The A-List: 2008

Born

22nd September 1956

Job

Chief executive

Company

IPG Outdoor

Work Telephone

+44 (0)20 3059 0400.

Address

7th Floor, Lynton House, 7-12 Tavistock Square, London, WC1H

Fantasy business partner

Archimandrite Luseferous.

How do you off-set your carbon footprint?

With difficulty.

Greatest influence

My parents, wife and children.

Clubs

Esporta, Everton FC.

Favourite gadget

Ventolin inhaler.

Desert island objects

Library, a life-long supply of Maltesers, flippers.

Most-admired politician

Winston Churchill. The single most important Englishman in our history.

Favourite media

The Daily Telegraph, Monocle; Frasier, Planet Rock, Univillage.

Biggest risk taken

Going to live in the US alone at 21.

Perfect day

Lerici with family.

Who should play you in the film of your life?

Norman Wisdom.

Career highlights

General manager, Zenith; managing director, Amra; managing director, Initiative; managing director, Magna; chief executive, IPG Outdoor.

Fictional hero

Dave Robicheaux.

Hidden talent

Swam for England, Subbuteo, table tennis for Surrey.

Best job outside advertising

Teaching English Literature at USC.

Lowdown

Jeans is one of the slickest negotiators in the marketplace, as perhaps you would expect from someone who's seen so much high-level action on both sides of the buying/selling fence. But he certainly has his work cut out at IPM, which is third in the outdoor buying business by a long way. Jeans is an ardent member of the industry's small but perfectly-formed Everton mafia.

Most expensive purchase

Children's education.

Why are you good at what you do?

Focused, friendly and fortunate.