Thursday, Mar. 19, 2009

Sheik Mohammed al-Maktoum

AGE: 59
OCCUPATION: Emir of Dubai
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 2

PRO: Thanks to billions of dollars in oil money, his kingdom has been transformed into a communal fantasyland, drawing tourists and job seekers from around the world.

CON: The economic mess has dampened the Emirates' grandiosity, with empty hotels and half-completed buildings beginning to dot the skyline.