DIPLOMAT
William J. Burns
1956 - Today

William J. Burns
William Joseph Burns (born April 11, 1956) is an American diplomat and served as the 8th director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Biden administration from March 19, 2021 to January 20, 2025. He previously served as U.S. deputy secretary of state from 2011 to 2014; in 2009 he served as acting secretary of state for a day, prior to the confirmation of Hillary Clinton. Burns retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2014 after a 32-year career. From 2014 to 2021, he served as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. William J. Burns is the 27th most popular diplomat (up from 42nd in 2019), the 1,415th most popular biography from United States (up from 2,680th in 2019) and the 8th most popular American Diplomat.
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Among DIPLOMATS
Among diplomats, William J. Burns ranks 27 out of 90. Before him are Chaim Herzog, Chiune Sugihara, Hasekura Tsunenaga, Viktor Chernomyrdin, Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, and George F. Kennan. After him are Alfonso García Robles, Megasthenes, Thomas Klestil, Irina Bokova, Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, and J. Christopher Stevens.
Most Popular Diplomats in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsChaim Herzog
1918 - 1997
HPI: 70.40
Rank: 21
Chiune Sugihara
1900 - 1986
HPI: 70.27
Rank: 22
Hasekura Tsunenaga
1571 - 1622
HPI: 70.26
Rank: 23
Viktor Chernomyrdin
1938 - 2010
HPI: 69.56
Rank: 24
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston
1784 - 1865
HPI: 69.20
Rank: 25
George F. Kennan
1904 - 2005
HPI: 68.97
Rank: 26
William J. Burns
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.14
Rank: 27
Alfonso García Robles
1911 - 1991
HPI: 67.99
Rank: 28
Megasthenes
350 BC - 290 BC
HPI: 67.85
Rank: 29
Thomas Klestil
1932 - 2004
HPI: 67.73
Rank: 30
Irina Bokova
1952 - Present
HPI: 67.57
Rank: 31
Robert Cecil, 1st Viscount Cecil of Chelwood
1864 - 1958
HPI: 67.22
Rank: 32
J. Christopher Stevens
1960 - 2012
HPI: 66.98
Rank: 33
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1956, William J. Burns ranks 36. Before him are Ingemar Stenmark, Min Aung Hlaing, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Khaled Mashal, William Fichtner, and Steve Harris. After him are Leslie Cheung, Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, Gina Haspel, David M. Brown, Kim Cattrall, and Eric Roberts.
Others Born in 1956
Go to all RankingsIngemar Stenmark
SKIER
1956 - Present
HPI: 69.45
Rank: 30
Min Aung Hlaing
POLITICIAN
1956 - Present
HPI: 69.09
Rank: 31
Bidzina Ivanishvili
POLITICIAN
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.95
Rank: 32
Khaled Mashal
POLITICIAN
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.92
Rank: 33
William Fichtner
ACTOR
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.62
Rank: 34
Steve Harris
MUSICIAN
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.39
Rank: 35
William J. Burns
DIPLOMAT
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.14
Rank: 36
Leslie Cheung
MUSICIAN
1956 - 2003
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 37
Maria Teresa, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg
POLITICIAN
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.09
Rank: 38
Gina Haspel
POLITICIAN
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.07
Rank: 39
David M. Brown
ASTRONAUT
1956 - 2003
HPI: 67.88
Rank: 40
Kim Cattrall
ACTOR
1956 - Present
HPI: 67.84
Rank: 41
Eric Roberts
ACTOR
1956 - Present
HPI: 67.68
Rank: 42
In United States
Among people born in United States, William J. Burns ranks 1,415 out of 20,380. Before him are Kevin Hart (1979), Don Norman (1935), Alicia Keys (1981), Robert M. La Follette (1855), Robert Englund (1947), and William Morris Davis (1850). After him are E. Donnall Thomas (1920), Matt Groening (1954), Timothy M. Dolan (1950), Mae West (1893), Sam Jones (1933), and Jeremy Renner (1971).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsKevin Hart
COMEDIAN
1979 - Present
HPI: 68.16
Rank: 1,409
Don Norman
COMPUTER SCIENTIST
1935 - Present
HPI: 68.16
Rank: 1,410
Alicia Keys
MUSICIAN
1981 - Present
HPI: 68.15
Rank: 1,411
Robert M. La Follette
POLITICIAN
1855 - 1925
HPI: 68.15
Rank: 1,412
Robert Englund
ACTOR
1947 - Present
HPI: 68.15
Rank: 1,413
William Morris Davis
GEOGRAPHER
1850 - 1934
HPI: 68.15
Rank: 1,414
William J. Burns
DIPLOMAT
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.14
Rank: 1,415
E. Donnall Thomas
PHYSICIAN
1920 - 2012
HPI: 68.14
Rank: 1,416
Matt Groening
COMIC ARTIST
1954 - Present
HPI: 68.13
Rank: 1,417
Timothy M. Dolan
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1950 - Present
HPI: 68.12
Rank: 1,418
Mae West
ACTOR
1893 - 1980
HPI: 68.12
Rank: 1,419
Sam Jones
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1933 - 2021
HPI: 68.12
Rank: 1,420
Jeremy Renner
ACTOR
1971 - Present
HPI: 68.11
Rank: 1,421
Among DIPLOMATS In United States
Among diplomats born in United States, William J. Burns ranks 8. Before him are John Jay (1745), John R. Bolton (1948), Antony Blinken (1962), Adlai Stevenson II (1900), Jean Kennedy Smith (1928), and George F. Kennan (1904). After him are J. Christopher Stevens (1960), Dean Acheson (1893), Richard Holbrooke (1941), Richard Armitage (1945), Ralph Bunche (1904), and Victoria Nuland (1961).
John Jay
1745 - 1829
HPI: 78.08
Rank: 2
John R. Bolton
1948 - Present
HPI: 75.90
Rank: 3
Antony Blinken
1962 - Present
HPI: 74.73
Rank: 4
Adlai Stevenson II
1900 - 1965
HPI: 74.51
Rank: 5
Jean Kennedy Smith
1928 - 2020
HPI: 71.31
Rank: 6
George F. Kennan
1904 - 2005
HPI: 68.97
Rank: 7
William J. Burns
1956 - Present
HPI: 68.14
Rank: 8
J. Christopher Stevens
1960 - 2012
HPI: 66.98
Rank: 9
Dean Acheson
1893 - 1971
HPI: 64.51
Rank: 10
Richard Holbrooke
1941 - 2010
HPI: 63.24
Rank: 11
Richard Armitage
1945 - 2025
HPI: 61.92
Rank: 12
Ralph Bunche
1904 - 1971
HPI: 61.70
Rank: 13
Victoria Nuland
1961 - Present
HPI: 60.38
Rank: 14