In Final Fantasy VII, Rufus Shinra is the son of President Shinra, and after his father's death, he in turn becomes the president of the Shinra, a large corporation that functions as a political entity.
Rufus' apprenticeship in politics took the part of the leadership of The Turks, a secret police force. When he gains power, he decides that he will rule with power and fear, as opposed to his father, who used money to secure his way. His leadership is not faulty, and his steely behavior manages to protect his company up until he is killed in a battle later in the game.
Rufus' personality is quite interesting, given the necessary briefness with which it is sketched out. Despite his steely nerves and cruel personality, he is also quite well presented, even to the extent of seeming dandyish. He has reddish hair (probably the origin of the name) and wears a white suit. His personality seems to be rather corrupt and brutal, but he is not a typical video game villain, laughing maniacally at plans for world dominance. As with much of the characterizations in the game, he is rather understated.
Of course, the idea that a government could be controlled by a corrupt energy company, and that the leadership of the company and thus the world, would be passed down through a family, makes for an interesting fantasy game, but it is of course utter nonsense.