More Than Just Shares: What Executive Ownership Tells Us

In a market where founders and CEOs are not merely business leaders but also symbols of innovation, power, and long-term strategy, their stock holdings have become a public reflection of their commitment, influence, and investment philosophy. A recent infographic from invest.billionaire shines light on the percentage of shares held by top founders and CEOs in their respective companies as of 2025, revealing fascinating insights into who is still “in the game” and who may be gradually stepping back.

These numbers go far beyond financial interest. They represent corporate governance styles, risk tolerance, and in many cases, the ability of a single person to steer multibillion-dollar firms through periods of turbulence and innovation alike.

Quantitative Overview – Who Owns How Much

The rankings show a wide disparity in ownership levels among the world’s top executives:

Warren Buffett holds 14.3% of Berkshire Hathaway
Mark Zuckerberg owns 13.6% of Meta
Elon Musk controls 12.8% of Tesla
Jack Dorsey holds 10.8% of Block (formerly Square)
Jeff Bezos owns 9.6% of Amazon
Tobi Lütke holds 6.3% of Shopify
Jensen Huang owns 3.8% of Nvidia
Alex Karp owns 2.5% of Palantir

These numbers aren’t just statistics. They represent the practical power these individuals have over board decisions, strategic pivots, M&A activity, and even company culture.

High-Stakes Commitment – The Big Holders

The standout in raw ownership is Warren Buffett. At age 94, Buffett still owns 14.3% of Berkshire Hathaway, reflecting his enduring role not just as a shareholder, but as the embodiment of the firm’s identity. Berkshire is a conglomerate with investments spanning insurance, railroads, utilities, and consumer goods – and Buffett’s ownership symbolizes stability in a shifting economic landscape.

Among tech founders, Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk clearly demonstrate a desire for enduring influence. Zuckerberg’s 13.6% stake in Meta and Musk’s 12.8% in Tesla underscore their dominant roles in guiding innovation. Importantly, both leverage dual-class share structures to maintain control far beyond what their equity stakes alone would suggest.

Strategic Withdrawal or Portfolio Diversification? Bezos and Dorsey’s Shifts

Jeff Bezos, who stepped down as CEO of Amazon in 2021, now owns 9.6% of the company. While still a significant shareholder, Bezos has sold large blocks of stock over the past decade, redirecting capital to his space venture Blue Origin, his ownership of The Washington Post, and other philanthropic initiatives.

Jack Dorsey, on the other hand, retains 10.8% of Block, the fintech firm he founded. Having left Twitter, Dorsey has redirected his focus to Bitcoin, decentralization, and Web3 finance. His Block ownership illustrates continued alignment with long-term disruption in the financial ecosystem.

The Smaller Holders – Huang and Karp’s Calculated Positions

Jensen Huang, the CEO of Nvidia, holds a 3.8% stake in the company. Although this may appear modest, Nvidia’s valuation now exceeds $1 trillion, making Huang’s holdings worth tens of billions of dollars. His influence goes far beyond shares, as Huang is deeply involved in product vision, AI strategy, and technological leadership.

Alex Karp, CEO of Palantir, holds 2.5% of the company. While also a founder, Karp’s position highlights a different kind of CEO – one deeply embedded in the company’s operations and public image, but with less emphasis on equity control. His influence is strategic rather than financial, reflecting Palantir’s defense and intelligence client base and complex regulatory ecosystem.

Strategic Implications – Ownership, Governance, and Market Impact

These ownership stakes aren’t just personal assets; they shape how companies behave and how markets perceive them.

Executives like Zuckerberg and Musk use their substantial holdings and voting power to pursue long-term visions that may defy short-term market logic. For example, Zuckerberg’s push into the metaverse and Musk’s AI and energy bets require insulation from quarterly investor pressure – something their control enables.

In contrast, Bezos and Dorsey illustrate how leaders can remain influential without dominant ownership. By stepping back, they’ve opened room for professional managers while continuing to set broad strategic direction or invest in parallel ventures.

Ownership also affects investor perception. Companies with concentrated ownership can be seen as risky due to potential governance concerns, but also as visionary and stable when leadership delivers results. Nvidia is a case in point: while Huang owns under 4%, his leadership is so central that many analysts price it into the stock’s long-term growth potential.

Forward-Looking Perspective – The Future of Founder Influence

Looking ahead, the structure of executive ownership may undergo meaningful change. On one hand, regulatory scrutiny of dual-class shares may limit the power of founders like Zuckerberg and Musk. On the other hand, the rise of institutional investors and AI-driven capital allocation could encourage executives to retain more equity as a sign of alignment.

Moreover, in sectors like AI, energy, and fintech, visionary leadership often outpaces traditional KPIs. As such, investor appetite may continue to favor companies where founders “have skin in the game” – not only symbolically, but financially.

There’s also the question of succession. Buffett, the oldest on this list, has already laid out a transition plan. Others like Musk or Zuckerberg, still in their prime, may face investor pressure to institutionalize leadership structures if they ever reduce their holdings.

Ultimately, founder ownership is both a mirror of past value creation and a lens into future direction.