5. Avago Technologies Buys Broadcom
In 2015, Avago Technologies shocked the tech world by buying Broadcom for $37 billion; the biggest deal ever in the semiconductor industry. A lesser-known chipmaker suddenly swallowed one of the most respected names in wireless technology, and then even kept Broadcom’s name. Overnight, Avago’s CEO Hock Tan wasn’t just running a company; he was leading a new global giant that nobody saw coming.