dialog are designed to convene.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / TechCrunch (CC BY 2.0)MB
PowerAs CPO of Roblox (March 2021–October 2025), Bronstein oversaw product strategy for a platform with over 70 million daily active users. He served as a board director of The New York Times Company from October 2021. He is currently an investor and advisor to numerous AI, consumer, and deep tech companies including Groq, Databricks, and Factory.
NetworksNew York Times Company (board member); Roblox (former CPO, current advisor); Alphabet/Google (former VP Product, Google Assistant and YouTube); Zynga; Microsoft Xbox; UC Berkeley Haas School of Business (MBA); investor in AI and consumer tech companies.
HistoryBorn in Venezuela, Bronstein studied electrical engineering at Universidad Simón Bolívar, then earned an MBA from UC Berkeley Haas. He joined Xbox at Microsoft (2003–2009), became VP of Product at Zynga (2010–2014) overseeing FarmVille and the platform, joined YouTube as VP Product (2014–2018) helping scale it past 1 billion DAU, then led Google Assistant as VP Product at Google (2018–2021). He joined Roblox as CPO in 2021, stepping down in October 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Bronstein has shaped product at some of the most influential consumer platforms of the past two decades; his board seat at The New York Times and his position at the intersection of gaming, AI, and media make him a relevant voice in high-level conversations about digital platforms and culture.
PB
PowerBrown is CEO and Chairman of Renaissance Technologies, widely regarded as the most successful quantitative hedge fund in history. Renaissance’s Medallion Fund has produced average annual returns exceeding 60% before fees over decades. Brown controls one of the most secretive and influential pools of capital in global finance, with approximately $165 billion in assets under management (including leverage).
NetworksRenaissance Technologies; IBM Research alumni (computational linguistics / machine learning); Carnegie Mellon University (PhD under Geoffrey Hinton); Harvard University (B.A.); married to Margaret Hamburg, former FDA Commissioner under Obama.
HistoryBrown graduated from Harvard in mathematics and earned a PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon under Hinton, the pioneer of deep learning. He worked at IBM Research on speech recognition, machine translation, and early large language models. Jim Simons recruited Brown and colleague Robert Mercer from IBM in 1993, doubling their salaries. Brown and Mercer rebuilt Renaissance’s equities trading system and became co-CEOs when Simons retired in 2010. After Mercer’s resignation in 2017 amid political controversy, Brown became sole CEO. He assumed the chairmanship in 2021 when Simons stepped down.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Brown runs the most profitable — and most opaque — hedge fund in the world, one whose trading methods and investor relationships remain closely held. The fund is closed to outside investors; its CEO’s participation in any elite network carries significant informational and reputational weight.
TD
PowerLeads TIAA, a Fortune 100 financial services organization managing over $1.4 trillion in assets under management that serves millions of people in higher education, healthcare, and nonprofit sectors. One of two Black women CEOs in the Fortune 500 as of her appointment.
NetworksBoard member of Nike; member of The Business Council Executive Committee; trustee of the Economic Club of New York; board of New York-Presbyterian Hospital; member boards of Sesame Workshop, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, and National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation. Appointed by President Biden to the Board of Advisors on HBCUs. Alumni of University of Houston (BBA) and Baylor University (MBA).
HistoryBegan career at Fannie Mae in 1996 as Director of Emerging Markets, developing homeownership programs for Black and Hispanic Americans. Moved to JPMorgan Chase in 2004, rising through mortgage banking, Chase Auto Finance (CEO 2013–2016), and Chase Consumer Banking (CEO 2016–2021), where she oversaw a $600 billion deposit network and 50,000 employees. Became President and CEO of TIAA in May 2021, the fourth Black woman in history to serve as a Fortune 500 CEO. Has expanded TIAA’s client base beyond traditional 403(b) accounts into corporate 401(k)s.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Duckett controls one of the largest institutional investors in the U.S., with deep reach into university endowments and nonprofit retirement systems. Her intersection of financial power and advocacy for underserved retirement savers makes her valuable in discussions where capital allocation, public policy, and equity intersect.
PowerBush commands a large public platform through her acting career, social media following, and activism, giving her influence over cultural and political narratives, particularly among younger audiences. She has spoken at the Harvard Institute of Politics and participated in campaigns for environmental and LGBTQ+ rights.
NetworksHollywood creative community; Democratic political donor networks; advocacy organizations including environmental, LGBTQ+, and anti-poverty groups (Global Green, Pencils of Promise, I Am That Girl). Harvard IOP speaker circuit.
HistoryBush grew up in Pasadena, California, and quickly landed the role of Brooke Davis on One Tree Hill (WB/CW, 2003–2012) after graduating high school. She expanded into production and activism, using her platform to campaign on social issues including environmental policy, LGBTQ+ rights, and poverty. She has appeared on The View and in various advocacy contexts.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Cultural figures with large audiences and progressive political engagement are valuable in elite networks for their ability to shape public narratives and bridge entertainment industry capital with political causes.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsMC
PowerCannon-Brookes co-leads Atlassian, a global enterprise software company with over $4 billion in annual revenue and products—including Jira and Confluence—used by hundreds of thousands of companies worldwide. He controls significant equity in a company with a market capitalisation that has exceeded $50 billion. He is also a prominent climate and clean energy investor in Australia through his family office, Grok Ventures.
NetworksAtlassian (co-CEO); University of New South Wales (graduate); Grok Ventures (family office, climate and energy focus); Brookfield Asset Management (partner in attempted AGL Energy takeover, 2022); Business Council of Australia.
HistoryCannon-Brookes co-founded Atlassian with Scott Farquhar at the University of New South Wales in Sydney in 2002, starting with a $10,000 credit card debt. The company grew into a global enterprise software powerhouse and listed on NASDAQ in 2015. He has been an outspoken advocate on climate change and attempted, with Brookfield Asset Management, to take over Australian energy giant AGL in 2022 to accelerate its coal exit.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As co-CEO of one of the most successful enterprise software companies outside the US, with a prominent personal profile on climate and energy transition, Cannon-Brookes is a natural participant in elite forums connecting tech leadership, capital, and policy.
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PowerCarvalho co-founded and leads Wellhub (formerly Gympass), a corporate wellness platform operating in 58 countries with a reported $2.4 billion valuation. The platform connects employers with a network of gyms, wellness apps, and health services, making Carvalho the controlling operator of a major B2B wellness infrastructure.
NetworksMcKinsey & Company alumni (former consultant); Harvard Business School dropout; Wellhub investor network (SoftBank, General Atlantic, Kaszek, others); Morgan Stanley speaker network; B2B HR/benefits industry.
HistoryCarvalho studied at Harvard Business School and left to found Gympass in Brazil in 2012, building a marketplace that offered corporate employees discounted gym access. The company expanded internationally, raised significant venture capital, rebranded to Wellhub to reflect a broader wellness mission, and is now one of the largest corporate wellness platforms globally. He is noted for a McKinsey background that informed his go-to-market and scaling strategy.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As founder-CEO of a global wellness platform backed by major institutional investors, Carvalho represents the intersection of health technology, B2B enterprise, and Latin American tech entrepreneurship — sectors of sustained elite interest.
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PowerFounded Xapo, the world’s largest Bitcoin custodian by value at its peak, holding an estimated $10 billion in cryptocurrency stored in underground vaults across five continents including a former Swiss military bunker. Served on the board of PayPal (2016 onward) and on the Diem (Facebook/Meta) board. Widely credited as the person who introduced Silicon Valley and Wall Street elites to Bitcoin.
NetworksWorld Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2011); Aspen Institute Henry Crown Fellow (2017); Young Presidents’ Organization member. Former boards: Kiva, Endeavor. Personally evangelized Bitcoin to Bill Gates, Reid Hoffman, Chamath Palihapitiya, Pete Briger, Bill Miller, and Mike Novogratz. Harvard University education listed in biography.
HistoryBorn in Patagonia, Argentina, to a sheep-ranching family. Dropped out of Universidad de San Andrés to found Argentina’s first ISP, Internet Argentina S.A. (1994). Founded Patagon (Argentine online brokerage, later sold to Santander). Founded Wanako Games (acquired by Activision, 2007), Banco Lemon (acquired by Banco do Brasil, 2009), and Lemon Wallet (acquired by LifeLock, 2013). Founded Xapo in 2014 as a Bitcoin wallet and custodian; raised $40 million from top Silicon Valley VCs. Known as ‘Patient Zero’ for Bitcoin adoption in elite U.S. technology and finance circles.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the individual credited with converting some of the most powerful figures in Silicon Valley and Wall Street to Bitcoin, and as founder of the world’s largest crypto custodian, Casares bridges the fintech establishment, the cryptocurrency ecosystem, and global finance elite—a natural node in elite off-the-record networks.
PowerCastro was the 16th Secretary of HUD under President Obama (2014–2017), overseeing the federal agency responsible for housing policy and urban development. He is currently CEO of the Latino Community Foundation, the largest foundation serving the Latino community in the U.S.
NetworksObama administration alumni; Democratic Party national network; Stanford University (BA, 1996); Harvard Law School (JD, 2000); Congressional Hispanic Caucus network; LBJ Foundation board; NBC/MSNBC political analyst.
HistoryCastro grew up in San Antonio, Texas, raised by a Chicana activist mother. He became the youngest city councilman in San Antonio history at 26 (2001). He was elected mayor of San Antonio in 2009 — the youngest mayor of a top-50 U.S. city — and re-elected in 2011 and 2013. He became the first Latino to deliver the DNC keynote in 2012. Obama nominated him to lead HUD in 2014; he was confirmed 71–26. He ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination before withdrawing in January 2020. His twin brother Joaquín serves in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A former cabinet secretary and national Democratic figure from the Latino community, Castro represents the intersection of urban policy expertise, presidential-level network access, and the fast-growing political constituency around Latino leadership.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Department of Housing and Urban DevelopmentBC
PowerCialdini’s book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (1984) is one of the best-selling social psychology books ever written, with over seven million copies sold in 44 languages. He is Regents’ Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University and founder of Influence at Work, a consulting firm advising governments, corporations, and campaigns on applying behavioral science.
NetworksArizona State University (emeritus faculty); Stanford University (visiting professor); National Academy of Sciences (elected member, 2019); Society of Personality and Social Psychology (former president); Obama presidential campaign (behavioral science advisor, 2012); Clinton presidential campaign (advisor, 2016).
HistoryCialdini received his PhD in social psychology from the University of North Carolina in 1970 and joined Arizona State University in 1971, where he spent most of his academic career, becoming a Regents’ Professor. His breakthrough research involved working undercover in sales, telemarketing, and fundraising settings to document real-world influence techniques. He published Influence in 1984 and later Pre-Suasion (2016). He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 2019.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Cialdini is the foremost academic authority on persuasion and influence—skills central to fundraising, political campaigning, marketing, and negotiation. Elite networks recruit him as a resource for understanding the mechanics of human compliance at scale.
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PowerUntil mid-2025, Clifford was the U.K. Prime Minister’s sole designated adviser on AI, having authored the government’s AI Opportunities Action Plan (January 2025), all 50 recommendations of which were accepted by PM Keir Starmer. He is also chair of ARIA (Advanced Research and Invention Agency), the U.K.’s £1.4 billion DARPA-equivalent, and co-founder and chair of Entrepreneur First, a holding company valued at $1.3 billion that has built companies now worth over $16 billion.
Networks10 Downing Street; ARIA; Entrepreneur First (backed by Reid Hoffman/LinkedIn, Demis Hassabis/DeepMind, Patrick and John Collison/Stripe); UK AI Safety Institute (Vice Chair, Advisory Board); Kennedy Memorial Trust; Cambridge University (BA, Double First) and MIT (MSc, Kennedy Scholar); McKinsey alumni; Bletchley Park AI Safety Summit architect.
HistoryBorn in Bradford, Clifford taught himself to code as a teenager and studied PPE at Cambridge (Double First) and computational statistics at MIT as a Kennedy Scholar. He worked as an analyst at McKinsey (2009–2011), then co-founded Entrepreneur First in 2011 with Alice Bentinck, growing it into the world’s leading talent investor. He was appointed founding chair of ARIA in 2022, led the UK’s AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park in 2023, and was appointed PM Adviser on AI in January 2025. He stepped down from the adviser role in mid-2025 for family reasons.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Clifford is arguably the single most influential architect of the UK’s AI policy across two governments, bridging Silicon Valley capital, frontier AI labs, and state power — the exact profile for off-record dialogue between tech elites and policymakers.
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PowerCo-founded Oklo Inc. in 2013 and serves as COO and board director of the publicly traded advanced fission company (NYSE: OKLO). Oklo is developing small fast reactors capable of running on used nuclear fuel. She helped secure the first-ever US Nuclear Regulatory Commission license application for an advanced non-light-water reactor.
NetworksServed on the U.S. Department of Energy Nuclear Energy Advisory Committee (2018–2019); participated in the Clean Energy Ministerial (2018). Oklo backed by prominent investors and went public via SPAC in 2024. Alumni of University of Oklahoma (BS Mechanical Engineering, BA Economics) and MIT (SM Nuclear Engineering). Y Combinator alumni company.
HistoryStudied mechanical engineering as an undergraduate at the University of Oklahoma before pursuing graduate nuclear engineering at MIT, where she met co-founder Jake DeWitte (now her husband). Co-founded Oklo in 2013 with the premise of building commercially viable advanced reactors without heavy government subsidies. Navigated regulatory processes with the NRC and DOE while building out operations. One of the youngest recipients of the University of Oklahoma Regent’s Alumni Award.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Cochran represents the frontier of advanced nuclear energy—a technology at the intersection of national security, energy independence, and AI data-center power demands. Her position at a publicly traded advanced reactor company with government regulatory relationships makes her relevant to elite discussions of infrastructure, climate, and technology.
PowerCohler was a General Partner at Benchmark Capital, one of Silicon Valley’s most prestigious venture firms, from 2008 onward. He was an early investor in and board member at companies including Instagram (acquired by Facebook for $1 billion in 2012) and other major consumer internet platforms. He now operates Oslo Holdings as a private investment vehicle.
NetworksBenchmark Capital; LinkedIn (VP, 2003–2005, employee #13); Facebook (VP, 2005–2008); McKinsey & Company (analyst, 2001–2003). Yale University alumnus.
HistoryCohler worked at McKinsey, then joined LinkedIn as one of its first employees in 2003. He moved to Facebook in 2005 as VP of Product Management, working directly under Mark Zuckerberg during Facebook’s critical early growth years. In 2008 he joined Benchmark as General Partner, where he led investments in Instagram, Quora, and other companies. He was listed on Forbes’ Midas List multiple times.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As a key early executive at both LinkedIn and Facebook and a Benchmark GP with formative investments in major consumer platforms, Cohler is a central node in the Silicon Valley infrastructure that connects founders, capital, and data networks.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsSC
PowerCook co-founded Intuit in 1983 and remains on its board as Founder and Chairman of the Executive Committee. Intuit is a financial software company with over $16 billion in annual revenue, and products including TurboTax, QuickBooks, and Credit Karma used by tens of millions of individuals and small businesses.
NetworksHarvard Business School (MBA); University of Southern California (BA); Procter & Gamble (former brand manager); Bain & Company (former consultant); Intuit board; Amazon board (member since 1997); eBay board (former member); Asia Foundation (board).
HistoryCook graduated from the University of Southern California (economics/mathematics) and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He worked at Procter & Gamble in marketing and at Bain & Company as a consultant before co-founding Intuit in 1983 with Tom Proulx, a Stanford student. The company initially made Quicken, a personal finance manager. QuickBooks, launched after Cook noticed small businesses using Quicken, became an even larger business. Intuit went public in 1993 and Cook transitioned from CEO to chairman.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Cook built and still chairs one of the most widely used financial software platforms for American households and small businesses, giving him an institutional vantage point on consumer finance and SME behavior relevant to both technology and economic policy discussions.
