36 Jonathan Paveley

commercial director, Punch Taverns (new entry)

Why he's on the list:

Paveley holds a powerful position within Britain's biggest pub operator. Among other things, he masterminds buying and supply contracts for the company's 8,400 pubs. He is also credited as the brains behind some of Punch's more lateral moves, such as the acquisition of a half-share in pub retailer Matthew Clark, in the years since he moved from Greene King.

What the past year has held:

Punch continued to churn its estate with its recent disposal of almost 900 pubs to Admiral, one of the biggest it has yet concluded. It also sold parcels of managed pubs to GI Partners, Regent Inns and others. It stepped up support for tenants on the food side by moving across food experts from Spirit, who would otherwise possibly be out of work as the managed division shrunk in size - a smart piece of expertise churn.

Challenges ahead:

Making sense of the Matthew Clark deal, and ensuring it works. There are already questions about what Punch's next move will be, with analysts describing it as being awash with options. Just as well Punch has a gifted strategic thinker like Paveley on the board.