Jimmy Donaldson, a sweet-faced 24-year-old YouTuber, is dressed up as Willy Wonka, complete with a purple velvet topcoat, oversize gold bow tie and orange top hat. The 6-foot-4 creator known as MrBeast” is making a video to promote Feastables, the candy bar brand he launched last winter. He has lured ten fans who found golden tickets” in one of his MrBeast Bars to a warehouse in eastern North Carolina that Donaldson built. There they find a faux chocolate factory with huge gummy bears hanging off tree branches in a lollipop forest and, just like in the movie, a real chocolate river flowing into a waterfall. In a room lined with bouncy marshmallows the contestants stand on spinning peppermints. First one to fall loses. The winner takes home 500,000, a new car and a bite-size piece of Donaldson’s fame.
It’s silly, G-rated fun—and wildly profitable. That one 17-minute video has racked up 121 million views in the last six months, and MrBeast has made thousands more. He earned 54 million last year, including 32 million from ads across his dozen-plus channels and 9 million from sponsored content. He’s the most-subscribed-to YouTube personality in the world, with 112 million. His earnings, already the highest of any social media creator, are set to double in 2022 to as much as 110 million. A lot of people still see YouTubers as a subclass of influencers,” he says. They still just don’t truly understand the influence a lot of creators have.”
In the hypercompetitive, occasionally nasty world of social media, MrBeast is a collaborator. In November, to celebrate becoming the top YouTuber, he enticed 11 YouTuber friends— including LazarBeam 20.2 million subscribers), GeorgeNotFound 10.5 million) and Callux 4 million)—to compete for a 2.5 million private jet. It was an endurance contest 4 la Hands on a Hardbody: Whoever kept their hand touching
Bu hikaye Forbes Middle East - English dergisinin Jan 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Forbes Middle East - English dergisinin Jan 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
TOP 20 ARAB WOMEN IN GOVERNMENT
Our first list of 20 Arab Women in Government recognizes the most impactful women in leading roles across government institutions, excluding ministerial and parliamentary positions.
SCENT OF SUCCESS
Mona Kattan, CEO and Founder of KAYALI, is redefining perfume as a form of self-love. Following a world tour of her signature collection, the beauty mogul is now launching scents that venture outside of her comfort zone, continuing to innovate while tapping into the Middle East's lucrative love of fragrance.
GUIDING THE NARRATIVE
Mona AI Marri, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of the Dubai Media Council, Director-General of the Government of Dubai Media Office, and President of the Dubai Press Club, has been pivotal in shaping the emirate's media landscape. Now she's bringing Al, filming, and gaming into the spotlight.
MENA's Biggest M&A Deals
MENA continued to solidify its role as a global financial powerhouse in 2024, with major mergers and acquisitions (M&As) shaping industries from chemicals to renewables and retail. Here's a closer look at five of the largest deals of 2024.
World's Richest Women 2025
From pioneering philanthropy to managing family empires, the world's top wealthiest women are reshaping industries, preserving legacies, and redefining influence. Net worths are as of January 16, 2025, as per Forbes.
FUTURE PROOFING
Empowering women in business and nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs means offering community support where it's needed. Rym AI Falasy, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, is championing initiatives in the U.A.E. to foster the well-being and advancement of mothers and children across different fields.
10 MENA Women Making Their Mark in Marketing
These 10 CMOs head the marketing function of some of the largest companies across the region, leading successful campaigns and initiatives, and helping boost business.
100 MOST POWERFUL BUSINESSWOMEN 2025
Women in MENA are leading some of the largest local and global companies and leaving an immense impact across industries, from banking powerhouses to technology visionaries. Once again, Hana AI Rostamani, Group CEO of the First Abu Dhabi Bank- the U.A.E.'s largest bank-leads the list for the third consecutive year. She was also recognized for the fourth time on Forbes' list of the World's Most Powerful Women 2024, ranking 60 globally.
10 Powerful Businesswomen Leading Family-Owned Businesses
Our list of the 10 powerful businesswomen leading some of the largest family-owned companies and groups in the region features women who have inherited family legacies and possess exceptional expertise. They're managing vast conglomerates across diverse sectors of the economy, including industry, technology, and education. The list includes three entries based in the U.A.E., two from Oman, and one from each of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Morocco, Bahrain, and Lebanon.
The World's Most Powerful Women 2024
The 100 leaders on Forbes's 2024 list of the World's Most Powerful Women oversee a total of $33 trillion in GDP and influence the lives of over a billion people. Here's a look at the top ten who are breaking down barriers in politics, philanthropy, and business.
