With influence, money and political power there are a few select companies that are so profitable they set the agenda globally. Some of these companies’ brands are as familiar as the toaster in your kitchen or your child’s stuffed animal; others are unknown to the average Western consumer, yet their impact is far-reaching. Here are the 10 companies that really rule the world.
ICBC
The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China is one of China’s nationally owned banks, and holds assets of $2.8 trillion dollars according to Forbes. Couple that with yearly revenue and profits, and it is one of the largest and most influential banks in the world.
China Construction Bank
Another of China’s big banks, China Construction is a commercial bank with over $113 billion in revenue over the last year according to Fortune. It comes at no surprise that Chinese banking is so powerful, as they have been investing in many developing countries – including those in Africa and the Caribbean – to expand their empire.