Liam Wood
Founder, enviro-lights.co.uk
Liam is a great example of a digital entrepreneur. He mastered search marketing and helped his brother Nathan build a hugely successful business, dustbag.co.uk, selling vacuum bags online. Spotting a gap in the market during the downturn, Liam has just conceived, designed and launched enviro-lights.co.uk, which aims to tap into the international green energy market online. But most impressive is Liam's additional work to help other small businesses understand e-commerce and online marketing. Managing more than £1 million in search marketing spend, he's definitely one to watch.
By Matt Brittin, managing director, Google UK
Lars and Jens Rasmussen
Software developers, Google
These two Google engineers took a look at email and weren't happy. Google Wave brings collaboration and conversation together, and enables a new way not just of communicating, but of working together. If Lars and Jens achieve their stated aim of creating the replacement for email (now nearly 40 years old), they'll prove that the true power of the internet is its ability to bring people together. Google Wave is a visionary leap, a different way of looking at a problem. As such, Lars and Jens could end up fundamentally changing the way we talk to each other online.
By Andrew Walmsley, founder, i-level
Daniel Ek
Founder and chief executive, Spotify
A Swedish friend of mine told me last year that his chief technology officer had left to launch a new music service. He had seen a beta version of it, and it was going to be brilliant. I thought nothing of it until I downloaded Spotify a few months later, and found myself instantly smitten with it. Daniel was my friend's CTO. He is astonishingly young (25), and this is his second start-up. Will Spotify work financially? Who knows, but in their first year, Daniel and Spotify have changed the way we see online music.
By Simon Waldman, director of digital strategy and development, Guardian Media Group
Rishi Saha
Head of new media, The Conservative Party
Rishi has worked for the Conservative Party for five years and, as head of new media, his role is now reaching fever pitch. Barack Obama's presidential campaign has provided great strategic insight for all brands, not just political parties. How will Rishi adapt these learnings for the Tories? Can he mobilise followers in ways and numbers not before seen in the UK to spread the party message? His challenge is great: to build a digital strategy to rival that of Obama and create campaigns ‘for the people, with the people and by the people'.
By Juliet Blackburn, business director, AAR
Sean Cornwell
international Vice-president, eHarmony
Sean oversees the global roll-out of eHarmony, the US dating phenomenon responsible for 3 per cent of US marriages. The ex-Google marketer is super-bright and has an analytical and creative approach to business. Sean is set to disrupt and transform an already sophisticated digital dating market, bringing a fresh alternative to those seeking a serious relationship via detailed online profiling and matching. Sean is a trusted business partner and, with the support of his board, is set to roll out a compelling UK customer proposition.
By Nancy Cruickshank, executive director, digital development, Telegraph Media Group
Stephen Haines
UK head, Facebook
Facebook is still the business everyone is watching; the challenge now is to make money. Probably the key market outside of the US is the UK, and the responsibility for delivering much of that revenue will now fall on Stephen following his recent promotion. No doubt he has plenty of plans to attract advertisers to Facebook. Stephen knows the agency world inside out after long stints at Yahoo! and Viacom Outdoor. He is the ideal person to make sure that Facebook revenues live up to the hype.
By Rob Horler, managing director, Carat
Greg Deocampo
Founder, The Company of Science & Art
Greg is an artist, engineer, and serial entrepreneur. He is the founder of The Company of Science & Art, creator of Adobe AfterEffects, and a member of the ‘performance art rock band' Emergency Broadcast Network. Greg started his career at iFilm (acquired by MTV in 2005), where he helped to usher in the age of online video. Coca-Cola happily runs campaigns in the UK and elsewhere using the technology developed by Greg, who, in his spare time, advocates Linux-style science and technology for the creation of free, personal vaccines. Open-source vaccines for the world - what a hobby!
