Age: 52
Nationality: British
www.vodafone.co.uk

Gent has transformed what was a mid-sized British company into the world's largest cell phone operator.

To make money on mobile Internet services, the firm has targeted four areas: instant messaging, personal data management (such as storing diary information and contact lists), making mobile phones into electronic wallets and universal messaging services for the corporate market.

Vizzavi, the multiaccess portal Vodafone Airtouch launched with France's Vivendi, is the company's first stab at enabling customers to send and receive voice, fax and e-mail messages over any platform.

The vision thing: "We will provide applications that will allow people to take control of their lives."

Forward spin: Vodafone Airtouch has doubled in size twice in two years. It now must pay more attention to management.

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