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Who's in and who's out
Gideon Spanier, Evening Standard21 Jul 2008
The energy of London is nowhere more reflected than in the shifting balance of power among its thoughtmakers, trendsetters and leaders. Every week, Gideon Spanier looks at who's in and who's out.
NEW ON THE LIST
FOOD
JAMAL HIRANI, 40
RESTAURATEUR
Ugandan entrepreneur set up curry chain Tiffinbites in 2003 and is now expanding the business by snapping up the Bombay Bicycle Club, which has 18 restaurants, for £4.4 million. Hirani, whose family moved to Britain in 1976, is a former M&S lingerie buyer. He serves up 250,000 lunches a week in the canteens of dozens of firms including Barclays and Morgan Stanley.
UP AND COMING
FOOD
HELENE DARROZE, 41,
CONNAUGHT CHEF
One of France's most distinguished chefs has signed a 10-year deal with the Connaught Hotel following its £70 million refit. Darroze, who has earned two Michelin stars and is taking over from Gordon Ramsay's protégée Angela Hartnett, has said pointedly she will stay in the kitchen to cook - unlike some other celebrity chefs. Her signature dish is oyster tartare with caviar jelly.
MAKING MOVES
MICHAEL SPENCER, 53
ICAP FOUNDER AND CEO
Veteran City man. ICAP, which arranges trading between financial firms, is one of the big winners in the credit crunch - his revenue is up 15 per cent because of volatility in foreign exchange dealing and commodities. The continued rise of Spencer's fortunes is good news for the Tories. He is David Cameron's party treasurer, a key fundraiser and a conduit to big business.
MARGARET COLE, 46
FINANCIAL SERVICES AUTHORITY ENFORCER
Former corporate lawyer who runs enforcement for the City watchdog. She has thrown down the gauntlet after her department imposed a provisional £4 million fine - one of the largest on record - against a City securities firm for market abuse. Educated at Cambridge, Cole has not been afraid to take on tough causes. She cut her teeth in the fight to recover cash from the Maxwell pension funds.
UNDER PRESSURE
SIR MICHAEL LYONS, 58
BBC TRUST CHAIRMAN
Affable head of the trust that oversees BBC management. The danger is that he is failing to win the debate at Westminster about keeping the licence fee intact. In a new report he says the BBC contributes billions to the economy but regulator Ofcom is pushing for its income to be top-sliced and shared with other broadcasters.
ONE TO WATCH
POLITICS
NICK CLEGG, 41
LIB-DEM LEADER
Westminster-educated Clegg has won plaudits for a surprising move - calling for lower overall taxes - which repositions the Lib-Dems away from the Left and closer to the centre. Until now the party leader has been struggling to find his feet, remembered more for his indiscretions about having had "no more than 30" lovers. He could do with a fillip in the polls.
