31 (31) Alex Gourlay, CEO, Boots
Boots under Gourlay is a work in progress. Focusing on higher margin products, trading profit in the health & beauty division rose 6% in 2011/2012. However, it’s the culture that most needs to change, and Gourlay’s been bringing in external talent to turn this round, hiring former head of L’Oréal UK Guy Farmer and ex-Birds Eye UK and Ireland general manager Anne Murphy as trading directors last autumn.

32 (New Entry) Blythe Masters, global commodities head, JP Morgan
Masters had a blinding 2011, lifting JP Morgan’s commodities division out of the doldrums with record revenues of more than $2.8bn - upping the ante on sector leaders Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley. She even teamed up with the World Bank to offer innovative hedging products to farmers in poorer countries, which allow them to fix the prices of key agricultural products.

33 (New Entry) Judith McKenna, COO, Asda
Injury forced McKenna to hobble out of the London Marathon at the 15-mile mark, but if her track record is anything to go by she’ll bounce back fast. Having emerged as the clear No2 in the two year hiatus that followed the appointment of Andy Clarke (qv) as Asda CEO, there is a buzz in the industry about McKenna, with analysts, rivals, suppliers and headhunters quick to praise its former chief financial officer.

34 (New Entry) Paul Lindley, founder, Ella’s Kitchen
Ella’s Dad is the epitome of the modern food and drink entrepreneur. Lindley (pictured), who trained as an accountant, transformed the UK babyfood market in 2006 when he launched the brand - named after his daughter - into the supermarkets. The huge success it has enjoyed in the UK - sales grew 36% year-on-year in 2011 [Nielsen] - is set to be repeated abroad with export growth prompting Lindley to open a US office last year.

And just last month he unveiled what he described as the brand’s most exciting project since launch - a range of pot desserts that marked its debut in the chilled market. With a strong brand, high growth, international scope and continued NPD, Ella’s Kitchen is much coveted. Rumours of a sale are a constant theme, but Lindley insists he is far from done. He’s just looking for some partners to fund expansion, he says.

35 (30) Paul Moody, CEO, Britvic
After a tough first half in 2011 that saw Irish sales fall again, the still drinks portfolio struggle and the share price crash, Moody won a bigger slice of the market for Pepsi over Christmas and set up a manufacturing base for Fruit Shoot in the US. Moody has more time to build the US and French businesses this year, following the appointment of Simon Litherland as GB MD last autumn.

36 (21) Tim Steiner, CEO, Ocado
The share price has been up and down like a yo-yo as Steiner has busied himself sorting out the oft-quoted “capacity constraints” at Hatfield. And sales growth has slipped - particularly since Waitrose started selling online in London in 2011 - down to 13% in Q2 results announced this week. The second CFC is on track to open in 2013. Meantime, 2012 is all about extending range and efficiency at Hatfield.

37 (New Entry) Chris Bush, COO, Tesco
Replacing Bob Robbins at the start of the year as UK COO, the well-liked Bush will be in the driving seat to assume overall responsibility for UK operations - if and when Philip Clarke (qv) relinquishes control. Bush, who started on the shop floor, has been running Tesco’s successful Lotus business in Thailand since April 2010. After the Thai floods last year, at least he’s used to crises.

38 (New Entry) Theo Müller, CEO, Müller Group
Müller’s surprise swoop for Robert Wiseman in January increased Müller’s influence over UK dairy in numerous ways. As well as gaining a foothold into liquid milk for the first time, it was the impact of Müller’s entry on the rest of the industry that is perhaps most significant. After months of rumours about further consolidation resulting, Arla this week announced a merger with Milk Link.

39 (New Entry) Richard Pennycook, group CFO, Morrisons
It’s never good news for a money man when the share price takes a tumble, as Morrisons’ has in the past few months, but on the key financials, Pennycook still continues to deliver the goods, with sales up 7% and profits up 8% to £947m in 2011/12. And, highly regarded in the City as a strategic thinker, his name is frequently cited when big jobs come up, as they are sure to do again this year.

40 (41) Fiona Dawson, president, Mars Chocolate UK
As an official team sponsor, Mars will be hoping England have a good Euro 2012. This might help cement the Mars Bar’s recovery after an annus horribilis in 2010 that saw Mars crashing down our Britain’s 100 biggest brands list last year. Dawson has plenty to keep her occupied outside Mars, too - she has taken a leading role in the Responsibility Deal and is currently serving as vice president of IGD. She’ll become president next year.

