In 1988 Alan Yau turned his back on an academic career and opened a Chinese takeaway. The chain of canteen-style restaurants he launched later recently sold for record-breaking sums. Jane Lewis reports.

Mike Lynch is an outstandingly clever and stimulating character who sold his “tech darling”, Autonomy,  for $11.7bn in 2011.  Since then he’s been mired in legal wranglings over that sale.

Denise Coates set up a business from a portable office in a car park in Stoke on Trent in the early 2000s. What she built from there was a money-printing machine. Jane Lewis reports.

Stan Lee may never have written the Great American Novel he dreamed of, but his superhero creations were beloved by millions and he created a franchise that made billions.

Andrew Yang cut his teeth in the dotcom bubble before establishing a US-wide business. Now he wants to lead his country and introduce a “freedom dividend”. Jane Lewis reports.

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha made his fortune in Thailand before buying Leicester City for a song. He then helped the club overcome odds of 5,000-1 to win the Premier League.

Philip Green worked his way up from difficult circumstances to become the king of the high street. But his runaway ego has always been his greatest enemy.

Paul Allen, Bill Gates’ early business partner, has died, aged 65. He was the visionary and “ideas man” behind the firm that went on to rule the world

Serial entrepreneur and business pundit Luke Johnson was supposed to have a knack for spotting successful restaurant formats. The Patisserie Valerie scandal has taken a bite out of his reputation. Jane Lewis reports.

Pervasive corruption in Latin America’s biggest economy threatens to propel another populist to power. Jair Bolsonaro, a brash, misogynistic former army captain, could wreak havoc. Jane Lewis reports.