In a decade that opened with the devastating events of September 11 and had survived the prospect of a global economic collapse as it closed, the FT’s choice of the 50 people who most shaped the last 10 years forms a very diverse group: not all are heroes, some are villains, and many fall somewhere in between. All such lists are subjective and somewhat arbitrary, but we have tried to capture individuals who have had a powerful impact on the world or their region – for good or bad – in four areas: politics, business, economics and culture.
It was not an easy task. There could easily have been 50 people from each category. So the men and women on our list should be seen as representative of the larger themes of the decade. There are some striking omissions, because we felt that a historic event or trend had been captured by someone already on our list. Why no Saddam Hussein? Surely Iraq, and the overthrow of its ruler, has been one of the stories of the decade? Ultimately, we felt that the Iraq war was encapsulated by the two western politicians who did most to create it: George W Bush and Tony Blair.
Some of our choices may not be familiar names around the world, but they will have had an important effect on their region or particular industry. And in the cultural category, our list focuses on those who have had a profound influence on a large number of people, rather than making judgments about the instrinsic artistic merit of their work.
We recognise that the 50 faces on this list are a jumping-off point for debate. Who did we miss? Who should not have made the cut? Who will shape the next decade? Join the debate through headline link.
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