7. Ralph Findlay, chief executive, Marston's
Ralph Findlay, chief executive, Marston's (5)
Why he is on the list: Ralph Findlay heads up one of the UK's so-called "super regionals" — a company that combines running a major brewing operation and operating what is close to a national pub estate. He was recently elected new chairman of the British Beer & Pub Association, which places him as one of the industry's lead spokesmen on the trade's major issues — and, for the first time, he edges ahead of Greene King boss Rooney Anand on our influence list for this reason.
What the past year has held: Findlay has been a busy man defending the pubco model and the beer tie in a year that saw political and financial pressure on both. Findlay has argued that the company's freetrade business insights prove that tenanted pubs have benefited from the protection and support of their pubco landlords. Meanwhile, he's been at the forefront of blending managed and tenanted pubs in a new hybrid that's rescuing some of his tenanted estate from the scrap heap. His managed division has embarked on a transformational project to open 130 new-build pubs. Brewing has seen innovation with the release of the revolutionary Fast Cask. Don't mention the floods.
Challenges ahead: Persuade the Government that the tied trade has put its house in order. Respite from the merciless beer-tax escalator. Back at Marston's the accent will be on further evolution of the tenanted estate, working to ensure its managed estate delivers its opening programme and pressing home its cask-ale advantage.
