5. Jane Cavanagh
Eidos / SCi

Cavanagh is the founder and head of SCi, a fairly minor player in the global games market. But in the last 18 months she has engineered the takeover of the Eidos brand, propelling her company to top 20 status in the US, with more promise to come. During its decline, Eidos had been badly mismanaged by cavalier attitudes but the Englishwoman has brought temperance and good sense to the operation, winnowing out old practices that weren’t working. Tired brands like Tomb Raider and Hitman are being restored, while new brands have been brought to market. More importantly, the company is forging ahead with IP relationships that could pay dividends in the years ahead. Sales for SCi were up ten-fold on 2005’s figures, an impressive achievement in its own right.