Chief Operating Officer
Royal Bank of Canada
Country: CanadaRoyal Bank of Canada
2006 rank: 27
Part of Stymiest's job as COO of Canada's largest bank is managing risk. While some banks are taking hits for subprime deals, RBC avoided such forays. Profits are up 20%, to $3.7 billion on $15 billion in revenue so far this year. Now the 51-year-old is looking to bulk up the bank's wealth-management division.