CEO
Artémis Holding
Country: FranceArtémis Holding
2006 rank: 19
Barbizet, 52, oversees the holding company of France's billionaire Pinault family, whose assets include Christie's auction house, Bordeaux's Chateau Latour, and a controlling stake in PPR, the listed $25 billion luxury firm known for Yves Saint Laurent and Gucci. Artémis has amassed a 5% stake in Vinci, a French construction firm; Barbizet also encouraged Christie's push into China and signed off on PPR's $4.6 billion acquisition of sports-shoe maker Puma.