The list in its entirety offers the definitive compilation of the most influential and powerful media, creative and digital folk based in the North West.
For the record, our judging panel included Jim Hancock, Martin Brooks, Dave Carter, Lindsay MacFarlaine, Patrick O’Neill, Kevin Meagher, Paul Carroll and Stephen Chapman. Details, pictures and biogs of the judges follow the compilation of the 100 at the foot of this feature.
How-Do would also like to acknowledge the support it has received from leading law firm turner parkinson and from Alliance Fund Managers, each of whom has a significant client base in the digital and media industries in the region.
1. Phil Redmond. For the second year in succession, Redmond remains the North West's most influential media and creative industries individual. In April he was recognised with the Harvey Lee Award for an "Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting" by Broadcasting Press Guild, the timing related to Grange Hill's 30th anniversary. His name still resonates nationally and internationally while regionally his involvement in ICDC and most crucially the key role he played in helping to restructure and resuscitate Liverpool 08 when it was clearly starting to flag, resulted in a unanimous decision to rank him first.
2. Andy Burnham. The MP for Leigh was appointed Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in January this year. Liverpudlian and Blue Nose Burnham is the man overseeing the UK's continuing leap forward into the digital and internet age. Although London 2012 figures highly on his agenda, immediate and medium term broadcasting issues require closer attention. Believed to have played a key role in helping to secure the recent decision by the Royal Opera House to create a new national producing theatre in Manchester.
3. Paul Horrocks. Editor MEN. The part paid-part free model has successfully reversed years of decline as circulation has risen past 180,000 albeit with paid sales around 80,000. The paper's website picked up newspaper website of the year in competition with the nationals and a raft of new editorial and commercial initiatives have kept Horrocks and his team extremely busy. Despite emotive views on the paper's quality these days, the MEN retains readers' trust and Horrocks is the region's most influential editor. He is consistently the one visiting government officials make a point of looking up.
4. Brian Greasley.
Left his job on Wednesday 5 November. Having discussed the matter with our judges, we felt it appropriate to stick with Greasley's entry as whoever will take over from him in due course, will be inheriting one of the most powerful media positions in the UK and the person v position issue applies. In addition, the text which follows is our original commentary and alludes to issues that were clearly arising....Chief executive, MediaCityUK. Appointed boss of Peel's 200 acre mammoth property media development at Salford Quays last November. His earlier career has been spent primarily with digital and mobile companies including a spell with BT Cellnet. With anchor tenants in the BBC, Salford University and Granada, he has almost 1.5m sq ft of rented space (a forward rent roll of close to £1bn over the next 25 years) to build upon with a target of 3m sq ft committed within the 37 acre phase one for which Peel has earmarked around £360m. Other headline-grabbing occupiers are being actively sought while a steadily increasing stream of SMEs have registered interest for space outside the immediate £30 psf core. His laid-back maverick style and perceived aloofness has provoked much heated debate in the media community.
5. Mike Blair. Managing director, ITV Granada and Central. ITV's Granada operations were added to his portfolio when former MD Sue Woodward had her role redefined in March. He divides his team between Birmingham and increasingly Manchester as Granada's larger base and more pressing issues concern him. The broadcaster's move to a site adjacent to the Imperial War Museum in Trafford is believed to be done bar contractual issues with the decision (combined with the Beeb in Salford) prompting Manchester council to look at establishing new production bases in Manchester. Slimmed down Granada is still transmitting historically high levels of national TV unlike its reducing regional output. GTV still remains the region's single largest media employer.
6. Carolyn Reynolds. Chief executive, Lime Pictures. Lime, with over 400 full time staff, is by far the largest TV drama producing company based outside London. It is also the largest regionally-based indie. Joined Lime in 2005 following years spent controlling drama at YTV and then Granada and Corrie. Despite the imminent loss of Grange Hill, Lime is on a roll with Hollyoaks blossoming and several new commissions won from the BBC and the US. The new media operation Conker is increasingly picking up projects in its rights, in between winning its own awards.
7. Alastair Machray. Editor of the Liverpool Echo, the UK’s third biggest regional newspaper. Its paid-for sales have dropped by 3.7% over the year (to 102,488) - one of the lowest rates of decline in the industry. Still no word of any partial free distribution although various rumours are flying around Old Hall Street. It’s been a year of big news and campaigning stories for Machray and his team while also preparing for a major relaunch which took place in October. The proposed shifting of printing to Oldham will require careful management although the mooted £21m cost to keep printing in Liverpool is hard to justify given the prevailing…The Echo still provides the final piece in Liverpool's jigsaw.
