Derek Andrew

Derek Andrew, managing director, Marston's Inns & Taverns (20)

Why he is on the list:

Derek Andrew is the blunt, no-nonsense boss of Marston's managed pubs division that operates around 500 pubs. Andrew is a seasoned retailer who has driven the transformation of Marston's managed segment into a food-focused modern pub retailer over the course of a decade or more.

What the past year has held:

Consolidation has been the watchword for Andrew over a year in which there has been little significant expansion or redirection. The economic climate has prompted a safety-first approach for most managed operators and Marston's is no exception. It meant the company suspending development of letting-room accommodation in its bigger pubs, which currently operate about 850 bedroom units.

A £10m investment had initially been planned for accommodation expansion.

The focus has been on pushing down hard on its value levers, especially when it comes to food offers.

Challenges ahead:

Judgement on exactly when the recession bottoms out will probably determine Marston's next move. It's probably that the company remains content to expand its estate on a piecemeal basis but it has a sizeable pipeline of greenfield sites to develop when market conditions improve.