There's a saying in football that no lead is safe. Right now, perhaps more than at any other time, that applies to the IT industry as well. As the pace of technology evolution quickens, no IT company, no matter how big and dominant it may be, is invulnerable. Smaller companies and startups, meanwhile, find themselves battling in an ever-more competitive IT arena to survive, let alone thrive.

In an industry that keeps reinventing itself, leaders have to have a steady hand--and an open mind. Here, we present the 25 Most Influential Executives Of 2013.