Roland Rudd - Finsbury, co-founder
One of the top PR bosses in the City, former FT journalist Rudd is a supreme networker, representing 27 FTSE-100 firms. Politicians and oligarchs depend on his advice too. Favoured contacts are wined and dined in his Holland Park home.

Matthew Freud - Freud Communications, founder
Public-relations supremo who criss-crosses business, politics, media and showbusiness. Born with connections and then married into the Murdochs (wife is TV boss Elisabeth). Flew David Cameron by private jet to meet Rupert Murdoch in the Med.

Simon Fuller - 19 Entertainment, founder
Über-agent and fixer, he created the Spice Girls and the Pop Idol TV franchise. Represents David and Victoria Beckham. Based in Battersea, Fuller keeps expanding — taking over Storm Models agency. Says: “I'm one of the best in the world.”

Alan Parker - Brunswick, founder
Runs the biggest PR firm in the Square Mile. Parker built his reputation by spinning on City mega-takeover deals. Has top-notch political connections — Gordon and Dave both came to his wedding.

Lord Bell - Chime Communications, founder
Tory peer, who helped found Saatchi & Saatchi and was Margaret Thatcher's PR guru. A keen luncher, Bell offers “reputation management”— the man that companies turn to in a crisis.

Sir Nick Lloyd - Brown Lloyd James, co-founder
Always cheerful, the ex-newspaper editor is a smooth operator. His insider knowledge is highly prized by clients, who include many in the media business — from US billionaire Steve Forbes to Al Jazeera.

Alan Edwards - Outside Organisation, founder
Veteran music industry image guru who represents everyone from Paul McCartney to Amy Winehouse. Left school at 15. Smart, pro-active, never becomes the story. Flew to Los Angeles to handle the Michael Jackson memorial.

Peter Bennett-Jones - Tiger Aspect and PBJ Management, chairman
TV producer and agent, he's also got a hand in Lindy King's UA. His roots are in theatre
and comedy as a force behind Mr Bean, The Vicar of Dibley and Catherine Tate. Tiger Aspect is a top indie, making drama and kids' shows.

Lindy King - United Agents, co-chair
Represents Keira Knightley, Ewan McGregor and a string of TV talent such as Ricky Gervais. Tough, she quit rival agency PFD to help found UA in 2007. Says her passion is discovering new talent.

Ciara Parkes - Public Eye, agent
Big roster of clients from film and TV, including Sienna Miller, Hugh Dancy and Cat Deeley. Founded Public Eye in 1992 and is a loyal and tough operator, fending off unwanted press attention for her stars.

Duncan Heath - Independent Talent Group, agent
Wise old bird, represents top names like Daniel Craig and Thandie Newton. When he landed first big job with ICM management, joked the long-wheelbase Bentley and chauffeur he inherited were “the best thing on God's Earth”.

Simon Lewis - Number 10, Director of Communications
Highly regarded in the City as ex-Vodafone spinner, he's had mission impossible — representing Gordon Brown. Likely to have his pick of plum jobs when, rather than if, he leaves Whitehall. Raised in Cricklewood, he used to spin for the Queen. Brother Will edits The Daily Telegraph.

Max Clifford - Celebrity agent
King of the tabloid exposé, he says the best stories are the ones he keeps out of the papers. Represented Jade Goody; close to Simon Cowell. He's mellowed more recently. If there's scandal, Clifford will know about it.

Ben Elliot - Quintessentially, founder
Camilla Parker Bowles's nephew has confounded the sceptics with his global concierge service for rich clients — and is expanding into public relations and event management too. Dashing, with string of female admirers.

Tim Allan - Portland PR, founder
Learned his trade as deputy to Alastair Campbell at Number 10 but opted for more discreet (and powerful) role in private sector. Steely and lacks warmth, but has top political contacts among Tories and New Labour — and as far afield as Moscow.

Charles Finch - Finch & Partners, chairman
Ex-William Morris agent who struck out on his own with branding and talent firm. Represents Kevin Spacey, John Malkovich and a string of luxury fashion brands. Hosts annual pre-Baftas party.

Gary Farrow - The Corporation, founder
Raised in Orpington, blunt-speaking but savvy. Knows the red-tops — he's married to Sun columnist Jane Moore. Sir Elton John and George Michael are godparents to his eldest daughter.

Erica Bolton, Jane Quinn - Bolton & Quinn, founders
Queens of publicity in the art world for more than two decades, the duo act for artists and galleries across town — from the Tate to the Serpentine. Gatekeepers for any decent private view.

Jonathan Lloyd, Jonny Geller, Curtis Brown - literary agents
Voted this year's Literary Agent of the Year, chief executive Lloyd works tirelessly to win stonking advances for established authors, while Geller, who has been made MD of the books division, is credited with winning over edgier new writers.

Caroline Michel - PFD agency, chief executive
Fragrant but steely literary and talent agent. Overcame mass defections when she arrived at Peters Fraser Dunlop in 2007. Married to ex-Faber boss Lord Evans, most-connected Swiss banker and mischievous fixer. Long-standing member of the Booker Prize Committee.

Richard Allen-Turner - Avalon, managing director
TV agent and executive producer, known for winning eye-popping sums for the talent on Avalon's books. Making the TV programmes for clients like Harry Hill, as Allen-Turner also does, brings in yet more cash.

Ed Victor - Literary agent
Still schmoozing at seventy, Bronx-born Victor represents some of the big names, including Nigella Lawson, John Banville and Edna O'Brien. Got £1 million for Alastair Campbell's diaries.

Murray Chalmers - Music publicist
The ex-pat Scot left EMI to start his own company and hasn't looked back. Client list includes Robbie Williams, Kylie and Lily Allen. Based in Mayfair but spends as much time as he can in Dundee.

Addison Cresswell - Off The Kerb, agent
Negotiated Jonathan Ross's £18 million deal from the BBC and rehabilitated him after the Andrew Sachs affair. Larger-than-life, cigar-smoking, noisy. Says agents are just like TV bosses — “complete bastards”.

Neil Reading - Public relations agent
Prides himself on having a hot line to every red-top editor and believes co-operation is better than confrontation. Client list has ranged from the Candy brothers to Paul O'Grady.

Ian Osborne - IW Osborne, director
Young and rising fast, since studying at LSE. Low-profile, based in offices off Savile Row. Behind-the-scenes guide to New York mayor Michael Bloomberg and Madonna.

David Miller, Peter Straus - Rogers Coleridge White, agents
Dynamic duo. Miller joined RCW in 1990 as a receptionist; these days he represents the likes of Kate Summerscale, Victoria Hislop, Will Eaves and Ben Schott. Peter Straus joined in 2002 from publishing, and his client list includes Kate Atkinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Mariella Frostrup, Rachel Johnson, Don Paterson, and Colm Toibin.

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  Ken Livingstone's friends in the East

  The Mayor of Tower Hamlets defeated Labour to be elected. Livingstone not only backed him but some of Ken's key players are now at the heart of running the council. Stephen Robinson reports

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