The Top 5 Business Books of 2025

Since it’s Christmas week and no one is looking for a 47-step framework right now (myself included), I’m keeping things light. The end of the year always creates a little space to slow down and reflect, and for me, that reflection usually shows up through the ideas that shaped how I led, thought, and made decisions in business this year.

As 2025 wraps up, I’ve been looking back at the books that genuinely influenced my thinking—not the ones I skimmed or highlighted, but the ones that actually stuck. Below are my favorite business books of the year—the ones I’d recommend without hesitation.

If 2025 had a “theme,” it was this: technology moved fast… and geopolitics, supply chains, and industrial policy moved faster than most leadership teams were ready for. The best business books this year weren’t just “how to optimize your morning routine” (no shade)—they were big, practical, and reality-based.

Here are my top 5 business books of 2025, built around the titles that rose to the top of the Financial Times Business Book of the Year conversation.

1) The Thinking Machine: Jensen Huang, Nvidia, and the World’s Most Coveted Microchip — Stephen Witt

If you want to understand why AI is rewriting competitive advantage, start here. It’s a sharp look at Nvidia’s rise, the microchip “power center,” and what it means for strategy in every industry. This book won the 2025 Financial Times Business Book of the Year Award for a reason.

Best for: leaders trying to make real decisions about AI (not just “do we have an AI strategy?” as a vibe).

2. Chokepoints: American Power in the Age of Economic Warfare — Edward Fishman

Business strategy is no longer separate from geopolitics. This book makes the case (with examples) that trade, sanctions, and supply chain leverage are now core to how nations compete—and companies get caught in the middle.

Best for: anyone responsible for risk, sourcing, pricing, or international growth.

3) House of Huawei: The Secret History of China’s Most Powerful Company — Eva Dou

A window into one of the most consequential companies of our time—and a useful guide to how technology, government, and global competition collide. It’s not just a company story; it’s a strategy-and-context story.

Best for: execs who want a clearer picture of China-tech dynamics without the hot takes.

4) Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future — Dan Wang

This one helps you understand how innovation is being pursued at national scale—what’s working, what’s not, and what the implications are for global competitors. It’s a strategy read disguised as a “systems” read.

Best for: strategy, product, ops, and anyone building in competitive markets where speed matters.

5) Abundance: How We Build a Better Future — Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson

A hopeful, pragmatic argument about building—housing, energy, infrastructure, capability—and what gets in the way. Even if you don’t agree with every point, it’s a strong forcing function for leaders who want to think beyond “cost-cutting” and into “capacity-building.”

Best for: leaders who feel like growth is harder than it should be (because… it is).

 Podcast Pick:
2026, Let’s Go! Everything You Need to Know Going into the New Year
Our quick end-of-year solo episode on why 2026 will be a “convergence year” (AI goes mainstream + ops becomes a real competitive advantage). I’m sharing 3 questions to ask before Q1, why role/process clarity caps growth, and how to use AI to fix real bottlenecks—not chase shiny tools. Listen here

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