28. Ian Squires, ITV

Ian Squires is director of regional production for ITV, making him one of ITV's senior broadcasters.

He was formerly managing director of the local station, ITV Central, and a member of ITV's news and regions management team, and he recently announced plans to launch a new regional current affairs programme on ITV in 2009, a plan that attracted a lot of attention at a time when ITV was being accused of retreating in the regions and reducing it commitments.

Since 2004 he has been Chairman of Marketing Birmingham, which earlier this year signed a new £12 million contract with Birmingham City Council to promote the city.

The group almost doubled its target of a 10:1 return on investment over the last three years, based on its work promoting visitor numbers, perceptions scores, media coverage, events and economic impact.

In the previous months it secured three major political party conferences for the city, as well as major international association conferences including the Rotary International Convention in its centenary year in 2009, which Mr Squires said demonstrated the importance if the extra funding the group had received.

He is also Chairman of Birmingham Repertory Theatre and is on the Board of the Birmingham Hippodrome. Other non-executive roles include the Board of the housing association, Midland Heart.

In 2005 Ian was made president of the Birmingham and Solihull Chamber of Commerce and a member of Birmingham City Council's Prospectus Steering Group