People to Watch in International Business

R. Scott Murray

A STOCKHOLDER FAVORITE

In the software world, Murray, 42, is something of a turnaround king. After all, he primed three of the ailing companies he once headed--the Learning Company, Stream International and Modus Media--for lucrative buyouts. His newest charge is 3Com Corp., which has not been profitable for five years. He says his first priorities will be to focus on expanding 3Com's China presence and promoting the firm's cybersecurity technology. But is there a sale in 3Com's future? Says a noncommittal Murray: "It's always about driving up value for shareholders. I've had a successful track record so far."

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Joanne Bradford

READY FOR A FIGHT

Joanne Bradford is what Microsoft looks like when it gets serious. Bill Gates says he's committed to taking some of Google's $6.1 billion in online ad revenue, and he has named Bradford, 42, head of Microsoft's new global sales unit to do it. "I'm not afraid of anything, much less Google," says Bradford, formerly in charge of North American sales. She has already bulked up her sales staff by 100 and will soon roll out a new system to target ads. Bradford is also personally prepared for the hard road ahead: she just bought antiwrinkle cream and a suitcase.

Tsuneji Uchida

DIGITAL-CAMERA WIZARD

Good things come to those who wait--an adage Canon's Tsuneji Uchida, 64, knows well after 41 years at the Japanese electronics company. This month Canon promoted Uchida to vice president, a move that hints he may succeed outgoing president Fujio Mitarai. Canon enjoyed a record 34% profit increase last year, and Uchida, who guided Canon's drive to become the world's leading digital-camera maker, gets most of the credit. Uchida's next challenge: to capture 20% of the global flat-screen-TV market by 2010.