30. Valerie Van Galder

As 2008 comes to a close, Van Galder can take a big chunk of credit for helping Sony reach its goals, thanks to her efforts with the latest Bond flick, "Quantum of Solace." She says she owes her marketing skills to good genes -- her dad is a Harvard M.B.A. and both sisters work in marketing. Van Galder's elevation to her current international post (along with longtime colleague Marc Weinstock) came with an early challenge -- selling the dark superhero movie "Hancock" this year to a global audience; it paid off, with more than $620 million in worldwide boxoffice. To her, all marketing is effectively global: "The way information travels has become a big part of our job," she says. "There are more avenues and ways to do your job than anyone could have imagined." In her downtime, Van Galder turns from marketing to a softer side: knitting (afghans are a specialty). Upcoming films in 2009 include "The Da Vinci Code" follow-up "Angels & Demons" and Tony Scott's remake of "The Taking of Pelham 123."