People to Watch in International Business

Andrew Liveris
Chemical Commander

A force behind Dow Chemical's bounce back from the red last year, Liveris, 50, then COO, helped execute the firm's recovery plan, which included cutting costs and shifting focus to growing markets like China. On Nov. 1 the Australian native and sports fanatic takes over as CEO. His years of running Dow's Asia-Pacific operations will stand him in good stead, since sales in the region are on track to make it the industry's largest market within the next two to three years.

Clara Gaymard
Trade Ambassador

Driving France's effort to shore up its second-place ranking among the world's destinations for foreign investment is Gaymard, 44, France's ambassador for international investment. Despite E.U. integration and strained Franco-U.S. relations, Gaymard stresses, the U.S. remains "our biggest market, our first market"; U.S. investment rose 12% in 2003. Besides managing her career and her family life — with eight children and a husband, Agriculture Minister Herve Gaymard — she recently published a novel. --By William Han

Ron Garriques
Phone Operator

Garriques, 40, has a simple mantra for business success: "Quality, quality, quality." As the new chief of Motorola's personal-communications sector, which sells cell phones and personal two-way radios, Garriques will be in charge of what is by far the company's largest division, accounting for 40% of Motorola's annual revenue of $27 billion. Although Motorola's outlook is positive, industry leader Nokia is aggressively cutting prices. Garriques anticipates smooth sailing, but he will need that mantra. --W.H.