The A-List: 2008

Born

1st January 1953

Job

Chairman, (and various other things)

Company

National Readership Survey

Work Telephone

+44 (0)7711 883876.

Address

London, WC2B 5PQ

How do you off-set your carbon footprint?

I don't believe in that nonsense.

Clubs

St Enodoc (God's favourite golf course).

Favourite gadget

Screwpull (best corkscrew in the world).

Desert island objects

A black labrador, another black labrador, a seven iron.

Most-admired politician

Winston Churchill.

Favourite media

Cornish Guardian, The Spectator, BBC golf coverage, Radio 2, www.cbwps.org.uk.

Perfect day

Tomorrow.

Career highlights

Yet to come.

Best job outside advertising

Editorial director at Haymarket (yes, really).

Lowdown

One of the more urbane operators in the business, replete with calm intelligence, the reward, perhaps, of the hours of solitary reflection which come with the territory when you're a keen birdwatcher. He is a consummate committee man but even Marquis is finding the job of reinventing the NRS a rather exasperating business.

Most expensive purchase

Huge painting of Western Isles.

Why are you good at what you do?

I'll let others decide.