Industry Power Rankings: “Let's Park Chan-wook, Babe.”

Ranking my favorite plutocrats after episode 301. Old and New.

And we’re back! If you need a recap of where we left off, here is the 209 ranking. Now consider me invested.

Major spoilers for Industry’s “Il Mattino ha L'Oro Bocca.”

Yasmin Yazdani, the female Ben Affleck on vacation. Photo: Screenshot.

Industry has finally returned, and as the kids (people around my age or maybe even older: early 20s—late 30s, etc.) say, “We are so back!” Forget the drought. Forget the measures of fair play. Our cutthroat tycoons are, quite simply, prepared to hoist all their efforts and “ruin the tour.” Let’s get into it (yuh):

1. Wilhelmina

Granted that she’s younger than the members of Pierpoint's board, Wilhelmina is the new CFO. She joined the firm after the dot-com crash and has mastered the art of setting the atmosphere in meetings. When an older board member expresses prejudice towards "woke investing," She boldly confronts him while others remain silent. Then she guides Eric to discuss the seriousness of the firms they are investing in, concluding the meeting positively. I think Wilhelmina’s here to stay.

2. Daniel

Daniel is the audacious kind of the lad, and for that reason I slightly respect him. Apart from being Harper’s new guy, he has incredible taste in film. Daniel texts Harper at work and suggests that they watch Park Chan-wook’s “Decision to Leave” before his MUBI subscription expires.

Oh, I wasn’t familiar with his game. Someone please email me letterboxd handle. Thank you.

3. Sweetpea Golightly

Being new to the team does not mean Sweetpea can't have some fun. Through the very beginning of the season premiere, Golightly stands out with a unique vibe compared to everyone else. She’s filming TikToks about her practice as a Sales and Trading graduate, reaching 50k followers, constructing risk indicator models, and dressing in a manner that boosts her fortitude—even if Rishi criticizes it as unprofessional.

In simpler terms, she is remarkable. I haven't been this impressed by a character introduction since Christopher Walken in Jonathan Demme's "Who Am I This Time?"

4. Henry Muck

The latest standout businessman, Henry Muck, is just as impressive as Jesse Bloom, the former top entrepreneur. Muck is an aristocratic, CEO of a green tech energy company under the name of “Lumi.” His typical day involves working in the office and his evenings are spent playing handball with family and friends, including his uncle and godfather.

Henry's stratum has dropped because of where erraticism takes him: he’s throwing tantrums, calling his investor “fucking insignificant,” missing the trash bin while stormily discarding his sandwich, and letting the market determine Lumi’s value based on Yasmin's belief rather than his company's financial shrinkage. Henry is aware of just how impulsive he is, though: “You thought I was going to launch my lunch at the wall, didn’t you?” Muck asks Robert following his moment of blowing up on the company floor.

The morning after, Henry reveals that Lumi generates the stock exchange’s power and without warning, Pierpoint and Lumi’s public launch undergo a power outrage. It is a serious matter, yet also an humorous one. There may be no fuel but Henry still owns a company and a 4-pack.

5. Eric Tao

Despite experiencing divorce and going on benders, Eric is now the head of sales and Pierpoint’s newest partner. The board greets Tao with applause and gives him a gift from the founders, Randolph and Mortimer Pierpoint. Bill Alder questions Eric about Yasmin and considers firing her, while also insinuating that behavior like this is not unusual among the partners. This keeps Tao on edge, but he decides to prioritize his conceit. The night before a major IPO launch, he ditches his date to hang out with Yasmin and her lawyer friend, which includes him doing a lot of coke and having sex with the said friend.

Tao then arrives at his desk hungover and forgets about his two daughters waiting for him on the floor. It is clear that Eric's personal life is more woeful than I thought, yet he manages to do his job. When Robert arrives, crying uncontrollably, Tao confronts him by making Robert iterate a mantra: I AM A MAN. AND I AM RELENTLESS. He also decides to let Kenny go—not for professional reasons—but because Kilbane is willing to see Eric vulnerable and suggests that Tao attend another AA meeting with him.

