Simon Fuller

Few would dispute that Simon Fuller possessed the Midas touch when it came to discovering the next big thing. With an eye for emerging talent and an unmatched marketing genius, Fuller propelled numerous pop artists, television personalities, athletes, and fashion designers all the way to the top. He was the man behind the global phenomenon of the Spice Girls, one of the most famous all-female acts in music history. The media mogul's company, 19 Entertainment Ltd., guided the careers of some of music's biggest names such as Annie Lennox, Kelly Clarkson and Amy Winehouse, among others. Fuller struck gold when he created some of television's most memorable reality competition series, notably Britain's "Pop Idol" (iTV, 2001-03, 2006) and its U.S. spin-off, "American Idol" (Fox, 2002-16). With his handprint etched on so many people's careers and his ideas brought to reality in beloved television shows, there was no denying the far-reaching impact and influence Fuller had on international pop culture.