By Stafford Green, director of digital marketing, Coca-Cola Europe
Mark Rock
Founder, best before media/ audioboo
Mark's company, Best Before Media, has developed audio and video tools for the next generation of broadcasting (its ‘Rock' technology recently allowed Channel 4 to broadcast live using only a MacBook). Mark's brainchild, AudioBoo, is an app that lets you record and publish audio that can be tagged with an image and your location on a Google Map. ‘Boos', as they are known, can be subscribed to via iTunes or Google Reader, and their links cross-posted to Twitter. Stephen Fry and Tony Blackburn use AudioBoo.
By Rebecca Miskin, general manager, iVillage.co.uk
Paul Cook
Chief executive, Positive Feedback
Trying to do anything innovative in the online tracking sector is always going to be difficult. The competition, including Google, Microsoft and Omniture, is formidable. Many new ventures have fallen at the first hurdle and few have managed to establish themselves. What Paul has done with his Tagman product is phenomenal, especially when you see what he is up against. Finally things are looking like they are set to take off. His tracking solution offers something different, and Paul and his company are sure to become big news.
By Matt Simpson, group head of digital, OMD
Julian Howkins
Digital brand manager, Nike
Julian embodies Nike's spirit of challenging convention and setting new standards. With this he brings an instinctive understanding of the potential for digital channels to provide true innovation. In Nike PHOTOiD, Julian recognised the potential to capture the audience's imagination, build the brand and lead the category of customisation, taking it to a new level. Julian is always prepared to go the extra mile to deliver innovation and inspiration.
By Ajaz Ahmed, co-founder and chairman, AKQA
Mark Earls
Author, Herd
Mark thinks differently. Most will know him as author of Herd, a book he confesses was borne out of frustration with all our attempts, including advertising and marketing, to influence mass behaviour (Mark is a recovering ad man, having been a planner at St Lukes and Ogilvy). In the book Mark offers a new theory of consumer behaviour, arguing we are driven less by independent thought than we would like to believe, and more by peer influence. Herd provides insight into the future of marketing and lays down a fantastic framework for understanding the rapid influence of social media.
By Daniele Fiandace, European chief executive, Profero
Brian O'Kelley
Chief executive, AppNexus
While Brian is based in the US, he increasingly spends more time in Europe and is the hottest thing in the ad exchange market. Brian was central to the development of the Right Media platform - the only true exchange out there right now. With AppNexus he is building an interface through which multiple exchange relationships can be managed. Brian is pioneering systems that will lead us to a place where both non-premium and premium ad inventory are automated. The platform of the future will allow data and media to be unbundled so the value of display advertising can be realised.
By Paul Frampton, managing director, MPG and Media Contacts
Michael Smith
Director of interactive services, COI
The government's communications arm is committed to using all media channels to reach its varied audiences, and online now features more heavily than ever before in its plans. Whether it's a campaign to recruit for the Royal Marines or arrest the effects of swine flu, Michael has been progressive in his use of media. He is an IAB member and the only marketer to sit on our Mobile Steering Group. Such a solid grasp of the importance of digital media is what will make Michael one of the most significant players in the industry over the next few years.
By Guy Phillipson, chief executive, IAB
Jonathan Baron
Founder, nootrool.com
Jonathan has been in the UK internet industry for 10 years, having been head of agency sales for MSN UK before going on to lead the company's Asian ad team. He recently launched nootrool.com, which aims to offset CO2 emissions with
the revenues generated by users' search and online behaviour. The site captures the zeitgeist as we all become more aware of our impact on the environment, and using the power of search to redress the balance is something I believe many internet users will embrace.
By Dominic Trigg, vice-president, sales and marketing, TradeDoubler Group
Tim Malbon
Founder, Made by Many
I met Tim when his team partnered Bartle Bogle Hegarty on a social media project we were creating for British Airways. The success of that project led us to offer the fledgling company a home for as long as it wanted in our offices. Our agency has learned so much from them and they have probably learned from us, too. It's a good example of the need to collaborate with other people and companies. Tim is disruptive and challenging but always in a positive and encouraging fashion. Made by Many's clients include Lovefilm, Handbag.com, Amnesty International UK and Burberry.
