Business Visionary
Transformational leadership in business and beyond
Transformational leadership in business and beyond
Koch started as a small, Midwestern business. Employees applying principles of human progress have helped increase its value by more than 9,000-fold since 1960 — transforming it from a company of about 300 people into one of America's largest private companies. Today, with annual revenues that have exceeded $125 billion, Koch businesses employ about 120,000 people, with more than half of those in the United States.
Under Charles’ leadership, Koch not only thrives in its traditional sectors but also has become a prominent technology company. As a true business visionary, Charles embraces new ideas and change, driving Koch’s expansion into a range of diverse industries. By constantly challenging the status quo, he has built a company that creates products with widespread reach to improve lives everywhere.
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Charles focuses on creating value for others and earning “good profit,” which comes from contributing to society. Koch has a long history of commitment to stewardship through consuming fewer resources, minimizing waste and continuously innovating to enhance manufacturing processes. The company was awarded the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year award — the EPA’s highest level of recognition — in 2017, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
Charles champions a mindset that not only values transformation but deems it essential to growth. At Koch, this means always looking for better ways to do things and encouraging everyone to think creatively. Charles’ belief in empowering people helps the company take on new challenges and opportunities, fostering an environment where questioning the norm is encouraged and expected. The culture of continuous transformation ensures the company continues to adapt to evolving customer needs and provide products and services that make life better.
Charles empowers Koch’s workforce to drive progress in stewardship and contributing to society. His focus on applying principles enabled employees to transform the business by transforming themselves, continually finding new ways to find fulfillment and succeed by helping others in what Charles calls “virtuous cycles of mutual benefit.”
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Watch Charles’ unique take on the dark clouds of failure and the silver linings.
Charles reveals how early failures helped shape his management philosophy.
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Charles explains the critical importance of inviting challenge from others.
Principled Leader
Always one to share his wealth of knowledge, Charles has written bestsellers and other books to connect anyone with the concepts that have helped him build his company, his philanthropy and his life.