What makes somebody powerful? Why does one marketer hold more sway than their peers? These are questions Marketing revisits every year as we compile our Power 100, the definitive list of who is making waves within the marketing industry.
Power is the ultimate intangible asset. It cannot be fed into a spreadsheet or plotted on a graph. Nor is it a case of ticking boxes. But that does not mean it is artificial. The people who appear on the following pages do so because when they speak, others listen.
For many marketers in the list, it is because of the budget they have to spend - little commands as much attention, though not necessarily admiration, as cold, hard cash. Or it could be the size of the brand they manage. But these cannot be the only criteria, as there are plenty of big-spending marketers who lack profile.
Being well-known - for a good track record or voicing opinions - is therefore another factor, as is the degree of influence a marketer holds among their peers. These criteria can apply to those with strong marketing backgrounds who have moved on to bigger roles, such as the trio of former Mars marketers now running major retailers: Justin King, Richard Baker and Sara Weller. Or, in the case of a few people such as Stuart Rose, it can apply to those who, even without a classic marketing background, have inspired a marketing-led turnaround of their business.
Entrepreneurialism is a further test - opening up fresh streams of revenue and developing new models, though sadly relatively few marketers in the list have met this criterion.
For these reasons, this year's Power 100 has plenty of new faces, as a fresh generation of marketers makes its mark. There is also the return of some familiar faces, such as Martin Glenn, and the departure of big names including Tim Mason, who for one reason or another have dropped out of the UK scene.
Those at the pinnacle are those who score highly across the criteria. They are there because, having reached the top, they deliver time and again.
KEY
G - Up from 2006
H - Down from 2006
E - Same as 2006
NEW - New entry
1. DIANNE THOMPSON, CAMELOT - E
Last year, Thompson became the first woman to take the top spot in Marketing's Power 100; 12 months on, she has cemented her position. The Camelot chief executive has overseen a stellar year for the lottery operator, with sales in the final three months of 2006 up 10.6% year on year. Now even Richard Branson admits Camelot is a 'shoo-in' to win the next lottery licence later this year.
Testament to Thompson's determination was Camelot's bid document: running to more than 18,000 pages, it cost more than £20m to put together. In the likely event that Camelot holds on to the licence, we can expect worldwide draws, lifestyle prizes and a partnership with BSkyB.
The Yorkshire-born former ICI and Ratners marketer ascribes her character to being 'the product of a northern working-class family'. As befits her status and profile, she sits on the Press Complaints Commission and maintains her links with marketing via her involvement in WACL.
2. STUART ROSE, MARKS & SPENCER - G
It is no longer enough to call Marks & Spencer's recent performance a recovery; the high-street stalwart is positively booming under canny chief executive Rose. The company's unstoppable ascendancy resulted in its share price hitting an all-time high earlier this year at nearly 750p.
What a difference three years make. When Rose took over as chief executive in May 2004, the share price was languishing at less than 300p, with Bhs boss Philip Green nearly buying the business for what now seems a bargain basement price of 400p a share. Significantly, the turnaround has been driven by first-rate marketing, from TV ads to in-store work.
3. CHARLES DUNSTONE, CARPHONE W'HOUSE - E
It has been a transformational, albeit rough, year for Carphone Warehouse and chief executive Dunstone - a brand and man who, until recently, could do no wrong in the eyes of the City.
The key change was the launch of a 'free' broadband service to customers who signed up to its TalkTalk offering. Carphone Warehouse underestimated demand to such an extent that a PR nightmare ensued as it struggled to connect people to its network.
Yet the decision to move wholeheartedly into broadband is testament to the 42-year-old's ability to see which way the wind is blowing. In October Carphone bought AOL's connection business, transforming it into the third-biggest internet provider. It is now well placed to exploit a converged marketplace. Dunstone, meanwhile, is showing no signs of emulating his friend Tony Blair by leaving the public eye any time soon.
4. JUSTIN KING, SAINSBURY'S - G
Sainsbury's is no longer the sick man of the grocery sector, and chief executive King can take the credit. The supermarket's like-for-like sales grew by 5.9% in the 12 weeks to 24 March as King's recovery plan - entitled 'Making Sainsbury's great again' - continued to bear fruit.
Stints at Mars, Marks & Spencer and Asda before joining Sainsbury's in 2004 have made King a strong character who sticks to his guns. This year he has profited by sticking by the supermarket's 'Try something new today' campaign, while it is doing its bit for the environment by associating more closely with the fair trade movement. It says a lot for King's contribution that Sainsbury's was also able to fight off a projected private-equity takeover this year.
5. SIR RICHARD BRANSON, VIRGIN - G
Branson remains the best-known face in UK plc thanks to his unrivalled talent for spotting an opportunity for publicity. Yet the past year has been as much about substance as style. The NTL deal that created Virgin Media was the first attempt at a 'quadruple play' of TV, phone, broadband and mobile. Judging by BSkyB's reaction - it has pulled several channels from Virgin Media's TV service - it has recognised the threat. Branson's clever use of PR, though, has ensured that Virgin Media has won the initial publicity battle.
Virgin Galactic, the entrepreneur's consumer space-travel project, scheduled to launch in 2008, has continued to gather pace, while his company has also sought to prove its environmental credibility with a pledge of $3bn to combat global warming.
6. SIR MARTIN SORRELL, WPP - H
As a businessman, Sorrell's clout is undiminished; 21 years after taking over WPP, he is now the longest-serving FTSE 100 chief executive. Yet he has been in the headlines, and caused rivals no end of amusement, for altogether more lurid reasons after a highly acrimonious few days in the High Court. Sorrell was accused of 'fleeing the battlefield' after agreeing to settle a libel case against WPP's former manager in Italy without admission of liability - though, having accepted £120,000 for the settlement, he bullishly described it as a 'two-nil win'. The 10 days in court revolved around an alleged internet hate campaign against Sorrell in which he was compared to a mafia don. His former mistress, Daniela Weber, was also dragged into the fray in an unseemly fashion.
Away from the courtroom, WPP's performance has been good, with like-for-like revenues up 4.3% in the first quarter. And Sorrell certainly retains a nose for a deal. He bought 24/7 Real Media for £329m to bolster WPP's digital capability, and beat rival Havas to snap up Clemmow Hornby Inge.
7. MARK THOMPSON, BBC - G
Critics claim Thompson's aggressive approach in negotiations with Gordon Brown over the licence fee was partly responsible for the below-inflation settlement. However, a major success has been winning approval for the iPlayer, which will allow the download of both TV and radio content and threatens grave consequences for the commercial web sector. The power of the Marketing, Communications and Audiences division was boosted further last year when Thompson told BBC staff that 'everything begins with audiences' and unveiled a flatter structure with MC&A at the Corporation's centre. As Thompson ploughs on with a cost-savings plan across the organisation, tough decisions remain ahead.
8. ANDY DUNCAN, CHANNEL 4 - H
Duncan has had to endure criticism not only of his channel's output, but also his wardrobe this year. When the Channel 4 chief executive appeared at a press conference at the height of the Celebrity Big Brother 'racism' scandal, he was criticised for his characteristically casual attire. The barracking is unlikely to ruffle the former BBC director of marketing too long. C4 has had another solid year and swiftly signed up Virgin Media to replace Carphone Warehouse as the sponsor of Big Brother. The channel's promotional activity and programming have continued to be cutting-edge, with E4's Skins gaining a record audience for original drama on digital. Film4 has found a new audience by launching on Freeview, and by introducing on-demand services, Channel 4 proved it is still ahead of the game.
9. GAVIN PATTERSON, BT - G
High-flying Patterson gains points this year for the boom in BT's broadband business. The telecoms provider beat all expectations in January by soaring to more than 10m broadband customers - a big feather in the cap of Patterson, who, as group managing director for BT Consumer, has been eulogising about high-speed web services for years.