By Rosie Arnold, deputy executive creative director, Bartle Bogle Hegarty
Mark Beeching
Chief creative officer, Digitas Worldwide
Mark is at the forefront of creativity and digital innovation. He is leading the evolution of video content by helping shape emerging models of digital creation and distribution. Mark will tell you he feels ‘relieved and lucky' that the unplanned messiness of his career has equipped him so well for these times of rapid evolution in media and marketing. His vision for change, leadership and influence have helped produce award-winning campaigns that unleash the powerful interaction of brands and people.
By David Kenny, managing partner, Vivaki
Paul Miller
Chief executive, School of Everything
The site Paul co-founded helps people who want to learn meet people who want to teach. He has a digital vision of the future of education and how we should get there. School of Everything is a great combination of renowned web businesses, incorporating global community and a place to foster niche interest, mixed in with mentors from the past and surprise finds from the web. You could argue that Paul is already a high-profile business leader, but his ideas may well go some way to redefining education as we know it.
By Michael Steckler, UK managing director, Platform-A
Simon Calver
Chief executive, Lovefilm
Simon is the extremely experienced and dynamic chief executive of Lovefilm, the second fastest-growing private tech firm in the UK. One which penetrates thousands of homes all over Britain, Germany and Scandinavia and which is responsible for sending out more than four million DVDs every month. Lovefilm is fast turning into the biggest multi-media entertain-ment business in the UK and has the potential to continue its rapid growth as it consolidates its position and looks to expand.
By Danny Rimer, general partner, Index Ventures
Rob Horler
Managing director, Carat
Rob has been something of a visionary in the digital media industry, turning a fledgling business into a key digital brand and a significant part of the Aegis Group. His recent appointment as managing director of Carat UK is the first demonstration of a leading ‘digital' figure to head up a major traditional agency. Many agency groups have mooted the idea of putting digital at the centre of their business, yet I am confident that Rob will prove how digital should play a pivotal role for Carat.
By Chris Ward, commercial director, Microsoft
Lauren Luke
Founder, bylaurenluke.com
This 27-year-old from Tyneside is already a global celebrity thanks to her make-up tutorials posted on YouTube. Impressively, her videos have attracted more than 40 million views and she is one of the most subscribed-to YouTube users in the UK. She has landed an editorial role at The Guardian and recently launched her official website, where she is selling her own make-up. Lauren has also signed a contract to be featured as an avatar in a Nintendo DS game, has a book due out at Christmas and a string of potential deals with retail brands. And what's more, she is a really
nice person.
By Lee Wright, managing director, Dare
Raj Anand
Founder, Kwiqq
Kwiqq is a specialist agency developing online communities for brands, and Raj is a real entrepreneur - engaged, interested and energetic. He started Kwiqq when he was 23 and has a degree in artificial intelligence. Social media is one of
the defining issues in marketing, and the industry needs people who understand what it's all
about. It's not just building a site or a profile, it's about understanding networks and conversations online, and that's something Raj and Kwiqq are
on top of.
By Arjo Ghosh, chief executive, iCrossing
Jacqueline Crocker
Head of online, Forevermark
Jacqueline has taken her UK big-brand experience from BSkyB and BT, where she was a key player
in their online success, to DeBeers brand Forevermark. Within eight months of joining in February 2008 she had launched a digital brand from scratch, serving consumer and business audiences in China, Hong Kong and Japan. Business success is increasingly about speed to deliver, and Forevermark's framework has been set up in multiple markets faster than many companies establish their UK presence. The results of Jacqueline's work will be an indicator
of the opportunity for UK digital talent and businesses in the East.