8. Paul Abbott. Less in the headlines this year although his level of activity has, if anything, been greater. Shameless is arguably stronger than ever and continues to develop additional production facilities in the region. Overseas sales are growing while his decision to buy out his partner in Tightrope and rebrand it Abbott Productions is part of a broader a new initiative under the banner of Abbott Vision. In between, he’s also executive producer/showrunner at his Hale-based writer's studio. Unquestionably one of the country’s most sought-after TV industry figures.
9. Jimmy McGovern. Together with Abbott (q.v.) one of the region’s internationally outstanding TV writers. Cut his teeth with Brookside and Cracker before picking up numerous other writing accolades. A successful return of The Street to our screens this year coupled with King Cotton, his first musical, produced in part for Liverpool’s Capital of Culture celebrations, reflects his continuing success and his ongoing and deep-seated commitment to Liverpool. Script writing projects with film director Ridley Scott beckon.
10. Mark Dodson. Chief executive of Guardian Media Group’s regional media division. The 49 year old former ad sales exec oversees a growing empire which includes MEN Media and Surrey & Berkshire Media, Channel M, a third stake in Fish4 and co-publishing the Metro with Associated. Increasing pressure on traditional newsprint revenues has seen increased investment in TV, digital and other activities such as door to door leafleting and there are persistent rumours that the company is looking at TV/GMG product in other cities. Has instigated a management change round following his number two Mark Rix's decision to move to Dubai.
11. Sue Little. Chief executive of McCann Erickson Communications House which with over 300 staff is by some distance the largest ad agency outside London. The agency’s sheer size allows it to handle some national and international accounts that other large regional agencies simply couldn’t manage. She steadfastly maintains a low profile although many of her colleagues would prefer it if she adopted a more outward-engaging policy. McCanns is currently looking for space in Manchester to complement its Prestbury pile. It is believed that Manchester would also house the digital agency McCanns is seeking to buy.
12. Alex Connock. Chief executive, Ten Alps plc. Former Granada researcher and producer co-founded the company with Bob Geldof and floated it on AIM in 2001. Ten Alps’ turnover now is over £80m and there are over 550 staff. Teachers TV and other broadcast stuff grabs more attention but publishing accounts for over half of the company’s sales and is run from Macclesfield and Manchester. He commutes between London and Manchester and lives in Alderley Edge with his BBC commissioning editor wife Sumi Connock.
13. Robin Burgess. Chief executive, CN Group. He’s had a good year compared to the majority of his peers in regional newspaper publishing. He was awarded an OBE this year while CN’s titles and operations don’t appear at the moment to be as severely damaged as most. The company has continued to expand its portfolio albeit through organic and product development rather than by acquisition. The Cumberland News remains an outstandingly successful example of regional publishing at its best (and was voted the UK’s best weekly in the summer) while in the magazine division, Cumbria Life went monthly and Carlisle Living appeared. Privately-owned CN is the UK's 12th largest regional publisher.
14. Nicola Schindler. The founder of Manchester’s most influential indie, Red Productions, turned 40 this year. Her achievements were also recognised by the Sunday Times which ranked her one of the 40 most powerful media folk in the UK under the age of 40. In March the company reached agreement with BBC Worldwide whereby the Beeb now has first rights to all Red's drama output internationally in return for an undisclosed investment in the company. Programme wise the Mark of Cain was nominated for a Prix Europa (one of very few UK productions) with new drama Unforgiven in development. Her beloved MUFC also came through in Moscow.
15.Dave Lucas managing partner, MediaVest. By far the largest media agency based outside London and still majority owned by Lucas and his partner Andy Jeal (29% each). The agency rebranded itself in the spring dropping 'Manchester' from its name as it wished to stress its national credentials. The company reports that trading is challenging but within its £220m billings and 200 staff, sits one of the UK’s largest digital operations so continued rapid growth in digital can be expected. Threats to clients such as Northern Rock and Barratt have been balanced by new clients including Unicom (118777), Heuga, E.On, Computeach and Conqueror.
16. Alison Hastings. Former newspaper editor Hastings became markedly busier when the Brand Ross affair erupted - as the BBC’s trustee for England, she also leads the ethics committee. This is in addition to her ongoing work with the Press Complaints Commission, the Society of Editors, Camelot and Trinity Mirror. A contact book to die for.
17. Helen Bullough. Executive editor BBC Entertainment Manchester. Known to a broader regional audience in her capacity as chairman of the RTS, her role and powerbase within the Beeb steadily increases. She has overseen the latest series of Dragon's Den and its various spin-off initiatives including The Last Tycoon. Her production department’s output also includes Question of Sport and Mastermind.
18. Dave Mousley. A busy year for Red Vision’s chef executive. Mousley. He led an MBO to buy back his business in the spring and followed this up by winning several new commissions including lead work for the debut of ITV's 2008 version of Spitting Images, Headcases, for which Red created the computer graphics and animation. In between he established new operations in Australia and Canada with local companies.