The 39-year-old Cambridge graduate is a product of Procter & Gamble's marketing hothouse, but left the world of FMCG behind for the media industry when he joined Telewest. He left for BT in 2004 after rising to managing director, and BT watchers believe he has further to climb.
As if turning around a lumbering ex-monopoly in the face of more nimble competition was not enough, he has already set himself a fresh challenge with BT Vision, the TV service that soft-launched late last year. Taking on BSkyB may be Patterson's most ambitious undertaking to date.
10. ALAN BISHOP, COI - H
The COI's chief executive recently took a break in the Caribbean to top up his tan and watch the cricket World Cup. Hopefully, he returned refreshed, as the government's communications body faces some difficult questions. Several government departments are seeking greater flexibility in the way the COI handles their campaigns. All this is taking place against a backdrop of shrinking COI spend as budgets come under pressure from the Treasury. Along with the rest of the civil service, the former Saatchi & Saatchi International chairman already has an eye on the post-Blair era. A first-rate politician himself, he is well placed to ensure the organisation fares well under new management.
11. CHRIS TOWNSEND, LOCOG - NEW
Townsend has had a Midas touch in the past. In the early-90s he played a key part in Sky TV's rapid subscriptions growth and as customer marketing director at Transport for London, he oversaw the uptake of more than 6m Oyster cards. The 48-year-old will certainly need all the luck he can get with his latest challenge: raising more than £2bn in revenue for the successful staging of the 2012 London Olympics. As LOCOG commercial director, he is the man who can grant access to the biggest marketing show on earth when it comes this way in five years' time.
In March, he got off to a good start when he announced Lloyds TSB as the official banking partner of the 2012 London Olympics in a deal worth an estimated £80m. Nevertheless, the keen cyclist will need an Olympian stamina to convince brands to part with so many millions.
12. JAMES MURDOCH, BSKYB - NEW
As scion of the world's most influential media family, Murdoch remains a big player on the UK media scene. Focused, smart and personable, he has gone from being portrayed as a rebellious black sheep when he took the top BSkyB role at 31 to becoming one of the most admired chief executives in the business. The big change for BSkyB over the past year has been the launch of its broadband service. Murdoch must also be credited with bringing carbon neutrality to the company, and the opportunistic swoop on an ITV stake that effectively scuppered Virgin Media's takeover talks. Yet there are clouds on the horizon. Not only does Murdoch face competition from Virgin and Setanta, but the spectre of further drawn-out investigations by Ofcom looms.
13. MICHAEL GRADE, ITV - NEW
Renowned for his red socks and consummate showmanship, Grade was greeted with a standing ovation when he arrived at Grays Inn Road to lead ITV as its newly-installed executive chairman. Known to inspire fierce loyalty in his staff, Grade's arrival returned some confidence to ITV.
Ultimately, ITV's recovery - and Grade's success - will be measured by the quality of its shows, and as a former programme maker, Grade can make an impact. A move to restore the evening news to 10pm is on the agenda and a return to quality drama is already paying dividends. For marketers, Grade represents the best chance for ITV to deliver the audiences they crave. Watch this space.
14. GIANNI CISERANI, PROCTER & GAMBLE - E
Uncharacteristically for a Procter & Gamble executive, Ciserani did something controversial last year when he spoke out on the dearth of innovation at the expense of price promotions. It was a heartfelt speech that raised the Italian's profile after three years leading the company's UK and Ireland business. Enthusiastic and much-liked, Ciserani will soon be packing his bags and leaving the firm's headquarters in Weybridge for its Geneva offices to take up the role of president, western Europe.
15. DAVID WHELDON, VODAFONE - E
Vodafone's global director, brand and customer experience, has had a glittering career on both client and agency side - posts include European marketing director at Coca-Cola and president of BBDO Europe. But he faces a fresh challenge in reinvigorating a brand that has grown lacklustre.
To that end, he was responsible for one of the biggest moves in adland this year when he stripped Vodafone's prized £57m advertising account from JWT in favour of Bartle Bogle Hegarty.
16. PATRICK CESCAU, UNILEVER - E
Unilever has been left in the shade by Procter & Gamble in recent years, so the pressure is on group chief executive Cescau to lift performance. The Parisian has been with the company for 34 years, culminating in his appointment as the company's first unified chief executive in 2005. He has since focused on three priorities: personal care, emerging markets and vitality.
17. TIM SEAGER, SCOTTISH & NEWCASTLE UK - G
Scottish & Newcastle has become an attractive takeover target, with bids rumoured to be in the pipeline from rivals as well as private-equity firms. The company's appeal is a testament to ex-Procter & Gamble man Seager, who has been UK marketing director since January 2004. This year he has overseen an aggressive NPD programme, launching Foster's Twist, a citrus variant of its flagship Foster's brand, as well as an on-trade trial of Foster's Quench, a lower-ABV lager. A marketer with an instinctive understanding of the bottom line, Seager is keen to look at alternative promotional techniques. The firm is continuing its ambitious experiential sampling in the on-trade, and Seager also came up with the idea for the John Smith's People's Race, in which 10 novice jockeys rode at Aintree to raise money for charity.
18. ROISIN DONNELLY, PROCTER & GAMBLE - G
Donnelly's profile in the marketing industry has been rising steadily - though she is hardly the sort to boast about it. Procter & Gamble's Glaswegian corporate marketing director prefers to go about her business quietly and effectively. But after treading the boards at industry conferences over the past 12 months, the keen theatre-goer may be emerging as a genuine industry heavyweight.
Another impressive year for the company saw year-on-year growth across its stable of brands, and with responsibility for all brands in the UK and Ireland, Donnelly has her hands full. Highlights have included a shift toward issue-led marketing in Ariel's 'Turn to 30' campaign, designed to capitalise on consumer interest in the environment without actually having to change anything about the product. She is also personally overseeing the firm's experiments with interactive TV.
19. JILL MCDONALD, MCDONALD'S - H
McDonald's remains public enemy number one for the health lobby, but McDonald (no family relation) is determined to plug away at people's perceptions. Not all of her efforts have paid off. The website makeupyourownmind.co.uk, created to allow consumers to ask the chain questions directly, elicited a number of worrying queries, including whether its burgers contained eyes.
McDonald has been in the role of chief marketing officer for northern Europe for a year, having moved from British Airways, where she rose to head of global marketing last May.
She described herself recently as an 'only child, from a comfortable middle class upbringing who went a bit off the rails in my early teens when I discovered boys, fags and skiving', and McDonald remains unafraid of courting controversy. She has overseen the chain's continued shift toward online advertising, despite howls of indignation from pressure groups concerned about obesity and marketing to children.
20. STEVEN SHARP, MARKS & SPENCER - G
The ads produced by Marks & Spencer under Sharp's guidance have won near-universal acclaim. Their success has established its executive director for marketing, e-commerce, store design and development as one of the finest marketers of his generation. Not content to rest on his laurels, Sharp continued to evolve the M&S proposition with its 'Look behind the label' campaign, designed to highlight the store's ethical and environmental standards as well as encouraging customers to consider their importance across the retail sector.
The success has left him in demand - he recently spread his wings by becoming a non-executive director of brewer Adnams.
21. SALMAN AMIN, PEPSICO - NEW
As Martin Glenn's successor, Amin had big shoes to fill when he was promoted to president of PepsiCo UK and Ireland in 2005. There is no doubt he is qualified for the role - he was formerly senior vice-president of marketing for PepsiCo International, where he was responsible for promoting all PepsiCo brands outside the US and Canada. Yet an almost non-existent profile means that he has yet to develop his predecessor's clout.