By Scott Gallacher, digital advisor, Accelerated 360
Babs Rangaiah
Global communications planning director, Unilever
Babs has a key role at one of the most influential advertisers in the world. Over the past 10 years, digital media and FMCG brands haven't made the greatest of bedfellows. At Unilever, Babs is taking digital by the scruff of the neck and championing its consideration at the right point in the campaign development process among brand teams and media planners. Not for the hell of it, not because digital is the talk of the town, but because for some brands it represents the best way of talking to people.
By Tom Bazeley, managing partner, Lean Mean Fighting Machine
Katie Lee
Co-founder, Shiny Media
Katie Lee founded the first gadgets website written for and by women, followed by the UK's biggest blog publishing company, Shiny Media, which has a growing network of more than 3.5 million unique users a month. She will continue to be influential with her latest venture, Miramus, a web content production company. Katie's background as a journalist means that she recognises the value of good content and her
in-depth understanding of the internet enables her to demonstrate to brands how to use social tools to communicate their messages and to help bloggers and editors commercialise their content.
By Alison Reay, digital and multimedia director, Telegraph Media Group
Iain Tait
Co-founder, Poke
Iain Tait is one of digital's good guys: a well-respected contributor to his agency, his clients and the creative industry. His quiet, friendly demeanour hides a razor-sharp wit and super-keen mind. He continually demonstrates his deep understanding of digital, and his multi-skilled approach to problem-solving has won him numerous awards with genre-defining work. He is also an active judge in all the major award shows, supporting innovative work both off- and online. His blog, crackunit.com, is one of the UK's most popular advertising blogs.
By Ewen Sturgeon, chief executive, LBi
Kristian Segerstråle
Chief executive and founder, Playfish
Unlike other entrepreneurs in social media, Kristian's background is in gaming. It's a truism, but gamers write better games than anyone. Playfish has unveiled just seven games since it launched in 2007, but it's drawing an audience of 22 million users every month who play for more then 35 minutes a day. Every one of these games has reached top-10 status on Facebook, and Playfish is one of the top iPhone gaming apps.
By Suranga Chandratillake, co-founder, Blinkx
James Parton
Head of O2 Litmus
Over the past year we have seen more and more apps being developed that have changed mobile completely, while at the same time fundamentally altering the relationship between brands and consumers. James is helping O2 understand and take advantage of the opportunity presented by apps. He has been instrumental in the success of O2 Litmus, helping the app store to exceed 5,000 members, 2,000 developers and 200 apps in just six months. With James rapidly building his profile among mobile developers, this is just the tip of the iceberg.
By Shaun Gregory, managing director, media, O2
Dan'l Hewitt
Director, digital content, Bebo
I have known Dan'l for several years, first at Yahoo!, where he helped commercialise online audiences on behalf of publishers and broadcasters. He has grown up with emerging digital business models and understands the right commercial levers to deliver bottom-line growth. Since moving to Bebo, Dan'l has extended his role in exploring the relationship between audience and content. Leading the content and commercial developments of one of the world's largest social networks, he has been directly involved in groundbreaking business models (OpenMedia, Bebo Originals) and the strategic ad partnership with Yahoo!.
By Neil Robinson, digital director, IPC Media
Shuvo Saha
Industry leader, consumer products & healthcare,
Google UK
Shuvo is a real thought leader, not just in digital, but in all areas of marketing. His background in FMCG brand marketing, coupled with his current role, gives him a great perspective on traditional marketing and emerging media. He's one of the few people in the business who can bridge that gap. I've been impressed with the work he's helped us with in areas of measurement, strategy, best practice and consumer insight. Shuvo has shown that he can turn theory into practice.
By Babs Rangaiah, global communications planning director, Unilever
Jeremy Hunt
Shadow secretary of state for culture, media and sport
In last year's US election, Barack Obama significantly raised the bar with his use of the internet and social media to connect with and influence American voters. Digital media and marketing will play a pivotal role in the run-up to the next general election, and Jeremy Hunt is well positioned to drive the political agenda online. His business background includes setting up his own educational publishing business, hotcourses.com, so he appreciates the challenges faced by the UK's arts and creative industries and knows first-hand how vital they are to the economy.
