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Who's Fast 2003

They're what companies need more of -- and they're at the heart of our fifth-annual celebration of the unsung heroes and rising stars of business. From the automobile industry to the airline industry, from a designer who dreams big to a CEO who struggled with a life-and-death moment of truth, these profiles demonstrate the power of authentic leadership and serious innovation. Business needs a new generation of leaders. We've found them.
page 72

DESIGN: David Rockwell Has a Lot of Nerve

This was the year that business lost its nerve. Innovation? Imagination? Who could afford them? But David Rockwell, the design visionary behind some of New York's hottest restaurants, the Academy Awards theater, and even the sets for the Broadway smash Hairspray, keeps on taking chances -- and building great spaces with a point of view. Bill Breen
page 77

AUTOMOBILES: Finbarr O'Neill Is Not a Car Guy

How the CEO of Hyundai Motor America, a corporate lawyer by training, engineered the most unlikely turnaround in the auto business -- and kicked Hyundai into gear. Fara Warner
page 84

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES: Keith Yamashita Wants to Reinvent Your Company

He may be the most influential consultant you've never heard of. He's certainly one of the most creative. And his new ideas about strategy are powering a number of high-profile change efforts -- including Carly Fiorina's campaign to transform Hewlett-Packard. Polly LaBarre
page 88

PHARMACEUTICALS: Harry Kraemer's Moment of Truth

In an era when the business section read like the police blotter, the CEO of Baxter International faced a tough ethical dilemma. And he did something noteworthy: He actually did the right thing. Keith H. Hammonds
page 93

AIRLINES: Stelios Makes Growth Look Easy

Stelios Haji-Ioannou, known throughout Europe by his first name, provides cheap travel for the masses. His formula for business success? It's easy -- as in easyJet, easyCar, even easyCinema. Just slash costs, maximize publicity, and "sweat the assets." Scott Kirsner
page 98

CONSUMER PRODUCTS: Ivy Ross Is Not Playing Around

For years, Mattel has worked to grow beyond Barbie. One strategy was growth through acquisition. Ivy Ross's strategy is to inspire innovation - to reinvent how the world's number-one toy company designs its toys. Chuck Salter
page 104

COMPUTERS: Can Kevin Rollins Find the Soul of Dell?

The president of the computer world's most relentless competitor is urging his colleagues to ask and answer a soul-searching question: What does it mean to be a great company? Linda Tischler
page 110

FINANCE: Your 401 (k) Is Making a Statement

What's the most powerful symbol of a troubling year in finance? There are many candidates, from disgraced Wall Street analysts to CEOs in handcuffs. But few symbols rival the unopened 401(k) statement -- a quarterly window into the personal wealth of millions of Americans. Now, if people would just look through that window. Charles Fishman
page 115

E-COMMERCE: Monica Luechtefeld Makes the Net Click

The dedicated veteran behind OfficeDepot.com has built one of the largest retailers on the Web -- a $2 billion-a-year site that has been profitable from the start. Linda Tischler
page 122

SOCIAL CHANGE: Richard Klausner Spends to Save Lives

At the wealthiest foundation on the planet, a brilliant scientist is giving away Bill Gates's money in pursuit of a lofty goal: solving the world's most pressing health problems. Chuck Salter
page 128

5 Years of Who's Fast

Who's Fast 2003 marks our fifth-annual celebration of the unsung heroes and rising stars of business. As a group, they represent a new generation of leaders who blend integrity and imagination, brains and guts. What follows is a roster of Who's Fast profiles from prior years (titles and company affiliations reflect each person's status at the time of their selection).
page 138

Fast Talk: Tough Sell

The fastest way to get a solid bottom line is to deliver results on the top line. Which means there's nothing more urgent -- or these days, more trying -- than making the sale. Here's what it takes. Christine Canabou
page 59

NEXT

Forward to Basics

Operational innovation isn't glamorous. It doesn't come up at cocktail parties. But it's the only way to win in the post - new economy reality. Michael Hammer
page 37

Art + Tech

Christine Canabou
page 40

Tickertock, Tickertock, Tickertock...

Paul Cabana
page 40

Why VC Will Get Uglier

If you want to understand the future of the VC industry, says Ted Dintersmith, you first need to take a short tour of its past. Linda Tischler
page 42

Learn! Charge!

Christine Canabou
page 42

One Lawyer's Case Against the Law

The brief: Lawsuits have replaced common sense, says Common Good's Philip K. Howard. Alan M. Webber
page 46

Levi's Fashions a New Strategy

A dynamic new team looks to stamp innovation on an old brand. Fara Warner
page 48

Are You Ready for Your Close-up?

So you want to be a TV star. Your media training starts now! Alison Overholt
page 53

Pack Light, Stay Connected

The Fast Company guide to travel and technology: How to fly in style and keep in touch. Alison Overholt
page 54

Speedometer

Going Fast. Going Slow. Going Nowhere. Christine Canabou and Heath Row
page 156

Columns

Strategy

John Ellis
page 66

Power

Harriet Rubin
page 68

Culture

Anne Kreamer and Kurt Andersen
page 70

More Great Stuff

More Power to Them

the founding editors
page 18

Index to Advertisers

Interact with the companies whose products and services are advertised in Fast Company. Fast Company
page 155