Amin has extensive knowledge of the snack, beverage and FMCG businesses. He joined the company in 1995 as vice-president of marketing for Pepsi-Cola International from Procter & Gamble, where he built consumer product lines across international markets. Amin's position as the chairman of the Food and Drink Federation's health and wellbeing steering group stands to help raise his profile.
22. PHILIP ALMOND, DIAGEO - NEW
Almond is no stranger to controversy, having spent the past 13 years at Diageo selling drinks and fast food. This former adman makes his debut in the Power 100 after his promotion to GB marketing director last summer.
His time at the firm has included a stint as marketing director of Burger King from 2001 to 2003, which was then under Diageo ownership. There he got his fingers burned as the obesity crisis hit, but the experience should stand him in good stead as pressure mounts for curbs on alcohol marketing.
Almond has continued to fly the flag for responsible drinking, where Diageo claims to be leading the way, as well as maintaining the company's devotion to innovation. A keen theatre-goer, he was until recently on the board of South-East London theatre company London Bubble.
23. BERNARD BALDERSTON, PROCTER & GAMBLE - G
This Procter & Gamble veteran will next year celebrate his 40th anniversary with the FMCG giant, which spent £179m on media advertising in 2006, according to Nielsen Media Research, displacing Unilever as the UK's leading advertiser. All of which makes its associate director of UK media a man those in the media industry are keen to know.
The influence of the grandaddy of media buying also extends to the trade bodies. During his career he has served as chairman of the ISBA RTSA Committee for six years, with BARB for more than 15 years, and has been an RAB Councillor and a member of the Advisory Committee for Advertising.
24. AMANDA MACKENZIE, BRITISH GAS - G
Marketing director Mackenzie has been overheard complaining that people keep asking her about their gas bills - it is no surprise after a difficult year for the utilities provider. The company took the brunt of criticism for rising energy prices, and is busy wooing back the 1m customers it lost in the 12 months to March 2007. Yorkshire-born Mackenzie is certainly no stranger to the challenge of a former monopoly - she spent three years at BT, rising to group marketing director - and her response has been radical. She has positioned the firm as the champion of energy efficiency to shift the public debate away from the price-comparison strategy adopted by its rivals.
25. JAMES KYDD, VIRGIN MEDIA - NEW
As managing director of marketing, Kydd is at the forefront of the pay-TV battle. Colleagues say that their energetic leader is enjoying the fight against Rupert Murdoch's BSkyB. While the jury is out over the potential damage to the Virgin platform from the loss of three Sky channels, Kydd and his team have worked the situation to its full advantage with a raft of hard-hitting marketing campaigns aimed squarely at Sky. A born risk-taker, Kydd spearheaded the decision to sponsor the eighth series of Big Brother following Carphone Warehouse's hasty exit. Outspoken and forthright, Kydd has continued to pursue the headline-grabbing celebrity-focused strategy he employed at Virgin Mobile. His rise up the Virgin marketing ranks - he is fiercely loyal to the brand - is mirrored by his well-deserved return to the Power 100.
26. PAUL GEDDES, ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND - G
A popular figure in the industry, the chief executive of consumer banking at RBS is described by peers as an able, no-nonsense marketer. Geddes' ability to get on with the job was rewarded earlier this year when he was promoted to his current role, having been with the bank since 2004. He is now leading a major reorganisation of its retail markets division, integrating the RBS and NatWest marketing teams and bringing together the personal banking and mortgage businesses. Geddes is also overseeing its 'Make it happen' campaign, intended to differentiate the bank from rivals.
27. RICK BENDEL, ASDA - NEW
The outspoken Asda marketing director is a rare beast - a former senior agency man who gave up his cushy Soho life not only for the wilds of client-side marketing, but also for Yorkshire. Bendel has been busy since his October move from Publicis Worldwide, where he oversaw the Asda account. His first decision was to shift the supermarket's £45m ad account out of his former employer to Fallon London. Its latest ads, featuring Victoria Wood working in the grocer, are intended to 'make the stores the hero' and position the supermarket as the common-sense alternative to 'elitist' rivals such as Sainsbury's and Marks & Spencer.
28. ALEX BATCHELOR, ROYAL MAIL - G
The jet-setting former Unilever and Orange marketer worked in Austria and the US before becoming marketing director at Royal Mail in 2005. Batchelor's cheerful demeanour will have been put to the test during a challenging 12 months, as Royal Mail rolled out its pricing in proportion policy to a sceptical direct industry and faced up to growing competition. The company also faced a slew of negative headlines last year when it suspended a postman for advising people how to opt out of receiving door-drops. Batchelor certainly knows the business; when he took up the role he regularly rose before dawn to accompany postmen on their rounds and worked in sorting offices over the Christmas period.
29. JULIA GOLDIN, COCA-COLA - G
Having grown up in Soviet Russia, moved to Chicago as a teenager and trained as a concert pianist, Coca-Cola's head of new product development could have stepped out of a Cold War thriller. As it is, at the age of 18 she chose marketing as a career, and her globe-trotting has continued with a role that spans North-West Europe. She has had a busy 12 months, overseeing Coke Zero's debut in the UK, which she reportedly had to turn around in a hurry after the launch was brought forward. She also handled the addition of flavours to the Diet Coke range and the roll-out of flavoured Schweppes tonic waters. This year, she will also oversee Coca-Cola's attempt to banish Dasani from the memory with the launch of another water brand in the UK.
30. RICHARD BRASHER, TESCO - NEW
It is more than a year since Brasher stepped out from the shadow of Tim Mason and assumed control of marketing at the supermarket, yet Tesco's commercial director continues to shun the limelight. Insiders describe him as having an intensely analytical mind, and while he may be an unknown quantity to outsiders, he is undoubtedly Tesco to the core, having been with the company since 1986. Over the past year Brasher has extended Tesco's presence in the non-food sector with the launch of catalogue service Tesco Direct. The supermarket also launched a 'green clubcard', rewarding customers who recycle packaging at its stores with loyalty points.
31. MARK PRICE, WAITROSE - NEW
A former Waitrose marketing director, Price is still unpacking his boxes at the supermarket's Bracknell headquarters after returning to the fold as managing director last month. The self-styled 'chubby grocer' replaces Steven Esom, who defected to Marks & Spencer, and moves from the role of managing director of partnership development at parent company John Lewis Partnership. Price is 'green-blooded' - a Partnership lifer who joined the company in 1982 as a graduate trainee. He has an impressive marketing pedigree; in his previous stint at Waitrose he oversaw the launch of Waitrose Food Illustrated, now the foodies' magazine of choice. When not indulging his love of golf, his challenge is to oversee the expansion of the Waitrose brand as it attempts to take on grocery's big four.
32. KEN WOOD, WEETABIX - G
As health and obesity concerns continue to dominate the public consciousness, the Weetabix chief executive has been busy reasserting its cereals as a healthy breakfast choice. Wood recently oversaw the successful launch of oats-based variant Oatibix, which is sold on its 'heart health' credentials. Since joining the firm in 2004 from Muller Dairy, where he was managing director, Wood has relaunched Ready Brek, introduced an organic variant of Weetabix and urged consumers to add fruit to its core product for a healthy and varied breakfast.
33. MARTIN GLENN, IGLO BIRDS EYE - NEW
The former president of PepsiCo UK returned to the industry late last year after 12 months on the sidelines. Speculation had suggested that Glenn, one of marketing's key players, would re-emerge in charge of the London 2012 Olympics. In the end, he was lured back to his old stamping ground of the food industry as chief executive of Iglo Birds Eye, formed after Permira bought the Birds Eye brand from Unilever. Look out for him resuming the spats with the health lobby that characterised his spell at PepsiCo; when he appeared as a keynote speaker at The Marketing Forum last September, he revealed the difficulties of engaging with pressure groups.