Eric begins repeating the slogan more. He feels a quiet, sheer panic but gains control. Tao should realize that occasionally, showing vulnerability can lead to better decision-making but he continues to be a higher-up in the firm.

5. Harper Stern

Our Queen *harrumphs* I mean, our Icarus might’ve flown a little too close to the sun, but at least she got herself another job. She is now working at FutureDawn, an ESG hedge fund led by Anna, whom we have encountered before. However, much to her chagrin, Stern is no longer a trader but works as Hannah's assistant. Nevertheless, she remains interested in current finance and seizes opportunities to discuss it. This gives her a chance to subtly influence Petra, the FutureDawn portfolio manager, but I think Harper will soon demonstrate more significant power.

6. Robert Spearing

If you’re ever having a bad day, just know that Robert is having a worse one.

He starts the season by continuing from where he left off in 209, which is unexpectedly keeping his job. Except this time, he is in a relationship with Venetia Berens and is tasked with managing Henry. Spearing grows unsure of how to fulfill this responsibility. When James is en route to Lumi, Robert is puzzled as to why he needs to speak to Muck, and Yasmin vociferates at him about his position: “You’re not a fucking press officer. The whole point of wall-crossing is so that you can manage him for Pierpoint’s benefit. Manage him.”

Robert fails to effectively manage Henry and turns to Nicole Craig, who sexually assaulted him, Harper, and his girlfriend, Venetia, for comfort. This situation is unpleasant, and he proceeds to face challenges without any respite. Spearing discovers Nicole's lifeless body when he wakes up, causing him to break down in tears while he should actually be at the stock exchange with Harry. It's unbelievable that he still has a job, right? As Kanye West would say, the reasons behind it remain a mystery to us all.

7. Yasmin Yazdani

Did it hurt ranking Yasmin beneath Eric and a billionaire? Absolutely. She deserves better, but she appears just as exhausted as the women in HEAT (1995). Even though she has gained a “passionate gay following” and Kenny has tried to help her, their combined deeds fall short. On a yacht, Yazandi is unable to adjust to its luxury. She walks in on her father, Charles, with a younger woman in her room. She is constantly followed by paparazzi and faces negative publicity. Yasmin then learns that Charles Jimmy Cooper’d too hard, and he disappeared when his scheme unraveled. All of this agitates Yasmin. The moment James sells his Lumi share, she can’t undo his feat.

Afterwards, on the trading floor, Yazdani fails her attempt to persuade Anna into adding more of Lumi’s stock to her investment. Feeling upset, Yasmin wrongly accuses Robert of sharing her personal number with Henry. She then discovers that Lord Norton, also known as Alexander, Henry's uncle, permits his media outlet to call her “The Embezzling Heiress,” while Otto Mostyn, Henry’s godfather, pressures her to get a friend of his a deal in some Lumi holdings due to the reason that Charles’ bill at their club is up. Regrettably, being a nepo-baby only puts Yazdani in a challenging position.

8. Kenny Kilbane

It’s never cool when someone is fired unjustly. Kenny’s predicament becomes even more grotesque. I cannot imagine being let go after recently getting married, but how Kilbane leaves Pierpoint is kind of commendable. He argues for Yasmin to stay and doesn’t allow himself to fall for Eric Tao's act. Instead, he calls him out for his insincerity, stating, "You're dripping. Wipe yourself off, you're dripping. I pity you. I know that shame.”

With Kilbane’s termination, there are no other Irish employees at Pierpoint…representation matters.

9. Nicole Craig

On May 26th, 2013, Rihanna noted, "You see what happens when they cancel intervention?”and Nicole made her sentiment further relevant last night. I would like to acknowledge that she is where belongs: Hell. Nicole has departed this life (Earth) to join a table with Logan Roy, war criminals, deadites, and vintage depop resellers because they’re definitely not Jason Derulo-ing their way to Heaven. But you know, whatever. Just another sinister character who passed away while anticipating the release of Beyoncé's visuals. See you next week.