By Dominic Collins, group director of new media, Trader Media Group
Ed Elworthy
Head of brand connections, Nike UK
Ed, with whom I worked when I was at Nike UK, has the unique ability to maximise the talent that exists across agencies and harness its innovation to create big ideas. Ed has been able to transfer traditional advertising skills to the new world, ensuring the clarity of proposition
and message comes through no matter how complex the back-end process. It's the simple things that make people stand out. It's not about Ed innovating for the sake of innovation, but harnessing good ideas and making them relevant.
By Simon Pestridge, global brand director, sportswear, Nike
Mark Cranmer
Chief executive, Isobar
In his new role at the helm of Isobar, Mark is ideally placed to drive the industry forward, given that he sits atop the sizable digital assets of Aegis in the UK. Above all, Mark is someone who doesn't shy away from tough decisions, having recently held a range of challenging roles at Research International and Starcom MediaVest. More recently he helped engineer the formation of UKOM out of the wreckage of JICIMS in an effort to help create a trading currency for the digital sector.
By Mark Rabe, vice-president and managing director of UK Sales, Yahoo!
Thiago de Moraes
Digital creative director, CHI & Partners
Traditional creatives often bemoan what they see as the lack of creativity on the internet, saying it's more about technological gimmicks than creative ideas. Even if you don't agree with this, we all know that better online creativity will bring more consumer engagement and more client spending. Thiago is responsible for campaigns, including Carphone Warehouse's ‘X-Factor Challenge', that use creativity as an intermediary between brands and people - and that involve consumers in more ways than traditional advertising or transactional relationships. Born in Brazil, he's now working in London, and winning awards at Cannes, D&AD and the Webbies.
By Mark Read, chief executive, WPP Digital
Alex Miller
Head of Jam, i-level's social media arm
Predicting the future is hard to do, but after five years at i-level, Alex set up the UK's first dedicated social media department, Jam. Alex has the confidence of his convictions. He knows he is on to something big and this is borne out in the results he has already delivered for clients. He is listening to, and making sense of, the myriad conversations happening online. How will Alex change the face of digital? It will probably be subtle to those of us on the outside but dramatic for those on the inside.
By Emma Jenkins, head of interactive marketing, P&G UK
Suveer Kothari
Head of media solutions, Google UK
I worked closely with Suveer during my time at YouTube. He is now responsible for generating revenue from YouTube and driving display sales across the Google Content Network. Since Google acquired the video-sharing site in 2006, Suveer has been involved in building the team, developing the commercialisation plan for Europe and rolling out sales programmes across nine markets. Without Suveer, YouTube's commercial strategy simply would not have got off the ground, while Mobile Ads, Google Checkout and display ads on the Google Content Network would look a lot different.
By Jonathan Gillespie, commercial director, GMG Radio
Duncan Jennings
Managing director, eConversions
From launching welovelocal.com early in his career to the success currently being enjoyed by his affiliate business, eConversions, Duncan has always been able to spot a strong idea. The past year has seen his new venture, vouchercodes.co.uk, go from strength to strength, certainly helped by the economic climate. With Duncan's vision and leadership it has become one of the most significant online winners of the past 12 months. On a personal level, I have always found Duncan to be even-handed and pragmatic,
and it's this clarity of vision that will stand him
in good stead.
By Louise Mullock, head of online sales and marketing, BSkyB
Stephen Wolfram
Founder, Wolfram Alpha
Next year, Stephen Wolfram - the brains behind Wolfram Alpha - will become one of the most influential people in digital. Deemed by some as ‘the Google killer', his engine makes it easier to navigate around the web by searching for facts over fables. The big challenge now is working out how to make money from Wolfram Alpha, and this is what we should see coming into play over the next year. Currently the digital industry is talking about Bing, but in reality Wolfram Alpha will be the next big thing.
