Best academic gude to Kabbalah ??

That's a toughie. I might recommend: In Judaic Kabbalah - Kaplan, Aryeh: The Sepher Yetzirah (Kaplan's edition, besides containing exquisite analysis of the SY itself, also comprises a nice survey course in kabbalah in general)

Sheinkin, David: Path of Kabbalah (A work by a student of Kaplan's that is intended as a survey of practical kabbalah)

Idel, Moishe: New Perspectives in Kabbalah (Idel has been spoken of as the heir of the mantle of Scholem, but one who approaches the subject with a warmer perception of practice, rather than the role of mysticism in Jewish history)

Scholem, Gershom: Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism (The definitive work for many years, from an academic standpoint. The central work of many on the subject by this author)

You might say Scholem represents the unrelentingly academic/historical study of the subject, with Kaplan and Sheinkin devoted to mystical practice, and Idel's insight the reconciler between the two (Idel as Hegemon? (g)).

In magical kabbalah: I dunno that there is any one leading writer.

From a GD perspective, the GD Journal on Qabalah, edited by the Ciceros, isn't bad. Ditto Kabbalah of the Golden Dawn by Pat Zalewski.

Qabalistic Writings Of Aleister Crowley, comprising 777, Liber D, and the Essay On Number, is the traditional intro to gematria and correspondences, as Dion Fortune's old stand by, The Mystical Qabalah, is still useful as an intro to hermetic qabalah in general.

There are a few others that may be of interest for practicality:

Judaic Mysticism, Dr. Avran Davis & Manuela Dunn Mascettiy, Hyperion

Meditation and Kabbalah by Aryeh Kaplan (of course)

Sha'are Orah, Gates of Light, HarperCollins publishers

The work of the Kabbalist, Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi, Weiser press

The way of Kabbalah, Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi, Weiser press

The Tree of Life, Israel Regardie, Weiser

Opening the Inner Gates, New Paths in Kabbalah and Psychology, Edward Hoffman, Shambhala

Devorah Chanah, Los Alamos, NM