December 3, 2012 / Fortune Asia / Volume 166 / Number 9 /
THE 2012 BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR

42 BUSINESSPERSON OF THE YEAR
JEFF BEZOS: THE ULTIMATE DISRUPTER
He’s a pro-customer, tightfisted risk-taker. If you’re running a business with high margins―watch out.
BY ADAM LASHINSKY

THE LIST: 2012’S TOP PEOPLE IN BUSINESS

51 It was a year for comebacks and cool performances for the executives on our list.

58 STEVE JOBS VS. SAM WALTON: THE TALE OF THE TAPE

A rare conversation with the writers who got inside the heads of these two extraordinary business leaders.

INTERVIEW BY ANDY SERWER

66 GLOBALISM GOES BACKWARD
They forgot to tell us globalism has a reverse gear. Now companies and countries need to get ready for the ”inside economy.”
BY JOSHUA COOPER RAMO

72 THEY’RE CALLING SUBARUS THE BEST CARS MONEY CAN BUY
The latest models are winning the highest marks for quality and safety. Here’s how the tiny, quirky, ”artisanal” carmaker does it.
BY ALEX TAYLOR III

14 FIRST
Closer Look
Disney buys the crown jewel of nerddom for $4 billion.
BY MATT VELLA

18 FIRST
Brainstorm
Keeping back the sea.
BY BRIAN DUMAINE

20 FIRST
World’s Most Admired Companies
Whole Foods’ quality crop.
BY ANNE VANDERMEY

23 FIRST
Fortune Global Forum
Rethinking China’s cities.

INTERVIEW BY BRIAN DUMAINE

27 TECH
The Future Is Now
New, gentler tasks for drones.
BY ROB WALKER

28 TECH
Tech Star
Twitter’s adman delivers.
BY JESSI HEMPEL

30 TECH
Tech@Work
Supercomputers could soon be saving patients’ lives.
BY MICHAL LEV-RAM

33 INVEST
Interview
The return of a star fund manager.
BY SCOTT CENDROWSKI

35 PURSUITS
Road Warrior
Christine Day of Lululemon.
BY ALEX KONRAD

OPINION

36 Allan Sloan
An open letter to Tim Geithner on how to dodge the next debt crisis.

39 BOOK EXCERPT
The Wit and Wisdom of Warren
While Buffett was growing larger than life, Fortune had a front-row seat.
BY CAROL J. LOOMIS

12 Editor’s Desk

80 Bing!

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