Americans - if not charismatic, best-seller-writing executives like Mr. Welch - remain the backbone of the market.

"He was not the most charismatic executive but he was still able to - and very successfully - motivate his people; he was a guy that walks the walk, not talks the talk."

At either measure, the turnout was surprising because Hong Kong's economy is booming, unemployment is falling and the city now has a popular and charismatic chief executive, Donald Tsang.

The charismatic executive rose to the top ranks of G.M. by pioneering what was often viewed as the most aggressive system in the world for buying auto components cheaply.

Mr. Sommer, a charismatic, Israeli-born executive who charted Deutsche Telekom's growth, remained defiant even as he took his leave.

The film's theme is the nature of authority, and Aubrey functions as a kind of ideal executive: charismatic, tactically astute and able to instill in his sailors a sense of discipline and respect.

Millard S. Drexler, the charismatic retail executive who made Gap famous, will now lead J. Crew, the floundering merchant of preppy clothing, which has had four chief executives in the last five years.

If Seagram does acquire MCA Inc., it will inherit a venerable Hollywood studio - but one whose fortunes depend, to a remarkable degree, on its charismatic top executives.

RAKESH KHURANA argues that the search for charismatic chief executives often results in choices that hurt a company.

Q. Two insiders who rose to become charismatic chief executives were Jack Welch of General Electric and Jacques Nasser of Ford.