PowerCowen holds the Holbert L. Harris Chair of Economics at George Mason University and serves as Chairman and Faculty Director of the Mercatus Center, a major free-market policy research institute with substantial influence on regulatory and economic policy. He runs the widely read economics blog Marginal Revolution and the popular podcast Conversations with Tyler. He also founded Emergent Ventures, a fellowship and grant program funded by the Thiel Foundation that has backed numerous influential entrepreneurs and researchers.
NetworksMercatus Center (Koch-network affiliated); Thiel Foundation (Emergent Ventures funder); Marginal Revolution University (online economics education); George Mason University; Bloomberg Opinion columnist; ‘The Growth Commission’ convened by Liz Truss; wide network across libertarian-leaning policy, tech, and finance worlds.
HistoryCowen earned his PhD in economics from Harvard. He has been at George Mason University since the 1980s and became one of the most-read public economists in America through his blog and books including ‘Average Is Over,’ ‘The Great Stagnation,’ and ‘Stubborn Attachments.’ He co-founded Emergent Ventures in 2018 with $1 million from the Thiel Foundation. His podcast has featured prominent figures across tech, policy, and academia.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Cowen is an unusually well-networked intellectual who bridges libertarian-leaning policy circles, Silicon Valley, and the global intelligentsia — a person who generates and hosts ideas that circulate in elite networks, and who has cultivated direct relationships with founders, investors, and government figures through Emergent Ventures.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerU.S. Senator from Texas since 2013, currently serving his third term after re-election in 2024. Chairs the Senate Commerce Committee. Texas is the second-most populous state; Cruz is a prominent figure in the Republican Party with a national fundraising network and significant influence over technology, energy, and trade legislation.
NetworksHarvard Law School (JD, magna cum laude); clerked for Chief Justice William Rehnquist. Formerly Solicitor General of Texas. Strong ties to the Federalist Society and conservative legal networks. Major recipient of oil-and-gas industry political contributions. Spoke at the 2016 and 2024 Republican National Conventions.
HistoryBorn in Calgary, Canada, to a Cuban father and American mother; grew up in Texas. Princeton University (BA); Harvard Law (JD). Clerked for Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals and for Chief Justice Rehnquist. Served as Texas Solicitor General 2003–2008, arguing nine cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Elected to the Senate in 2012 in a Tea Party wave. Ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, winning 11 states before suspending his campaign. Re-elected in 2018 (narrowly defeating Beto O’Rourke) and 2024. Known for confrontational legislative style and influence on foreign policy and technology regulation.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As a senior Republican senator who chairs the Commerce Committee—which oversees telecommunications, technology, and trade—and who has a national donor network and presidential campaign experience, Cruz is the kind of powerful elected official who elite networks cultivate for regulatory and legislative access.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Senate (public domain)
PowerD’Angelo runs Quora, a question-and-answer platform with hundreds of millions of users. He served on the board of OpenAI from 2018 to 2023, and he remains one of the most connected figures spanning early Facebook, the AI industry, and social media infrastructure.
NetworksFacebook founding-era executive network (CTO, 2004–2008); OpenAI (former board member, 2018–2023); Quora; Caltech alumnus. Peter Thiel-era PayPal-Facebook network adjacent.
HistoryD’Angelo attended Caltech with Mark Zuckerberg and joined Facebook as CTO in 2004, helping build the platform’s early technical infrastructure. He left Facebook in 2008 to co-found Quora, which launched in 2010 and became a widely used knowledge platform. He joined the OpenAI board in 2018, remaining until 2023 during the turbulent period that included Sam Altman’s brief ouster.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]D’Angelo combines rare access to the early Facebook founding network, the OpenAI governance history, and active operation of a major information platform — exactly the kind of multi-domain visibility that makes someone valuable in elite off-the-record forums.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsMD
PowerDaniels served as Indiana’s 49th Governor (2005–2013) and then as the 12th President of Purdue University (2013–2022), one of the leading STEM universities in the United States. He froze Purdue’s tuition for eleven consecutive years, oversaw the university’s rise to fourth in national engineering rankings, and was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2019. In July 2026, he returned as Purdue’s interim president.
NetworksPrinceton University (BA, Woodrow Wilson School); Georgetown University Law Center (JD); Republican Party; Senator Richard Lugar’s network; Hudson Institute (former CEO); Eli Lilly and Company (former SVP); American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Aspen Institute; Urban Institute.
HistoryDaniels worked in Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar’s office, managed Lugar’s Senate campaign, and served as Lugar’s chief of staff. He was a senior advisor to President Reagan and CEO of the Hudson Institute think tank. He spent eleven years at Eli Lilly, rising to Senior VP for Corporate Strategy and Policy. He served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President George W. Bush (2001–2003), was elected Governor of Indiana twice (2004, 2008), then became Purdue’s president in 2013.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Daniels has held major roles in federal budget management, state governance, and research university leadership—a rare combination spanning fiscal policy, higher education, and STEM infrastructure, making him a credible voice across multiple elite policy debates.
PowerAs the 26th Secretary of the Army, Driscoll is the civilian head of the U.S. Army, overseeing approximately 1 million soldiers and civilians and a budget exceeding $180 billion annually. He has emerged as a key figure in the Trump administration’s Ukraine-Russia diplomacy and drone modernization effort, making him unexpectedly prominent in foreign policy.
NetworksTrump-Vance inner circle (Yale classmate and close ally of Vice President JD Vance); U.S. Army veteran (served in Iraq); Yale Law School; UNC Chapel Hill (undergraduate); BlackArch Partners (investment banking); Flex Capital Management (venture capital); Republican Party North Carolina.
HistoryA native of Boone, North Carolina, from a military family, Driscoll served as a cavalry officer in Iraq before leaving the military and earning a JD from Yale Law School (2014), where he was a classmate of JD Vance. He then worked in investment banking at BlackArch Partners in Charlotte, moved into venture capital and private equity (including as COO of Flex Capital Management), and made an unsuccessful run for the House in North Carolina (2020). He was confirmed as Army Secretary by the Senate in February 2025 and has since taken on a prominent role in negotiations around the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Driscoll’s combination of military background, Yale law/finance credentials, and proximity to Vance makes him a figure bridging the military-industrial establishment with the Trump-era political elite — typical of the cross-sector connections that elite private forums cultivate.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. ArmyCD
PowerCommands a major platform as a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author. The Power of Habit (2012) spent over three years on the New York Times bestseller list, has been translated into 40 languages, and is widely used in corporate training. Supercommunicators (2024) also became a bestseller. Writes for The New Yorker.
NetworksYale University (BA); Harvard Business School (MBA). Former New York Times reporter (2006–2017); the Times team he was part of won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting for coverage of Apple’s business practices. Also won the National Academies of Sciences, National Journalism, and George Polk awards. Connected to the corporate and business world through his books’ wide adoption.
HistoryEarly career included reporting from Iraq for the Los Angeles Times and work as a private equity analyst. Joined the New York Times in 2006 as a business reporter; became one of its most decorated journalists. The Power of Habit (2012) brought behavioral science into mainstream business discourse. Followed with Smarter Faster Better (2016) and Supercommunicators (2024). Has been a frequent guest on major media platforms. Formerly hosted the Slate podcast How To! with Charles Duhigg.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Duhigg’s work on habit formation, communication, and productivity has influenced corporate and political practice at elite levels. As a journalist with deep access to C-suite executives and a platform reaching millions, he is the type of influential media figure cultivated in elite off-the-record settings.
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PowerElls founded Chipotle Mexican Grill in 1993 and built it into one of the most valuable restaurant companies in the world, with revenues over $10 billion annually and a market cap that reached $50+ billion. He is credited with creating the fast-casual restaurant category. He has a net worth estimated at approximately $1 billion.
NetworksChipotle board (resigned 2020); Culinary Institute of America alumni; University of Colorado alumni. New venture: Counter Service restaurant brand (2025). Advisor and investor in food technology.
HistoryElls earned a BA from the University of Colorado and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1990. He trained under chef Jeremiah Tower at Stars restaurant in San Francisco. In 1993 he opened the first Chipotle near the University of Denver with an $85,000 loan from his father. McDonald’s invested starting in 1998 and held a majority stake through 2006, when Chipotle went public in an IPO that doubled on its first day. Ells served as CEO until 2018 and remained chairman until leaving the board in 2020. In 2025 he launched Counter Service, a New York sandwich brand.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the creator of the fast-casual category and a billionaire founder with deep ties to food, consumer culture, and corporate governance, Ells represents consumer brand capital and the kind of independent wealth that attends elite founder-class networks.
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PowerFerriss hosts The Tim Ferriss Show, one of the most downloaded business podcasts ever, with over 700 million downloads. He is an early-stage angel investor with stakes in Uber, Twitter (now X), Facebook, Shopify, and Evernote, among others—often receiving allocations in exchange for advisory roles and media promotion. He runs a philanthropic foundation with major grants to psychedelic-assisted therapy research.
NetworksPrinceton University (BA); angel investing network spanning Silicon Valley and media; advisor to Uber, Evernote, Shopify, Automattic; Tim Ferriss Foundation (psychedelic research grants); Y Combinator-adjacent connections.
HistoryFerriss graduated from Princeton in 2000 and founded BrainQUICKEN, a sports nutrition supplement company, which he later sold. He wrote The 4-Hour Workweek (2007), which became a #1 New York Times bestseller and launched his media and investing career. He used the platform and access it generated to invest early in numerous tech companies, and became an advisor to Uber and others. By 2025, he publicly discussed stepping back from active angel investing.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Ferriss occupies a unique position as a connector between high-profile tech investors, founders, and a mass public audience—his ability to amplify ideas and people through his platform makes him relevant to networks that value influence and narrative reach.
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PowerGalperin co-founded MercadoLibre in 1999 and led it for over 26 years as CEO, building Latin America’s largest e-commerce and fintech ecosystem, with operations across 18 countries. The company — which includes MercadoPago (payments), MercadoCrédito (lending), and MercadoEnvíos (logistics) — had revenue of over $14.5 billion in 2023 and a market cap exceeding $100 billion on NASDAQ. Galperin is widely considered Argentina’s wealthiest individual, with an estimated net worth of approximately $9 billion. In January 2026 he stepped into the role of Executive Chairman.
NetworksMercadoLibre board; Stanford GSB alumni (MBA 1999); Wharton School alumni (BS Economics/Finance 1994); Endeavor board member; Onapsis board; invested by eBay (historically), Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan, Alibaba; co-founder of Miami Sharks professional rugby club.
HistoryBorn in Buenos Aires in 1971, Galperin graduated from Wharton with honors and worked at YPF (Argentine oil company) managing currency and oil derivatives (1994–1997). He enrolled at Stanford GSB, where he conceived MercadoLibre after volunteering to drive guest speaker John Muse of Hicks Muse private equity to his plane, securing his first investor by the end of the ride. He launched MercadoLibre from a Buenos Aires garage in 1999. eBay acquired a 19.5% stake in 2001. MercadoLibre became the first Latin American tech company listed on NASDAQ in 2007. Alibaba invested $728 million in 2018.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As Latin America’s most powerful tech entrepreneur and one of the region’s wealthiest individuals, Galperin carries weight in global forums as the leading voice for tech and fintech in an emerging-market bloc — a profile that elite networks routinely seek for geographic and sector breadth.
PowerServed as USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Global Health (2021–2025), overseeing billions in global health spending before the agency was dismantled. A practicing surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Directs Ariadne Labs, a research center focused on improving healthcare delivery globally.
NetworksHarvard Medical School (MD); Harvard Kennedy School (MPH). Staff writer for The New Yorker. MacArthur Fellow; member of the National Academy of Medicine. Formerly on the board of directors of The New Yorker’s parent Condé Nast. Ariadne Labs affiliated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard School of Public Health.
HistoryTrained as a general and endocrine surgeon. Began writing for Slate and then The New Yorker in the late 1990s, becoming one of the most influential medical writers in the country. Published Complications (2002), Better (2007), The Checklist Manifesto (2009)—which catalyzed a global movement for surgical safety checklists—and Being Mortal (2014) on end-of-life care. Founded Ariadne Labs in 2012 to scale simple health interventions globally. Appointed by President Biden to lead Global Health at USAID in 2021. Has testified frequently before Congress on public health policy.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Gawande bridges clinical medicine, public health policy, and global development—he was in charge of USAID’s largest spending stream and is a trusted voice across government, medicine, and media. His combination of institutional authority and public influence makes him a natural participant in elite off-the-record policy conversations.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / USAID (public domain)
PowerGoldstein argued over 40 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and was one of the foremost Supreme Court litigators in the country. He founded SCOTUSblog, which became the definitive independent tracking resource for Supreme Court activity, used by lawyers, journalists, and policymakers.
NetworksSupreme Court appellate bar; SCOTUSblog editorial network; Stanford Law School and Harvard Law School (former adjunct professor). American Law Institute.
HistoryGoldstein built his reputation as a Supreme Court advocate by his early 30s, teaching at both Stanford and Harvard law schools as an adjunct and co-founding SCOTUSblog. In January 2025, federal prosecutors filed a 22-count indictment charging Goldstein with tax evasion and mortgage fraud, alleging he used law firm funds to cover personal expenses including gambling debts. He was convicted in February 2026. He had stepped back from his practice in 2023.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A prominent Supreme Court litigator with deep connections to judicial and legal networks is a natural participant in elite forums that bridge law, policy, and political networks; his role at the nexus of SCOTUS strategy gave him influence over how legal campaigns are understood and pursued.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerGordon-Levitt is a major Hollywood film actor with leading roles in critically and commercially successful films. He is also the founder of HitRecord, a collaborative online production company and creative platform that won two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Interactive Program (2014–2015).
NetworksHollywood film industry; HitRecord (founder); Sundance Film Festival circles; Christopher Nolan film network (Inception, The Dark Knight Rises); tech-adjacent creative community; TED speaker.
HistoryGordon-Levitt began acting as a child and gained recognition in the sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001). He transitioned to film with critically acclaimed roles in Mysterious Skin (2004), Brick (2005), 500 Days of Summer (2009), Inception (2010), and Looper (2012). He founded HitRecord in 2010 as a formal production company, enabling collaborative creative projects with thousands of contributors. He starred in Snowden (2016), directed by Oliver Stone.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Gordon-Levitt represents the intersection of mainstream cultural influence and platform-building entrepreneurship; his HitRecord model and tech-adjacent profile make him relevant to circles focused on the future of media, creativity, and collaborative production.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerGrant holds the Saul P. Steinberg Chair of Management and is a Professor of Psychology at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. His books have sold millions of copies globally and have made him one of the most influential voices on organizational behavior, motivation, and leadership for corporations, governments, and individuals. He has a massive direct platform via podcasts, TED talks, and a newsletter.
NetworksWharton/University of Pennsylvania; Organizational Behavior network; World Economic Forum Young Global Leader; frequent TED speaker; wide corporate consultancy relationships (Apple, Google, Goldman Sachs, the NBA, the U.S. Army and Navy, among others); bestseller author community.