34. SOPHIE GASPERMENT, L'OREAL - G
It has been a huge year for the cosmetics giant, and especially its London operation, which has increased its contribution to global strategy through the £652m acquisition of The Body Shop. As managing director of consumer and professional products in the UK and Ireland, Parisian Gasperment has been instrumental in integrating the business while retaining a consumer perspective, including its plans to use advertising for the first time since its launch 30 years ago. Gasperment was snapped up by L'Oreal as a graduate, after she accidentally stumbled into the company's university presentation sessions while at a management consultancy interview next door. Twenty years on, having moved to the company's London headquarters, she is known among colleagues as an insightful leader with clear direction, though she doubtless causes them some amusement with her habit of jotting down colloquial English phrases in a notebook.
35. JOHN CLARE, DSGi - H
As chief executive of Europe's biggest electricals brands, Clare has his hands full. On the one hand, his business, which owns the Currys and Dixons brands, is at the sharp end of the e-commerce revolution in retail; on the other, DSGi has seen heavyweights such as Tesco muscle in on its turf. Clare joined DSGi in 1985 as marketing director of Dixons. Now president of ISBA, he has become one of the marketing industry's biggest names. As someone known to like a flutter, Clare has not been afraid to go out on a limb to prop up the business. This has included last year's decision to cut loose ailing telecoms chain The Link, which it sold to O2. It is currently rolling out computer repair and advice service Tech Guys, DSGi's take on US chain Best Buy's highly successful Geek Squad. Online, the store is believed to be seeking to bring its European e-tail acquisition Pixmania to a wider UK audience.
36. ANDREW MARSDEN, BRITVIC SOFT DRINKS - G
This is Marsden's 10th year as category director at Britvic, during which time he has enjoyed a series of successful launches and double-digit growth across key brands. Last year, he oversaw Britvic's debut in the branded water sector with the introduction of Drench and Pennine Spring, as well as leading Pepsi Max's defence against the launch of Coke Zero. Marsden is a ferocious networker, active on a number of trade bodies, and last December was appointed president of The Marketing Society. He is also a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, an ISBA councillor, member of the Governmental Advisory Committee on Advertising and director of BCAP.
37. KEVIN BRENNAN, KELLOGG - G
Kellogg's UK marketing director is not a man with a high media profile; indeed, he could be described as publicity-shy. But behind the scenes, the laid-back Brennan is a major player in the food industry's tug of war with the health lobby. Kellogg is pushing for the GDA nutrient profiling system to become the industry standard, rather than the Food Standards Agency's 'traffic-light' scheme - a stance made clear in its marketing. Last year Kellogg ran a campaign for its Optivita cereal that featured actor Ray Winstone telling consumers it was up to them to decide to eat healthily. When not playing Irish music on his guitar, this Kellogg lifer can be heard lamenting the fate of Nottingham Forest FC.
38. JOHN BURKE, BACARDI BROWN-FORMAN - NEW
Burke began his career in logistics and sales before moving into marketing in 2001, where he has clearly found his niche. Until last December, he was global brand director for Bacardi, based, unfortunately for him, in Weybridge rather than the Caribbean. There he oversaw the creation of a branded radio station, B-Live. He has now rejoined the UK arm of Bacardi Brown-Forman as marketing director, where his charges include Martini, Bombay Sapphire, Southern Comfort and Jack Daniel's.
39. GIUSEPPE CASARETO, PROCTER & GAMBLE - H
Casareto has spent 15 years with Procter & Gamble, three of them leading its household business in the UK & Ireland, overseeing the Ariel, Bold, Flash and Lenor brands. The past year has brought several new product developments, including Fairy Active Bursts, Bold Crushed Silk & Jasmine and Fairy fabric conditioners, with the latter helping the eternal fight for market share against Unilever's Comfort. Colleagues describe Casareto as pragmatic, with a passion for rugby and cricket. However, his lack of profile costs him some personality points here.
40. PETER KENYON, CHELSEA FC - H
Chelsea may have lost the Premiership, but from a commercial perspective the football club is steadily building its influence. Chief executive Kenyon is leading its charge to build global support. This year, the former 'lifelong' Manchester United fan oversaw the launch of its first Chinese and Korean language websites, and last September Bollywood stars descended on its ground, Stamford Bridge, to shoot a film called Jhoom following the fortunes of an Asian Chelsea fan. Never one to do things subtly, he remains as high-profile (and well-paid) as some of the players.
41. ED RICHARDS, OFCOM - NEW
It was no great surprise when Richards stepped up from chief operating officer to chief executive at Ofcom; as a former adviser to both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown he has the qualifications and connections that count. But a glance at his CV reveals a stark lack of commercial experience. Richards has never held a position at a commercial media company, spending his pre-Ofcom days on the fringes of public-service broadcasting or at the heart of the New Labour machine. His knowledge of media regulation is not in doubt; he did, after all, have a big hand in the 2003 Communications Act. But early signs are that his Ofcom regime could be far less industry-friendly than that of his well-liked predecessor Stephen Carter. One of his first actions was to unveil harsh curbs on food ads, widely seen as the result of government pressure for a tough-looking initiative, rather than one that would do the job.
42. DAVE LEWIS, UNILEVER - NEW
Despite a non-existent profile within the wider industry, Lewis is in charge of some of the biggest brands in the business. In February he was promoted from managing director of the firm's home and personal care unit to chairman of Unilever UK. A marketer by background, his 20-year career at Unilever has included stints in Eastern Europe, Indonesia and Latin America. He is also vice-chairman of the Advertising Association. A lack of wider influence precludes a position further up this list.
43. TIM DAVIE, BBC - G
With the power vested in the Marketing, Communications & Audiences division and its director Tim Davie - who sits on pretty much any BBC board you care to mention - this former PepsiCo marketer is on a mission to turn Auntie's focus from internal affairs to audiences in an on-demand future. Davie is a passionate believer in channel brands, unveiling new identities for BBC One and Two in the past year, as well as new service brands such as iPlayer. A man who clearly relishes a digitally-driven change, Davie is driving 'cross-media measurement' at the Beeb to discover whether audiences think the quality and value of its output is as high as he clearly does.
44. JIM HYTNER, BARCLAYS - H
Hytner's attempt to position Barclays as a champion of the people took a serious knock when BBC documentary Whistleblower claimed mis-selling in its call centres was rife. Hytner, who describes himself honestly as short and bald, is an extremely ambitious character and a permanent fixture on the speaking circuit. A shameless self-promoter, he has already moved up from the role of UK marketing director to take on responsibility for group brand, and is doubtless eyeing Barclays' takeover talks with ABN Amro as a chance for further advancement.
45. MAURICE BREEN, MAGNERS - G
Magners' marketing director can take great credit for overseeing the launch of the cider, which breathed new life into a moribund sector in 2005, when it introduced the concept of serving the drink over ice. The brand's rise under Breen has continued unabated; in the year to the end of February, it posted an 85% jump in profits. Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, it must have been particularly gratifying for Breen to see rival Bulmers adopt a similar theme in its advertising.
46. CLARE SALMON, ROYAL & SUNALLIANCE - H
Following an abrupt departure from her role as marketing director at ITV late last year, it was never going to be long before Salmon's ambition led her to another big role. Sure enough, this month she resurfaced as group strategy, marketing and customer director at Royal & SunAlliance, with global responsibility for marketing. The role may suit the former AA marketer more than her post at ITV, where she seemed at odds with the laddish culture. Still a name, she is an influential figure in the industry.
47. DAVID PEMSEL, ITV - NEW
Former adman Pemsel clambered his way up to marketing director of ITV after the departure of Clare Salmon in a root-and-branch restructure that followed the surprise hiring of executive chairman Michael Grade.