By Richard Sharp, managing director, ValueClick
Jason Kilar
Chief executive, Hulu
Hulu - the US video on-demand site owned by Fox, NBC and, soon, Disney - has pulled in consumers as well as delivering a slick advertising product and a safe environment for broadcasters and studios. On the back of the collapse of Kangaroo, it seems certain that Hulu will enter the UK market this year. Jason shows an obsession with product, and a hunger to meet the competing demands of consumers, advertisers and content owners. Shame that competition
rules here meant we had to wait for the Yanks to show us how to do it.
By Ben McOwen Wilson, chief operating officer, ITV Consumer
Victoria McManus
European media manager, Motorola
During her time at Motorola, Victoria has proven her ability to utilise both offline and online strategies to deliver truly integrated programmes. Her focus on new and traditional media optimisation, as well as her commitment to financial returns, make her a rising star in this field. Most recently Victoria was responsible for the successful partnership between Last.fm and Motorola ROKR. The deep integration she created between the two businesses resulted in the joint development of new services on Last.fm, and consequently made her presence known within the digital marketing sphere.
By Andrew Morley, vice-president of marketing, EMEA, Motorola
Adam Freeman
General manager, digital, Guardian News and Media
The Guardian has invested huge amounts of money, time and intelligence into transforming its business and embracing the digital revolution. Leading this charge is Adam, whose responsibilities include deriving revenue from direct consumer subscriptions, display advertising, e-commerce and classified services across all platforms, and he brings a huge amount of charisma to a traditionally ‘hard' sales role. The trail that he and his team are blazing is an impressive blueprint for a lot of businesses in the digital era. Adam's influence both within Guardian News & Media and the wider industry is set to grow exponentially.
By Jo Haggar, managing director, Glue
Matt Locke
Commissioning editor, education and new media, Channel 4
Matt has revolutionised educational broadcasting by choosing to spend his budget entirely on digital platforms. The result has been multi-award-winning projects such as ‘Battlefront' and ‘Year Dot'. In a bleak climate for TV commission-ing, the work of Matt's team stands out as a beacon of hope. Before joining Channel 4, Matt was head of innovation for BBC New Media & Technology. He has also worked as a writer, specialising in the social adoption of technology and the cultural impact of digital, and continues to write regularly about these themes for journals, websites and his own blog at test.org.uk.
By Alex Balfour, head of new media, London 2012
Tony Byrne
Commercial director and founding partner, mFlow
Tom is the man behind mFlow, a unique digital music service combining social media, human recommendation and e-commerce. He mixes an instinctive appreciation of digital media with hardcore number-crunching (he's a maths graduate from Oxford University and ex-investment banker). He personally raised several millions of pounds in the first round of mFlow's funding and convinced the major record labels to get on board. Tony had the vision to see how music consumption is changing alongside the growth in social media and has created a service that is set to become the most efficient way of discovering new music.
By Rudy Tambala, head of internet and innovation, MSHK
Luke Hyams
Producer/director, Dubplate Drama/Kate Modern
Luke worked with us some time ago on what could arguably be considered the first commercially successful online show, Kate Modern. In his capable hands, marketers were able to see their brands come to life as they were intricately weaved into plotlines. Luke continues to push the boundaries and his latest offering, Dubplate Drama, is a multi-tiered entertainment experience which transports the audience from TV to online and delivers the tough and emotional messages of the NSPCC. The result is authentic and thought-provoking and affords a level of engagement not possible through traditional advertising or marketing campaigns.