19. Kieran Roberts. Controller of drama for ITV Productions Manchester. Another productive year for one of ITV’s most influential executives. In addition to further success with Cold Blood, Boy meets Girl and Blue Murder, he has overseen the launch of Britannia High – a series set in a performing arts school which is billed as ‘ITV’s most ambitious 360 degree, multi-platform show to date’. The award-winning producer has numerous credits to his name including Corrie, Krypton Factor, You’ve Been Framed and University Challenge.
20. Sara Wilde. The MD of Trinity’s North West operations has faced major issues this year. She and her senior team have arguably acted with a greater sense of urgency than most of her peers in the face of economic and structural challenges. Digital and sports interests growing fast (hence acquisition of Rippleffect) and new products and relaunches are a regular occurrence but newspaper office closures and the prospect of printing shifting to Oldham don’t go down well in ‘campaigning’ Liverpool.
21. Robert Harwood-Matthews. The hue and cry of the dropping of BDH from above the agency’s door now seems long forgotten. With over 180 staff in south Manchester, there are today more people employed than when he arrived with a mission to sharpen up TBWA’s northern outpost. Several major new clients plus ongoing work for high profile brands suggests the agency is in ruder health than most. Moving the agency into central Manchester and keeping a lid on his staff being poached by former colleagues will keep him busy.
22. Richard Frediani. The North West’s most successful TV journalist followed his BAFTA award last year with a national RTS this year for his team’s work on the Lesley Molseed Trial. The cutbacks ITV has imposed on the regions are less drastic in Granadaland but Frediani will still have his work cut out keeping a substantial department going forward when it is sometimes increasingly viewed as simply ‘overhead’.
23. Cerys Griffiths. North West Tonight is up for an RTS this November as are two of her reporters. The weekly newspaper journo turned TV editor is seen as an increasingly influential figure behind the scenes while Burns and Singh ensure that in front of the cameras the Beeb wins the honours regionally.
24. Roger Borrell. Editor of Lancashire Life, the biggest selling county magazine in the UK with sales of circa 25,000 a month and over 150,000 readers. He also plays a broader role within Archant as editor in chief of the North West so his portfolio also includes Cheshire Life and Lake District Life and the growing number of spin-offs the company is publishing. The various titles under his remit command a readership in excess of 400,000 per month.
25. Michelle Surrell. Surrell oversees Bauer Radio’s North West interests including Radio City and City Talk, Key 103 and Rock FM. Turnover across the stations is understood to be around £30m – and still extremely profitable – with over 1.3 million weekly listeners. Rajar-wise it’s been a good year for Surrell and the word is that regional ad sales are holding up better than national sales. It helps if you have strong brand franchises.
26. Gordon Burns. Declining ITV’s overtures to be involved with a new series of the Krypton Factor, Burns remains the best-known regional face on our TV screens. 66-year-old, Belfast-born Burns seems to have settled amicably into his co-anchorman role with Ranvir Singh on the BBC’s North West Tonight. No personal award looming this year for him at the RTS’ although NWT may pick up a gong for its fake photo scoop.
27. Felicity Goodey. A quiet year for Goodey in terms of her media sector activities having been ranked fourth last year when she played a major role in helping to secure the BBC’s five departmental relocations to Mediacity. Salford URC and NWDA goings-on seem to have engaged her attention this year but the judges collectively felt that it wouldn’t surprise anyone to see Goodey pop up again at any time, fronting or chairing the region’s next biggest media company or activity.
28. Dylan Thwaites. Chairman of the region’s biggest SEO (search) company - and one of Europe’s largest – with sales in excess of £30m. Dec ’07 saw him sell part of his stake to an MBO team backed by a London VC. The Warrington-based company, whose clients include Tesco, William Hill and Kwik-Fit, has an office in London but talk of further offices in Europe have yet to materialise. With Google and the sector still enjoying handsome growth, Thwaites and his team’s biggest challenge is seeing off headhunters.
29. Scott Taunton. Australian boss of UTV Radio GB and one of just three execs on the main board. Joined UTV plc in 2000 and appointed MD of radio following the acquisition of The Wireless Group. His empire includes 24 radio stations - eight of which are in the North West including recently launched Central in Lancashire - plus talkSPORT nationally. Known as a ‘hands-on’ boss and a sports enthusiast, he can be found in any one of UTV’s UK bases before he returns home to Haydock at week-ends.
30. Andy Sumner. A busy and apparently extremely productive year for the co-owner (with his wife Janet) of what is, with over 50 edit suites, probably the largest independent facilities house outside London. In between helping to develop Sumners contacts and new business activities, he also bases himself at the Pie Factory where he advises Peel Media and Brian Greasley on developments related to Mediacity.
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