Thoughtful and, compared with his predecessor, popular among colleagues, Pemsel has been responsible for commissioning a series of idents and bringing some coherence to the channel and audience-segmentation work carried out under Salmon. As part of the new broom sweeping through the corridors of 200 Grays Inn Road, Pemsel is riding high on industry goodwill generated by the departure of the old guard.
48. SIMON CLIFT, UNILEVER - G
As Unilever group vice-president for personal care, Clift has plenty to keep him busy. He directly oversees mega-brands such as Dove, Lynx, Sure and Sunsilk. In addition, as the company's global chief marketing officer, he manages agency selection, research and training and development for the company worldwide. Beyond life at the FMCG giant, he became a non-executive director of BBC Worldwide in November, and continues to find time to indulge his interest in Baroque music and jet off to his second home in Rio de Janeiro.
49. MARC SANDS, GUARDIAN NEWSPAPERS - G
Director of marketing Sands is well known in the industry for his love of football, characterised by his alarming propensity to turn every marketing proposition into an analogy related to the beautiful game. Still, his tactics seem to be working. In a depressed market, both The Guardian and The Observer have bucked the trend. In the past year the group hired Wieden & Kennedy to launch a brand campaign and its Guardian Unlimited website was relaunched. Sands has continued to drive the brand forward, not only with a sophisticated multimedia approach, but also a fine range of stickers, building on the cult status of its much-imitated posters.
50. LORRAINE TWOHILL, GOOGLE - H
Twohill's polyglot tendencies - she speaks five languages - will doubtless come in handy as Google continues its remorseless quest for world domination. It has been another phenomenally successful year for the search firm, with ad revenues expected to hit £900m during 2007. It remains unclear how much control European marketing director Twohill has over the brand's direction, given that its US headquarters calls the shots. However, the 35-year-old Irishwoman has ultimate responsibility for the marketing of all Google products in Europe, from consumer offerings to business services.
51. MIKE HOLLIDAY-WILLIAMS, MORE TH[S19]N - G
Holliday-Williams joined the Royal & SunAlliance-owned insurance brand in February last year as marketing director and has already been promoted to managing director, with continued responsibility for marketing. He is the man behind More Th>n's drive this year to prove that the brand does more for customers. This has included a tranche of initiatives such as the provision to all customers of a direct number and email address for a personal manager.
52. KEVIN PEAKE, NPOWER - H
There is no doubting Peake's energy and irrepressible spirit. As head of customer marketing at the utilities company, he appears to have made it his mission to be a thorn in the side of his British Gas counterpart Amanda Mackenzie through his innovative, and occasionally provocative, ad campaigns. In a stroke of genius, he even managed to hijack its rival's 80s brand icon, Sid, for use in future campaigns. But in the murky world of utilities pricing, where suppliers seem to rely on customer confusion as much as competitive positioning, Npower has found itself on the receiving end of criticism when it was accused of phoney price cuts by Energywatch. Nonetheless, Peake bounced back and, in a sign of Npower's growing sense of maturity, equipped the brand with the strapline 'Britain's brightest energy company'. Now that Npower has acquired scale, it is time for Peake to concentrate on building his own brand, rather than knocking rivals.
53. KATE SWANN, WH SMITH - G
Swann's strategy of getting WH Smith to stick to its core role as newsagent and stationer and retreat from the competitive entertainment market paid handsome personal dividends this year when she was the recipient of an eye-watering £3.5m annual bonus. It caused controversy, following as it did a decision to eject 1800 employees from the group's final-salary pension scheme. Swann, whose previous roles include chief executive of Homebase, became chief executive of WH Smith in 2003 after a successful stint at Argos. The decision to rediscover WH Smith's roots led to an increase in profits, albeit a modest one. However, following a deal with Royal Mail to open 70 Post Offices within its town-centre stores, watch out for further growth this year.
54. RICHARD TOLLEY, DAIRY CREST - NEW
Dairy Crest's transformation from a commodity-led business to builder of brands such as Country Life has largely been down to its diligent marketing director, whose long-term strategy is now producing real results. Milk drink Frijj experienced a year-on-year value sales increase of 6.9% in the year to 7 October 2006, according to ACNielsen, while Cathedral City grew by 24% over the same period. A self-confessed addict of ITV police drama The Bill, Tolley is now viewed as a key part of the Dairy Crest management team. In November, he played a significant role in the company's purchase of French spread St Hubert, the company biggest acquisition to date.
55. SUZANNE DOUGLAS, HEINZ - NEW
Since arriving in the UK last summer from Heinz Australia, Douglas has proved she is a multi-tasker to be reckoned with. First came a shake-up of the Big Soup strategy, which focused on young people's desire for a healthy alternative to fast food and repositioned the product as a 'hunger-buster'. With young people in mind again, Douglas launched the Big Eat ambient food range to compete against Pot Noodle. There have also been campaigns for Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Salad Cream, and Douglas has completed a review of Heinz £12m ad business. Not bad for less than a year as chief marketing officer.
56. CHRISTOPHER GRAHAM, ASA - G
Choirboy-turned-journalist-turned-ad-industry gumshoe, Graham has seen his remit as director-general grow this year, and with it the pressure, following new restrictions on advertising foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar. However, some of the rules are open to interpretation, and as the ASA faces growing calls to impose its authority on new and emerging media and take a firmer grip on alcohol ads, Graham may find the ASA's annual postbag of complaints grows markedly from its current level of 26,000. Fortunately, it's likely that the former Liberal councillor, who stood for, but lost, two parliamentary elections, is likely to take it all in his stride.
57. SALLY COWDRY, O2 - NEW
As O2's marketing director, Cowdry is the most senior marketer at the mobile network, having stepped into the shoes of Russ Shaw a year ago. From her office in Slough (don't mention The Office), she oversees brand strategy and customer experience across the business. When not pushing her body to the limit - hobbies include hiking, cycling and running - the former Heathrow Express marketer has spent her first year perfecting a strategy that offers existing customers the same deals as new ones. Her devotion to 'ruthless execution' will be crucial for O2 in the coming year, as it finally rolls out its broadband service following a number of delays.
58. NEIL CAMPBELL, WALKERS - H
After years in Martin Glenn's shadow, Campbell is starting to make his mark on the Walkers brand. Now its chief executive, he oversaw an overhaul of the ingredients and design of Walkers crisps last year. Having joined PepsiCo as a junior, Campbell has steadily risen up the ranks, mostly in marketing roles at Walkers, but also with a spell for Smiths Food Group in Holland, where he led a marketing team as part of its board in 1996. A frequent speaker at Marketing Society conferences, his influence in the industry is growing.
59. TESS ALPS, THINKBOX - H
Any illusion Alps may have had that running commercial TV's marketing body would be an easy ride will quickly have been dispelled by the departure of founding member IDS in a row over funding and voting rights. Despite the problems of achieving consensus among this nest of vipers, chief executive Alps has managed to secure a considerable funding warchest. The result was the 'Thinkbox Experience: The Third Age of Television' conference early this year. Reviews were mixed, but the event showed Thinkbox was doing something. The challenge for the ever-ebullient Alps is to take the message from beyond the cosy, familiar confines of adland and make a greater impression among advertisers, the ultimate bill-payers.
60. SARA WELLER, ARGOS - E
Weller started out at Mars on the same day as Sainsbury's chief Justin King, and, like her peer, has made it to the top of the retail tree. It has been a big year for the managing director of Argos. The GUS group demerged its retail arm, comprising Argos and DIY chain Homebase, from credit giant Experian, placing it under the spotlight once more. Annual profits were up 12% to £376.7m, but the group has rightly voiced caution about the year ahead. The landscape of kettles and duvet covers is set to morph into a bloody battleground with the advent of catalogue offering Tesco Direct. This will leave plenty for Weller to consider, as her chauffeur (a perk she requested when taking the job) ferries her from Argos' Milton Keynes base to her Basingstoke home.