HistoryGrant received his BA from Harvard and his PhD in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan. He joined Wharton at age 28, becoming its youngest tenured professor. His first book, ‘Give and Take’ (2013), became a New York Times bestseller; ‘Originals’ (2016) and ‘Think Again’ (2021) followed. Time magazine named him one of the 25 most influential management thinkers. He also co-hosts the ‘WorkLife with Adam Grant’ podcast for TED.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Grant commands the trust of corporate CEOs, military leaders, and policymakers simultaneously — a rare cross-sector intellectual who is regularly embedded in elite leadership gatherings as a credentialed voice on organizational culture and behavior.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / World Economic ForumSH
PowerCo-founded and serves as CTO and board director of Duolingo (NASDAQ: DUOL), the world’s most downloaded education app with over 100 million monthly active users and a market capitalization of approximately $20 billion as of 2025. Oversees the engineering and technology architecture of the platform.
NetworksETH Zürich (BSc Computer Science); Carnegie Mellon University (PhD Computer Science, 2014). MIT Technology Review TR35 award recipient (2014). Duolingo backed by CapitalG, Kleiner Perkins, Union Square Ventures, NEA. Active angel investor with bets in AI-native companies including Decagon.
HistoryBorn in Zug, Switzerland in 1984. Completed his BS in Computer Science at ETH Zürich and moved to Pittsburgh for his PhD at Carnegie Mellon, where he studied large-scale human computation under Luis von Ahn. In 2011, co-founded Duolingo with von Ahn, starting from a research project aimed at translating the web through crowdsourced language learners. Duolingo grew into the world’s most popular language-learning platform and went public on NASDAQ in July 2021.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As co-founder and CTO of the largest language-learning platform globally, Hacker controls a data-rich system at the intersection of AI, education, and consumer behavior at unprecedented scale—making him a significant technology figure whose perspectives on AI and learning are sought in elite forums.
PowerHaidt is one of the most cited social psychologists in the world and a leading public intellectual on political psychology, social media’s effects on adolescents, and moral reasoning. His books have sold millions of copies and directly influenced legislation and corporate policy on child social media use.
NetworksNYU Stern; Heterodox Academy (co-founder); Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (FAIR, co-founder); TED speaker circuit. Extensive ties to the centrist/anti-woke intellectual network including Jonathan Rauch, Greg Lukianoff.
HistoryHaidt earned his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania and taught at the University of Virginia before moving to NYU Stern in 2011. His 2012 book The Righteous Mind established him as the leading academic voice on how morality shapes politics. His 2018 co-authored work The Coddling of the American Mind with Greg Lukianoff sparked national debate on campus speech and mental health. His 2024 book The Anxious Generation drove congressional hearings on social media and teen mental health. He co-founded Heterodox Academy to promote viewpoint diversity in universities.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Haidt’s influence spans academic research, political consulting, media, and tech policy — his ability to frame social media debates in scientific terms makes him a bridge between Silicon Valley platforms and policymakers seeking intellectual cover for regulatory decisions.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsPH
PowerHamburg served as the 21st Commissioner of the FDA (2009–2015), overseeing one of the most powerful regulatory agencies in the world, responsible for the safety of pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food, and tobacco. She was the longest-serving FDA commissioner since David Kessler. Post-FDA, she served as Foreign Secretary of the National Academy of Medicine, president-elect of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and joined the board of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals and The Nature Conservancy’s global board.
NetworksHarvard Medical School (graduate); Council on Foreign Relations (member, independent task force participant); Nuclear Threat Initiative (founding VP); American Association for the Advancement of Science (former officer); National Academy of Medicine (Foreign Secretary); Nature Conservancy (global board).
HistoryHamburg trained at Harvard Medical School and held early positions at NIH and HHS. She served as Commissioner of New York City’s Department of Health (1991–1997), gaining national recognition for managing the HIV/AIDS epidemic and tuberculosis resurgence. She served as Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation at HHS (1997–2001), then joined the Nuclear Threat Initiative as founding VP for Biological Programs. She was nominated by President Obama and unanimously confirmed as FDA Commissioner in May 2009, serving until April 2015.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As a former FDA commissioner, Hamburg holds direct knowledge of regulatory frameworks governing the pharmaceutical and biotech industries—sectors attracting enormous elite investment attention—making her a highly sought participant in policy and health-focused forums.
PowerHarris commands one of the most influential independent intellectual platforms in the English-speaking world via his ‘Making Sense’ podcast, which covers neuroscience, philosophy, politics, and AI to a large and loyal subscriber base. His books — including ‘The End of Faith,’ ‘The Moral Landscape,’ ‘Waking Up,’ and ‘Free Will’ — have shaped secular, rationalist discourse globally. He also created the Waking Up meditation app.
NetworksNew Atheism / secular rationalist intellectual community (Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, Daniel Dennett); tech and AI intellectual community; University of California Los Angeles (PhD in neuroscience, 2009); Stanford University (BA in philosophy); venture-backed app ecosystem (Waking Up); frequent guest at elite tech forums.
HistoryHarris studied philosophy at Stanford, spent years traveling and studying meditation in India and Nepal, then returned to complete a PhD in neuroscience at UCLA. ‘The End of Faith’ (2004) made him a prominent public intellectual as one of the ‘New Atheists.’ He co-founded Project Reason, a nonprofit promoting science and secular values. His Waking Up app brought secular meditation to a mass tech-savvy audience.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Harris operates at the intersection of neuroscience, philosophy, AI ethics, and secular values — intellectual territory that tech elites find highly relevant, and he has cultivated deep personal relationships within Silicon Valley and the rationalist community.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerServes Connecticut’s 4th Congressional District (Fairfield County) since 2009. Ranking Member on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. A senior Democrat with significant influence over intelligence oversight, cybersecurity policy, and financial regulation.
NetworksHarvard University (BA); Oxford University (MPhil, as a Rhodes Scholar). Former Goldman Sachs associate and Enterprise Community Partners CEO. Member of the German Marshall Fund advisory network. Regular participant in Council on Foreign Relations events. Connecticut Democratic Party establishment.
HistoryGrew up partly in Latin America; earned a BA from Harvard and an MPhil from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. Worked at Goldman Sachs in New York and London. Served as president and CEO of Enterprise Community Partners, a nonprofit focused on affordable housing. Elected to Congress in 2008, defeating a Republican incumbent. Has served on the Financial Services Committee and the Intelligence Committee. Known for measured, hawkish foreign policy positions and strong advocacy on cybersecurity and financial regulation.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, Himes is one of the most senior Democratic overseers of U.S. intelligence and national security—an elected official whose presence in elite off-the-record networks reflects his role as both a policy influencer and a conduit between intelligence agencies and elite civil society.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. House of Representatives (public domain)
PowerHoffman is the co-founder and Chairman of Dialog itself — the network whose membership is being profiled here. He runs NQB8, a company-building vehicle. His prior company SafeGraph gathered and sold location data from mobile devices to governments and commercial clients. His earlier company LiveRamp (formerly Rapleaf) became a major data-connectivity platform acquired by Acxiom for $310 million in 2014.
NetworksDialog (chairman and co-founder with Peter Thiel); Flex Capital (General Partner); UC Berkeley (IEOR degree); angel investor in 350+ companies including Perplexity, Replit, Mercury, Rippling, Supabase, Superhuman, Tailscale, and Vercel. Peter Thiel network.
HistoryHoffman started Kyber Systems while at UC Berkeley in 1995, selling it to Human Ingenuity. He then founded BridgePath (sold to Bullhorn in 2002), followed by Rapleaf/LiveRamp (co-founded 2006, sold to Acxiom 2014). He founded SafeGraph in 2016 as a geospatial data company that came under criticism for selling disaggregate location data to government agencies; Google removed it from its app marketplace in 2021. He stepped down as SafeGraph CEO in October 2024. He hosts the Summation podcast.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the actual founder and chairman of Dialog, Hoffman is the convener of this network — his involvement explains its shape. His career in data identity, location tracking, and network-building reflects a consistent interest in connecting elite nodes across tech, media, and government.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsRH
PowerHoffman co-founded LinkedIn, which Microsoft acquired in 2016 for $26.2 billion. He is a partner at Greylock Partners, a leading venture capital firm. He is a board member at Microsoft, co-founded Inflection AI and Manas AI, and has invested in at least 37 AI companies as of 2023. He chairs Village Global and serves on the boards of Aurora, New America, and the Berggruen Institute, among others.
NetworksStanford University (BA); Oxford University (MSt); PayPal (founding team, former EVP); LinkedIn (co-founder); Greylock Partners; Microsoft board; OpenAI (former board member); Inflection AI; Stanford HAI; MacArthur Foundation (Lever for Change board); New America (board).
HistoryHoffman studied philosophy at Stanford and did a master’s at Oxford before joining Apple in 1994. He co-founded SocialNet.com in 1997, joined PayPal as EVP in 2000, and was part of the ‘PayPal Mafia.’ He co-founded LinkedIn in December 2002, led it to profitability, and joined Greylock in 2009. He arranged the first meeting between Zuckerberg and Thiel that led to Facebook’s first investment. As of 2023, Greylock under Hoffman had invested in at least 37 AI companies.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Hoffman is perhaps the canonical node of Silicon Valley’s most consequential elite network—he personally connected the PayPal Mafia, LinkedIn, Facebook, Airbnb, and major AI investments—making him a structural participant in any gathering concerned with the future of technology and capital.
RH
PowerHur served as the Special Counsel who led the DOJ investigation into President Biden’s handling of classified documents (2023–2024), producing a 388-page report that — while declining to prosecute — described Biden in politically explosive terms that reverberated through the 2024 election. He previously served as U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland (2018–2021), one of the nation’s largest federal prosecutorial offices. After the Special Counsel role, he returned to private law practice at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.
NetworksGibson, Dunn & Crutcher (Washington D.C. litigation); Harvard College alumni; Stanford Law School alumni (editor of the Law Review); former clerk for Chief Justice William Rehnquist and Judge Alex Kozinski; DOJ senior network (Rosenstein, Mueller-era officials); Republican legal establishment.
HistoryHur clerked for Chief Justice Rehnquist and Judge Kozinski, then served as Assistant U.S. Attorney in Maryland (2007–2014), receiving the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award. He was Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General under Rod Rosenstein (2017–2018), coordinating with Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Trump nominated him as U.S. Attorney for Maryland; he was unanimously confirmed in 2018. He joined Gibson Dunn after leaving that office in 2021. AG Garland appointed him Special Counsel for the Biden classified documents investigation in January 2023.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Hur has navigated the most sensitive and politically charged federal investigations of the recent era, with relationships spanning Republican and Democrat administrations at the DOJ’s highest levels — a figure with rare visibility into executive-branch legal and national security matters.
BJ
PowerServed as Co-CIO of Millennium Management (2016–2023), one of the world’s largest hedge funds, overseeing a multi-strategy platform that grew from approximately $30 billion to $60 billion in AUM during his tenure. Founded Jain Global in 2024 backed by $5.3 billion in commitments. Founder of the Jain Family Institute, a nonprofit applied research organization focused on social science and policy.
NetworksCornell University (BA Government, honors); CFA Charterholder. Board of Harvard Management Corporation; Investor Advisory Committee of the New York Federal Reserve. Spent 20 years at Credit Suisse (1996–2016) in senior roles including Global Head of Asset Management and Co-Head of Global Securities.
HistoryBegan career at O’Connor & Associates as an options trader. Joined Credit Suisse in 1996, rising over 20 years to hold several global leadership roles including Global Head of Asset Management and Global Head of Proprietary Trading. Recruited to Millennium Management as Co-CIO in 2016 under founder Israel Englander. Left Millennium in 2023 to launch Jain Global, a new multi-strategy hedge fund. Founded the Jain Family Institute in 2014 to conduct applied research on universal basic income, student loan reform, and digital ethics.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Jain straddles two worlds: as a major hedge fund allocator managing tens of billions and as a philanthropist funding unconventional social science research. This combination—private capital power plus policy-research influence—is characteristic of participants in elite off-the-record networks.
PowerJohnson controls Kernel, a neurotechnology company developing non-invasive brain imaging hardware, and Blueprint, a commercial longevity supplement and protocol brand built around his own documented biological optimization regimen. He has $300+ million in personal capital from the PayPal acquisition of Braintree/Venmo and has invested over $100 million into his own health protocols.
NetworksOS Fund (founder — invests in scientific breakthroughs); PayPal/Braintree alumni network; longevity and biohacking communities; Elon Musk-era tech entrepreneurship networks.
HistoryJohnson grew up in Utah in a Mormon household and earned a degree from Brigham Young University. In 2007 he founded Braintree, a payment processing company. In 2012 Braintree acquired Venmo for $26 million; in 2013 PayPal acquired the combined entity for approximately $800 million, giving Johnson over $300 million. In 2014 he founded OS Fund to invest in scientific moonshots. In 2016 he founded Kernel with $54 million of his own capital to develop brain-computer interface hardware. His Blueprint longevity project, begun around 2021, attracted international media attention for its radical data-driven approach to slowing biological aging.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Johnson controls significant capital, a major neurotechnology platform, and a media presence around longevity and AI that makes him relevant to the tech-bio intersection; his combination of wealth, contrarian ideas, and proximity to brain-computer interface development connects him to networks ranging from Silicon Valley to defense-adjacent neuroscience.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsKK
PowerKallas serves as Vice President of the European Commission and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy since December 2024—effectively the EU’s foreign minister, responsible for coordinating foreign policy across 27 member states. She previously served as Prime Minister of Estonia (2021–2024) and was one of Europe’s most prominent voices on Russia and NATO enlargement following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
NetworksEstonian Reform Party (former chairwoman); European People’s Party; Council of Women World Leaders; German Marshall Fund of the United States; EU Council and Commission networks; European Parliament (former MEP, 2014–2018).
HistoryKallas studied law at the University of Tartu and worked as a lawyer. She served as an MEP (2014–2018), then as a member of the Estonian parliament, before becoming Prime Minister in January 2021. Her government was one of the earliest and most consistent advocates for Western military and financial support for Ukraine after Russia’s 2022 invasion. She stepped down in July 2024 to take the EU foreign affairs post, confirmed in December 2024.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the EU’s top foreign policy official and a former head of government who navigated NATO’s eastern flank during the most consequential security crisis in Europe since World War II, Kallas carries direct authority over European security and trade policy—the kind of figure central to any serious geopolitical elite dialogue.
GK
PowerKapadia founded XN, a concentrated long-term investment firm that invests across public and private markets, in 2020. XN was one of the largest new hedge fund launches of that year. He is described by Tyler Cowen as ‘one of the most successful [generational investors] over the last twenty years’ and manages significant capital across public equities and private investments.
NetworksMellon Foundation board (joined 2023); Tyler Cowen / Conversations with Tyler network; New York City elite investor community; private equity and public markets networks; Mellon Foundation / arts philanthropy.
HistoryKapadia built a multi-decade track record as a concentrated, long-term public-markets investor before launching XN in 2020, positioning it as a Buffett-style vehicle combining concentrated public equities with opportunistic private investing. He joined the board of the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation in 2023. He has been described as a ‘tried and true New Yorker’ and a respected figure in the high-conviction investing community.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As a high-conviction, long-term capital allocator with a strong track record and discreet profile, Kapadia is the type of investor that elite networks include for substantive financial perspective and access to private deal flow, while his Mellon Foundation role adds a philanthropic/cultural dimension.
KK
PowerOne of three Co-Chief Investment Officers at Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund with approximately $150 billion in assets under management. Shapes macroeconomic research and investment strategy at one of the most influential institutional investors on the planet. Named Co-CIO in 2023.
NetworksPrinceton University (BA); began career at Bridgewater as a research associate. Speaks regularly at Goldman Sachs, the World Economic Forum, and Sohn Conference. Deep ties within global macro investment community.
