Romesh T Wadhwani

Rode tech bubble onto The Forbes 400 in 1999 with $9.3 billion sale of Aspect Development software firm to i2 Technologies. All-stock deal left fortune depleted 4 years later. Used remaining millions to start or acquire 9 business software and IT companies; clawed fortune back to ten-figures. Best investment: bought market-research company Information Resources 2003; former moneyloser now generates operating profit margins of 10%. Attended Indian Institute of Technology in Mumbai. Moved to U.S. 1969, earned Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Carnegie Mellon. Founded Aspect 1991. Firm made software that allowed clients to track internal spending, inventory, buying behavior. Uses little leverage to buy companies: "Financial engineering is not our game."