Seiji Maehara, another popular figure, was named national policy minister.

BBC: Japan PM Yoshihiko Noda names new ministers

"This is catastrophic for Poland, " said the spokeswoman, who declined to be named in line with ministry policy.

CNN: U.S. scraps missile defense shield plans

Mindy joined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 1995 as a senior policy advisor and was named regional administrator under President Bill Clinton in 2000.

FORBES: Mindy Lubber - Sustainable Capitalism - Archive

To judge by the press, the worlds sagest and most influential foreign policy expert is a 77-year-old named Brent Scowcroft.

CENTERFORSECURITYPOLICY: New York Sun Sheds Light on Scowcroft Agenda

Foreign Policy, a highly respected global news magazine, named Al-Qahtani as one of its 100 top global thinkers of 2012.

CNN: Saudi activists say kingdom trying to silence them

U.S. fiscal policy, and the political fight over it, was named by the largest number of members.

FORBES: AAII Sentiment: Bullish Sentiment Reaches Two-Year High

Last month, the US relaxed restrictions on investments and named Derek Mitchell, the State Department's coordinator for Burma policy, as the first ambassador to the country in 22 years.

BBC: Australia to lift Burma sanctions and double aid

Other key appointments, primarily the treasury chief who will help craft policy to lift the county out of financial crisis, were expected to be named shortly.

CNN: Obama begins building transition team

He was named one of state television's businessmen of the year in 2006 and advised Beijing on energy policy.

NPR: Chinese Solar Producer Suntech Declares Bankruptcy

Estrada replaced Espiritu as finance secretary with the well-regarded Jose Pardo, who had held the trade and industry portfolio, named a six-man Economic Coordinating Council of top officials to bring badly-needed coherence and momentum to policy-making, and recruited five business elder statesmen as senior advisers.

CNN: Act II for Estrada