26 Alex Salussolia

managing director, Glendola Leisure (new entry)

Why he's on the list:

Salussolia divides his time overseeing the 19-strong pub group Glendola Leisure and also chairs the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), the key trade group for multiple lessees.

What the last year has held:

A more-than-busy 12 months for Salussolia, who, besides Glendola and his ALMR work, is also involved in the Westminster Licensees' Association, handling licensing wrangles with Westminster council. Only recently Salussolia joined other trade leaders in an outspoken attack on the police, who he claimed had stopped working with the trade and had abandoned a partnership approach to the issues facing the trade.

Challenges ahead:

Expansion is planned at Glendola. Salussolia wants to buy more casual-dining outlets and now

has a £20m war chest for the purpose. He also wants to expand his iconic Waxy O'Connor brand.

In all, Glendola wants to double its size and £24m turnover.

On the political front more battles with Westminster loom while the ALMR will, as usual, find itself immersed in most of the emerging major trade issues. The ALMR is also considering a merger with its cousin organisation, the Bar Entertainment & Dance Association.