Kamarudin Meranun

Low-profile magnate Kamarudin Meranun chairs listed flagship AirAsia, which he took over with Anthony Fernandes, this year's No. 33, in 2001. The two also started the Tune Group, which focuses on Southeast Asia and straddles sectors from aviation and telecoms to hospitality. He started his career as a portfolio manger handling high-net-worth clients for the Arab-Malaysian Merchant Bank. Meranun was named the best actuarial student by the Life Insurance Institute of Malaysia in 1983.