29. Roger Altman
Executive Chairman, Evercore
They have been called the "bankers of the apocalypse" for the role Altman and his cast played in the $80 billion restructuring of General Motors and a handful of other corporate giants that collapsed during the downturn. But the company also plays an important role in the M&A world. Among its recent deals: advising Sanofi-Aventis on its $19 billion acquisition of Genzyme and CenturyLink's $22 billion merger with Qwest Communications. The recent purchase for half of Brazilian investment bank G5 Partners will help expand the business abroad.
--P.N.
NEXT: 30. John Paulson
Last updated November 19 2010: 10:47 AM ET
