Quotes of the Day

JILL GREENTHAL
Media Maven
In the media business, Greenthal, 47, is a rainmaker, having wrangled, among other things, the $50 billion merger of AT&T and cable operator TCI in 1998. She recently left Credit Suisse First Boston, where she comanaged the global-media investment-banking practice, to join private investment firm Blackstone Group. There she will continue to work with media companies as a senior managing director for the firm's growing mergers and acquisitions business.

KILLICK DATTA
Footwear Fashionista
Having had a foot in Nike and L.A. Gear, Datta, 43, hit the ground running when he opened his own shoe firm in 1996. Global Brand Marketing Inc. (GBMI), where the Indian-born Datta is CEO, last year sold $140 million worth of shoes bearing the Nautica, Diesel and Mecca brands in 130 countries. The company matched those sales again this year — within the first six months. GBMI is reviving the Pony marque and next summer will open four stores to sell its own brand and accompanying accessories, like handbags.

ED WELBURN
Design Driver
Now steering styling at General Motors is Welburn, 52, who was promoted in October to the top design job. Welburn is charged with advancing the work of his predecessor, Wayne Cherry, who rescued GM from the bland boxes it produced in the '80s and early '90s. Welburn recently headed design of GM trucks and SUVs, overseeing the look of the hot Cadillac Escalade and Hummer H2, among other vehicles. Welburn's passion is muscle cars: he created an Oldsmobile that sustained 257 m.p.h.--a world record in 1987.

MICHAEL GRINDON
TV Executive
As president of Sony Pictures Television International, Grindon, 49, exports American television programs and movies to the rest of the world. A big chunk of the division's $2 billion — plus revenue comes from licensing shows like Dawson's Creek, but the fastest-growing segment of the business is locally produced programming in countries such as Britain, Spain, France, Italy, China and Chile. Sony's first Russian show makes its debut this fall.

• Barbara Kiviat