Francios Pinault
AGE: 70
OCCUPATION: Fashion magnate
NUMBER OF TIME COVERS: 0
PREVIOUS APPEARANCES ON THE TIME 100: 0
PRO: The self-made French billionaire runs the luxury goods giant PPR, which owns brands like Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent. He managed in 2001 to steal the former label from his rival, LVMH's Bernard Arnault (who was also bidding for the company), and turn it into one of the most envied in the world. Pinault also owns the leading auction house Christie's, via his holding company Artemis.
CON: His luxury firm is still smaller than LVMH, and he doesn't always win the continual game of one-upmanship he plays with its CEO Arnault; after Pinault abandoned plans to open an art museum in 2005, for instance, Arnault announced last year that he would establish a foundation for creative arts.