Businessperson of the Year

After observing that there was a "disconnect" between how Goldman views itself and how the public perceives the firm, Blankfein tried to rehabilitate the firm's image with an earnest ad campaign and by telling his employees to clean up their language in emails. Goldman's assorted businesses need no polishing. The investment bank led the world this year in mergers and acquisitions work, including Novartis's $28 billion purchase of Alcon and Intel's $7.7 purchase of McAfee, and underwriting initial stock offerings.

--P.N.

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