LinkedIn — the largest business-oriented social network in the world — has named its top influencers of 2016. The #1 Influencer on LinkedIn Is Mohamed El-Erian. The list does a lot to explain to people the difference between LinkedIn and its sort-of rival Facebook. On Facebook, the No. 1 influencer with the most followers is soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, followed by singer Shakira. On LinkedIn, it’s a Muslim economist — El-Erian. (LinkedIn used more than just followers as a metric to determine influencer rank — post engagement and other factors were included. )
[Read Mohamed El-Erian’s new book: The Only Game in Town: Central Banks, Instability, and Avoiding the Next Collapse]
El-Erian is an economist with a common touch in relating complex economic principles using everyday examples. He is the chief economic advisor at Allianz, a seat from which speculates on how various forces — from populism to social security to oil — might affect our future world. He’s also handy with a memorable alliteration, capable of saying we’re having a “romance of reflation.” El-Erian is also a New York Jets fan, which makes him sympathetic. Interestingly, even though he’s the #1 influencer and exceptionally transparent as such, the Egyptian-American El-Erian could possibly have to register for the “Muslim database” Donald Trump has said he will consider.