61. MICHELE OLIVER, MASTERFOODS UK - NEW
In January, Oliver stepped into the role of UK snackfood marketing director at Masterfoods, wielding a £100m budget for brands such as Maltesers and Twix. A company stalwart of 12 years, having joined Mars as a graduate, there's no doubting her love for chocolate - in her time with the firm she has developed a European strategy for M&Ms, overhauled the Galaxy brand and overseen Maltesers' 'The lighter way to enjoy chocolate' activity.
62. HAMISH PRINGLE, IPA - G
Under Pringle, the IPA has continued to cement its position as adland's premier trade body. One of the most vociferous opponents of Ofcom's proposals for food advertising regulations, it was quick to point out some of the absurdities of the Food Standards Agency's nutrient profiling model. The IPA, which now positions itself as a cross-discipline organisation rather than a club for creatives, issued a stark New Year's warning to agencies that they had to adapt or die. An old-school adman, Pringle worked in advertising for 25 years before becoming the IPA's director-general in 2001.
63. PETER WOOD, ESURE/SHEILAS' WHEELS - NEW
The larger-than-life Wood is behind some of the most irritating, and effective, ads of recent times. First there were the ads for Esure starring his old friend Michael Winner, a campaign so successful it was recently revived after an 18-month break. And Wood has struck gold again with Sheilas' Wheels, of which he is chairman and marketing director. The multimillion-pound campaign's singing 'Sheilas' have struck a chord with the nation's female drivers.
64. PAUL PHILPOTT, KIA - H
Philpott remains a name in the industry despite swapping Toyota, where he was commercial director, for the role of managing director at Kia. Philpott knows he has a challenge on his hands - Kia's sales have stagnated in recent years and he has already announced plans to revive them with the new cee'd model. He falls down the list after relinquishing his role on ISBA's executive committee.
65. RICHARD BAKER, ALLIANCE BOOTS - G
If you see the Boots chief executive at the bar, tell him it's his round. Baker stands to make £6.5m out of his share options if the planned private-equity takeover of the pharmaceuticals chain goes through. That deal completes a busy year for the high-flyer, who, like Sainsbury's Justin King, made his name at Mars and then Asda. He has guided Boots through the merger with Alliance to create one of Europe's biggest pharmaceutical retail groups. Despite pressure from the supermarkets, Boots has done well on the high street: in its last full-year results the company announced a 1.6% rise in like-for-like sales.
66. PHIL CHAPMAN, T-MOBILE - NEW
Since arriving two years ago as marketing director, Chapman has spearheaded a fresh vision for the brand and business, driving innovations including Mates Rates, U-Fix and Street Check, a brave initiative that allows potential customers to check signal strength in specific locations. Flext, a flexible tariff, caught consumers' imagination, with 1.3m signing up within 11 months against an annual target of 300,000. Chapman, who spent 23 years at Unilever, has also overseen an integrated communications drive spanning TV, online and events. He has been rewarded for his achievements with additional responsibility for T-Mobile's brands across Europe.
67. PHILIP HANSON, HBOS - G
Despite pushing Halifax branch staff to participate in X-Factor-style auditions for a role in the bank's ads, the modest Hanson hates the spotlight and avoids events where schmoozing may be required. Now director of marketing and e-commerce across the HBOS group, he has helped create an accessible brand. Hanson's success is doubtless due in part to skills acquired during his time as an FMCG marketer; he previously worked for Rowntree, Johnnie Walker, Pizza Hut and KFC. Most recently, he has turned his attention to the digital arena with a website overhaul intended to encourage more customers to manage their accounts online. Hanson will be key to Halifax's evolution from a mortgage and savings specialist to a full-service bank.
68. RICHARD REED, INNOCENT - H
Innocent came in for some rare flak recently for participating in a trial of its smoothies in branches of McDonald's. Not that the row will ruffle Reed, who now wallows in his reputation as one of Britain's hottest entrepreneurs. The McDonald's incident aside, it has been another impressive year for the brand, which Reed famously founded in 1999 with two friends. Sales rose 140% in 2006. Recently it revamped its water brand as This Water, and plans to take it into the functional drinks market. The company has also ditched its London Fruitstock festival - it became too big - in favour of a series of nationwide village fetes. It's a far cry from Two Men Went to Mow, the gardening business Reed started as a schoolboy, but at least he has something to fall back on if the bottom falls out of the smoothie market.
69. MARTIN JONES, AAR - G
It has been a very successful year for the AAR in a slow new-business market; the search and selection specialist has handled pitches for clients including Yakult, The Body Shop and IKEA. Much of the credit must go to Jones, its director of advertising, who has cemented his role as the first person many marketers think of when considering hiring an agency. Thoughtful and analytical, Jones is also happy to build his profile as an industry pundit.
70. CHRIS PILLING, FIRST DIRECT - NEW
Busybody Pilling - his adjective, not ours - is still in his first year at the direct bank, and his energy is much-needed. The brand has been criticised for introducing charges for some customer accounts, and the former Asda marketing director needs to ensure that the hard work of the past 18 years is not undone. Highly driven and competitive (colleagues say he marches even when crossing the car park), Pilling spends his time away from work hiking near his Yorkshire home. Such is his love of the outdoors that he is a voluntary non-executive director of the Yorkshire Tourist Board.
71. HOWARD BEVERIDGE, PREMIER FOODS - NEW
Premier Foods' 46-year-old commercial director, who was once dubbed 'My Byrite' for his dress sense, is responsible for £800m-worth of business across five units, including brands such as OXO, Bisto, Ambrosia, Sharwood's, Loyd Grossman, Branston and Hartleys - and as the company's acquisition spree continues, this number is likely to rise further. Last year it snapped up Campbell's UK and Irish business, and pounced on rival RHM, home to Hovis and Mr Kipling. Beveridge, one of two commercial directors at Premier, joined in 2002 as group marketing director. With experience at Cadbury Schweppes and United Biscuits, he has the background to make the most of these acquisitions.
72. CRAIG INGLIS, VIRGIN TRAINS - NEW
Inglis has played a significant part in reversing consumer perceptions of the Virgin Trains brand, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. The successful 'Return of the train' campaign in 2005 has been followed by savvy communications consolidating its position as a progressive train operator offering a comfortable mode of travel.
At the company since 1997, Inglis has worked his way up the ranks to sales and marketing director. Nobody can say he isn't devoted to his job - he once spent a night washing a train ahead of an ad shoot because he felt it had not been cleaned well enough.
Inglis this year tried to leverage public concern over carbon emissions by initiating a multimedia advertising campaign promoting train travel as an environmentally friendly alternative to flying.
73. MARK HORGAN, 118 118 - H
A classically trained marketer, the Glaswegian served his apprenticeship at Nestle Rowntree before moving on to Mars and MFI, arriving at directory enquiries company 118 118, where he is chief executive, in August 2005. The former physicist, who claims to pick up management tips while coaching his son's football team in Marlow, is unlikely to rock the boat as he finds fresh ways to deploy the moustachioed runners who popularised 118 118.
74. NIGEL GILBERT, LLOYDS TSB - NEW
After less than a year as group marketing director, Gilbert has already made his mark on Lloyds TSB. He introduced a new ad strategy, 'For the journey', to reinvigorate the brand, and completed the group's deal to become official banking partner of the London 2012 Olympics. Having moved halfway around the world to take up the job - he previously led Lowe's Asia-Pacific business - Gilbert is relishing the task of turning the bank into a self-confident, straightforward and transparent organisation. Given current consumer distrust in the banking industry, he will need to be in this for the long run.