41 (56) Irwin Lee, VP & GM, P&G UK & Ireland
This is a big year for P&G, and the increasingly confident Lee - and not just because he has 5,000 tickets to the Olympics to give away. P&G is combining clever sponsorship of Mums (“every mum deserves a medal”) with a “cleanup” of London using Flash, Febreze and Ariel. This is an opportunity Lee will not want to waste as P&G’s spend, up to 2020, is circa £100m.

42 (73) Peter Lauritzen, CEO, Arla Foods UK
Two words: Milk Link. Lauritzen was sitting at the top negotiating table when the merger between Arla Foods amba and Milk Link was being hammered out, creating the UK’s biggest dairy company. Lauritzen’s role in the new business won’t be clear till the deal is approved by farmers and competition regulators, but after winning approval for the Aylesbury mega-dairy, this latest consolidation play strengthens his reputation.

43 (43) Eric Herd, MD, Farmfoods
Herd is famously publicity-shy, but raised his head above the parapet last year when Farmfoods teamed up with Asda to launch a bid for Iceland Foods. Had it succeeded, Farmfoods would have become a familiar sight across the UK and Herd, as CEO, would have shifted up the power list. The bid failed, but that didn’t stop the frozen discounter increasing sales of £600m, and boosting pre-tax profits by 44%.

44 (45) Ronny Gottschlich, UK managing director, Lidl
Lidl has had another good year. Sales were up 11% year-on-year as the discounters attract increasing numbers through their doors - but it loses some of its shine when compared with the soaring performance of its non-identical twin, Aldi. Still, Lidl is punching above its weight, boasting of its British sourcing and building on its partnership with celebrity chef Nick Nairn.

45 (51) Richard Hodgson, commercial director, Morrisons
Sales at Morrisons have suffered since Christmas as heavy discounting and vouchering from rivals has hit hard, but he’s led the transformation of the Morrisons’ offer through impressive fresh and own-label innovation and revolutionary store format changes, and the highly regarded former Asda and Waitrose man will have a major say in the future of Morrisons. Widely tipped as a future leader.

46 (46) Richard Evans, president, PepsiCo UK
Evans followed up the success ofWalkers Extra Crunchy in 2011 by unleashing Walkers Crinkles. Result? £30m in sales in six months. That’s not all. Pepsi Cola is outgrowing Coke on this side of the pond - sales surged 10.6% (Pepsi Max a whopping 19.8%) last year, according to Kantar Worldpanel. Sparkling stuff. And sales of porridge oats are flying. The PM even paid a visit to a factory.

47 (48) Ben Clarke, CEO, Burton’s Biscuit Co
The former Kraft executive has been ringing the changes. Clarke has been working hard to build Burton’s export business and signed two important supply deals in 2011 - with North American giants Walmart and Loblaws. Back home, he has cut out 14% of the company’s SKUs and has been building up brands by spending more on marketing while revamping Wagon Wheels and the Cadbury biscuit range.

48 (55) Jim McCarthy, CEO, Poundland
Poundland boss McCarthy had another strong year at the helm of Europe’s biggest discounter. He’s opened stores in Europe under the Dealz fascia as well as maintaining focus at home, where Poundland has just opened its 400th store. The ebullient McCarthy is now eyeing up further expansion in Europe and has plans to take the Poundland brand online.

49 (64) Andrew Lansley, Secretary of state for health
Lansley plans to nudge five billion calories off the nation’s dinner plate, and to collaboratively achieve a reduction in alcohol sales of one billion units. His approach to the tobacco industry is more outspoken and threatening. The only reason he doesn’t feature higher in our Power List is continuing rumours of his departure in the next Cabinet reshuffle over his botched NHS reforms. But he’s proving a survivor.

50 (New Entry), David Salkeld, CEO, Symington’s
Symington’s is a hotbed of innovation. In the past year alone, the company has rolled out the Bake in a Box pasta format under the Ainsley Harriott brand, bagged up its Oat Burst porridge in sachets for families and teamed up with TV chef Simon Rimmer to launch a range of three veggie meal kits.

All this innovation seems to have given CEO David Salkeld an appetite. Having snapped up the Ragu and chicken Tonight ambient sauce brands from Unilever last year he’s understood to be eyeing up some of the businesses being sold off by struggling food manufacturer Premier Foods.

And according to industry sources, what Salkeld wants, Salkeld gets. “He’s a quick decision maker, he’s well connected and not uncomfortable about using those connections,” says one well placed source. We could be hearing a lot more from Salkeld soon.

Topics

Power List 2012