Movember: The best moustaches in the business world

Many claim courage, entrepreneurial spirit or a keen investor’s eye are the attributes of a top businessperson, while others simply put it down to having that certain je ne sais quoi.

But maybe the unexpected answer to what defines a successful career in business has always been right under our noses.

As Movember rolls around again – encouraging thousands in the business world to ditch the razor and let it all grow out in support of prostate cancer awareness – I’ve taken a look at five moustachioed moguls, who just so happen to be among the richest men in the world.

Ted Turner (media proprietor)

US billionaire and CNN founder Turner has long been a poster boy for the almighty power of the tache.

“The Mouth of the South” certainly has something very distinctive on top of his, in the form of the trademark thin, straight-edged number which has been entrenched in the American psyche since the early 1980s as a symbol of success.

Known, among other things, for being a philanthropist and restaurateur – as well as former owner of the Atlanta Braves baseball team and World Championship Wrestling franchises – Turner’s tache has accompanied him on every step of his route to the top.

Carlos Slim (business magnate, investor)

Currently looking down on the world from the lofty position of number two on Forbes’ billionaire list, Slim’s net worth is equivalent to roughly six per cent of his homeland Mexico’s GDP.

The 75 year-old’s vast business empire accounts for a hair-raising 40 per cent of listings on the Mexican Stock Exchange – but even this arguably pales in comparison to his world-famous cookie duster.

Thick, grey and unapologetically manly, Slim’s lip foliage has been a permanent companion for perhaps the world’s most shrewd investor, who boasts so many businesses he jokes he struggles to keep track. But his defining feature also shields a sense of selflessness – having given away at least $4bn in charitable donations through his Carlos Slim Foundation.

Malik Afridi (businessman)

Owner of one of the world’s, let alone business’, most distinctive bro-merangs, Pakistani success story Afridi is perhaps the biggest believer in the all-conquering qualities of the tache.

And what a specimen it is. No one could expect an aspiring hopeful to get anywhere near the (quite literal) highs of this extravagant wonder during Movember, but the masterpiece does serve as a lesson in sticking to your guns.

Fearless and uncompromising, Afridi’s defiant decoration has led to him receiving death threats from the Taliban, who believe his 76cm showpiece to be “un-Islamic”.

He only took to the razor when kidnapped and threatened with death by the fundamentalist group, only to grow it back upon his release. He now risks his day-to-day safety for the love of his mouth mirken.

Chase Carey (media tycoon)

Without Afridi on the scene, surely the gong for most elaborate business world tache would be Carey’s. Still, the executive vice-chairman of 21st Century Fox is a powerful proponent of the lip rug.

Tipped by Rupert Murdoch to be his successor as CEO of News Corporation, Carey’s affable, twirled handlebar look has certainly melted hearts. But far from being fluffy in character, over the past 27 years Carey has become regarded as Murdoch’s ‘lieutenant’ – a title clearly enhanced by this prize bro-mo.

Shahid Khan (businessman)

It’s little wonder Khan’s glamorously-moustachioed profile landed the cover spot on Forbes magazine’s 2012 edition exploring the “face of the American Dream”.

The world’s richest person of Pakistani origin with a net worth of over $5.6bn, 65 year-old Khan now counts Fulham FC among his assets, which also includes NFL team Jacksonville Jaguars and US car parts maker Flex-N-Gate.

His 2013 purchase of the Cottagers is to the UK’s gain. His dark and slick, curled-up tache and healthy flowing locks are fast becoming a national treasure in their own right, serving as a beacon of hope for future businesspeople and Movember wannabes alike.

Russell Gould is COO at Everline and ezbob.

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