HistoryJoined Bridgewater Associates straight from Princeton and rose through the firm’s research ranks over more than 15 years. Named head of investment research and then elevated to Co-CIO in 2023 alongside Greg Jensen and Bob Prince. Known for macro research on China’s economy, global fiscal policy, and the new investment paradigm following years of zero-interest-rate policy. One of the most prominent women in global macro investing.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As Co-CIO of the world’s largest hedge fund, Karniol-Tambour shapes the macro views of sovereign wealth funds, central banks, and major institutional investors globally—she is a key node for understanding how the world’s largest pools of capital are thinking about geopolitics, fiscal policy, and economic risk.
PowerKasparov is the most famous chess player in history, having held the world championship from 1985 to 2000 and been ranked No. 1 in the world until his retirement in 2005. Since then he has been the most prominent Russian democratic opposition figure in the West, serving as Chairman of the Human Rights Foundation, and an influential voice on Russia, authoritarianism, and AI.
NetworksHuman Rights Foundation (Chairman); Kasparov Chess Foundation; Other Russia coalition (former leader); Western conservative and pro-democracy think tank circuit; AI governance discussions (notably his match against Deep Blue seeded early debates about AI and human cognition).
HistoryBorn in Baku, Azerbaijan in 1963, Kasparov became the youngest world chess champion in history at 22 in 1985. He held that title until 2000 and remained ranked No. 1 until his retirement in March 2005 after winning his ninth Linares title. He immediately entered Russian opposition politics, founding the United Civil Front and leading the Other Russia coalition challenging Putin. He has lived in the West since approximately 2013. His 1997 loss to IBM’s Deep Blue became a defining cultural moment in AI history.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Kasparov bridges geopolitics, AI history, and democracy advocacy — his unique combination of celebrity, anti-Putin credibility, and proximity to AI debates makes him a high-value participant in elite forums seeking both foreign policy insight and cultural legitimacy.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsNK
PowerKatyal is among the most prolific Supreme Court litigators in US history, having orally argued 52 cases before the Court—more than any other minority lawyer in US history. He chairs the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice at Milbank LLP. As Acting Solicitor General (2010–2011), he served as the government’s top lawyer before the Supreme Court. He is also a professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
NetworksGeorgetown University Law Center (Paul and Patricia Saunders Professor); Milbank LLP (current); Hogan Lovells (former partner, 2011–2025); Clinton and Obama administration DOJ networks; American Law Institute; Kettering Foundation (senior fellow).
HistoryKatyal clerked on the federal circuit after law school and joined the DOJ under the Clinton administration, where he drafted the special counsel regulations that later governed the Mueller investigation. He represented Guantanamo detainees in the landmark Hamdan v. Rumsfeld case (2006), which invalidated Bush-era military commissions. He was named Acting Solicitor General under Obama in 2010–2011, succeeding Elena Kagan. He returned to private practice at Hogan Lovells, then moved to lead Milbank’s appellate practice in February 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Katyal is the premier appellate advocate for major corporate and governmental clients on constitutional and national security matters, with extensive access to the most sensitive legal debates at the intersection of executive power, corporate liability, and civil rights.
PowerAbbasi served as Prime Minister of Pakistan from August 2017 to May 2018, leading a nation of over 200 million people with nuclear capabilities and a pivotal geostrategic position. He has been a member of the National Assembly and held multiple ministerial roles including Federal Minister for Petroleum and Natural Resources. He is also a founder and significant figure in Airblue, Pakistan’s first private airline.
NetworksPakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N, Nawaz Sharif’s party); National Assembly of Pakistan; World Economic Forum (current/past member); University of California and George Washington University alumni; Pakistan aviation industry; regional diplomatic networks spanning Gulf states, China, and the U.S.
HistoryAbbasi holds an engineering degree from the University of California and a master’s in engineering from George Washington University. He served on the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Defence (1990–1993), as Minister of State and Adviser for Aviation (1997–1999), and as CEO of Pakistan International Airlines (1997–1999). He co-founded Airblue in 2003 and served as its COO (2003–2013). He was Federal Minister for Commerce (2008) and Federal Minister for Petroleum (2013–2017) before becoming PM when Nawaz Sharif was disqualified. He served until Pakistan’s general elections in May 2018.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A former prime minister of a nuclear-armed state with extensive ties across South Asia, the Gulf, and the Pakistani diaspora globally, Abbasi represents the geopolitical weight that elite private forums value for candid regional intelligence and diplomatic relationships.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerOne of the most widely read opinion columnists in the United States. Hosts The Ezra Klein Show, one of the most influential long-form political and policy podcasts. Reaches tens of millions through the New York Times platform. His 2024 call for President Biden to step aside became a significant public intervention in Democratic Party politics.
NetworksUC Santa Cruz (BA Political Science). Co-founded Vox Media with Matthew Yglesias and Melissa Bell in 2014—grew it to over 100 journalists before leaving in 2020. Previously founded Wonkblog at the Washington Post. Regular contributor and analyst for MSNBC and Bloomberg. Broad access to political, academic, and technology elites as podcast guests.
HistoryBegan career blogging on liberal politics while in college; joined The American Prospect and then The Washington Post, where he created the Wonkblog vertical on policy and economics. Co-founded Vox in 2014 as an explanatory journalism platform. Served as editor-in-chief then editor-at-large. Joined the New York Times in 2020 as an opinion columnist and podcast host. Author of Why We’re Polarized (2020). Was executive producer of Netflix’s Explained series.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Klein is among the most influential agenda-setters in American political media, with unparalleled access to policymakers, technologists, and economists who appear on his podcast. His willingness to use his platform to intervene in Democratic Party affairs—as with Biden—demonstrates the real-world weight of his voice in elite circles.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerKōno served as Japan’s Minister for Digital Transformation from 2022 to 2024, leading the country’s effort to modernize government digital infrastructure, eliminate floppy disk use in government, and reform the My Number national ID system. He previously served as Foreign Minister (2017–2019) and Defense Minister (2019–2020) under Prime Minister Abe.
NetworksLiberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP); Georgetown University School of Foreign Service alumnus; Fuji Xerox and Nippon Tanshi (pre-political career); Japan-U.S. security alliance networks. Sanctioned by China, Russia, and Iran for his political positions.
HistoryKōno was born in 1963 in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa. He graduated from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, then worked at Fuji Xerox and Nippon Tanshi before being elected to the House of Representatives in 1996. He held successive cabinet portfolios: Administrative Reform (2015–2016), Foreign Affairs (2017–2019), Defense (2019–2020), Vaccine Rollout (2021), and Digital Transformation (2022–2024). He ran for LDP president three times, most recently placing eighth in the 2024 race, and subsequently left the cabinet.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A senior Japanese politician who led defense, foreign affairs, and digital reform portfolios represents a critical node for those tracking Japan’s strategic positioning in AI governance, semiconductor policy, and Indo-Pacific security.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerKravis co-founded KKR in 1976 and helped pioneer the leveraged buyout industry. KKR manages approximately $600 billion in assets under management. He oversaw the $31 billion acquisition of RJR Nabisco (1989), one of the most famous LBOs ever executed. He sits on the boards of Axel Springer and ICONIQ Capital, and is co-founder of the New York City Investment Fund.
NetworksClaremont McKenna College (alumnus); Columbia Business School (MBA; co-chairman of Board of Overseers); KKR; Business Council; Mount Sinai Hospital board; New York City Investment Fund (co-founder and co-chairman); Robin Hood Foundation.
HistoryKravis graduated from Claremont McKenna College in 1967 and received his MBA from Columbia Business School in 1969. He joined Bear Stearns where he worked under Jerome Kohlberg. In 1976, he, Kohlberg, and George Roberts left Bear Stearns to found KKR, pioneering the leveraged buyout industry in the 1980s. Landmark deals include RJR Nabisco (1989), Beatrice Foods, and Safeway. Kravis has stepped back from his co-CEO role in recent years but remains co-chairman of KKR.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Kravis built and for decades led the institution that defined large-scale private equity—he holds deep relationships across corporate boardrooms, political fundraising networks, and philanthropic institutions, making him a central node in the American establishment.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerKushner is the founder and CEO of Affinity Partners, a Miami-based private equity firm with over $5.4 billion in assets under management (as of 2025), funded primarily by Gulf sovereign wealth funds — principally Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund ($2 billion). He is also Donald Trump’s son-in-law and served as a Senior Advisor to the President (2017–2021), brokering the Abraham Accords and the USMCA trade deal. In 2026 he was formally appointed Special Envoy for Peace. He led a consortium including Saudi PIF and Silver Lake in the acquisition of Electronic Arts for approximately $52.5 billion in 2025.
NetworksTrump family and administration; Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (MBS direct relationship); UAE, Qatar, and Israeli government networks; Kushner Companies (family real estate business); Cadre (real estate technology co-founder); Harvard University and NYU School of Law alumni; Republican donor and political establishment.
HistoryRaised in New Jersey, Kushner took over Kushner Companies in 2005 after his father’s conviction. He expanded the real estate portfolio, acquired a New York newspaper, and co-founded the real estate tech company Cadre. He met Ivanka Trump around 2005 and married her in 2009. He served as Senior Advisor in Trump’s first term, overseeing Middle East policy, criminal justice reform (First Step Act), and trade. He founded Affinity Partners in January 2021, the day after leaving the White House, and raised $3.1 billion. He remains an informal diplomatic figure in Trump’s second term.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Kushner occupies a unique position as the principal private bridge between U.S. political power and Gulf sovereign capital — his participation in any private forum carries implications for understanding both the Trump orbit and Middle Eastern investment flows.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. GovernmentJK
PowerServes as Chief Strategy Officer of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT and GPT-4, responsible for shaping the company’s long-term direction, partnerships, and positioning. OpenAI is arguably the world’s most consequential AI laboratory with a valuation exceeding $300 billion and direct influence on global AI policy.
NetworksStanford University (JD, Stanford Law School); spoke at Stanford AI Symposium. Former attorney background. Deep ties within OpenAI’s senior leadership including CEO Sam Altman. Connected to major technology investors and policy stakeholders through OpenAI’s global engagement.
HistoryBackground in law; served in strategic and legal roles before ascending to Chief Strategy Officer at OpenAI. Has been instrumental in OpenAI’s commercial and governmental strategy, including navigating regulatory scrutiny, negotiating major cloud and compute partnerships (notably with Microsoft), and engaging with policymakers on AI governance. Has spoken publicly on agent-based AI systems and OpenAI’s path toward artificial general intelligence.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As CSO of the world’s leading AI company, Kwon is directly involved in the decisions that will shape whether and how transformative AI systems are deployed at scale—making him an essential participant in elite forums where technology, power, and governance intersect.
PowerLeo is widely credited as the most influential private actor in reshaping the U.S. federal judiciary over the past three decades. He played a central role in the selection and confirmation of Supreme Court Justices Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett. He controls Marble Freedom Trust, a nonprofit through which he channels hundreds of millions of dollars annually to conservative legal and political causes.
NetworksFederalist Society (co-chairman); Marble Freedom Trust (founder and principal); Judicial Crisis Network (advisory); Catholic conservative networks; Opus Dei-adjacent circles. Will Scharf (described elsewhere in this list) has publicly called Leo a ‘dear friend and mentor’.
HistoryLeo grew up in New Jersey and graduated from Cornell Law School. He joined the Federalist Society as a young lawyer and rose to Executive Vice President, becoming the organization’s primary liaison to Republican administrations on judicial nominations. He served as an informal adviser to the George W. Bush and Trump administrations on Supreme Court picks. After the 2022 Dobbs decision (which overturned Roe v. Wade) was handed down, Leo received a $1.6 billion donation from electronics manufacturer Barre Seid, one of the largest single gifts in U.S. political history, which he deployed through Marble Freedom Trust.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Leo is the preeminent architect of conservative judicial strategy in the United States; any elite network touching law, regulation, or political power would benefit from his presence as both an intelligence source and a conduit to the judicial pipeline that will shape American governance for decades.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerLevin is the 13th President of Stanford University, effective August 2024, leading one of the world’s most influential research universities with an endowment exceeding $36 billion. He oversees an institution that is a primary source of venture-backed founders, AI research, and policy expertise. He also serves as a trustee of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
NetworksStanford University (undergraduate alumnus, president); Oxford University (MPhil); MIT (PhD); National Bureau of Economic Research (research associate); President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (2021–2025, Biden administration); Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (trustee); American Economic Association; Econometric Society.
HistoryLevin is a Stanford alumnus (class of ’94, BA in English and Mathematics), earned his MPhil from Oxford and PhD in economics from MIT, and joined Stanford’s economics faculty in 2000. He was awarded the John Bates Clark Medal in 2011 as the outstanding American economist under 40. He chaired Stanford’s economics department (2011–2014) and served as dean of the Stanford Graduate School of Business (2016–2024), during which he helped design the FCC’s $20 billion spectrum incentive auction and advised President Biden’s science council. He became president in August 2024. His father, Richard Levin, was president of Yale for 20 years.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As president of Stanford, Levin heads the institution most deeply embedded in Silicon Valley and AI research; his role gives him direct access to the most influential founders, investors, and government science advisors, making him a natural convening figure for elite dialogue.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsHL
PowerLiu co-founded and leads Airtable, a no-code/low-code application-building platform valued at approximately $11 billion. Airtable is embedded in the workflows of major enterprises globally, making Liu a key figure in the enterprise software and AI-enabled workflow space. The platform serves as critical business infrastructure for organizations from startups to Fortune 500 companies.
NetworksAirtable investor network (Salesforce Ventures, Benchmark, Coatue, Thrive Capital, among others); Salesforce ecosystem (sold a prior startup to Salesforce before founding Airtable); Stanford University and Duke University alumni; Silicon Valley enterprise SaaS community.
HistoryLiu sold an earlier startup, Etacts (a contact management tool), to Salesforce in 2011. After approximately 18 months at Salesforce, he left to build Airtable, co-founding it with Andrew Ofstad and Emmett Nicholas in 2012, and launching publicly in 2015. Airtable raised hundreds of millions in venture capital, became one of the most widely adopted no-code tools, and has increasingly focused on AI-enabled enterprise workflows. Liu restructured Airtable’s entire engineering organization for the AI era in 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As founder-CEO of one of enterprise software’s most widely adopted platforms, Liu operates at the frontier of AI-enabled productivity tools — a space of profound interest to corporate leaders and tech investors in elite networks.
JL
PowerFounding Partner of 8VC, an early-stage venture capital firm managing over $6 billion in capital. Co-founded Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ: PLTR), now valued at hundreds of billions, in 2003–2004 as a defense and intelligence data analytics company. Co-founded Addepar, a wealth management platform handling over $7 trillion in assets. Co-founded the University of Austin.
NetworksStanford University (BS Computer Science, studied under Peter Thiel). Close ties to the Thiel network (Thiel Capital, PayPal Mafia adjacents). 8VC portfolio includes Anduril, Guardant Health, Joby Aviation, Oscar, and dozens of others. Founded the Cicero Institute (policy think tank). Forbes Midas List youngest member in 2016 and 2017. Board connections across defense, biotech, and enterprise software.
HistoryStudied at Stanford under Peter Thiel and co-founded Palantir alongside Thiel, Alex Karp, Stephen Cohen, and Nathan Gettings in 2004, raising early CIA-linked venture funding. Left Palantir in 2009 while retaining stake and advisory role. Founded Addepar (2009), OpenGov (sold for $1.8 billion), Formation 8 (VC, 2011), and then 8VC (2015). Moved 8VC to Austin, Texas. Has made significant political donations including to conservative causes and tech-aligned candidates. Co-founded the University of Austin as a challenger institution.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Lonsdale sits at the center of the techno-libertarian defense and enterprise software network that has become increasingly influential in U.S. government contracting and AI policy. His co-founding of Palantir, connections to intelligence community investors, and conservative political networks make him a prototypical participant in elite off-the-record strategy sessions.
