Over 35 years, Martin Gilbert has built a small Scottish investment trust into a £660bn powerhouse. Yet the jury is still out on how successful his constant deal-making has been. Jane Lewis reports.

Sergei Galitsky built Russia’s largest private company before selling it to a state-owned bank earlier this year. Was he pushed out by the Kremlin, or did football fever drive him to it?

Matteo Salvini has helped lead the populists to power in Italy. But does the middle-class ex-communist who has never held a job outside politics have any coherent vision for his country? Jane Lewis reports.

US President Donald Trump is sticking by his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen – even as the allegations of a “cash for access” scandal mount up against him. Jane Lewis reports.

Only a brave or very foolhardy investor would put money into North Korea. But Egyptian telecoms billionaire Naguib Sawiris has never been afraid of taking risks. Jane Lewis reports.

Renaud Laplanche dreamed of being a yachtsman. He became a fintech pioneer instead – but he’s been forced to navigate some choppy waters in his chosen industry. Jane Lewis reports.

Vincent Bolloré built his family paper-making firm into a conglomerate that sells everything from electric cars to Madonna’s music. Now he’s been accused of interfering in African elections. Jane Lewis reports.

Former Hungarian dissident Viktor Orbán was once a champion of a liberal, open society. Now that he’s entrenched in power, critics say he’s the chief danger to it. Jane Lewis reports.

Arch-federalist Martin Selmayr, who engineered Jean-Claude Juncker’s ascent to the European Commission presidency, is emerging as a pivotal power broker in European politics. Jane Lewis reports.