Richard Tolley, Group marketing development director, Dairy Crest
There is no doubt that the energetic Tolley has had a terrific year, with leading brands such as Cathedral City experiencing phenomenal growth. In the year to October 2007 the cheese brand overtook Dairylea with sales of £138m, according to Nielsen, making it the UK's favourite in the sector. Tolley has a wealth of experience both in marketing and the dairy industry. He started his marketing career in 1989 as a Unilever training manager, and later spent time at New Zealand Milk and Northern Foods before joining Dairy Crest.
Peter Duffy, Head of marketing, Audi UK
Audi remains at the cutting-edge of car marketing, and Duffy, who joined the company in June 2007 from Barclays Bank, has quickly made his mark. Innovation has included fresh campaigns for the R8 sports car, backed by a £6m investment. Duffy has also continued to develop the innovative Audi-branded TV channel, which has also launched on mobile. He has spearheaded the development of additional methods of distribution for the channel including peer-to-peer and on-demand.
Catherine Sleight, Marketing director, Coca-Cola Great Britain
Having one of the highest-profile marketing jobs in the UK, Sleight would be forgiven for playing it safe. However, this year the Yorkshire-born marketer has risked promoting Coca-Cola's smaller brands such as Schweppes and Dr Pepper; the latter gaining a significant boost with its first TV campaign for four years. She has also taken 'bloke Coke' Coca-Cola Zero to the next level with a fresh campaign that parodies Hollywood blockbuster films. Well-respected in the industry, the former Britvic marketer has a firm grasp on the group's iconic brands.
Greg Nugent, Head of marketing, Eurostar
Last year was phenomenal for Euro-star, crowned by the re-opening of a dazzlingly revamped St Pancras station, its new home. It was a defining moment for rail travel in the UK and was backed by the biggest campaign for the brand since its launch. Two years of meticulous planning ensured Eurostar's move from Waterloo went without a hitch. Moreover, while Nugent cannot take credit for the unintended benefits brought by the chaos at Heathrow's Terminal 5, he has certainly ensured the brand remains both the greener and smarter choice for many travellers.
Phil Rumbol, Marketing director, Cadbury
Rumbol is the man behind the iconic 'Gorilla' advertising, which not only revitalised the Dairy Milk brand, but also Phil Collins' career. Having joined Cadbury in 2006, Rumbol is riding high on the ad's success; it received 7m hits on YouTube and led to a 9% rise in Cadbury Dairy Milk sales during the period in which it was aired. He has also capitalised on the growth of nostalgia, bringing back 80s stalwart Wispa in response to popular demand. At a time when food and drink brands are under unprecedented scrutiny from the government and NGOs, Rumbol has succeeded in putting some fun back into the confectionery market.
Scott Jefferson, Chief marketing officer, Greggs
The Great British public has a certain affinity with Greggs, the high-street bakery chain that sells more doughnuts and sausage rolls than you could shake a French stick at. Jefferson is a former marketing controller for Great North Eastern Railway (GNER), who stepped down in 2004 to become the first chief marketing officer at Greggs. His brief since then has been to boost footfall in the chain's 1100 UK stores. Lately, Jefferson has overseen the successful roll-out of a major ad campaign, starring comedian Paddy McGuinness, which aims to appeal to lads with its tagline 'Come 'ere'.
Lorraine Twohill, Vice-president of marketing EMEA, Google
The world's most successful internet company shows no sign of slacking. Its controversial decision to allow advertisers to bid against each other on keywords trademarked by rival brands means that 2008 looks set to be another fascinating year. Twohill arrived in the UK in 1999 from Ireland with plans to stay in the country for only a couple of years. However, having moved onward and upward via Opodo to her current influential role, overseeing Google's consumer and business marketing in the EMEA region, her success has kept her in Blighty longer than anticipated.
Gavin Patterson, Group managing director, consumer and group marketing, BT
In the crowded broadband market, achieving standout and sales is a tall order, so hats off to former Procter & Gamble marketer Patterson, who is responsible for helping BT Broadband beat all expectations to sail past the 10m customer mark last year. This is all the more impressive given that the market is occupied by big-spending rivals such as Orange, Sky and Tiscali. BT's 'home hub' positioning has proved a success, as has the long-running ad campaign featuring Kris Marshall, whose character solves various family problems by using one of BT's communication solutions.