PowerMalka founded Ribbit Capital in 2012, which became one of the most successful fintech-focused venture firms in the world. Ribbit has backed Robinhood, Coinbase, Brex, Credit Karma, Revolut, Nubank, and dozens of other major financial technology companies. The firm manages multiple funds totaling several billion dollars.
NetworksRibbit Capital portfolio network (Robinhood, Coinbase, Brex, Nubank, Credit Karma, Revolut, Chime, and others); Andreessen Horowitz and major Silicon Valley VC co-investor relationships; international fintech networks spanning India and Africa.
HistoryMalka (full name Meyer Malka) grew up in Venezuela and built an early career in Latin American financial services before moving to Silicon Valley. He founded Ribbit Capital in Palo Alto in 2012 with a thesis that financial services were due for technology disruption globally. His early bets on Robinhood and Coinbase proved enormously valuable. He has spoken extensively on embedded finance and the internationalization of fintech, with particular focus on India and Africa as the next major growth markets.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the leading venture capitalist in fintech and one of the earliest institutional backers of both the crypto (Coinbase) and retail trading (Robinhood) revolutions, Malka sits at the intersection of traditional finance disruption, regulatory lobbying, and global capital flows.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerMcChrystal retired as a four-star general in 2010 after commanding all US and NATO forces in Afghanistan and leading the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) for five years—the most elite US covert military organization. He founded McChrystal Group, a leadership consulting firm, and is the author of Team of Teams (2015) and other leadership books.
NetworksWest Point (graduate); Yale University (former Senior Fellow, Jackson Institute); McChrystal Group; US Army Rangers (former commanding general, 75th Ranger Regiment); JSOC networks; Council on Foreign Relations.
HistoryMcChrystal graduated from West Point in 1976 and had a 34-year Army career specializing in special operations. He commanded the 75th Ranger Regiment (1997–1999) and led JSOC from 2003 to 2008, directing counterterrorism operations in Iraq and Afghanistan including the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in June 2006. He commanded US and NATO forces in Afghanistan from June 2009 until June 2010, when he was relieved by President Obama after critical remarks about the administration were published in Rolling Stone. He founded McChrystal Group in 2011.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]McChrystal led the most elite covert military organization in the world and redefined how special operations forces operate in complex environments. His leadership expertise and relationships in government, defense, and national security make him a natural participant in off-record forums involving power and strategy.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Army
PowerMohan became CEO of YouTube in February 2023, succeeding Susan Wojcicki. YouTube is the world’s dominant video platform, with over 2 billion logged-in users monthly and annual advertising revenues exceeding $30 billion. Mohan oversees a platform that shapes global information, entertainment, and creator economics. He also sits on the board of directors of Starbucks.
NetworksGoogle/Alphabet executive network; YouTube/creator economy; DoubleClick alumni (orchestrated DoubleClick’s $3.1 billion sale to Google in 2007); Starbucks board; Stanford University (BS Computer Science and MSc); Accenture alumni; IAB board (2012–2016); Indiaspora network.
HistoryBorn in India, Mohan studied computer science at Stanford and began his career at Accenture. He joined NetGravity (an early ad-tech startup) and moved to DoubleClick, where as SVP of Strategy and Product Development he orchestrated its acquisition by Google for $3.1 billion in 2007. He then led Google’s display and video advertising business as SVP (2008–2015), building it into a multi-billion-dollar operation. He became YouTube’s Chief Product Officer in 2015, overseeing YouTube Music, Shorts, Premium, and YouTube TV. He was named CEO in February 2023. Time named him CEO of the Year in 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As CEO of the world’s largest video platform, Mohan controls global information flows and the livelihoods of millions of creators — a figure whose platform decisions have outsized effects on public discourse, making him a key participant in any elite conversation about media and technology.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. State Department
PowerServed as U.S. Deputy Attorney General (2021–2025) under President Biden—the second-highest law enforcement official in the United States, overseeing the FBI, DEA, ATF, BOP, and all Justice Department divisions. Previously served as Assistant Attorney General for National Security (2011–2013) and Homeland Security Advisor to President Obama (2013–2017). Currently a Distinguished Scholar at NYU Law and a senior executive at Microsoft.
NetworksHarvard University (BA); University of Chicago Law School (JD). Clerked for federal judges. O’Melveny & Myers partner (between government stints). Council on Foreign Relations. Bipartisan Commission on Biodefense. Deep ties within the U.S. national security establishment including DOJ, FBI, NSC, and intelligence community leadership.
HistoryBegan legal career as a federal prosecutor at DOJ. Rose to become head of DOJ’s National Security Division under President Obama (2011–2013), overseeing prosecution of terrorism and espionage cases. Served as Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor in the Obama White House (2013–2017). Returned to private practice at O’Melveny & Myers. Nominated by President Biden as Deputy AG in 2021; led corporate enforcement overhauls, cybersecurity initiatives, and oversight of major criminal investigations. Returned to NYU Law in 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Monaco is among the most powerful national security and law enforcement officials the U.S. has produced in recent years—someone who oversaw the full apparatus of federal prosecution, intelligence coordination, and cyber policy. Her participation in elite networks reflects the continuity between government power and private sector influence in the national security space.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Department of Justice (public domain)
PowerMoore has served as the 63rd Governor of Maryland since January 2023 — the state’s first Black governor and only the third Black person elected governor in U.S. history. He commands a state budget of approximately $67 billion and has been publicly discussed as a future national Democratic candidate.
NetworksDemocratic Governors Association (former Finance Chair); National Governors Association (Vice Chair, 2025); Johns Hopkins University (BA, first Black Rhodes Scholar from JHU); Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar, MLitt); 82nd Airborne Division veterans network; Robin Hood Foundation alumni; Under Armour (former board member).
HistoryMoore was born in Takoma Park, Maryland. His father died when he was three; he was raised partly in the Bronx and partly in Baltimore. He attended Valley Forge Military Academy, earned a BA from Johns Hopkins (2001), and a master’s from Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar (2004). He served as a captain in the 82nd Airborne Division in Afghanistan, receiving a Bronze Star. He worked as a White House Fellow under Secretary of State Rice (2006–2007) and as an investment banker at Deutsche Bank and Citigroup (2007–2012). He published the bestselling The Other Wes Moore (2010) and served as CEO of the Robin Hood Foundation (2017–2021) before winning the 2022 gubernatorial election.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Moore is a rising national figure who combines military, finance, and nonprofit leadership with a compelling personal story — exactly the profile of Democratic politicians that elite forums cultivate as potential presidential candidates.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / State of Maryland.jpg?width=400)
PowerMusk is CEO of SpaceX, the dominant commercial launch provider, and was long-serving CEO of Tesla Motors. He also owns X (formerly Twitter), co-founded xAI, Neuralink, and The Boring Company. He served in an advisory capacity through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) during the early months of the second Trump administration in 2025. His net worth has ranked him among the wealthiest individuals in the world.
NetworksPayPal Mafia (co-founder); Peter Thiel and Reid Hoffman networks; Tesla board; SpaceX; xAI; US government contracts (NASA, DoD); Bilderberg participant; Dialog (co-founder, per input data).
HistoryBorn in Pretoria, South Africa, Musk studied at the University of Pennsylvania. He co-founded Zip2 (sold to Compaq, 1999) and X.com, which merged with PayPal and was sold to eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002. He founded SpaceX in 2002 and co-founded Tesla Motors in 2003, becoming Tesla’s CEO in 2008. He acquired Twitter in 2022 for $44 billion, rebranding it X. He was involved with DOGE in the early months of the second Trump administration in 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Musk is listed in the input data as a Dialog co-founder, placing him at the center of the network’s origins. As the world’s highest-profile entrepreneur across space, electric vehicles, AI, and media, his participation defines the ambition and character of the forum.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerMutlu founded Trendyol in 2010 after dropping out of Harvard Business School and built it into Turkey’s first technology decacorn (valued above $10 billion). Trendyol is Turkey’s largest e-commerce platform, dominating approximately one-third of the country’s e-commerce ecosystem, and operates across 27 European countries. Alibaba acquired a majority stake (86.5%) in 2018 for approximately $728 million. Mutlu is also a co-founder and investor in Peak Games, which was acquired by Zynga for $1.8 billion.
NetworksAlibaba Group (majority shareholder); Tiger Global and Kleiner Perkins (early investors); World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders; New York University (Economics, graduated cum laude); Harvard Business School (dropped out); Business of Fashion BOF500; Trendyol/Alibaba global network.
HistoryBorn in New York in 1981, Mutlu graduated cum laude from NYU’s economics department and worked in finance, marketing, and business development across Switzerland, Japan, the U.S., and Turkey. She enrolled at Harvard Business School in 2008; during a summer visit to Turkey she identified the gap in e-commerce for Turkish fashion and left Harvard to bootstrap Trendyol with $300,000 of personal capital. Fortune named her one of the world’s 10 most powerful women entrepreneurs in 2011. The Economist named her Entrepreneur of the Year in 2019.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Mutlu is one of the most successful female technology entrepreneurs in the emerging world and the builder of a company with deep Alibaba ties — she represents both a major non-Western tech ecosystem and the intersection of Turkish political economy with global capital.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / World Economic Forum
PowerChief Executive Officer of Novartis since February 2018, leading a company with over 77,000 employees operating in approximately 120 countries that reached more than 300 million patients with its medicines in 2025. Oversees a portfolio of breakthrough oncology, cardiovascular, and rare disease therapies. Sits on the board of Anthropic (since 2026) and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
NetworksUniversity of Chicago (BA Biological Sciences); Harvard Medical School (MD); Harvard Kennedy School (MPP). Member of the National Academy of Medicine; board of fellows at Harvard Medical School; trustee of University of Chicago. Chair of the African Parks Network. PhRMA chair (2023–2024). TIME100 Most Influential People in Health (2025).
HistoryBorn in Pittsburgh to Indian immigrant parents; worked on public health projects in Africa, India, and South America during and after medical school, mentored by Paul Farmer and Jim Kim. Briefly at McKinsey & Company before joining Novartis in 2005. Held successive leadership roles including Global Head of Novartis Vaccines, head of drug development, and Chief Medical Officer before being named CEO in September 2017 (effective February 2018), succeeding Joseph Jimenez. Has led Novartis’s transformation into a focused medicines company emphasizing cell therapy, gene therapy, radioligand therapy, and AI-accelerated drug development.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As CEO of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies—with reach across cancer, rare disease, and global access programs—Narasimhan is a pivotal figure where health policy, global public health, and major capital intersect. His simultaneous board seat at an AI frontier lab (Anthropic) and pharma industry leadership make him a sought-after voice at elite cross-sector forums.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerNorquist has run Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) since 1985. ATR’s Taxpayer Protection Pledge — signed by nearly all Republican members of Congress — has been a binding constraint on tax legislation for four decades. He convenes the Wednesday Meeting, a weekly off-the-record gathering in Washington of approximately 120 conservative movement leaders.
NetworksAmericans for Tax Reform; Club for Growth (allied); Republican Party donor and organizer network; Federalist Society-adjacent; Reagan-era conservative movement alumni; Wednesday Meeting convener. Harvard MBA.
HistoryNorquist grew up in Weston, Massachusetts and earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. He first made his name in Washington in the early 1980s as a leader of College Republicans. He was appointed president of ATR in 1985 to support the Reagan administration’s tax reform. After the 1986 tax bill passed, he transformed ATR into a permanent anti-tax lobbying and organizing institution. His Taxpayer Protection Pledge became a litmus test for Republican candidates. He has been a central figure in shaping the Republican Party’s fiscal positions for over 40 years.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Norquist is the most durable organizer in Republican fiscal politics; his Wednesday Meeting and Pledge infrastructure give him unparalleled access to the Republican donor and elected official network, making him a critical participant in forums that bridge business and political power.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerNovogratz is CEO and founder of Galaxy Digital, one of the largest institutional cryptocurrency and digital assets investment firms, with assets under management exceeding $10 billion. He is a prominent public advocate for Bitcoin and digital assets and has served as a liaison between institutional finance and the crypto industry.
NetworksPrinceton University (BA); Goldman Sachs (former partner); Fortress Investment Group (former CIO and principal); Galaxy Digital; crypto industry leadership networks; psychedelic medicine philanthropy (major donor to MAPS and other organizations).
HistoryNovogratz graduated from Princeton and joined Goldman Sachs, where he worked in fixed income and macro trading, becoming a partner. He joined Fortress Investment Group as a principal in 2002, rising to manage multi-billion dollar macro funds. He left Fortress in 2015 after his macro fund had a difficult year. He pivoted to cryptocurrency, becoming a major early institutional investor in Bitcoin and Ethereum. He founded Galaxy Digital in 2018, building it into a leading crypto asset management and investment banking firm.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Novogratz is the most prominent bridge between traditional Wall Street finance and the institutional crypto world—his Goldman/Fortress background and his crypto platform give him access to both legacy financial elites and new-money tech circles, making him relevant to any forum about the future of money and capital markets.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerO’Neill was confirmed as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services in June 2025, making him the second-highest official at HHS, the U.S. department overseeing public health, Medicare, Medicaid, and the FDA. He subsequently was nominated as Director of the National Science Foundation. He co-founded the Thiel Fellowship, which pays talented young people $100,000 to leave college and pursue entrepreneurial projects. He previously served as CEO of the SENS Research Foundation (longevity research) and Managing Director of the Thiel Foundation.
NetworksPeter Thiel network (Clarium Capital, Thiel Foundation, Mithril Capital, Thiel Fellowship); Palantir Technologies (Mithril Capital relationship); SENS Research Foundation (longevity/aging research); Trump administration HHS; Republican/libertarian tech-policy ecosystem; Advantage Therapeutics (board member).
HistoryO’Neill spent over a decade in leadership roles across Peter Thiel’s investment and philanthropic empire: he was managing director at Clarium Capital (Thiel’s macro hedge fund) and CEO of the Thiel Foundation, where he co-founded the Thiel Fellowship in 2010. He served as CEO of SENS Research Foundation (2019–2021), a nonprofit focused on regenerative medicine for aging. He was a board member of Advantage Therapeutics (neurodegenerative disorders). He was nominated for HHS Deputy Secretary by President Trump in late 2024 and confirmed in June 2025. He was subsequently named as Director of the NSF.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]O’Neill is a direct extension of Peter Thiel’s influence in government, bringing Silicon Valley’s most prominent tech-libertarian network directly into federal health and science policy — his presence signals the Thiel orbit’s reach into executive-branch institutions.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
PowerFounder and CEO of Social Capital, a family office managing approximately $2.1 billion. Previously a minority owner of the Golden State Warriors (10% stake, divested 2023). Hosts the All-In podcast with Jason Calacanis, David Sacks, and David Friedberg—one of the most influential technology and business podcasts with a reach into Silicon Valley, Wall Street, and political circles. Launched American Exceptionalism Acquisition Corp. A in 2025 with $345 million raised.
NetworksUniversity of Waterloo (BASc Electrical Engineering). Former VP at AOL and early Facebook executive (VP Growth, 2007–2011). Co-hosts All-In podcast alongside Sacks and others closely connected to the Trump administration. Donated to Ted Cruz ($7,500 in 2011), Vivek Ramaswamy, and co-hosted a $12 million Trump fundraiser in 2024. FWD.us founding member. Previously donated to Democratic causes (~$1.3M through 2019).
