Founder, Chanos & Company; short seller and analyst
Jim Chanos made his name by exposing the fraud at Enron in 2000 and 2001 through its accounts, long before anyone else caught on. At the end of 2023 he wound down his hedge funds, saying the market for what he did had changed, but he did not disappear: through Chanos & Company he continues with research and advisory work, and in 2026 he is among the sharpest critics of valuations around AI infrastructure.
Almost everyone on this list makes money when prices rise. Chanos is the exception, and that makes his analysis fundamentally different: he hunts for accounting red flags, business models that do not add up and stories the numbers do not support. Even if you disagree with his conclusion, his questions are worth borrowing.
Starts as an analyst at Gilford Securities in Chicago.
Founds Kynikos Associates, specialising in short positions.
Exposes Enron through its accounts; the company collapses.
Warns for years about the Chinese property sector.
Winds down his hedge funds and continues with research and advisory work.
Publicly criticises valuations around data centres and the SpaceX listing.
“Hopes and dreams.”
Updated: 2026-07-23
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