Hubert Joly
Title: CEO, Best Buy Co. Inc.
Why selected: Joly became the first outsider to run Best Buy, taking the helm as sales lagged and the company's business model was in question.
What happened: Joly stabilized the ship, cut expenses by more than $500 million and set the stage for a successful holiday season. He also took on the online retailing industry, which is led by Amazon.com, and turned the concept of "showrooming" into an advantage with competitive pricing. Profit margins, however, remain thin.
David Phelps
