Top 20 Most Followed Person on LinkedIn
In 2025, Bill Gates remains the most followed person on LinkedIn, with more than 36.9 million followers.
That single fact shows how far LinkedIn has come. What began as a professional networking site is now the arena where global leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators share ideas that shape industries and public opinion.
This blog breaks down the Top 20 LinkedIn Influencers in 2025, then explores benchmarks, influencer marketing strategies, and how B2B companies can learn from them.
Top 20 LINKEDIN INFLUENCERS IN 2025
1. Bill Gates 38.9M followers
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Background & Role: Bill Gates co-founded Microsoft and turned it into a global technology powerhouse. Today, he is best known for his work as co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. His mission: eradicate disease, fight climate change, and drive equitable access to education and technology.
Core Themes: He posts on AI in healthcare, global health equity, sustainable energy, and climate innovation. His focus often bridges science, technology, and policy.
Signature Style: Clear, data-backed, and pragmatic. Gates posts research summaries, annual letters, and reflections that spark conversations across sectors.
Why People Follow Him: Gates is a unique blend of visionary technologist and pragmatic philanthropist. His insights influence both policy and industry.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on AI for epidemic prediction crossed 3M impressions, igniting discussions among global leaders in health, tech, and policy.
2. Richard Branson 18.7M followers
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Background & Role: Richard Branson built the Virgin Group from a small record shop into a business empire spanning airlines, music, telecom, and even commercial space exploration.
Core Themes: He writes about entrepreneurship, bold risk-taking, sustainable business, and turning failures into learning. Branson also highlights Virgin’s environmental initiatives and space ventures.
Signature Style: Relatable and story-driven. He shares behind-the-scenes anecdotes, reflections on risks he’s taken, and personal lessons.
Why People Follow Him: Branson embodies the daring entrepreneur archetype. His blend of business advice, adventure, and human vulnerability keeps his feed engaging.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on Virgin Galactic’s test flights blended space exploration with a lesson in persistence, sparking massive engagement among founders and innovators.
3. Satya Nadella 11.6M followers
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Background & Role: Nadella has led Microsoft since 2014, transforming it into a leader in AI and cloud computing. Under his leadership, Microsoft’s market value has soared past $3 trillion.
Core Themes: Future of work, responsible AI, digital transformation, and inclusive leadership. Nadella often frames technology as a tool for empowerment.
Signature Style: Visionary yet grounded. His tone is empathetic and people-first, often spotlighting Microsoft employees, partners, and their stories.
Why People Follow Him: Nadella represents modern corporate leadership balancing technological innovation with inclusivity and responsibility.
Impact Example: His 2025 post about democratizing AI in education drew global praise, sparking partnerships between Microsoft and nonprofits.
4. Jeff Weiner 10.4M followers
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Background & Role: As LinkedIn’s former CEO and now Executive Chairman, Jeff Weiner has overseen the platform’s transformation into a content and career powerhouse. He also advises and invests in startups.
Core Themes: Leadership, mentorship, people management, and scaling organizations.
Signature Style: Practical frameworks and concise reflections drawn from decades in tech leadership.
Why People Follow Him: Weiner is admired for his people-first leadership philosophy. His credibility comes from building LinkedIn itself.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on balancing hybrid teams became a reference point for HR leaders worldwide.
5. Arianna Huffington 9.6M followers
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Background & Role: Arianna Huffington built HuffPost into a media empire before founding Thrive Global, a company focused on well-being and productivity.
Core Themes: Workplace wellness, mental health, sleep, and leadership that prioritizes humanity.
Signature Style: Personal, empathetic, and research-backed. She blends storytelling with actionable wellness strategies.
Why People Follow Her: She challenges hustle culture and redefines success by centering health and balance.
Impact Example: Her 2025 campaign framing sleep as a leadership superpower trended globally and influenced corporate wellness policies.
6. Simon Sinek 8.6 followers
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Background & Role: Author of Start With Why and Leaders Eat Last, Sinek has become one of the most quoted voices in leadership.
Core Themes: Purpose, trust, inspiration, and organizational culture.
Signature Style: Motivational and simple, often delivered through short, digestible frameworks and videos.
Why People Follow Him: His “Start With Why” concept has become embedded in corporate culture, making him a go-to leadership voice.
