Ice Bucket Challenge: These CEOs Took It

The ALS ice bucket challenge is something most of us are familiar with by now, with videos of celebrities taking the challenge going viral on the internet. Corporates honchos too, not to be left behind, have come forward to take the ALS ice bucket challenge.

The ALS ice bucket challenge is an attempt to raise awareness about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or the Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells. In the challenge a bucket of cold water must be dumped on the participants and then they dare or nominate three others to do the same. If one does not want to go ahead with the ice bucket challenge, the alternative is to donate $100 to the ALS Association that researches about the disease.

Till Wednesday, August 20, the ALS Association had received $31.5 million in donations compared to $1.9 million during the same time period last year (July 29 to August 20).

Here are some of the corporate leaders who took the ice bucket challenge:
 

Mark Zuckerberg
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg took the ALS ice bucket challenge after he was nominated by New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Mr Zuckerberg in turn challenged Bill Gates, Sheryl Sandberg, his partner at Facebook and Netflix CEO, Reed Hastings.

Bill Gates
Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates took up Mr Zuckerberg's challenge pouring a bucket of cold water on himself. "I'm glad to give ALS, it's a great cause but I want to accept this challenge, I want to do it better," Mr Gates said before going ahead and designing his custom-made ice bucket challenge. (Watch video)

Satya Nadella
Current  Microsoft CEO, the India-born Satya Nadella too took the ALS ice bucket challenge and allowed Microsoft employees to dump cold water on him. Mr Nadella went on to challenge Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Google CEO Larry Page. (Watch)

Larry Page and Sergey Brin
Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin took the challenge together, but announced that they would be making the donation to the ALS Association as well. (Watch)

Jeff Bezos
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos accepted Satya Nadella's ALS ice bucket challenge, but before dumping himself with cold water, he made a serious of jokes about what would happen if he challenged the likes of Edward Snowden, the Queen of England or the Pope. On Mr Snowden he joked that the bucked would just "leak".
(Watch)

Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook also joined the corporate bandwagon to take the ALS ice bucket challenge with American musician Michael Franti dumping the ice bucket on him. Mr Cook in turn challenged Mr Franti, Disney CEO Bob Iger and Apple's new employee, Dr. Dre to take the challenge. (Watch)