75. JENNELLE TILLING, KFC - NEW
Since being appointed vice-president of marketing in 2005, Tilling has played a crucial role in driving KFC's turnaround. An Australian who previously worked for KFC's parent company, Yum Brands, in her home country, Tilling has rung the changes at the fast-food giant, re-engineering the menu and marketing to good effect: in April 2006, KFC began to experience sustained growth for the first time since 2003. That it did so against aggressive entrants such as Subway and a resurgent McDonald's makes Tilling's achievement all the more remarkable.
76. LORD MICHAEL HESELTINE, CIM - G
It has been 50 years since our boss co-founded Haymarket Publishing, but neither the company nor the man show any sign of losing momentum. When not securing the future of the biggest privately-owned publisher, Lord Heseltine waded in to the dispute over the distribution of magazines and newspapers, prompting the Office of Fair Trading to rethink its position.
As president of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, his steady presence will have come as a relief to the training and standards body as its revolving doors continued to spin, with the departure of another chief executive and the vice-chairman of its international board of trustees.
In his spare time, he has maintained his public profile with TV appearances in programmes about politics and trees.
77. PAUL DICKINSON, VIRGIN ATLANTIC - NEW
Dickinson has had no shortage of laughs at British Airways' expense recently, as his arch-rival suffers from an investigation into alleged price-fixing of fuel surcharges. Such public problems have brightened up Dickinson's first few months as Virgin Atlantic's sales and marketing director.
Previously responsible for sales and customer service, he added marketing to his remit after former marketing director Alison Copus moved on last November. Dickinson has been at the airline since 2001; he was previously sales and marketing director at RAC.
78. MELANIE LEECH, FDF - NEW
It has been a crunch year for the Food and Drink Federation, which represents the big food and drink manufacturers, and for Leech, its director-general. As the consultation over broadcast advertising neared its denouement, the FDF was a major player in developing the industry's alternative to Ofcom's suggestions. Not that it did any good, as the regulator's proposals proved far more harsh than expected.
Leech, who joined the FDF in 2005 after a career in the civil service, is described by those who know her as 'like an enthusiastic science teacher'. Having vowed to keep presenting the industry's point of view, earlier this year the FDF launched an ad campaign promoting the guideline daily amount nutrient profiling favoured by manufacturers.
79. PHIL RUMBOL, CADBURY - H
Spending much of his career in the alcohol market has stood Rumbol in good stead for a turbulent year at Cadbury. The marketing director has had to contend with a salmonella contamination and accusations of racism in the TV launch campaign for its Trident chewing-gum brand. Rumbol used to be a frequent industry speaker, but has kept his own counsel in the past year. He also had to contend with new rules on advertising to children and took the pre-emptive step of ending Cadbury's long-standing sponsorship of Coronation Street.
80. POLLY COCHRANE, CHANNEL 4 - NEW
Cochrane's efforts are often overshadowed by those of her boss, Andy Duncan, but C4's well-liked director of marketing has had a strong year. The highlight was the campaign launching Film4 on Freeview, featuring stars such as Ewan McGregor and Dame Judi Dench. The first night was the most successful UK digital channel launch ever, with 804,000 people tuning in to watch Lost in Translation. Cochrane has been at C4 since 1998. Her earlier career included stints at Five and Guardian Newspapers.
81. DEVIN KELLY, INBEV - G
Kelly is proving a more than worthy successor to Phil Rumbol, whom he replaced as InBev's UK marketing director last year - Beck's sales rose 41% in the year to 7 October 2006, and Kelly recently secured InBev's exclusive pouring rights to The O2 arena. He has extensive experience in the European alcohol market, moving to InBev's headquarters in 2003 as global director of new brands before becoming global director for Brahma and Stella Artois. He joined InBev (then Interbrew) in 1997 at Labatt USA, where he held posts as director of marketing for Canadian brands and director of innovation.
82. MARK OVENDEN, FORD - G
Military-history enthusiast Ovenden is currently planning what is probably his biggest task since taking over as director of marketing in early-2006. The fate of the redesigned Mondeo will not make or break Ford, but it is a hugely important launch for one of the marque's flagship models. This year also sees the extension of Ford's 'Feel the difference' campaign, which aims to give the brand a lighter touch.
83. MIKE HOBAN, SCOTTISH WIDOWS - G
Never backward in coming forward, Hoban is well into his self-appointed task of turning Scottish Widows from the thorn in Lloyds TSB's side to the jewel in its crown. With a dramatic increase in marketing spend this year, Hoban's mission is to remind consumers that Scottish Widows sells more than pensions and life products. Outside work, his passion is politics. Hoban has contested elections for the Liberal Democrats, losing in both 1992 and 1997. No doubt he hopes to have more success with financial-services customers than he did with voters.
84. JO KENRICK, B&Q - G
When Kenrick was regional head of marketing at Asda, she made a point of buying all her clothes and food from the store. Presumably her position at B&Q, where she moved in 2005 after a stint at Camelot, has enabled her to relax this position. Now her grand design is to bring the DIY giant back to the fore and arrest a tricky decline in sales. As marketing and customer proposition director, Kenrick's main aim is to make the store more attractive to women and shift its focus away from hardcore DIYers toward design-led consumers who want to pay someone else to do the work.
85. DAWN PAINE, NINTENDO - NEW
Not since Mario battled Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog for global video-game dominance in the early-90s has Nintendo had it so good. The Japanese games company has enjoyed a renaissance thanks to the success of its handheld DS console and the innovative Wii. Known as a hard taskmaster, UK marketing director Paine has overseen the launch and promotion of both consoles, allowing Nintendo to capitalise on Sony's sluggish roll-out of the PlayStation 3. A lifelong gamer, Paine has been well placed to help Nintendo tap the potentially lucrative female gaming market, although that hasn't stopped Nintendo's Japanese HQ involving itself in UK campaigns.
86. ALAN DUNCAN, SONY COMPUTER ENT UK - NEW
After the protracted and problematic launch of the PlayStation 3, selling the highly anticipated games console has been harder work than it should have been. All eyes will be on the UK director of marketing as Sony looks for improvement. Duncan himself has had to bounce back from the revelation last year that he had ordered Sony goods from an online games retailer that was sued by Sony for illegally exporting its products to the UK from Asia.
87. DAVID RENNIE, NESTLE - NEW
As marketing director at Nestle Rowntree, Rennie has brands including Kit Kat and Smarties under his jurisdiction. The Scotsman joined the confectioner nearly two years ago, having previously worked on detergents at Procter & Gamble. After a period of turmoil at the company, the past year has been somewhat quieter. Rennie's biggest achievement over the past year has been the launch of 'connoisseur' chocolate brand Heaven.
88. SIMON FULLER, 19 ENTERTAINMENT - NEW
Pop svengali, TV producer and friend-to-the-stars Fuller has truly entered the marketing fold by moving into sponsorship. The 47-year-old was behind Honda F1's revolutionary 'My earth dream' sponsorship model, which asks brands and individuals to pledge money to an environmental cause of their choice in exchange for a pixel forming a map of the world on the Honda F1 cars' livery.
The charismatic Fuller is best known as the founder of 19 Entertainment, manager of the Spice Girls and S Club 7, and creator of the Pop Idol TV show format. He is also credited with engineering David Beckham's move from Real Madrid to US Major League Soccer team LA Galaxy, as well as the football star's subsequent deal with Walt Disney.
89. GREG NUGENT, EUROSTAR - NEW
Never one to shun publicity, Nugent will doubtless be pleased to make his debut in this year's Power 100. Eurostar's marketing director made the review of its £10m creative account the talk of adland by shortlisting a digital agency, glue London, although he eventually plumped for Fallon. Now that the wining and dining of the review is over, it's time to knuckle down and promote Eurostar's move from Waterloo to St Pancras. His success in this area will be the acid test of his efficacy in the role.
