World Beaters

By Sean Gregory

MARGARET JACKSON Aussie Airline Executive

After her chief rival, Ansett, ceased operations last September, Qantas Airways chairman Jackson, 49, pulled international aircraft back to Australia and helped 110,000 stranded Ansett passengers fly for little or nothing. The goodwill was repaid: domestic earnings jumped nearly 60% this year. Qantas this month will issue more than $400 million in new stock to finance expansion of its fleet and launch a new leisure airline.

KEVIN TURNER Wal-Mart Wunderkind

Turner's first job at Wal-Mart: cashier, store No. 231, Ada, Okla. But he did not count pennies for long. At 29 he became the youngest top executive in company history, and now Turner, 37, has been assigned to turn around Sam's Club, Wal-Mart's lagging membership-warehouse chain. Sam's profits rose just 3% last quarter, in contrast to 17% at Wal-Mart's main discount stores.

KEN PILOT Casual-Dress CEO

The new chief of troubled preppy clothier J. Crew arrives well prepared for the task: as president of Gap Brand Worldwide, Pilot, 41, was responsible for merchandising and field operations in the U.S., Britain, Canada, Japan, France and Germany. Pilot rejoins Kathy Boyer, executive vice president of men's business, who left Gap's Banana Republic chain for J. Crew in May.

EKTA KAPOOR Bollywood's Star Producer

The co-founder of Balaji Telefilms, a soap-opera production company, Kapoor, 27, is the queen of Indian TV. Four top shows on India's leading network are Balaji soaps, and ad rates on the highest-rated programs just hit a record $31,000 for 30 sec. Balaji has earned the prestigious Emerging Company of the Year award from the Economic Times of India.

PETER BRABECK-LETMATHE Nestle's Very Best

When Nestle and CEO Brabeck-Letmathe, 57, get hungry, they crunch on companies. Over the past 20 months, Nestle, based in Vevey, Switzerland, has bought five food entities worth more than $16.5 billion. Aggressive U.S. expansion helped first-half profits rise 79%. Next up: a possible $12 billion joint bid with Cadbury Schweppes for Hershey Foods.