East West made ten bold picks last December, and now as 2007
comes to a close, we’ve reviewed our choices. While all the names on last year’s
list had success in 2007, four stood out as representatives of their banner
year.
See the original, complete 2007 Ten to Watch List.
Kal Penn
 East West predicted 2007 would be his year to make a big
splash, and Kal Penn sure didn't disappoint. Arguably the most recognized
Indian American face on the big and small screen, Penn showed the world his
acting range with a nuanced performance as Gogol, the son of an Indian
immigrant, in director Mira Nair's film adaptation of “The Namesake.” We also
saw him as Dr. Lawrence Kutner, a sports medicine specialist, in the popular
television series, House. While his other big release, Van Wilder: The Rise of
Taj, didn't quite make any top 10 lists, Penn's comedic talent earned positive
reviews. That also explains why fans are eagerly awaiting part two of the
breakout Harold and Kumar adventure. From Whitecastle to the April 2008 release
of Escape from Guantanamo Bay, Penn's success continues
to rise.
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Premal Shah
 The idea's simple: lend money to those in need at no
interest and get the satisfaction of giving in return. With Kiva.org bagging glowing
mentions in the Economist, BusinessWeek and on NPR and CNN, among many others,
we note with pride co-founder Premal Shah's ongoing successful efforts at social
entrepreneurship. Shah has been part of Kiva's rollercoaster success in 2007.
By December, more than $16 million worth of microcredit loans had passed
through the site from about 170,000 lenders. But what was Kiva’s crowning-jewel-of-a-mention
in 2007? Notable praise from none other than President Bill Clinton, who
heartily endorsed the venture in his book, "Giving," and on Oprah. In
September, Shah shared the stage with Clinton
on BookTV. We applaud Shah and his team for making worldwide microlending as
easy as buying the latest bestseller on Amazon.
Read A Technological Assist, East West's 2007 story on Kiva and other social entreprenuers.
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Steve Chen
 With Google's $1.65 billion buyout of YouTube,
one would think Steve Chen would sit back, take a break and splurge on his
multimillion dollar moolah. But the Chief Technology Officer of the insanely
popular video-sharing Web site is at the helm of a company whose mainstay may
just have moved beyond making stars of ordinary folks such as comedian Judson
Laipply, best known for his "Evolution of Dance" clip. The first
CNN-YouTube Presidential Debate in 2007 was viewed as a watershed event in
bringing the public in close touch with presidential candidates. But heading a
site that's gaining currency as the most democratic platform for the 2008 U.S.
Presidential elections still isn’t enough for Chen, the YouTube team is now
looking to upgrade viewers to a high definition experience from the often fuzzy
videos seen currently. The juggernaut rolls on.
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Padmasree Warrior
 Motorola's executive vice president and chief technology
officer, Padmasree Warrior, was on our 2007 watch radar and it seems that networking
giant, Cisco, was watching her closely too. Earlier this month, Warrior officially joined the San
Jose-based networking giant as chief technology officer, where she's expected
to help drive innovation and technology. Warrior will report directly to
Cisco's chairman and chief executive officer, John Chambers. "I am excited
at the opportunity to join a world class company poised to lead the next era of
Internet evolution. Cisco's customer centric culture and purposeful commitment
to innovation are integral parts of my leadership portfolio," Warrior, 47,
noted in a prepared statement.
Born in India,
Warrior earned degrees in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of
Technology (IIT) in New Delhi and from New York's Cornell
University. In 2001, Working
Woman magazine selected her for the "Women Elevating Science and
Technology" award.
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