50 Richard Hunt     (NEW)
Emap Inform

Why Underneath the affable exterior, Hunt is a very determined man. This year, the Emap Inform manufacturing director has been standardising formats and paper, as well as moving to back-to-back printing across the portfolio of 13 weeklies, 12 monthlies and supplements. An industry watcher reckons that he’s been the bravest of manufacturing directors in the B2B sector, as several suppliers were switched, which ruffled a few feathers. The signs are that his changes have saved the publisher millions, something that is bound to have raised his stock with the publisher’s new owners.


49 Luke Pigott     (49)
Howard Hunt
 
Why According to one voter, Pigott lives, sleeps and breaths work. As managing director of the direct mail house Howard Hunt, Pigott is passionate about the future of print, a passion that this year saw the firm team up with Proskills and Swanley Technical College to train a number of local students in print. The Dartford- based group has also found the time to invest more than £1m this year. Pigott is popular among his staff, with one saying: You just want to cling on to his coat tails and go with him. In his spare time, he relaxes with his two-year-old daughter who he reportedly describes as a better laugh than most of my mates.    


48 James Povey     (39)
Polestar
 
Why Povey is the master at maintaining a serene appearance, no matter how much pressure he’s under from his customers or his colleagues – perhaps his classical pianist training helps him to focus. As marketing director for UK print, he expends an enormous amount of energy within Polestar in ensuring the group gets things right for customers, something that’s praised by one client who observes, in terms of quality and service, Polestar has improved out of all recognition and James has been instrumental in that. Underestimate him at your peril. While he’s been relatively low-profile this year, he remains the man when it comes to key accounts.

47 John Bird     (43)
Harmsworth Printing
 
Why Described by one colleague as a particular man, Harmsworth managing director John Bird’s reputation in the newspaper printing sector has long preceded him. The last year has been one of consolidation for Harmsworth, with plants at Bristol, Leicester and Grimsby all closing. But the reason for these closures is because the London and Didcot flagship sites are now taking on the bulk of the company’s work. Bird’s challenge going forward is likely to involve a contract print war with News International, Trinity Mirror and Johnston Press as the smaller printer/publishers opt to close their printing doors.


46 Wayne Barlow     (NEW)
Canon UK
 
Why Ex-professional polo player – we kid you not – and professional print channel director for Canon UK, big-hearted Barlow is what you could also call a professional Yorkshireman – direct, funny and a story for every occasion. Clocking up more than 20 years’ service with Canon, in the past five years he’s been instrumental in building Canon’s UK presence in commercial print. A taste for fine wine, his personal highlight last year was being honoured by the BAPC for his services to the print industry. According to one colleague he has a passion for the industry and he’ll do anything for anyone.


45 Nicholas Green     (35)
Tangent Communications
 
Why Another year of steady progress for the head of one of print’s few listed companies. The company has grown through the acquisition of London-based digital marketing agency Lateral and the goodwill of the Digital Print Partnership, a digital print trade service. The year also included Tangent’s obligatory annual failed bid to acquire a company of a much larger size – this time around it was TMN’s turn. However, these audacious bids reflect chief executive Green’s ambitions for the firm more than anything. His fall down the rankings reflects a fall in turnover and profits, but the firm remains cash-rich and will almost certainly be on the look out for more acquisitions soon.


44 Bachar Aintaoui     (52)
MBA Group
  
Why Visionary, courageous and strong motivator, are just some of the terms that were used to describe the MBA chairman Aintaoui in the Power 100 public vote. It’s been a year of celebration for the trained engineer: not only is the £30m firm he founded celebrating its 25th birthday, but he marked the occasion with a £5m spend, which included a brace of Xerox X980s, the first in the UK. While not many people would describe Bachar as print’s Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, he does dabble in interior design – something he’s putting to good use in a hotel he’s building in Syria.


43 Nick Dixon     (48)
Lateral Group
 
Why Look up the word entrepreneur in the dictionary and you may well find a picture of Lateral Group chief executive Nick Dixon (if he’s printed it that is). Dixon has business in his blood and the continuing success of the newly rebranded Lateral Group stands as testimony to his drive, enthusiasm and go-getting spirit. Those that know him describe him as switched on and entrepreneurial and coming second in the public vote, securing 12% of the poll, shows the respect in which he is held in the industry. In his spare time he likes skiing and country walks as well as being a devoted father to his children. His near addiction to all things entrepreneurial is also reflected in his various side businesses.


42 Lascelle Barrow     (47)
Augustus Martin
 
Why Staying afloat in any market sector is tough during a recession, but growing your customer base and expanding your empire is nigh on impossible. Unless your name is Lascelle Barrow that is. While others in the large-format sector have floundered, joint managing director Barrow has ensured that his £44m-turnover company has remained buoyant – so much so that he recently bought Manchester-based litho and digital printer Walkers (MCR) out of administration to establish a base in the north of England. He’s a board member of Fespa, a responsibility that he takes very seriously. Married with six children, on the rare occasions he has some spare time, he’s a keen golfer.


41 Neil Sutton     (38)
Komori UK
 
Why It’s been more than three years since Sutton, who is seen by those around him as analytical, honest and open, took on the top job at Komori UK. An active Picon member and avid cricket fan, when Sutton is not mentoring his son who he is grooming to be the next Andrew Flintoff, he is busy helping to oversee the centralisation of customer facilities in Utrecht, the Netherlands. The company closed its Leeds demo suite earlier in the year as part of that move, but has also seen good sales, including the installation of a Lithrone at ImageData Group in April. One colleague says they’ve never seen a managing director spend so much time looking after clients.

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