An opinionated list of the 50 most important men and women to shape the century so far.
http://www.ranker.com/list/top-50-most-influential-people-of-the-21st-century/theomanlenz,
David Cameron
Why?
Because he is Britain's most prominent conservative politican.
Usain Bolt
Why?
Because he is one of the greatest Olympians of all time.
Tony Blair
Why?
Because he is redefining the principals of the Labour Party.
Hilary Clinton
Why?
Because she is the image for the female politician.
Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim
Why?
Because they created YouTube, what could be the entertainment hub of the future.
George W. Bush
Why?
Because his war on terror caused great controversy among many parts of the globe.
Alton Brown
Why?
Because he is one of the worlds most creative minds, and he is changing the dynamics of cooking and food entertainment.
Osama Bin Laden
Why?
Because he was our centuries' most wanted terrorist and declared a "holy war" on the U.S.
Anthony Atala
Why?
Because his innovations could lead to the medical cures of the future.
Tim Berners-Lee
Why?
Because his 20th Century invention will be 21st centuries' greatest tool for commerce and social matters.