Ambitious and micromanaging, 60-year-old CEO Pébereau reportedly seeks a cross-border merger of equals with a European peer. Such a transaction, which would have been unthinkable a few years ago, could turn BNP Paribas into the world's largest bank. A former French Finance Ministry official, Pébereau may describe himself as risk averse, but he's not afraid to put his money down on a deal.
United States
Robert E. Rubin
Chairman of the Executive Committee, Citigroup
Rubin hasn't been U.S. Treasury Secretary since 1999, but he still wields considerable influence. Last fall, when the Senate Finance Committee convened to discuss post-September 11 economic policy, it was Rubin, not incumbent Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill, who was invited to appear alongside Alan Greenspan. Indeed, Rubin, 63, is frequently mentioned as a possible successor to the Fed chairman.
He's an economic guru for Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, and when he pays a courtesy call to Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, his advice on righting Japan's economy makes headlines. Rubin's star was tarnished a little when it was revealed that he called a Treasury official to discuss the possibility of helping Enron — Citigroup was one of Enron's lead bankers — but his public comments can still send ripples through markets.
United States
Jeffrey Sine
Managing Director, UBS Warburg
Every investment bank on Wall Street has been reducing head counts to weather the fall in market activities. Some, however, are taking the opportunity to upgrade their investment-banking teams. UBS Warburg, for example, snared Sine from Morgan Stanley to head up its technology, media, and telecom division.
Sine, 47, a major figure at Morgan Stanley Dean Witter, advised on such deals as AOL-Time Warner and Viacom-CBS. Since coming to UBS Warburg in February 2001, he has helped lure still more experienced bankers from both Goldman Sachs and CSFB. The massive reshuffling could herald a shift in the balance of power in investment banking.
United States
Jeffrey Walker
Managing Partner, J.P. Morgan Partners
Jeff Walker is feeling the heat. The managing partner of J.P. Morgan Partners presides over the largest private-equity operation in the country. With more than $30 billion in assets under management, JPMP has investments in more than 1,200 private and public firms.
Thanks to big investments in the technology and telecommunications sectors, the division has taken massive write-downs to its portfolio, and contributed losses of $1.2 billion to parent J.P. Morgan Chase last year. Walker, 46, who apparently has the support of CEO William Harrison, is now angling toward life sciences and industrial-growth companies. With the IPO market still in disarray, JPMP may continue to show losses, but it has a lead position in taking the next best risk.
United States
Sanford Weill
CEO, Citigroup
When Sandy Weill and John Reed announced the merger of Citicorp and Travelers Group four years ago, they spoke of making the one-stop financial-services shop a reality. Pipe dreams, it turns out. Reed is long gone, and Weill intends to spin off Travelers Insurance Group when conditions permit. Still, he now sits at the helm of the largest, most globally diversified financial-services firm in the world, with a range of services no competitor can match. Not everything is coming up roses, however. Citigroup has taken losses of $2.2 billion on loans to Argentina so far, and has an estimated exposure of $1 billion to Enron. But in many parts of the world, Citi is the only bank.
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