Steve Hilton, Director of strategy, Conservative Party
Widely credited as the man who has made the Tories electable once more, Hilton is to David Cameron what Alastair Campbell was to Tony Blair. He is an astute marketer, having also garnered a wealth of experience in the ad industry at Saatchi & Saatchi. His previous work with the Tories included the Tony Blair 'Demon eyes' campaign, and he is understood to be taking home one of the highest salaries ever paid to a Tory party official. If the Conservative Party gets into power at the next election, his profile is likely to undergo a stratospheric rise.
Robin Auld, Sales and marketing director, Domino's Pizza
The energetic Auld has overseen impressive growth at the pizza chain, which recorded a 23% increase in sales in 2007. He is certainly dedicated to his job; every single franchisee has his mobile phone number - and they use it. Since joining Domino's in 2004, Auld is credited with having had a 'massive impact' on its marketing campaigns, an achievement that has been rewarded with a place on the board. He has driven the company's move online, and last November it took £1m of orders via the web in a single week. The group has also bolstered its profile with a sponsorship of ITV1's Britain's Got Talent.
Sally Cowdry, Marketing director, O2
Cowdry faces a huge task, not only in maintaining O2's market share in the face of fierce competition, but also increasing customer loyalty. Since taking over as marketing director in 2006, Cowdry, whose previous employers include BAA and Stena Line, has made a big impression and driven forward the group's aim to simplify its complicated tariffs, easing consumer confusion. The relaunch of the Millennium Dome as the 20,000-seater The O2 arena this year has been a phenomenal success. The venue is attracting a raft of high-profile events, from the NME awards to the premiere of The Simpsons movie.
Jill McDonald, Senior vice-president and chief marketing officer, UK and Northern Europe, McDonald's
The aptly named Jill McDonald has brought the Big Mac back, and the fast-food giant recently recorded one of its strongest sets of figures in the UK. But with obesity never out of the headlines, McDonald still faces a tough job. However, an open marketing approach, combined with a focus on new product development has given the golden arches their lustre back. McDonald has also crystallised the firm's policy on the thorny issue of marketing to children. Unlike her peers, at rivals such as Burger King, she has steadfastly refused to stop advertising or creating web content aimed at children, arguing that 70% of the Happy Meals range comprises healthy food.
Mark Price, Managing director, Waitrose
The energetic 'chubby grocer' has ensured that Waitrose continues to punch above its weight in marketing finesse and brand reputation. Price has led the public agenda with policies aimed at giving farmers a fair deal, and this year the seasoned marketer has even moved to trademark his 'chubby grocer' nickname - a testament to his increasing profile. Undoubtedly ambitious, Mark Price has plans to make the supermarket a national player, banishing perceptions that it is too pricey compared with its cut-price rivals. Waitrose aims to double sales to £8bn by 2016 and has ambitious overseas expansion plans for the Middle East. It is also exploring franchise options in South Africa and the US.
Mark Bolland, Chief executive, Morrisons
The amiable Dutchman, charged with guiding the Morrisons empire, has made a big impact at the supermarket. After 20 years at Heineken, and despite concerns about his lack of retail experience, he has quickly earned the trust and respect of the industry with his emphasis on 'evolution not revolution'. Morrisons' shares have climbed this year, and store refurbishments, alongside a reinvigorated marketing approach, have further boosted the chain. He has also driven the growth of its Best line, designed to take on the might of the Tesco Finest and Sainsbury's Taste The Difference ranges.
Kerris Bright, Chief marketing officer, Dulux, ICI
There is no doubt that the engaging Bright has overseen a sea change in marketing activity since her arrival as marketing director of Dulux in 2001, and during her subsequent rise to chief marketing officer in 2006. The hugely successful 'We know the colours that go' campaign, which repositioned Dulux as a lifestyle brand, is now being rolled out globally. The work has been run across several platforms including a high-profile sponsorship of Channel 4's hit US comedy Ugly Betty. Prior to joining ICI, Bright spent 10 years at Unilever's consumer healthcare division in a variety of marketing roles.
Alice Avis, Chief executive, The Sanctuary Spa
The former director of marketing at Marks & Spencer has been instrumental in the growth of The Sanctuary Spa brand since her appointment as chief executive in July 2005. The company has resurrected its Sanctuary Spa beauty products, which have led the premium beauty sector at Boots, and the brand now has a phenomenal retail value of £30m. This has led to The Sanctuary receiving much acclaim as an example of how to successfully extend a brand. Avis, a former Diageo global brand director, has led product and brand expansion with aplomb. Earlier this year, The Sanctuary was sold to Imperial Leather-owner PZ Cussons in a £75m cash deal.