Giles Thorley named most influential in pub industry

Punch Taverns boss Giles Thorley has been named as the most influential person in the pub industry for the second year running.

Thorley, who runs an estate of 8,400 pubs, retains his position at the top of the tree after a remarkable 12 months.

His surprise offer for Mitchells & Butlers highlights the breadth of his ambition in becoming the UK's "pre-eminent pub company"​.

Enterprise Inns boss Ted Tuppen jumps a place to second most influential in this year's list.

Tuppen has been described by a fellow pubco executive as a "wily fox"​ - a reputation confirmed when Enterprise got the green light for conversion to tax efficient real estate investment trust (Reit) status.

Completing the top three is one of the industry's best known and frequently-quoted personalities - JD Wetherspoon supremo Tim Martin.

The 680-strong pub group is rarely out of the news - and on top of this Martin is seldom afraid to voice his views about issues facing the trade.

The full list of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the Pub Trade can be viewed below.

Simply, click on the names to find out why they have made the the top 50.

Top 50 Most influential people in the pub industry:​

1. Giles Thorley​

2. Ted Tuppen​

3. Tim Martin​

4. Tim Clarke​

5. Rooney Anand, Ralph Findlay​

6. Alistair Darling​

7. Gary Landesberg​

8. Robert Tchenguiz​

9. Deborah Kemp​

10. John Hutson​

11. Simon Townsend​

12. Jeremy Blood​

13. Jonathan Neame​

14. Andrew Knight​

15. David Elliot, Stephen Oliver​

16. John Mcnamara​

17. Adam Fowle, Mike Bramley​

18. Mark McQuater​

19. Rob Hayward, Mark Hastings, Nick bish, Paul Smith, Jon Collins​

20. Derek Andrew​

21. Lynne D'Arcy, Andy Clifford ​

22. Rufus Hall ​

23. Paul Wells, Nigel McNally​

24. Iain Holden​

25. Tim Sykes​

26. Prince Charles, John Longden​

27. John Grogan, Robert Humphreys​

28. Trevor Hemmings, Brian King​

29. Clive Rayden​

30. Ian Payne, Toby Smith, Paul Symonds​

31. Peter Hansen, Jim Fallon​

32. Jon Moulton, Roy Ellis, David Ford​

33. The analysts​

34. Jonathan Webster, Jonathan Lawson, Mark Derry​

35. Michael Turner​

36. Doug Clydesdale​

37. Tony Payne, Phil Dixon, Peter Coulson, Roger Protz​

38. Paul Nunny​

39. Jonathan Pavely​

40. Alistair Darby, Justin Adams​

41. Jonathan Adnam​

42. Mike Benner​

43. Neil Morgan, Barry Gillham​

44. Tim Farron MP, Greg Mulholland MP​

45. Steve Baker​

46. Up-and-comming multiples​

47. Stephen Gould​

48. James Dickson​

49. Stuart Bateman​

50. Scott Waddington​