40 (2014: 43)

Simon Moore, Eclipse

Why “He’s a taskmaster and wants his pound of flesh,” insists one colleague. In a tough market nothing else will do for MD Moore, whose £40m company has sharpened its focus on data to become one of the UK’s largest commercial print, direct mail and cross-media providers. “Simon is a hands-on leader in all business areas and holds regular meetings. He talks to everyone and is very driven, but he’s also one of guys. When he’s not honing his business acumen on the next big deal he’s happy downing a beer with the team.”

39 (2014: 42)

Paul Marsh, Virgin Media

Why Last year was a busy one for Marsh, putting together a seven-figure three-year deal with DST to provide the telecoms firm’s entire marketing print requirements in a Lead Supplier deal. As with many on the client side Marsh moved to a wider procurement role in April as global commodity lead. Professionally he’s praised as “diligent and professional with an eye for detail and an excellent negotiator”. Personally Marsh is well liked and a ‘good bloke’. He is ‘the ultimate poacher turned gamekeeper’ having initially joined Virgin from paper merchant Robert Horne where he previously managed Virgin’s account. 

38 (2014: 25)

Richard Hill, Time Inc UK

Why “The one decision that no doubt kept production operations director Hill awake at night in 2015 was Time Inc UK’s shock announcement in July that weekly music bible NME was about to become a freesheet. The publisher resorted to the dramatic measure to arrest a long term decline in readership and boost its circulation from circa 15,000 to around the 300,000 mark, which brought a whole new set of challenges for print partner Polestar. That the move has been a success says much about Hill’s production prowess. The IPC stalwart [the publishing house was rebranded by Time Inc in 2014] is known for “quietly getting on with business, but he knows how to drive a hard bargain when he needs to”.

37 (2014: 34)

Bachar Aintaoui, MBA

Why MBA has continued to invest in the business, just not in print technology. It has invested in data security and a software development division based in the Czech Republic. An extension of its multi-channel strategy is the addition of personalised video, while it is also adding national and local government to its client base. Chairman Aintaoui has been adding leadership expertise, most recently Mark Cunningham as operations director, who joined from Google. However, he leads from the front and still gets excited by the business. It’s not just the business that is based in Tottenham, Aintaoui is a Spurs fan. 

36 (2014: 38)

Rob Moore, Schawk

Why This year Moore became a member of Schawk’s parent SGK’s executive leadership team. This follows SGK’s acquisition last year by US conglomerate Mathews and the integration of that firm’s packaging repro operations within SGK. Moore’s role as UK managing director is the latest managerial role held over the past 20 years at the firm. Earlier this year the firm picked up a supplier of the year award by Nestlé for best sales & marketing partnership. No doubt his knowledge gained client side at Unilever prior to his rise within the branding and repro world helped.

35 (2014: 37)

Emma Zakka, Talk Talk

Why Rather annoyingly Zakka seems to be universally loved by her suppliers and colleagues alike, with no-one having anything other than suitably gushing comments about Talk Talk’s senior print and production manager. “Emma understands the print industry and the unique challenges we face and is always willing to work with her print partners to achieve the best outcome for Talk Talk,” said one of the suppliers that benefits from her reportedly eight-figure print spend. Talk Talk’s ‘mother hen’ is no pushover though, and is known for her attention to detail and inclusive approach. “A true team player, professional, caring and generally an amazing person,” adds a colleague. 

34 (New)

Stan Laurent, Photobox Group

Why Photobox Group’s chief executive will celebrate a decade at the W2P giant in 2016 – years which have seen four strategic acquisitions, Hofmann, Moonpig, PosterXXL and Sticky9, and a tenfold increase in sales. Photobox Group was itself acquired by private equity firms Electra and Exponent for around £400m in October after the company wavered on a planned IPO, but the management remains. One colleague described London-based Laurent, once a lieutenant on a nuclear submarine, as “a passionate team-builder and visionary” who, during time off work, “can be found scaling snow-capped mountains in the Southern Alps, cycling or playing the flute or piano.”

33 (2014: 35)

Luke Pigott, Howard Hunt Group

Why According to a colleague Luke Pigott is always somewhere in between. When he’s not at Howard Hunt’s Dartford base, the chief executive could be jetting between any one of the five countries the £75m group now operates in. Or he could be with his two daughters who “he enjoys hanging out with”, says the colleague. Pigott has also been hanging out with clients – Cancer Research recently renewed a big contract, while Pizza Hut came on board. “Luke is very aspirational, likes innovation and enjoys office walkabouts – he’s not a whip-cracker and he’s not laid back,” insists the colleague, “he’s somewhere in between.” 

32 (2014: 32)

Matt Jolly, John Brown Media

Why What impact John Brown Media’s acquisition by global marketing firm Dentsu Aegis Network in May this year will have on production director Jolly remains to be seen. Dentsu said the agency, which works across B2C, B2B and staff communications and has a client list featuring the likes of John Lewis and Chelsea FC, would retain its own brand identity and work closely with the firm’s digital performance agency iProspect. Regardless of what happens it’s unlikely to change Jolly’s modus operandi. He’s known for being firm but fair. “He demands high quality products, but then who doesn’t,” says a source. Away from the office he’s a die-hard Gillingham FC fan. 

31 (2014: 29)

Richard Gray, Prinovis

Why It’s been a solid 2015 for Prinovis UK managing director Gray after a topsy-turvy 2014. Earlier in the year the company splashed out to bolster its binding set-up and then in October the Liverpool-based business welcomed the first entrants to its new apprenticeship programme. The same month news broke that Bertelsmann had taken sole ownership of the pan-European gravure printer, although Gray reassured customers it would be “business as usual”. Calmness under pressure is one of Gray’s key attributes. A source says he’s a “big-picture” leader who “normally has an opinion, enjoys debate and strongly values creativity and intuitiveness”. He’s also a “quietly caring man who acts with professionalism and integrity”.