Business: Global Executives

Swedish business executive, who, as chair of Asea Brown Boveri (ABB), transformed the company into a model international corporation and the world's largest electrical engineering group. He was named as ‘CEO of Europe's most respected company’ in the Financial Times/Price Waterhouse survey of Europe's senior executives for four years in a row from 1994.

French couturière and perfumer, who created “the little black dress” and the perfume Chanel No. 5.

Irish management educator and influential writer about organizations. He was a professor at the London Business School for many years from 1972, before becoming an independent writer. His comparative study of managers in the UK, the USA, Europe, and Japan, The Making of Managers (1988), helped shape contemporary approaches to management methods.

Swedish entrepreneur and founder of IKEA, which has become the world's largest furniture retailer. IKEA caught the mood of the 1990s with its simplicity and functionality and its concept of low prices in exchange for self-assembly.

Japanese management strategist and former partner of McKinsey Consultants in Tokyo. He worked for Hitachi as a senior design engineer on Japan's prototype fast breeder reactor before joining McKinsey's in 1972. A partner for the next 23 years, he co-founded its strategic management practice, serving companies in a wide range of industries.

Irish lawyer, representative, administrator, and international business figure. He served as attorney general of the Republic of Ireland (1981-85), European Union (EU) commissioner (1985-93), and was appointed director general of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) organization in 1993, and its replacement body, the World Trade Association (WTO), until 1995.

English engineer. He developed hydraulic equipment and a revolutionary method of making gun barrels 1855, by building a breech-loading artillery piece with a steel and wrought-iron barrel (previous guns were muzzle-loaded and had cast-bronze barrels).

English entrepreneur who created one of Britain's best-known brands, Virgin, and whose wide-ranging business empire (encompassing music, travel, soft drinks, Internet and financial services, mobile phones, bridal wear, clothing, and cosmetics) is reportedly worth £4 billion (in 2006).

English industrial executive, motivational speaker, and author. As chair of ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) 1982-87, Harvey-Jones became only the second non-chemist to reach the chair and was largely responsible for reshaping the company.

British financier who had acquired considerable wealth and influence through foreign trade. In 1691, he was the chief projector of the plan to establish the Bank of England.

English entrepreneur, and founder of the Body Shop which by 2000 had around 1,500 branches worldwide. Roddick started with a single shop in 1976, selling only natural toiletries which were not tested on animals and sold with minimal packaging.

English potter, descendant of a family of Staffordshire potters and perhaps the greatest of all potters. At the age of nine he went to work at the plant owned by his brother Thomas in Burslem, and in 1751, with a partner, he started in business.