Who's in and who's out? - News - Evening Standard
       

Who's in and who's out?

The energy of London is nowhere more reflected than in the shifting balance of power among its thoughtmakers, trendsetters and leaders. Every week, Simon Davis looks at who's in and who's out.

TOP OF THE TREE

IN, MEDIA: JAMES HARDING, 38
THE TIMES, EDITOR

Has become the youngest editor of The Thunderer. Educated at St Paul's and Trinity, Cambridge, before a 12-year stint at the FT (he learned Chinese from scratch and opened its Shanghai bureau) he went to The Times as business editor just 16 months ago. Close to his new boss, James Murdoch. Editing The Times gives him influence but he lacks experience and whether Harding is all gong and no dinner in the big job remains to be seen.

IN, CAMPAIGNING: CARL PITTAM, 39
SUSTRANS, LONDON DIRECTOR

Oversees the London arm of the cycling campaign group that has won £50 million of Lottery money to build a nationwide cycling route. A sustained voting campaign saw the cyclists beat off efforts from the Eden Project and the Black Country. Goes to show that you don't necessarily need fame, money or political clout to have influence.

WOBBLE

POLITICS: BORIS JOHNSON, 43
LONDON'S TORY MAYORAL CANDIDATE

Affable to a fault but even friends admit that Boris needs to raise his game, rather than make TV programmes and corporate speeches, if he is to mount a successful challenge to Ken Livingstone.

NEW ON THE LIST

SPORT: FABIO CAPELLO, 61
ENGLAND FOOTBALL TEAM MANAGER

Known as The Iron Sergeant, Capello is a hard taskmaster and it's hoped he will be able to kick our national team into shape. No time for laziness, Wags or spoilt rich players - the FA is paying him £4.8 million a year to play hardball with our team. It might not be pretty but in the end we might actually win something.

ON THE MONEY

FILM: JOE WRIGHT, 36
DIRECTOR

The dyslexic director who can't read the original book went on to direct the film version of Ian McEwan's novel Atonement. He has now been nominated for a Golden Globe as best director.

TELEVISION: NOEL FIELDING, 34
COMEDIAN

The Mighty Boosh - the TV comedy show Fielding created with Julian Barratt - is back on the BBC and the rangy stand-up made an excellent turn on Never Mind the Buzzcocks. He's rapidly overtaking David Walliams as London's "Most Invited" comedian.

GROWING IMPACT

THEATRE: HAYLEY ATWELL, 25
ACTRESS

Has just landed a top role in the production of Shaw's Major Barbara at the National directed by Nick Hytner. She will star alongside Simon Russell Beale. She also pays Julia Flyte in the new film of Brideshead Revisited and has just finished filming The Duchess with Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes.

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