The A-List: 2008

Job

Chief executive

Company

Pearl & Dean

Work Telephone

+44 (0)20 7882 1000.

Address

3, Waterhouse Square, 138-142 Holborn, London, EC1

Fantasy business partner

George Clooney, in a strictly cinematic sense, an ideal person to work with.

How do you off-set your carbon footprint?

By taking the orthern line every day to work. Recycling. Using green taxis.

Greatest influence

My family (and Jessie, my assistant, who has the highest standards of anyone I've ever known).

Clubs

Wacl.

Favourite gadget

iPod.

Desert island objects

I'll just take one Ray Mears.

Most-admired politician

William Wilberforce, for going against received opinion, taking risks and fighting for many years to achieve his aim. Currently, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Favourite media

Depends on the day of the week for newspapers, The Week, Virgin, AdamBowie.com .

Biggest risk taken

Giving evidence in the High Court. I have never been so scared in my life.

Perfect day

One when I achieve something that makes a difference. However small. If it involves shopping, film, eating, wine, or any of my other hobbies, then all the better.

Who should play you in the film of your life?

In my dreams Selma Hayek. In reality, a very bad Davina McCall lookalike (dark hair, dark eyes, loves to chat).

Career highlights

Getting a job in media since I'm bad at maths. Working at The Daily Telegraph during seismic changes in newspapers. Weekly magazines at IPC taught me to think broadly. Virgin Radio for gigs, music, laughter, court cases, work as a rollercoaster, and the importance of ideas and bravery. Pearl & Dean for reinventing an icon, people singing your sonic logo, watching films for a living, popcorn, and a really fantastic bunch of people, whom I look forward to seeing on Monday morning (and the rest of the week).

Fictional hero

Atticus Finch.

Hidden talent

Now that would be telling.

Best job outside advertising

Epsom Swimming Baths during the summer holidays when I was at university.

Lowdown

Jacob's bubbly, enthusiastic approach has been instrumental in helping Pearl & Dean to punch above its weight in the cinema sales market. She's moved it towards offering greater numbers of creative solutions, and is fielding dozens of calls about commercial opportunities around the upcoming Sex and the City film.

Most expensive purchase

I can't say, my husband reads this.

Why are you good at what you do?

Optimism, determination and surrounding myself with talented people.