Jørgen Vig Knudstorp

Lego was losing heavily and weeks from breaching its banking terms when Knudstorp, a former McKinsey consultant, became chief executive in 2004. He cut the number of unique parts dramatically, sold the Legoland parks, outsourced some production and refocused on the core brick and its fans, including adult builders. The company went on to become the world's biggest toymaker by revenue. Job cuts in Denmark were part of the price.