90. FORD ENNALS, DIGITAL UK - H
This October, residents of the Cumbrian fishing port of Whitehaven will be unlikely pioneers in British broadcasting: the area will be the first to have its analogue TV signal turned off. You can bet Ennals will have his fingers crossed when the engineers hit the switch: ultimately, he is responsible for ensuring none of the screens in Whitehaven - not to mention the rest of the UK as the switchover progresses - go blank. The Treasury estimates that it will make up to £1.5bn from the switchover process; Ennals has been allocated a £200m budget to sell the concept to consumers through one of the biggest public-information campaigns ever attempted, thrusting him into the spotlight of government policy and giving him access to the top echelons of broadcasting.
91. HUGH BURKITT, THE MARKETING SOCIETY - G
The Marketing Society continues to provide some of the best networking opportunities in the business, but under the stewardship of chief executive Burkitt, it is taking itself and the wider contribution of marketing to company balance sheets far more seriously. The Society's new target audience is as likely to be found in the Square Mile as in Soho, and it is attempting to build its awards into an industry gold standard - last year Burkitt co-authored a book of case studies based on them. Proving he still has a good eye for a crowd-puller, Burkitt has lured speakers such as Roisin Donnelly, Steven Sharp and Andy Duncan for recent events, helping raise its profile.
92. MIKE HUGHES, ISBA - NEW
After a protracted handover period, Hughes took over from Malcolm Earnshaw as director-general of the UK advertisers' trade body in April. He certainly knows a thing or two about the marketing industry. As UK marketing director of Coca-Cola in the 80s he launched Diet Coke in this country, then, as worldwide marketing director of Guinness, he oversaw the 'Pure genius' campaign. Early signs are that, having spent the past few years at new media companies, the 56-year-old Lancastrian will seek to boost ISBA's role in the digital space.
93. LEE DALEY, MANCHESTER UNITED FC - NEW
Daley moved from Saatchi & Saatchi, where he was chief executive and chairman, to take the role of global commercial director at Manchester United in March, just as the team began to regain its old authority on the pitch. He certainly has a challenge on his hands - sitting on the United board alongside five members of the Glazer family, he will work toward their goal of raising revenues by 51% to an annual £245m by 2010. Daley has set his sights on giving fans who 'may never set foot inside Old Trafford the chance to experience being a Manchester United fan'. As a lifelong supporter of the club who grew up on the other side of the country - in Grimsby, to be precise - he's in a position to empathise.
94. ANTHONY NEWMAN, CANCER RESEARCH UK - NEW
One of direct marketing's brightest young practitioners, Newman has been widely credited with bringing a softer touch to the congested charity direct marketing sector and moving it away from scare tactics. Recently named the charity's director of supporter relationship management, he has helped Cancer Research UK stand out from the crowd and become one of the most trusted charity brands. Holding the purse strings to the biggest charity direct budget in the UK, an estimated £20m a year, Newman recently oversaw CRUK's positive 'Lives back' campaign, focusing on cancer survivors.
95. PIPPA DUNN, ORANGE - NEW
Dunn has spent the past four years climbing the corporate ladder at Orange in a variety of marketing roles. In January her perseverance paid off as she was promoted from brand marketing director to director of pay-as-you-go, taking charge of two-thirds of Orange's customer base in the process. The former NTL and Coca-Cola marketer is having a busy time in the new role - until Orange appoints a new marketing boss, she will continue to oversee her old patch.
96. TIM AMBLER, LONDON BUSINESS SCHOOL - H
Ambler's remarkable CV includes a stint of national service in Malaya 'during the terrorist period' - doubtless an excellent preparation for a career in marketing (with International Distillers & Vintners) then academia. At 69, he could be forgiven for wanting to put the world of business behind him for a quiet retirement in his Norfolk home, but Ambler shows no sign of giving up his role as the UK's leading marketing academic. Senior fellow at London Business School since 1991, he is passionate about measuring the effectiveness of marketing.
97. ROD MCLEOD, VOLKSWAGEN - NEW
McLeod is Volkswagen through and through - he has spent the past 11 years at the company, rising to head of marketing two years ago. That role puts him in charge of all the marque's communications work, its UK website, product marketing and pricing, and a budget of more than £60m. The past 12 months have been good for him, as the brand hit a record share of 8.1%.
98. TIM WILLIAMSON, FIRST CHOICE - G
Williamson had a lot to deal with in his first year as First Choice's marketing director, and another gruelling year lies ahead. The travel firm is merging with TUI, and while both companies plan to retain their brand names, it is unclear whether both Williamson and Thomson marketing chief Andrew Rayner will continue at the firm. In his favour, Williamson can point to First Choice's fast-growing specialist travel businesses, one of the few areas in the market experiencing growth. As a result, his team is known as one of the best in the travel industry.
99. SIMON THOMPSON, LASTMINUTE.COM - H
In March, Thompson stepped down as Motorola's regional marketing director for Europe after just a year. His decision in March to turn his back on the world's second-biggest mobile phone manufacturer in favour of lastminute.com as European group marketing director came as a surprise to many. Despite barely getting his feet under the table at Motorola, Thompson nonetheless managed to overhaul the company's marketing strategy to coincide with the unveiling of its RIZR Z8 handset in April. Thompson's role at lastminute.com is undoubtedly a significant one, but the former Honda marketing boss now has a much smaller marketing budget to play with.
100. AL GORE - NEW
In February, 900 tickets for a public speech by Gore at the University of Toronto went on sale. Three minutes and 23,000 hits later, the website selling them crashed as they sold out. Such has been Gore's transformation from defrauded presidential wannabe to green superstar.
A committed environmentalist for many years, Gore's evangelism has become more glitzy. First there was his slideshow, then the Oscar-winning documentary An Inconvenient Truth. In February came an appearance with Richard Branson to unveil an international competition offering a $25m (£12.7m) prize to the first individual or organisation to come up with a viable method of removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Next is the Live Earth concerts around the world on 7 July.
Some of the biggest names in marketing have been converted as a result of his work. Stuart Rose has cited Gore as the inspiration for M&S' ethical makeover (he read the book version of An Inconvenient Truth on holiday last summer, came back and made the chain's top brass watch the film). Others will no doubt be converted by the groundswell of consumer opinion of which he is the figurehead. If green is this year's big theme in business, Gore can take much of the credit.
FACT FILE ... AND THOSE WHO DIDN'T MAKE IT
Every year we have to discount some big names who, for one reason or another, did not make the cut.
David Patton was a dead cert for inclusion after a storming year as Sony's senior vice-president of communications, but all that changed with his move agency-side to become chief executive of Grey London. Instead of wielding power, he will now be courting it.
Last year's top 10 included Tessa Jowell, secretary of state for culture, media and sport. While there's no doubting the power over marketing that the post entails, it is far from clear whether she will still be wielding it once Gordon Brown is prime minister.
Other big names that have dropped out are Stephen Carter, who left his post at the head of Ofcom, and Tesco's Tim Mason, whose role in the US means his UK influence has waned. Similarly, the role of Keith Weed at Unilever now lacks a UK focus.
Stelios Haji-Ioannou has also been dropped after an uncharacteristically quiet year for the entrepreneur and his easyGroup.
Among recent appointments, it is too soon to assess the impact of Katherine Whitton, who succeeded Jayne O'Brien as general manager, marketing communications, at British Airways, and Tom Gardner, who took over from Jeff Dodds as marketing director at Honda.
Car marketers have become few and far between in the Power 100, largely because the work is led from abroad. However, Emmanuel Bouvier at Renault only just missed the cut.