This is the 527th most frequent Russian word.
лидеров
The Russian word "лидеров" is the genitive plural form of "лидер," meaning "leaders" in English.
In this sentence, "лидеров" refers to companies that are leading or excelling in their market sectors.
Многие компании стремятся стать лидерами на рынке.
Many companies aim to become leaders in the market.
In this context, "лидеров" relates to potential individuals aspiring to be leaders in a political context.
Кандидаты на пост президента дебатировали, чтобы доказать, кто из них лучший лидер.
Candidates for the presidency debated to prove who among them is the best leader.
Here, "лидеров" refers to individuals within a group who hold leadership positions.