Impact Example: His 2025 “Infinite Mindset” video trended for weeks, amassing millions of views.
7. Mark Cuban 8.1M followers
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Background & Role: Mark Cuban, billionaire investor and Shark Tank star, is also known for owning the Dallas Mavericks and investing heavily in tech.
Core Themes: Startups, investing, AI adoption, and sports innovation.
Signature Style: Direct and blunt. Cuban’s no-nonsense approach resonates with founders.
Why People Follow Him: He strips business down to first principles and gives tactical advice entrepreneurs can use immediately.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on SMB adoption of AI became a must-read for entrepreneurs navigating tech changes.
8. Tony Robbins 7.3M followers
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Background & Role: Robbins is the world’s most famous performance coach, with decades of experience in personal development and business strategy.
Core Themes: Resilience, growth mindset, leadership, and wealth-building.
Signature Style: Energetic, aspirational, and packed with motivational punch.
Why People Follow Him: Robbins has been a trusted guide for millions seeking both personal and professional growth.
Impact Example: His 2025 leadership challenge campaign went viral, attracting thousands of responses from leaders across industries.
9. Jack Welch 6.9M followers
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Background & Role: The late GE CEO’s legacy lives on through his foundation and curated leadership content, which still resonates on LinkedIn.
Core Themes: Performance-driven leadership, management, and operational excellence.
Signature Style: Tough, straightforward, and uncompromising.
Why People Follow Him: Welch’s lessons on accountability and leadership remain relevant decades later.
Impact Example: A 2025 anniversary post reflecting on Welch’s management principles was widely shared among executives.
10. Melinda French Gates 6.6M followers
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Background & Role: As co-chair of the Gates Foundation, Melinda French Gates focuses on philanthropy, women’s empowerment, and global equity.
Core Themes: Education, healthcare, gender equality, and entrepreneurship.
Signature Style: Empathetic and narrative-driven, often highlighting personal stories from around the world.
Why People Follow Her: She amplifies voices often overlooked in global development.
Impact Example: Her 2025 post on women-led AI startups went viral in tech and nonprofit communities.
11. Derek Shen 5.9M followers
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Background & Role: Entrepreneur and former president of LinkedIn China.
Core Themes: China’s startup ecosystem, global business, and leadership.
Signature Style: Sharp analysis with cultural context.
Why People Follow Him: He bridges Eastern and Western perspectives on tech and leadership.
Impact Example: His 2025 analysis of China’s AI market spread globally, drawing attention from investors.
12. Gary Vaynerchuk 5.8M followers
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Background & Role: Serial entrepreneur, investor, and CEO of VaynerMedia.
Core Themes: Marketing, branding, hustle culture, and content creation.
Signature Style: Raw, fast-paced, and highly practical.
Why People Follow Him: He gives tactical advice that entrepreneurs can apply immediately.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on AI in marketing became a viral reference for creators.
13. Daniel Goleman 5.8M followers
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Background & Role: Psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence.
Core Themes: EQ, leadership psychology, mindfulness, and decision-making.
Signature Style: Research translated into practical frameworks.
Why People Follow Him: He popularized EQ, now a core business competency.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on emotional intelligence in hiring practices was shared by HR leaders worldwide.
14. Deepak Chopra 5.6M followers
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Background & Role: Author, teacher, and entrepreneur in the wellness space.
Core Themes: Meditation, spirituality, holistic health, and mindful leadership.
Signature Style: Blends science with spirituality, often offering reflective posts and guided practices.
Why People Follow Him: Provides a counterbalance to stress-driven corporate culture.
Impact Example: His 2025 meditation video became LinkedIn’s most shared wellness post.
15. Thomas Lam (林正刚) 5.6M followers
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Background & Role: Leadership coach with a focus on cross-cultural management.
Core Themes: Global leadership, cultural intelligence, and executive development.
Signature Style: Practical case studies and cross-border lessons.
Why People Follow Him: He helps global leaders navigate cultural differences.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on leading multicultural teams went viral across Asia.
16. Adam Grant 5.5M followers
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Background & Role: Wharton professor, researcher, and best-selling author.
Core Themes: Organizational psychology, creativity, and work culture.
Signature Style: Research simplified into frameworks and viral posts.