HistoryBorn in Sri Lanka; moved to Canada as a child and grew up in Ottawa. Worked at Burger King at age 14; graduated from the University of Waterloo in electrical engineering. Traded derivatives at BMO Nesbitt Burns; joined AOL then Facebook, becoming VP of Growth and leading the platform to one billion users. Left Facebook in 2011 to found Social Capital. Invested in Yammer, Slack, Box, and other enterprise companies. Ran a series of SPACs (2019–2022) merging with Virgin Galactic, Opendoor, SoFi, and others, with mixed results. Pivoted to personal wealth management and public commentary via All-In podcast.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Palihapitiya combines a large investment portfolio, a high-profile media megaphone, and a recent swing toward Republican political networks—a combination that makes him valuable to elite forums seeking to understand and shape Silicon Valley’s evolving relationship with political power.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerPasek, with partner Justin Paul (collectively Pasek and Paul), is among the most decorated songwriters in contemporary entertainment, having achieved EGOT-adjacent status (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony). Their songs have generated enormous commercial revenues across film, stage, and streaming.
NetworksBroadway creative community; Hollywood music industry; Tony Award and Oscar-winning production networks; University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance alumni (where he and Paul met). Society of Composers & Lyricists ambassador.
HistoryPasek and Paul met at the University of Michigan. They wrote songs for the Broadway musical A Christmas Story (2012), then Dear Evan Hansen (2015, Tony Award for Best Musical; Grammy). Their song ‘City of Stars’ from La La Land won the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2017. Their songs for The Greatest Showman (2017) generated some of the best-selling soundtrack album sales in recent history. They also wrote for the Hamilton film recording, Into the Woods, and multiple TV projects.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Elite social networks routinely include prominent cultural figures who confer legitimacy, social variety, and connections to entertainment industry capital; a songwriter with EGOT-level recognition and Hollywood access occupies exactly this role.
photo: Wikimedia Commons (Pasek and Paul together)
PowerPink is the author of six books on business, work, and human behavior, including Drive (2009) and To Sell is Human (2012), both New York Times bestsellers. His 2010 TED Talk on motivation is among the most-watched TED Talks ever. He is a widely cited figure in management thinking and organizational behavior, with a significant corporate speaking practice.
NetworksNorthwestern University (BA); Yale Law School (JD); Al Gore’s office (former chief speechwriter); Secretary of Labor Robert Reich’s office (former policy advisor); Edge.org (member); management consulting and HR leadership networks.
HistoryPink studied at Northwestern and received a JD from Yale Law School, though he never practiced law. He worked as a policy adviser to Secretary of Labor Robert Reich under Clinton, then served as chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore from 1995 to 1997. He subsequently worked as a free agent management consultant before writing Free Agent Nation (2001) and A Whole New Mind (2005). Drive (2009) and To Sell is Human (2012) cemented his reputation as a leading author on work, motivation, and the future of selling.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Pink’s combination of White House experience, expertise in human motivation and the future of work, and mass reach through bestselling books and TED makes him a valued participant in forums focused on organizational culture, talent, and the changing nature of work.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerPinker is the Johnstone Family Professor in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University and one of the world’s most widely read public intellectuals. His books — particularly ‘The Better Angels of Our Nature’ (2011) and ‘Enlightenment Now’ (2018) — have shaped mainstream debates about violence, progress, reason, and humanism across policy, tech, and academic communities. He has a direct platform to millions of readers and is regularly cited by heads of state, CEOs, and major philanthropists.
NetworksHarvard University; American Psychological Association; National Academy of Sciences; American Academy of Arts and Sciences; Heterodox Academy; evolutionary psychology and cognitive science communities; frequent World Economic Forum speaker; broad tech and policy network (Bill Gates named ‘Enlightenment Now’ his favorite book).
HistoryBorn in Montreal in 1954, Pinker received his BA from McGill University and his PhD in experimental psychology from Harvard. He was a faculty member at MIT for 21 years before joining Harvard in 2003. His academic research focuses on visual cognition, psycholinguistics, and social relations. His popular science books include ‘The Language Instinct’ (1994), ‘How the Mind Works’ (1997), and ‘The Blank Slate’ (2002), before his major public affairs works. He is a recipient of numerous awards including the William James Fellow Award.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Pinker is one of the most prominent voices for scientific optimism and Enlightenment-era liberalism in an era of rising populism — his presence in elite private forums reflects the appetite among tech and finance elites for an intellectual framework that validates both progress and institutional trust.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
Power43rd Governor of Colorado since 2019, serving his second and final term. Commands the executive authority of a state of approximately 5.9 million people and a $40 billion annual budget. Has enacted major policy on universal preschool, renewable energy, insulin price caps, and criminal justice reform. Term-limited and will leave office in January 2027.
NetworksPrinceton University (BA Political Science, 1996). Co-founded American Information Systems in college; co-founded BlueMountain.com (sold for $780M), ProFlowers (sold for $477M), and TechStars. Served five terms in U.S. Congress representing Colorado’s 2nd District (2009–2019). Former member of the Congressional Blockchain Caucus. Democratic Governors Association; Western Governors Association. Net worth estimated over $300 million.
HistorySerial tech entrepreneur who built and sold multiple companies for over $1 billion in combined value before age 30. Used wealth to fund political campaigns and education causes in Colorado. Served on the Colorado State Board of Education (2001–2007). Elected to Congress in 2008; served on the Education and Commerce committees; co-founded the Congressional Blockchain Caucus. Elected Governor in 2018—the first openly gay man elected governor of any U.S. state. Re-elected in 2022. Known for applying startup-style thinking to state governance including crypto tax payments and outcome-based policy.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Polis is rare among U.S. governors in combining billionaire tech entrepreneur credentials with significant legislative experience and genuine policy innovation. As a term-limited governor with presidential ambitions rumored, he is a figure both political networks and tech elites cultivate actively.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsJR
PowerRoss founded Groq in 2016 after designing Google’s original Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) as a 20% project. Groq’s Language Processing Unit (LPU) chips are designed for ultra-fast AI inference and have positioned the company as a direct challenger to Nvidia in the AI compute market. Groq was valued at approximately $2.8 billion in 2024. In late 2025, Ross joined Nvidia as Chief Software Architect following a strategic agreement between Groq and Nvidia.
NetworksGoogle X / Alphabet alumni; Chamath Palihapitiya (Groq’s founding investor); NYU Courant Institute (mathematics and computer science); AI chip design industry; high-frequency trading background (pre-Google).
HistoryRoss attended NYU’s Courant Institute, completing PhD-level courses as an undergraduate before dropping out. He worked at a high-frequency trading firm, then joined Google in 2013 where he designed the original TPU to address Google’s AI compute shortage — a project that became one of the most consequential chip developments in AI history, eventually accounting for over 50% of Google’s internal compute capacity. He then joined Google X’s Rapid Eval team. In 2016 he founded Groq with backing from Palihapitiya. In December 2025 he transitioned to Nvidia as Chief Software Architect.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the designer of Google’s original TPU and founder of a significant AI chip company, Ross is a central figure in the AI infrastructure layer that underpins the entire AI industry — his technical judgment is relevant to anyone planning around the future of compute.
PowerRubin served as the 70th U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (1995–1999), overseeing the federal budget’s transition to surplus and managing financial crises in Mexico, Asia, and Russia. Before that he was Co-Senior Partner and Co-Chairman of Goldman Sachs, where he spent 26 years. He is currently counselor to Centerview Partners and co-chairman emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations. He co-founded the Hamilton Project at the Brookings Institution.
NetworksGoldman Sachs (26 years, former co-chairman); Clinton administration; Citigroup (former board member and chair of executive committee, 1999–2009); Council on Foreign Relations (co-chairman emeritus); Centerview Partners (senior counselor); Hamilton Project (co-founder); Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC, chair); American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
HistoryRubin studied economics at Harvard, then received a law degree from Yale. He joined Goldman Sachs in 1966 in risk arbitrage, became a general partner in 1971, and rose to Co-Chairman from 1990 to 1992. He joined the Clinton White House as the first director of the National Economic Council (1993), then became Treasury Secretary in 1995 through 1999. After leaving Treasury, he joined Citigroup as a senior advisor and chair of the executive committee until 2009, during which time Citigroup required a massive government bailout. He later joined Centerview Partners as senior counselor.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Rubin is the archetype of the revolving door between Goldman Sachs, the U.S. Treasury, and Wall Street—his career embodies the American financial establishment’s governance of global capital flows and economic policy, making him a central figure in any serious elite network involving finance and public policy.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Treasury Department
PowerRubin is a multi-million-copy bestselling author and one of the most commercially successful voices on happiness, habits, and human nature in the English-speaking world. ‘The Happiness Project’ (2009) and subsequent books have sold over 3.5 million copies in more than 30 languages. Her podcast ‘Happier with Gretchen Rubin’ has a substantial audience, and she has built a commercial platform spanning books, apps, and consumer products.
NetworksYale Law School alumni (BA and JD); clerk for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor; New York literary and media establishment; TED speaker network; corporate speaking circuit (interviewed by Oprah, appeared on Today, CBS Sunday Morning); Happiness Project consumer brand.
HistoryRubin grew up in Kansas City and attended Yale, where she became editor-in-chief of the Yale Law Journal and clerked for Justice Sandra Day O’Connor. While clerking, she decided to become a writer rather than a lawyer. She wrote several books (including biographies of Winston Churchill and John F. Kennedy) before ‘The Happiness Project’ — her fourth book — became a phenomenon. She lives in New York City with her family.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Rubin occupies a unique space as a Yale-trained lawyer turned bestselling author with direct access to corporate leadership, media, and mass-market culture — a credible, mainstream voice whose work on habits and happiness is actively embedded in corporate wellness and leadership training.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsSA
PowerCEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC), the state-owned entity that controls Kuwait’s entire hydrocarbon industry including Kuwait Oil Company, Kuwait National Petroleum Company, and Kuwait Petroleum International. KPC manages one of the world’s largest proven oil reserves (approximately 101 billion barrels) and is a major OPEC producer. A member of the Al-Sabah ruling family of Kuwait.
NetworksPrinceton University alumnus (Class of 1994). Member of the Kuwaiti royal family. Connected to Gulf state sovereign wealth and energy networks; participated in major energy conferences including Baker Hughes annual meetings and energy summits. Described Iranian attacks on Kuwait in the context of regional security to Princeton alumni.
HistoryMember of the Al-Sabah royal dynasty that has ruled Kuwait since the 18th century. Educated at Princeton University. Held leadership roles within Kuwait’s petroleum sector before becoming CEO of Kuwait Petroleum International (KPI), the international downstream arm, and then rising to CEO of Kuwait Petroleum Corporation. Appointed to the KPC CEO role in 2022. Has represented Kuwait at international energy policy forums.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As CEO of a major OPEC state oil company and a member of the Kuwaiti ruling family, Sheikh Nawaf controls billions in energy revenues and state investment decisions. His presence in an elite network reflects Kuwait’s role as a Gulf anchor for U.S. foreign policy and the strategic importance of Gulf energy executives in Western elite forums.
PowerAs listed in this network’s records, Scharf is identified as co-founder and CTO of Oscar Health — note that Will Scharf is also the White House Staff Secretary under President Trump since January 2025, a role controlling paper flow to the Oval Office. Oscar Health (NYSE: OSCR) is a technology-driven health insurance company valued at several billion dollars.
NetworksTrump White House inner circle (Staff Secretary, 2025–present); Federalist Society network (Leonard Leo described as ‘a dear friend and mentor’); Princeton (BA) and Harvard Law School (JD) alumni; James Otis Law Group (of counsel); Trump legal team (2023–2024).
HistoryScharf graduated from Princeton and Harvard Law School, clerked on the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, and worked as a federal prosecutor and policy director in Missouri Governor Eric Greitens’s office. He assisted with the Kavanaugh and Barrett Supreme Court confirmations. In 2023–2024 he was a member of Trump’s personal legal team, arguing the presidential immunity case at the U.S. Supreme Court. He lost a 2024 Republican primary race for Missouri Attorney General. Trump appointed him White House Staff Secretary in November 2024.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]The Staff Secretary controls all documents entering the Oval Office — a position of quiet but significant influence over the President’s information environment. His presence in an elite network reflects connections across conservative legal infrastructure, the Trump White House, and technology-adjacent health insurance.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / White House photoMS
PowerAs Staff Secretary and Assistant to the President at the White House, Schlosser served in one of the most operationally central positions in the executive branch—the staff secretary controls all paper flow to the president, reviewing every document, briefing, and decision memo that reaches the Oval Office. He was previously co-founder and CEO of Oscar Health, a technology-driven health insurer that went public in 2021.
NetworksHarvard Business School (MBA); University of Hannover (CS degree); Bridgewater Associates (former senior investment associate); McKinsey & Company (former consultant); Oscar Health (co-founder); Stanford University (former visiting scholar); White House executive office networks.
HistorySchlosser studied computer science in Germany and earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He worked as a consultant at McKinsey in Europe, the US, and Brazil, and as a senior investment associate at Bridgewater Associates. As a visiting scholar at Stanford, he co-authored the EigenTrust Algorithm, one of the most-cited computer science papers of the past two decades. He co-founded Oscar Health in 2012 with Joshua Kushner, serving as CEO until April 2023, building it from a startup to a publicly-traded company with over one million members. He subsequently took the White House Staff Secretary role.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Schlosser’s trajectory from tech founder and health insurer CEO to a senior White House position reflects the integration of Silicon Valley-adjacent technocrats into executive governance—his presence in a network like Dialog likely predates and accompanied his government service.
PowerSchmidt served as CEO of Google (2001–2011) and executive chairman of Alphabet (2011–2017), overseeing Google’s transformation from a startup into one of the world’s most valuable companies. He is founder of Schmidt Futures, a philanthropic initiative investing in science and technology for public benefit, and co-founder of the Schmidt Ocean Institute. He holds significant personal wealth (estimated $26 billion by Forbes) and chairs or advises multiple government and defense AI bodies. He is also a Distinguished Fellow at the Columbia School of International and Public Affairs.
NetworksGoogle/Alphabet executive alumni; Schmidt Futures; Schmidt Ocean Institute; National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence (former chair); U.S. Department of Defense Innovation Board (former chair); Bilderberg Group participant; Council on Foreign Relations; Princeton University (B.S. Electrical Engineering) and UC Berkeley (PhD Computer Science); New America Foundation (former board chair).
HistorySchmidt earned his BS from Princeton and his PhD in computer science from UC Berkeley. He held senior engineering roles at Xerox PARC, Bell Labs, and Sun Microsystems before becoming CEO of Novell (1997–2001). He joined Google as CEO in 2001, the year it raised its Series A, and managed it through its IPO and explosive growth phase. He stepped down as CEO in 2011 and became executive chairman, a role he held until 2018. He subsequently focused on Schmidt Futures and government AI advisory roles, becoming a major policy voice on AI competition with China.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Few individuals have more directly shaped the digital age than Schmidt; his combination of Google-era relationships, current defense/national security advisory roles, and philanthropic capital make him a permanent fixture in any elite network discussing technology, geopolitics, or the future of AI.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsDS
PowerServed as President and CEO of PayPal (2014–2023), overseeing the company’s spin-out from eBay and transformation into a global payments platform, tripling revenue from $8 billion to $30 billion and growing EPS five-fold. Appointed CEO of Verizon in October 2025. Knighted as a chevalier in France’s Légion d’honneur and Commander of the Order of the Oak by Luxembourg.
NetworksMiddlebury College (BA Economics); NYU Stern School of Business (MBA Finance). Council on Foreign Relations life member; World Economic Forum International Business Council; Business Roundtable board; JUST Capital board chair; Economic Club of New York board; Cleveland Clinic board; Lazard board (lead independent director). Previously on Cisco and Flex boards. Longtime Verizon board member (since 2018).
