Who is Emilio Largo from Thunderball and what is their importance?

Emilio Largo is the immediate villain of the novel. He takes the place of Blofeld as the operational leader of Plan Omega, the plot to blackmail the western world under threat of exploding nuclear bombs. In a way, Largo is a puppet, allowing Blofeld to run the operation at a safe distance. Largo acts exactly as Blofeld acts. He kills an underling during a meeting in much the same way Blofeld kills an underling during another meeting. Still, Largo is not driven only by intellectual forces. Largo desires women, expensive boats, and luxury.