24 Iain Holden

commercial director, Sky Business (23)

Why he is on the list:

Holden is the man popularly assumed to be the architect of Sky's controversial commercial subscriptions, which cause uproar and outrage each year the satellite broadcaster announces its rates for the forthcoming football season. Whichever way you look at it, Holden exerts considerable influence on the whole issue of live pub-TV soccer.

What the past year has held:

Sky prompted the usual furore and a little bit more last year when it announced a discounted secondary package of live games on the proviso that licensees signed up for the main item, even though prices had not been announced. Nevertheless, this season's Premiership proved to be one of the most exciting to have taken place in recent years and would have been a massive footfall driver at those pubs that stumped up for the service.

Challenges ahead:

Sky Business staffers embarked on a prolonged consultation with its key pub-sector customers earlier this year. The truth is, though, that only lower prices will create the required warm, fuzzy feeling.