There's no doubt that Apple CEO Steve Jobs has been instrumental in the success of the company known for the iMac and iPhone, and according to Fortune, he's the CEO of the decade, too.
"The past decade in business belongs to Jobs," Forutne's Adam Lashinsky said. "What makes that simple statement even more remarkable is that barely a year ago it seemed likely that any review of his accomplishments would be valedictory. But by deeds and accounts, Jobs is back."
Mr. Jobs has been at the core of major changes in three markets over the past few years: music, movies and mobile phones. The iPod holds the loin's share of the portable MP3 player market, the iTunes Store changed how many consumers buy music, Pixar created a new take on movies, and the iPhone strong-armed its way into the smartphone market in just two years.
Cool products alone didn't earn Mr. Jobs Fortune's CEO of the Decade title. His business prowess played a major role, too.
Mr. Jobs took Apple from a US$5 billion company in 2000 to at $170 billion today. A few years ago, the Apple's goal was to make $10 billion in a year. Now the company makes more than that in a quarter.
"After creating more than $150 billion in shareholder wealth, transforming movies, telecom, music, and computing (and profoundly influencing the worlds of retail and design), what should Steve Jobs do next?" Fortune asks. "Given his penchant for secrecy and surprise and his proven brilliance, it's a fair bet that he'll let us know when he's good and ready."