Michael O'Leary (businessman)

Ryanair was a small, loss-making Irish airline when O'Leary, then the owners' financial adviser, was sent to study Southwest Airlines in the early 1990s. He copied its model hard: one aircraft type, secondary airports, quick turnarounds and fees for everything extra, and became chief executive in 1994. It became Europe's largest airline by passengers. Rows with unions, regulators and customers have been part of the method, and he remains chief executive.