Why People Follow Him: He makes complex psychology actionable for leaders.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on “quiet quitting 2.0” sparked global debate.
17. Justin Trudeau 5.5M followers
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Background & Role: Prime Minister of Canada.
Core Themes: Inclusivity, climate action, and global diplomacy.
Signature Style: Statesmanlike but accessible.
Why People Follow Him: Trudeau uses LinkedIn to communicate leadership beyond politics.
Impact Example: His 2025 climate action post broke engagement records for political content.
18. Narendra Modi 5.0M followers
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Background & Role: Prime Minister of India.
Core Themes: National development, digital economy, and governance.
Signature Style: Civic-focused, formal, but increasingly accessible.
Why People Follow Him: Represents India’s rapid digital and economic transformation.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on India’s digital infrastructure expansion broke records.
19. Brené Brown 4.7M followers
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Background & Role: Researcher and best-selling author known for her work on vulnerability and leadership.
Core Themes: Courage, vulnerability, and emotional connection in work.
Signature Style: Storytelling with emotional resonance.
Why People Follow Her: She humanizes leadership in a way few others can.
Impact Example: Her 2025 post on vulnerability in the workplace trended worldwide.
20. Kevin O’Leary 4.4M followers
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Background & Role: Investor, entrepreneur, and Shark Tank personality.
Core Themes: Finance, investing, and practical entrepreneurship.
Signature Style: Candid, sharp, and often contrarian.
Why People Follow Him: Offers straight-to-the-point financial and business insights.
Impact Example: His 2025 post on investing during market volatility trended across SMB communities.
LinkedIn Engagement Benchmarks
Let’s break it down by format:
- Multi-image posts: 6.6%
- Carousels / documents: 5.8%
- Native video: 5.6%
What do these formats have in common? They keep people scrolling. And that’s exactly what LinkedIn rewards time on platform.
Industry-specific benchmarks tell another story:
- Tech: 3.6%
- Finance: ~3%
- Healthcare: ~3%
- Manufacturing & real estate: lagging, but improving
Overall engagement is up 30% year-over-year. That’s not a bump it’s a surge.
Why? Because LinkedIn has evolved from being “just a job board” into a learning and buying platform. Professionals use it to sharpen skills, trade insights, and make purchasing decisions. And the algorithm now favors conversations not PR fluff or lifeless updates.
Here’s the brutal truth: if you’re only posting job ads and product launches, you’re invisible. You’re background noise.
The creators and companies who win:
- Post consistently
- Experiment with formats
- Reply to comments and spark discussions
- Keep engagement loops alive
LinkedIn isn’t asking for perfection. It’s asking for consistent signals that you’re adding value.
The takeaway: stop thinking of LinkedIn as a broadcast tool. Treat it as a publishing engine. The creators who embrace this mindset are the ones owning impressions, trust, and pipeline.
Top 6 Rising Video Creators on LinkedIn – July Edition
Video is LinkedIn’s secret weapon.
It’s human. It’s sticky. It sells.
And in July 2025, the list of rising creators proves it.
Here are a few standouts:
- Rosalyn Santa Elena → RevOps wisdom in 90-second clips. Clear. Tactical. Shareable.
- Asia Corbett → raw takes on ops and community. Feels like coffee with a mentor.
- Kathryn Castle → Salesforce + GTM tutorials via animations. Nerdy, but magnetic.
- Justin Welsh → turning solopreneur frameworks into video playbooks. Clean, repeatable.
- Sara Blakely → storytelling that mixes founder wins and stumbles. Vulnerable. Inspiring.
- Nick Verity → growth hacks broken into short, punchy clips. Practical gold.
FAQ
Q: How many followers do I need to be an influencer?
A: No magic number. 15–20K engaged niche followers can outperform 200K general ones.
Q: What content works best on LinkedIn in 2025?
A: Carousels. Docs. Video. Anything scroll-stopping.
Q: How often should I post?
A: 3–5x per week. Consistency compounds. Sporadic posting kills momentum.
Q: Do I need ads?
A: Not at the start. Organic reach is strong. Paid is gasoline. But you need the engine first.
Q: How do I measure success?
A: Look at conversations. Demos. Revenue. Likes don’t close deals.
Q: Should founders post or the brand page?
A: Founders, execs, and employees always outperform brand handles. People trust people.