HistoryBegan career at AT&T, spending 18 years and becoming the youngest member of its senior executive team. Served as president and CEO of Priceline (grew revenues from $20M to ~$1B in two years). Became founding CEO of Virgin Mobile USA with Richard Branson in 2001; built it into a public company sold to Sprint for $688M in 2009. Group President at American Express before joining PayPal in 2014 to lead its eBay split and public offering. At PayPal championed financial inclusion, LGBTQ+ rights, and financial wellness for low-wage workers. Named CEO of Verizon in 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Schulman has led three major consumer technology and financial services companies through transformative periods, holds board seats across technology, media, and finance, and operates at the intersection of fintech, regulation, and social purpose—a profile that commands both corporate and policy influence.
PowerScott co-founded Scott Brothers Global, which encompasses the Property Brothers television franchise seen in over 160 countries, Scott Brothers Entertainment (a production company with over 20 original series), and Scott Living, a home goods brand. He and his brother Jonathan have built a multi-hundred-million-dollar lifestyle and media empire from real estate television.
NetworksHGTV and Discovery network; UBC Sauder School of Business; Harvard Business School Executive Education (2021–2023); Scott Brothers Global co-ownership of Vancouver Giants hockey club; World Vision ambassador; Habitat for Humanity (Humanitarian award).
HistoryDrew Scott and his twin brother Jonathan started flipping houses at age 18 with a $250 down payment, making a $50,000 profit on their first home. Drew became a licensed realtor in 2004; Jonathan trained as a contractor. They launched Scott Real Estate Inc. in 2004 and transitioned to television when Cineflix cast them for Property Brothers, which debuted around 2011. The show became HGTV’s top-rated series in the U.S. and Canada. In 2013 they founded Scott Brothers Entertainment; in 2015 they launched Scott Living; in 2017 all brands were consolidated under Scott Brothers Global.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Scott Brothers Global’s scale — 160-country TV reach, a home goods brand, production company — gives Drew Scott the kind of consumer brand capital and media platform that makes him a node between entertainment industry, real estate, and the broader consumer economy.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsKS
PowerScott’s book Radical Candor: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your Humanity (2017) has become one of the most influential management books in Silicon Valley and beyond, shaping how thousands of companies approach feedback and leadership culture. She runs the Radical Candor coaching company and is a frequent speaker to corporate executive teams.
NetworksGoogle (former director, AdSense and YouTube); Apple (former manager, learning and development in Beijing); Dropbox and Twitter (former CEO coach); Princeton University (BA); Harvard Business School (MBA); Silicon Valley executive networks.
HistoryScott worked as a CEO running businesses in Russia, then attended Harvard Business School. She joined Google, where she ran AdSense and worked on YouTube and DoubleClick, before managing Apple’s online learning programs in Beijing. She then served as an advisor and CEO coach to tech companies including Dropbox and Twitter. She wrote Radical Candor in 2017, based on these experiences; a revised edition appeared in 2019. Her framework—distinguishing caring personally from challenging directly—became standard vocabulary at many Silicon Valley companies.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Scott is a trusted advisor to CEOs and management teams at major tech companies, giving her direct access to the operating leadership culture of Silicon Valley; networks like Dialog often include such practical-wisdom practitioners alongside investors and politicians.
PS
PowerShadbolt is a co-founder and Chief Science Officer of PsiQuantum, the best-funded quantum computing startup in the world, which has raised over $700 million (including a $450 million round in 2021 and additional government-backed funding from the U.S. and Australia). PsiQuantum’s photonic approach targets a fault-tolerant, million-qubit quantum computer. The company is partnered with GlobalFoundries for silicon chip manufacturing.
NetworksPsiQuantum (investors include BlackRock, Baillie Gifford, Temasek, Microsoft, and others); UK quantum physics research community; University of Bristol (Physics PhD, quantum optics); Yale University (postdoctoral research); U.S. Congress witness on quantum computing (testified before the House Science Committee in 2025); Australian and U.S. government quantum programs.
HistoryShadbolt received his PhD in quantum optics from the University of Bristol and conducted postdoctoral research at Yale. He co-founded PsiQuantum in 2016 with Jeremy O’Brien, Terry Rudolph, and Mark Thompson, building on Bristol research into photonic quantum computing. The company relocated to Silicon Valley and chose a manufacturing partnership with GlobalFoundries over a fab-from-scratch approach. Shadbolt has testified before the U.S. House Science Committee on the strategic importance of quantum computing.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Shadbolt leads the most heavily capitalized attempt to build a large-scale quantum computer, a technology with transformative implications for cryptography, drug discovery, materials science, and financial modeling — making him a key figure in elite conversations about deep technology and national security.
AS
PowerServed as Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States (2018–2019), presenting credentials to President Trump and facilitating the Pakistani Prime Minister’s White House summit. Previously served as Special Assistant to the Pakistani Prime Minister with Minister of State status (2017–2018). Now chairs OnZero, a technology company. Comes from the JS Group business empire with approximately $3.7 billion in assets.
NetworksEducated at Karachi Grammar School; Cornell University; MIT; University of Cambridge; and University of Oxford. Co-founder and former CEO of JS Bank Limited ($4 billion asset base). Board of Acumen (global social enterprise investment firm). World Economic Forum Young Global Leader (2014); led Pakistani PM’s agenda at WEF 2018 and 2020. Connected to UN agencies, OIC, SCO, and Commonwealth diplomatic networks.
HistoryBorn in Karachi in 1976 into the Siddiqui business family, founded by father Jahangir Siddiqui who built the JS Group. At age 15, launched a technology company. Founded JS Bank in 2006 by acquiring American Express Bank’s Pakistan operations. Served in government advisory roles including boards of Pakistan’s Planning Commission and Privatization Commission. Led humanitarian relief operations after the 2010 Pakistan floods through the family foundation. Appointed Special Assistant to PM Nawaz Sharif in 2017. Served as Ambassador to Washington under PM Imran Khan in 2018, brokering key diplomatic exchanges. Named Ambassador for Foreign Investment in 2019.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Siddiqui bridges Pakistani governmental and business elites with U.S. policy networks—as a former ambassador, a WEF-credentialed entrepreneur, and heir to a major Pakistani financial group, he is the kind of interlocutor elite off-the-record networks use to maintain informal channels with South Asian governments and business communities.
BS
PowerSilbert founded and runs Digital Currency Group (DCG), the largest venture investor and conglomerate in the cryptocurrency industry. DCG’s subsidiaries include Grayscale Investments (the world’s largest crypto asset manager, managing tens of billions in digital assets) and Foundry Digital. He is estimated to have a net worth of approximately $3.2 billion.
NetworksDigital Currency Group portfolio (250+ companies across 40 countries); Grayscale Investments (founder and chairman); Emory University (BA); Houlihan Lokey alumni; Bain Capital, Mastercard, CIBC (DCG investors). Close ties to institutional crypto adoption networks.
HistorySilbert grew up in Maryland and passed the Series 7 broker exam at age 17. He graduated from Emory’s Goizueta Business School and joined Houlihan Lokey as an investment banker, working on high-profile bankruptcies including Enron and WorldCom. In 2004 he founded Restricted Stock Partners, which evolved into SecondMarket — a platform for trading private company shares used by Facebook and Twitter employees pre-IPO. Nasdaq acquired SecondMarket in 2015. He began buying Bitcoin in 2012 and launched Digital Currency Group in 2015. DCG faced severe stress when its subsidiary Genesis Global Capital filed for bankruptcy in January 2023 after the FTX collapse; the New York Attorney General sued DCG, Genesis, and Silbert in October 2023 alleging investor fraud.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Silbert is the central institutional figure in the crypto industry’s infrastructure — controlling the largest asset manager, venture investor, and formerly the dominant lending and media platforms. His presence in elite forums reflects both his wealth and his position as the primary interface between crypto capital and traditional finance.
PowerSlaughter is CEO of New America, a prominent bipartisan policy think tank in Washington with programs covering technology, security, education, and gender. She is also the Bert G. Kerstetter ’66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs at Princeton. As Director of Policy Planning at State (2009–2011), she served as Hillary Clinton’s chief strategist.
NetworksPrinceton University (Woodrow Wilson School, graduate and faculty); Harvard Law School (JD and PhD); Council on Foreign Relations; New America Foundation; McDonald’s Corporation (former board member); Citigroup Economic and Political Strategies Advisory Group (former board); Abt Global (current board); American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
HistorySlaughter received her JD and PhD from Harvard and joined the Princeton faculty. She became dean of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs (2002–2009). She was appointed Director of Policy Planning at the State Department under Hillary Clinton in 2009, returning to Princeton in 2011 after writing a widely-read Atlantic article on work-life balance. She became CEO of New America in 2013. She has held multiple corporate board seats including McDonald’s and Citigroup advisory roles.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Slaughter straddles the worlds of elite foreign policy strategy, think tank leadership, and corporate governance—a combination giving her visibility into government, academia, and business simultaneously, making her well-placed in networks that bridge policy and power.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsCS
PowerSonghurst joined Meta’s board of directors in December 2024, providing strategic oversight at the world’s largest social media company (approximately $1.4 trillion market cap). As an independent investor, he has personally invested in approximately 500 startups globally across enterprise SaaS, AI, and deep tech through his firm Katana Capital, making him one of the most prolific individual tech investors in the world.
NetworksMeta board of directors (alongside Zuckerberg, Andreessen, Drew Houston, Hock Tan, and others); Microsoft alumni (Head of Corporate Strategy 2009–2013, where he led the Yahoo and Skype acquisitions); McKinsey alumni (2003–2005); Oxford University (PPE); Meta Advisory Council (2024); Stoke Space (investor); network of ~500 portfolio companies globally.
HistorySonghurst studied Politics, Philosophy, and Economics at Oxford University and worked as a Business Analyst at McKinsey (2003–2005). He joined Microsoft in 2005 as a General Manager, rising to Head of Global Corporate Strategy (2009–2013), where he led major M&A transactions including Microsoft’s $8.5 billion acquisition of Skype. After leaving Microsoft in 2013, he became a full-time private technology investor, founding Katana Capital and accumulating stakes in approximately 500 companies. He joined Meta’s product advisory council in 2024 before being elected to the board.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Songhurst has become one of the most well-connected individual technology investors globally — simultaneously advising the world’s dominant social media platform and holding stakes across hundreds of startups — making him a node through which information and influence flow across the entire tech ecosystem.
JS
PowerLeader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the German Bundestag since May 2025—effectively the floor leader and public face of Germany’s largest conservative opposition bloc with over 200 MPs. Previously served as Federal Minister of Health (2018–2021) under Chancellor Angela Merkel, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
NetworksCDU member since 1997; member of CDU national executive (Bundesvorstand) since 2014. Married to Daniel Funke, a journalist at Bild. Trained as a bank business management assistant (Bankkaufmann); studied political science. Connected to European People’s Party networks through CDU. Former Parliamentary State Secretary to the Finance Minister (2015–2018).
HistoryBorn in Ahaus, Westphalia in 1980. Elected to the Bundestag at age 22 in 2002—the youngest MP ever elected to the German parliament at that time. Built his profile as a health policy specialist within the CDU/CSU parliamentary group over 13 years as a backbencher and health spokesperson. Appointed Parliamentary State Secretary at the Finance Ministry in 2015. Became Federal Minister of Health in March 2018, overseeing Germany’s pandemic response (including major vaccine procurement decisions). Left government when the Merkel coalition ended in December 2021. Rose through CDU internal ranks after Merkel’s retirement; elected leader of the CDU/CSU Bundestag group in May 2025.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As leader of Germany’s largest parliamentary group and a former health minister who managed pandemic response across Europe’s largest economy, Spahn is a key node in European conservative politics with direct relevance to health policy, European Union governance, and transatlantic relations.
SS
PowerStephenson led Verisk Analytics as Chairman, President, and CEO from 2011 to 2022. Verisk is a leading data analytics company serving the insurance, energy, and financial services industries, with revenues of approximately $3 billion and a market capitalization that exceeded $30 billion. Verisk is included in the S&P 500.
NetworksVerisk Analytics board alumni; Boston Consulting Group (former Senior Partner); Harvard Business School (MBA); University of Virginia (BS, Mechanical Engineering); PSEG board; G2 Venture Partners Industrial Expert.
HistoryStephenson earned an engineering degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Harvard Business School. He spent the early part of his career at Boston Consulting Group, rising to Senior Partner and helping establish the firm’s southeastern U.S. practice. He joined Verisk and became President in 2011, then Chairman and CEO. During his tenure, Verisk expanded from primarily insurance data analytics into energy and financial services analytics, completing multiple significant acquisitions. He retired from Verisk in May 2022 and subsequently founded SGS Capital.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]The leader of a major data analytics company serving insurance and financial institutions controls an enormous proprietary data infrastructure — the kind of executive who represents the institutional knowledge economy and is valuable to networks bridging data, finance, and policy.
PowerSternlicht is chairman and CEO of Starwood Capital Group, a private alternative investment firm he co-founded in 1991 that manages approximately $130 billion in assets across real estate, infrastructure, and energy. He also chairs Starwood Property Trust (NYSE: STWD), one of the largest publicly traded commercial mortgage REITs. He previously built and led Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide (1995–2005), growing it to 895 hotels in 100 countries.
NetworksBrown University (magna cum laude alumnus); Harvard Business School (MBA); Starwood Capital Group; Starwood Property Trust; Estée Lauder Companies (board member); Robin Hood Foundation (board member); Real Estate Roundtable (board member); Urban Land Institute; World Presidents Organization.
HistorySternlicht graduated from Brown and worked briefly as an arbitrage trader before earning his MBA from Harvard Business School in 1986. He joined JMB Realty in Chicago and was laid off during the savings and loan crisis. In 1991, at 31, he co-founded Starwood Capital with Bob Faith, raising $20 million to buy distressed apartment buildings. He pivoted into hotels, acquiring Westin Hotels in 1994 and Sheraton Hotels in 1997 for $13.3 billion, outbidding Hilton. He created the W Hotels brand. He resigned as Starwood Hotels CEO in 2004 and returned full-time to Starwood Capital.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Sternlicht controls one of the largest private real estate and hospitality investment empires in the world, with deep relationships in finance, luxury, and philanthropy; his capital deployment decisions in real estate affect major cities and markets globally, making him a key figure in any high-level economic and investment forum.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerStephens has been an opinion columnist and associate editor at The New York Times since 2017, commanding one of the most prominent platforms in American opinion journalism. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary in 2013 while at The Wall Street Journal. He is a regular presence on television and in elite policy forums, shaping mainstream conservative and center-right opinion on foreign policy, Israel-Palestine, and U.S. politics.
NetworksNew York Times editorial board; Wall Street Journal alumni (deputy editorial page editor, then foreign affairs columnist); Commentary magazine (former senior contributing editor); Council on Foreign Relations; American Enterprise Institute; Jewish community and Israel policy networks; NBC News senior contributor; University of Chicago and the London School of Economics alumni.
HistoryStephens graduated from the University of Chicago and studied at the London School of Economics. He was editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post (2002–2004), then joined the Wall Street Journal, where he became foreign affairs columnist and deputy editorial page editor, winning the Pulitzer for Commentary in 2013. He moved to the New York Times in 2017, positioning himself as one of the paper’s conservative voices. He has been a frequent target of controversy from both left and right.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As a Pulitzer-winning columnist at the world’s most influential newspaper, Stephens holds a platform that shapes elite opinion on foreign policy and U.S. politics — the kind of media figure whose participation in off-record forums reflects the overlap between establishment journalism and elite policy networks.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerOne of the most influential economists in American public life. Served as 71st U.S. Secretary of the Treasury (1999–2001) under President Clinton, the 8th Director of the National Economic Council (2009–2010) under President Obama, and 27th President of Harvard University (2001–2006). Currently University Professor at Harvard Kennedy School (resigned February 2026). Remains an active commentator on macroeconomics, fiscal policy, and geopolitics with a massive media and policy reach.
