People To Watch In International Business

By Julie Rawe

--CHRISTIAN SCHUH Space-Age Consultant

Trained as an aeronautical engineer, Schuh is designing a partnership between consulting firm A.T. KEARNEY and NASA, marketing the space agency's Mission Control techniques as a management tool for the car industry. At 36, the Viennese head of Kearney's global auto division has persuaded two European companies to coordinate planning, from suppliers to showroom, under one roof.

--DAVID SIEGEL Travel Salesman

After joining ailing AVIS RENT A CAR as CEO in late September, Siegel, 40, opted for an even bigger 9/11-related challenge: resuscitating US AIRWAYS, which lost a staggering $1 billion last quarter. As head of the sixth largest U.S. airline, he will try to repeat his success with CONTINENTAL's regional jet business, in which profits rose by $250 million during his four years as president.

--ADEBAYO OGUNLESI Courageous Cost Cutter

The new investment banking chief at CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON won't be voted Mr. Popularity anytime soon. In his first staff meeting since being plucked from the firm's energy group, the native Nigerian told senior execs they are the focus of a new round of job cuts that will be "swift and severe." As the bank moves to cut costs after posting its first unprofitable quarter since 1997, Ogunlesi, 48, also advocated the use of taxis over limos.

--BELINDA STRONACH Car-Parts Queen

It's not easy being Daddy's little girl. Analysts balked a year ago when Stronach, 35, took the helm of her father's company, MAGNA. But since then, Canada's biggest auto-parts maker has posted record sales of $11 billion, up 5%--during the recession. Stronach is steering Magna further into auto assembly, last month buying a Chrysler plant in Austria next to where it already builds Saabs and Mercedes.

--JING SHUPING Banking Pioneer

To attract foreign partners, the founder of CHINA MINSHENG BANKING recruited former PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS guru Tom Macy as a senior adviser, the highest position a Chinese bank has offered to a foreigner. The publicly traded bank also wants its stock listed overseas. Launched in 1996, the country's only private lender grew its assets 90% last year by targeting China's burgeoning private sector.