Afternoon:
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The gold Standard party
Katharine Barney, Evening Standard12 Feb 2009
From political figureheads and property developers to models and musicians, the most influential people in London gathered at the launch of the Evening Standard's glossy magazine The 1000: London's Most Influential People 2008.
Boris Johnson and TV fashion stylist Gok Wan were among those who chatted to each other, swapping gossip and information.
The "influentials" list includes those in charge of running London, important players in the media world and key political figures in the capital. Many at the event, hosted by Evening Standard editor Veronica Wadley, at the Wallace Collection were newcomers to the list, now in its second year.
The Mayor, named as one of last year's up and coming figures, was the star guest at the Marylebone gallery. He said: "I feel very privileged to be here and to be in this position. There's a great mix of people and it shows what wonderful talent, diversity and general brilliance we have in this wonderful city."
Mr Johnson later left to have dinner with Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York, to discuss policing tactics. Other guests were Topshop supremo Sir Philip Green, Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell, shadow home secretary Dominic Grieve, Liberty director Shami Chakrabarti, Bishop of Rochester Michael Nazir-Ali and Viscount Rothermere, the chairman of the Evening Standard's parent company, Daily Mail and General Trust.
Olympic gold medal winner Christine Ohuruogu was congratulated on her success in Beijing while stock market turmoil was a hot topic of conversation between Merrill Lynch European chairman Bob Wigley and philanthropist John Madejski.
From the arts and media came conductors Edward Gardner and Thomas Ades, Donmar Warehouse artistic director Michael Grandage, TV style guru Mary Portas, fashion editor Suzy Menkes of the International Herald Tribune, broadcaster Andrew Neil, literary agent Caroline Michel and BBC London presenter Riz Lateef. Soon-to-be departed Met commissioner Sir Ian Blair did not attend but his deputy Sir Paul Stephenson was at the party.
See the full list of Influentials here
