International Power 50

Country: Britain
2007 rank: 3

The American-born Scardino, 61, oversees Penguin Group and the world's largest publisher of textbooks, which accounted for 63% of the company's $8.4 billion in revenues in 2007. She also keeps close watch over the Financial Times, which saw circulation and advertising revenue continue to grow despite the tough global economy. Good news for Scardino, who now has Rupert Murdoch (and the Wall Street Journal) as her biggest competitor.

NEXT: Anne Lauvergeon