TIME/CNN presents Global Influentials, the top 25 business people worldwide

BARRY MARSDEN FOR TIME

4. Sir John Browne
BP Chairman

Energy executives and environmentalists were like oil and water until Browne, 53, changed the rules of engagement in a 1997 speech announcing a greener direction for British Petroleum. BP now limits its greenhouse-gas emissions and has invested $1 billion in solar-energy technology, becoming the world's largest photovoltaic manufacturer. At the same time, he has taken BP from near obscurity to the world's No. 3 oil company, buying competitors like Amoco and inspiring other execs to copy his formula for blending environmentalism and strong earnings.

CNN Video: Watch a short profile of Sir John Browne
Company Web Site: www.bp.com

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