Fortune named Steve Jobs its “CEO of the Decade” in 2009. The recognition reflected his influence on Apple’s revival and on several major consumer technology categories during the 2000s.
Jobs returned to Apple in 1997 after the company acquired NeXT, which he had founded after leaving Apple in 1985. During the following decade, Apple introduced products including the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and MacBook Air. These launches helped transform Apple from a struggling computer maker into a broad consumer technology company.
The award came from Fortune magazine, a business publication known for rankings and profiles of corporate leaders. It is sometimes confused with Time’s Person of the Year or Forbes’ business lists, but those are separate recognitions.
The title was an editorial honor rather than a formal industry award with a competitive vote. Fortune’s choice focused on Jobs’s long-term role in Apple’s turnaround, product strategy, and brand positioning.