NetworksMIT (BS Economics); Harvard (PhD Economics). John Bates Clark Medal (1993). Protégé of Robert Rubin (Treasury Secretary). Deep ties within Democratic Party economic policy establishment; World Bank Chief Economist (1991–1993). Connected to Wall Street through D.E. Shaw (senior advisor), Andreessen Horowitz (advisory board), and numerous private sector roles. Council on Foreign Relations.
HistoryOne of the youngest people to receive tenure at Harvard’s economics department (at 28). Moved to Washington as Chief Economist of the World Bank, then to Treasury under Clinton, becoming Secretary in 1999. Appointed Harvard President in 2001; resigned in 2006 after controversial remarks about women in science. Returned to government as NEC Director under Obama, navigating the financial crisis response. Has since been a prolific public intellectual, advocating for fiscal stimulus and warning of ‘secular stagnation’—a term he popularized. Named in February 2026 as leaving Harvard following a period of controversy.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Summers sits at the apex of American economic policy, academia, and finance—someone who has shaped presidential economic decisions under two administrations, led America’s most powerful university, and remains a go-to interlocutor for heads of state and central bank governors. He is precisely the kind of dual government-academic-private sector figure who anchors elite off-the-record policy networks.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / U.S. Department of the Treasury (public domain)
PowerTeller leads X (formerly Google X), Alphabet’s moonshot research and development laboratory, which he co-founded in 2010. X has incubated Waymo (self-driving cars), Wing (drone delivery), Project Loon (internet balloons), and Google Brain (now part of Google DeepMind). He controls resource allocation for some of the most ambitious long-term technology bets made by one of the world’s most valuable companies.
NetworksAlphabet/Google X founding team; Carnegie Mellon University (PhD, Artificial Intelligence); Stanford University (BS Computer Science, MS Symbolic and Heuristic Computation); Hertz Foundation fellowship; five prior company foundings including BodyMedia (acquired by Jawbone for $110M+).
HistoryTeller is the grandson of physicist Edward Teller (father of the hydrogen bomb). He earned degrees in computer science from Stanford and a PhD in artificial intelligence from Carnegie Mellon. He founded multiple companies in the 1990s and 2000s, including BodyMedia, a wearable health monitoring pioneer acquired by Jawbone in 2013. In 2010, Larry Page and Sergey Brin asked him and Sebastian Thrun to co-found Google X as a ’21st century Bell Labs.’ He has led X since, overseeing the graduation or termination of dozens of moonshot projects.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As the director of Alphabet’s long-horizon R&D lab, Teller has visibility into emerging technologies before they become commercially obvious — exactly the kind of early intelligence that makes participation in elite forums mutually valuable.
photo: Wikimedia Commons
PowerThiel co-founded PayPal (sold to eBay for $1.5 billion in 2002), was the first outside investor in Facebook ($500,000 for ~10% in 2004), and co-founded Palantir Technologies, a data analytics company serving US intelligence agencies and major corporations, now publicly traded with a market cap exceeding $100 billion. He manages Founders Fund, a major venture capital fund with investments in SpaceX, Airbnb, Stripe, and others.
NetworksStanford University (BA philosophy, JD); PayPal Mafia (co-founder); Founders Fund; Palantir Technologies (chairman); Facebook/Meta (board member since 2004); Mithril Capital; Valar Ventures; Thiel Foundation (Thiel Fellowship); Clarium Capital; Bilderberg Group (participant); Republican Party donor network.
HistoryThiel received his BA in philosophy and JD from Stanford, then practiced securities law briefly before co-founding Thiel Capital Management (1996) and PayPal (1998) with Max Levchin and others. After the eBay sale he co-founded Palantir in 2003 (with CIA venture arm In-Q-Tel as a co-funder), created Founders Fund in 2005, and made the pivotal Facebook investment in 2004. He was a prominent Trump delegate at the 2016 Republican National Convention. His Thiel Fellowship pays students $100,000 to skip college and build companies.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]As a Dialog co-founder, Thiel is at the center of the network. His combination of intelligence-adjacent data infrastructure (Palantir), venture capital reach, and political heterodoxy makes him the defining figure for why such a forum exists—someone who actively works to create off-record spaces for elite coordination outside mainstream institutions.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsNT
PowerThompson leads The Atlantic, one of America’s most prestigious and influential magazines, as CEO. Under his leadership, The Atlantic has achieved profitability and continued its transformation into a subscription-first digital media company. He was previously editor-in-chief of Wired Magazine, one of the most authoritative publications on technology. He is also co-founder of Struum (a streaming discovery platform) and a board member of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
NetworksThe Atlantic staff and ownership (Laurene Powell Jobs’ Emerson Collective is majority owner); Wired/Condé Nast alumni; Struum (co-founder); National Committee on American Foreign Policy board; Stanford University (B.A.); Harvard Kennedy School; tech media establishment; New Yorker alumni (editor); Council on Foreign Relations.
HistoryThompson graduated from Stanford and worked at The Washington Monthly and Legal Affairs before joining The New Yorker, where he was an editor at Talk of the Town. He moved to Wired Magazine, where he became editor-in-chief — leading it through major technology and cultural shifts. He joined The Atlantic approximately four years before this listing as CEO, overseeing its digital transformation. He also wrote ‘The Hawk and the Dove’ (2009), a dual biography of Paul Nitze and George Kennan.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Thompson runs an institution — backed by Laurene Powell Jobs and widely read by America’s governing and intellectual elite — that sits at the center of American cultural and political conversation, making him a natural participant in elite off-record forums that value media access and editorial relationships.
JT
PowerCo-authored Boundaries (1992) with Henry Cloud, a Christian self-help book that has sold over two million copies and spawned a five-book series, making it one of the best-selling titles in the Christian publishing category. Founded the Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling at Concordia University Irvine in 2015, which provides graduate training in organizational leadership, executive coaching, and counseling.
NetworksNorth Carolina State University (BA Psychology); Dallas Theological Seminary (Master of Theology); Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University (PhD Clinical Psychology). Co-founded Minirth-Meier Clinic West with Henry Cloud, operating treatment centers in 35 cities across the western U.S. Connected to Christian leadership networks and evangelical business circles.
HistoryBorn June 1, 1952. Completed undergraduate work in psychology, then graduate theological training at Dallas Theological Seminary, followed by doctoral training in clinical psychology at Biola’s Rosemead School. Co-founded the Minirth-Meier Clinic West with Henry Cloud and served as clinical co-director for ten years across a 35-city network. Published Boundaries in 1992, which became a long-running bestseller and transformed discourse on personal limits in Christian self-help literature. Has authored or co-authored 26 books total. Founded the Townsend Institute in 2015.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Townsend’s work on personal and organizational boundaries has deeply influenced leadership development practices in corporate, faith-based, and political communities. His access to evangelical leadership networks and executive coaching circles—communities that overlap significantly with Republican donor and policy networks—explains his plausibility in elite gatherings.
PowerTugendhat has been the MP for Tonbridge since 2015. He served as the UK’s Security Minister from 2022 to 2024, overseeing domestic and foreign intelligence services and authoring the National Security Act 2023 — the first UK law criminalizing foreign espionage. He has been sanctioned by China, Russia, and Iran. He ran for Conservative Party leader twice (2022 and 2024).
NetworksUK Conservative Party; House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee (former Chair, 2017–2022); UK military intelligence (former officer, served in Iraq and Afghanistan); Cambridge (MPhil Islamic Studies); Bristol (BA Theology); nephew of Lord Tugendhat (former European Commission Vice President). Joint National Security Strategy Committee.
HistoryBorn in 1973 to a High Court judge father (Sir Michael Tugendhat) and a French mother. He studied theology at Bristol and Islamic studies at Cambridge, learning Arabic in Yemen. He worked as a journalist in Beirut and founded one of Lebanon’s first PR firms. He joined the Territorial Army after returning to the UK, was commissioned as an intelligence officer in 2003, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and rose to Military Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff. He was elected to Parliament in 2015, chaired the Foreign Affairs Committee 2017–2022, served as Security Minister 2022–2024, and was Shadow Security Minister after the 2024 Conservative election defeat.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]A former Security Minister who drafted national security legislation and oversaw intelligence services, with deep contacts in UK military and foreign policy establishments, represents exactly the kind of government-side intelligence node that elite transatlantic forums cultivate.
photo: Wikimedia Commons / UK ParliamentTU
PowerUrban is the creator of Wait But Why, a long-form blog known for deeply researched essays on technology, AI, procrastination, and human cognition, with millions of regular readers and significant influence in the tech world. His book What’s Our Problem? (2023) addresses tribalism and political epistemology. Elon Musk has described Wait But Why as his favorite blog and commissioned Urban to write multi-part series on SpaceX, Tesla, and Neuralink.
NetworksHarvard College (BA); Elon Musk (close relationship; wrote commissioned series on SpaceX, Tesla, Neuralink); Tim Ferriss podcast network; TED Talk circuit (2016 talk on procrastination has over 70 million views); G64 Ventures (co-founder, small business holding company).
HistoryUrban graduated from Harvard College and co-founded a small test prep and tutoring company with his college friend Andrew Finn. He launched Wait But Why in 2013 after years of procrastination. The blog grew through long-form essays on AI, colonizing Mars, and human relationships. In 2015–2016, he spent extended time with Elon Musk, producing widely read series on SpaceX and Neuralink that circulated heavily in tech circles. He published What’s Our Problem? in 2023.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Urban is a rare public intellectual trusted by the most powerful figures in tech—his close relationship with Musk and his long-form analysis of technology and civilizational risk give him an unusual position as someone who both shapes and documents elite tech worldviews.
RW
PowerWarren founded Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California in 1980 and led it for over 40 years, building it into one of the largest megachurches in the United States, averaging approximately 20,000 weekly attendees. His book ‘The Purpose Driven Life’ (2002) has sold over 50 million copies in more than 85 languages, making it one of the bestselling nonfiction books in publishing history. He delivered prayers at both Obama’s 2009 inauguration and major international forums. He stepped down as lead pastor in 2022 and now leads the Finishing the Task global mission coalition and hosts his Daily Hope podcast.
NetworksSouthern Baptist Convention (though Saddleback was disfellowshipped in 2023 over ordaining women); Finishing the Task mission coalition; P.E.A.C.E. Plan (global humanitarian initiative); World Economic Forum speaker; United Nations speaker; TED speaker; Presidential Advisory Council of Rwanda; California Baptist University alumni; Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.) and Fuller Theological Seminary (D.Min.).
HistoryWarren graduated from California Baptist University, earned his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and his Doctor of Ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. He moved to Orange County, California in 1979 with no church, no members, and no building, and held Saddleback’s first service on Easter Sunday 1980 with 200 people. Over 40 years he built a global movement, trained pastors in 162 countries, and developed the ‘Purpose Driven’ philosophy of church growth. His 2003 P.E.A.C.E. Plan mobilized church networks for humanitarian development globally. Time magazine named him one of the 25 most influential evangelicals in America.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Warren commands perhaps the most direct line into American evangelical Christianity of any living pastor, with a platform that reaches from suburban megachurches to African development programs — his inclusion in elite forums reflects the importance of understanding and influencing the religious segment of American civic life.
SZ
PowerChairman and CEO of Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO), publisher of Grand Theft Auto, NBA 2K, Red Dead Redemption, and BioShock—one of the world’s largest video game companies with a market capitalization of tens of billions of dollars. Also founder, CEO, and managing partner of ZMC, a New York-based private equity firm specializing in media and entertainment leveraged buyouts. Previously chairman of CBS Corporation.
NetworksWesleyan University (BA Psychology/English); Harvard Business School (MBA); Harvard Law School (JD). Prior roles at Columbia Pictures International Television, Vestron Inc., 20th Century Fox, and BMG Entertainment. Married to Wendy Belzberg (daughter of Samuel Belzberg). Former Chairman of the Entertainment Software Association (2014–2017). Deep ties in entertainment, media, and private equity.
HistoryStarted at Columbia Pictures International Television in 1983; rose through Vestron Inc. to president. Became president and CEO of 20th Century Fox before leaving in 1993. Led ZMC from its founding in 2001. In 2007, led an investor-staged takeover of struggling Take-Two Interactive and became chairman, CEO, and its largest individual shareholder—overseeing the launch of GTA V (one of the best-selling entertainment products in history), Red Dead Redemption 2, and the $12.7 billion acquisition of Zynga in 2022. Spends roughly 25% of his time mentoring.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Zelnick leads one of the most culturally influential media companies on earth—his games reach hundreds of millions of people globally—while simultaneously running a private equity firm and maintaining deep ties in entertainment, technology, and finance. These intersections of capital, culture, and technology make him a natural participant in elite cross-sector forums.
PowerZilis is Director of Operations and Special Projects at Neuralink, Elon Musk’s brain-computer interface company that received FDA approval for human clinical trials in 2023. She is the mother of four of Musk’s children and a board member at Shield AI, a defense AI company. She served on OpenAI’s board from 2020 to 2023 and testified in the 2026 trial of Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI.
NetworksNeuralink leadership; Shield AI board; Elon Musk’s inner circle (Tesla, xAI, Neuralink); Bloomberg Beta (former founding partner 2012–2018); OpenAI (former board member 2020–2023); Yale University (BA economics and philosophy, 2008); Creative Destruction Lab (founding fellow); Vector Institute and Alberta Machine Intelligence Institute (former board member).
HistoryZilis grew up in Markham, Ontario, and played goalie on Yale’s ice hockey team. After graduating Yale in 2008 she worked at IBM in financial technologies for developing markets. From 2012 to 2018 she was a founding partner at Bloomberg Beta, Bloomberg LP’s venture fund, where she focused on machine learning investments and made the Forbes 30 Under 30 (venture capital, 2015). She joined OpenAI as an advisor in 2016 and later served on its board until 2023. From 2017 to 2019 she was Project Director at Tesla (Autopilot and chip design teams). Since 2017 she has been Director of Operations and Special Projects at Neuralink. Text messages revealed during the Musk v. OpenAI trial showed Zilis kept information flowing from OpenAI’s board to Musk during her board tenure.
Why a node like this — [interpretation]Zilis is simultaneously embedded in Elon Musk’s most consequential technology projects (Neuralink, xAI), the OpenAI governance history, and defense technology (Shield AI) — a rare convergence point for AI, brain-computer interface, and national security networks.
photo: Wikimedia CommonsDate / place12–16 August 2026, Powerscourt Hotel, Enniskerry, County Wicklow, Ireland.
SourceThe leaked records, as reported by The Ditch (17 Jun 2026), which had not obtained hotel confirmation at publication (“The Powerscourt Hotel has been contacted for comment”).
Open questionWho placed the booking, and under what entity, is not in any public record reviewed.
Per Irish CCPC ruling M/19/006 (3 May 2019): the hotel is owned through a chain — John & Leslie Malone → Irish Holdings II LLC (a Colorado company) → an Irish partnership → the operating company Sugarloaf Ventures Ltd (Irish company no. 524179), which reported about €29.5m revenue in 2024. The Malones are named as the ultimate owners.
Every item above links to a primary source you can open: a saved snapshot in the Internet Archive, a site record, or a government filing.