Citadel Billionaire’s Wealth Boost | World’s Most Powerful Passports | Maya Angelou Celebrated

Plus: Top CEOs Share Surprising Leadership Tips Of 2021

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An unprecedented private funding round valued market maker Citadel Securities at a huge $22 billion valuation, boosting its billionaire founder’s net worth. We’re also covering the latest world’s most powerful passports ranking, and the significance of Maya Angelou’s debut on the U.S. quarter. Finally, check out these five tips leading CEOs shared with Forbes in the past year.

In The News Today

In a statement, Novak Djokovic admitted taking part in a photoshoot after testing positive for Covid-19 in December was “an error of judgement” as scrutiny over inconsistency on his travel form to Australia intensifies. 

Former President Donald Trump hung up on an interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep after being challenged on his unrelenting and baseless assertions of election fraud.

Top Take-Aways

Trading powerhouse Citadel Securities announced its first round of private funding ever, taking in nearly $1.2 billion in venture capital at a massive $22 billion valuation. Its billionaire founder, hedge fund tycoon Ken Griffin, saw his net worth surge by $5 billion as a result.

The S&P 500 Index dividend yield is less than the 10-year Treasury yield. Past history indicates that investors shouldn’t expect anything close to a repeat of last year’s 27% gain for the S&P 500 in the short term.

The Covid-19 pandemic caused exclusive women’s network Chief to rethink its membership offering. It now has more than 40,000 women across the U.S. on their wait list, who can choose either full access to their clubhouses or a virtual membership.

At a time of reinvention and soaring valuations among venture capitalists, 50-year-old firm Kleiner Perkins plans to stick to its established strategy, raising $800 million for the 20th iteration of its early stage venture fund, plus $1 billion for its second early growth stage vehicle.

Even as plastic cards replace cash and coins, who is represented on currency affects the perception of what a leader looks like. That’s why U.S. poet Maya Angelou becoming the first Black woman to have her likeness depicted on the quarter dollar coin is celebrated as a milestone.

The latest release of the world’s most powerful passport list is a timely reminder of the growing inequality between citizens of countries in the global north and those in the global south—particularly in Africa and the Middle East—when it comes to visa-free travel.

Today's Must Read

In Case You Missed It

American pharmaceutical giant Pfizer announced a string of new deals to expand and improve the use of mRNA technology that made its Covid-19 vaccine a success. These included a $1.3 billion partnership with gene editing company Beam Therapeutics. 

Tips You Can Trust

Part of succeeding in a job search is about having a positive mindset—if you find yourself thinking any of these four sentences, you’re letting self-doubt get the best of you.

Updating your resume should be a regular exercise. Here are five ways to refresh it ahead of your next job search.

Today's Must Watch

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