By Simon Podd, UK head of sales, Bebo
Alex Light
Project lead, Poke
It's actually quite difficult to describe what Alex does and that's exactly what makes himso great. On the one hand he's a project manager, on the other he's a strategist. Throw in a healthy dose of creativity and a superb technical awareness and what you have is undoubtedly a digital leader of the future. Alex is exactly what working in digital should be all about: he's passionate and confident about what digital can achieve for brands, not afraid to voice opinions or take risks, and is a thoroughly nice bloke to boot.
By Spencer McHugh, UK brand marketing director, Orange
Curt Hecht
President, VivaKi Nerve Center
When Publicis Groupe launched VivaKi in June 2008, it appointed Curt as president of the network's Nerve Center, a hub of new-media companies set up to help brands reach consumers digitally. Curt is focused on developing the next generation of technical platforms to allow brands to migrate from analogue media processes to digital. He's already orchestrated the launch of Audience on Demand, an open technology platform built in collaboration with Google, Yahoo!, Microsoft and Platform-A. And there's plenty more to come.
By Scott Howe, corporate vice-president, advertiser and publisher solutions group, Microsoft
Iain Dodsworth
Founder, Tweetdeck
Rather than picking a single individual, I'd like to highlight a roll-call of Britons who deserve more fame and gratitude. So respect to eggs-benedict evangelist and Tweetdeck creator Iain Dodsworth, and David Somers and Tom Brearley of twitterfall.com. To Rob Manuel of b3ta.com, and to Chris Carmichael for the BA iPhone app. Also to that unsung hero who created the remote record mobile app for Sky+, and to the people at ocado.com who send out those agreeably quirky little messages telling you that Bob in Kumquat Van LF56OPD will be arriving shortly.
By Rory Sutherland, vice-chairman, Ogilvy Group UK, London
Dan and Adrian Hon
Co-founders, Six to Start
The Hon brothers' star has, to a great extent, already risen. Having won the Grand Prix at South by Southwest for the ‘We tell stories' work for Penguin books, they are already flying the flag for UK digital creativity on the global stage. Dan and Adrian's work in developing interactive branded game-like content is indicative of a huge future trend that will affect the entire industry. I think we will see even more high-profile work from Six to Start and its cohorts over the next
few years, adding a new creative dimension to digital marketing.
By Jean-Paul Edwards, executive director, futures, Manning Gottlieb OMD
Biz Stone
Co-founder, Twitter
If you'd told me a year ago that Twitter would hit the mainstream, becoming the fastest-growing site in the UK, according to Hitwise, dominating the media agenda in the same way Facebook did previously, and all without a clear revenue model, I wouldn't have believed you. However, if one man could make this happen, it was Biz. He's the archetypal Silicon Valley entrepreneur, twice a college drop-out, and previous to Twitter helping to build Xanga, Blogger and Odeo. It's hard to guess what the next year will bring, as
the genius of Twitter is what we make of it.
By Robin Grant, managing director, We Are Social
Daniel Heaf
Creative technologist, 4ip
Daniel is the driving force behind 4ip, Channel 4's ‘innovation for the public' fund. His first commission, AudioBoo from BestBefore, attracted more than one million page views in
its first three months. The audio-blogging tool has come to prominence with early adopting celebrities including Stephen Fry and Chris Moyles, and has been championed by media owners such as Guardian Media Group, which used it to cover the recent G20 protests. So
while Dan didn't create AudioBoo, his eye for groundbreaking projects marks him out as one
to watch, especially if his other commissions achieve the same success.
By Kevin Murphy, managing director, Zed Media
Fran Dovey
Partner, UbaGLU
Orienting a large global organisation around the open, fragmented and connected nature of the digital world is an exciting challenge. The success that Cadbury is enjoying in the digital space has been significantly helped by its former interactive and emerging media manager. Fran is certainly not a ‘do it for the sake of it' type of character and understands the value of digital as a serious catalyst for significant change, as opposed to someone who simply uses the internet to garner favour in the boardroom. Fran will no doubt continue to succeed at UbaGLU, her new digital marketing consultancy.
By Steven Hess, chief executive, Weapon7
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