Discover what a stakeholder is, how to properly identify the ones critical to your project, & how to manage them for project success. 3 meanings: 1. a person or group owning a significant percentage of a company's shares 2. a person or group not owning shares.... Click for more definitions. Who is Stakeholder ? A stakeholder can be an individual, a group, or an organization with a vested interest in the activities or decision-making of an organization, a corporation, or a project. The term " stakeholder " represents two terms, 'stake' and 'holder'. Stakeholder Definition Stakeholders are individuals or groups with an interest or incentive in a venture's success or failure. Different stakeholders have different motivations. For example, a company's shareholders look to maximize profits, while the company's employees want to maximize their compensation.