#18 Lloyd C. Blankfein

The World's Most Powerful People

#18 Lloyd C. Blankfein

Chairman
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc.
U.S.
Age: 55


Corner office at Goldman Sachs earned him highest pay on Wall Street, big headache. Bank everyone loves to hate shrewdly hedged subprime market, steered investment bank through financial mess—with $12.9 billion in "trickle-down" help from Uncle Sam. Earned moniker "Government Sachs" for close ties to White House, high government posts held by Goldman alums. Quickly paid back government, with interest, earning $3.2 billion in blowout third-quarter profit on $12.4 billion revenue. Grab your pitchforks, populace: Already earmarked $16 billion (year-to-date) for bonuses.

#16 Laurence D. Fink

The World's Most Powerful People

#16 Laurence D. Fink

Chairman
BlackRock, Inc.
U.S.
Age: 57


BlackRock CEO on permanent speed-dial at U.S. Treasury; investment firm will double assets under management to $3 trillion once June purchase of British banking giant Barclay's closes, making BlackRock world's largest money manager. Surprisingly candid: "What little hair I have left is rankled when people suggest that just because we are involved in many things, we are assumed to be guilty."

#8 Michael T. Duke

The World's Most Powerful People

#8 Michael T. Duke

President, CEO and Director
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
U.S.
Age: 59


Runs world's largest retailer, more country than company: $401 billion in annual sales, 2 million employees, 8,000 stores. Wal-Mart alone is China's eighth-largest trading partner. Largest private-sector employer in U.S.; favorite target of unions; blamed and praised for backing Obama health care proposals, shifting economic power from manufacturers to retailers, from mom-and-pop to big box. "I am competitive by nature and I want to win."