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Who's in and who's out?
Simon Davis, Evening Standard18 Feb 2008
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
IN: MUSIC
MARK RONSON, 32
The Grammy award-winning London music producer is the man with the mercurial touch behind Amy Winehouse. He is producer and co-writer on many of her songs, including the music for Back To Black. He is about to go on tour in Britain, with the last two nights at Hammersmith Apollo destined to be huge.
RUNNING THINGS: SPORT
DAME TANNI GREY-THOMPSON, 38
The double Paralympic champion has been appointed to review the UK Athletics anti-doping policy after bosses were bound by their own code to pick former drug cheat Dwain Chambers for Team GB. Dame Tanni, now retired, is also on the board of London Marathon and has been linked with the chairmanship of quango Sport England.
WALKING THE WALK
FASHION: JOURDAN DUNN, 17
The sought-after London model is being hailed as the next Naomi Campbell (poor thing). More importantly, the 5ft 10in teenager is emerging as an eloquent voice in admonishing the fashion industry's obsession with skinny white girls - aside from her, obviously. Dunn is currently signed up as the face of Gap.
ON THE UP
IN: SOCIAL LONDON
ALEXA CHUNG, 24
The sassy T. presenter and girlfriend of Alex Young from the Arctic Monkeys is increasingly seen out on the town with friends such as Lily Allen. With acerbic wit and a streetwise lilt, she's the perfect antidote to the dull, Sloaney It girl brigade.
ARTS
RICK HAYTHORNWAITE, 51
SOUTHBANK CENTRE, CHAIRMAN
Just appointed to the position in succession to Lord Hollick. He is a partner at private equity firm Star Capital Partners and non-executive chairman of MasterCard and has held senior roles at BP and Invensys. In the arts he is chairman of the board at The Almeida, a board member of the British Council and on the Tate board. He is generally considered a decent appointment by Andy Burnham, the new Culture Secretary. We shall see.
THEATRE
TAMARA HARVEY, DIRECTOR
Described as "brilliant, meticulous and intuitive" by Evening Standard theatre critic Nicholas de Jongh. She often works with the Finborough Theatre, a fringe operation in Chelsea with a passion for new writers, and she directed the UK tour of The Graduate. She is now at the helm of Plague Over England, the first play written by de Jongh.
GROWING IMPACT
IN: MUSIC
ROBERT DEL NAJA, 43
MASSIVE ATTACK, FOUNDING MEMBER
He and other members of the English trip-hop collective have been named as artistic directors of the Meltdown Festival, the influential event held at the renovated Southbank Centre in June. David Bowie, Jarvis Cocker and John Peel have taken the role before.
