The A-List: 2008

Born

1st January 1954

Job

Managing director, The Daily Mail, group; commercial director, Associated Newspapers

Company

Daily Mail and General Trust

Work Telephone

+44 (0)20 7938 6000.

Address

Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5TT

Fantasy business partner

My wife might read this.

How do you off-set your carbon footprint?

I bicycle to work.

Greatest influence

Probably my father, although he died when I was 16.

Clubs

Harry's Bar, Mossimans, St Moritz Yacht Club.

Favourite gadget

Sunseeker Predator 85? but no-one has given me one yet.

Desert island objects

Bar, pool, aircon.

Most-admired politician

Attila the Hun.

Favourite media

The Daily Mail, The Economist, House, Radio 4, Igloo.com.

Biggest risk taken

Personally insuring Piper Alpha via Lloyds of London? without realising it.

Perfect day

The old family dog's bowels behave. My wife tells me that she loves me. My son tells me that he loves me. My daughter tells me that she loves me. Circulation goes up. Advertising goes up. Profit goes up. A bottle of 1961 Petrus and a large Montecristo accompanied by laughter.

Who should play you in the film of your life?

Jack Nicholson, but I am not sure that he has sufficient capacity to enjoy himself.

Career highlights

Being vilified in Campaign seemed to get me lots of job offers.

Hidden talent

I am still trying to find it.

Best job outside advertising

Owning and running a restaurant.

Lowdown

A connoisseur of the good things in life, the irrepressible Zitter is arguably one of the industry's most entertaining men to have lunch with, although a number of shrinking violets on the agency side often find some of his more robust opinions alarming. He doesn't suffer fools gladly.

Most expensive purchase

Contents of the wine cellar.

Why are you good at what you do?

Focus, humour, no bullshit, more focus.