In joint second place were Clear Channel Entertainment UK boss David Ian (currently working on the forthcoming London production of The Producers) and Howard Panter, chief of the Ambassador Theatre Group. Uber-producer Cameron Mackintosh is fourth (up from fifth last year thanks to his promise to spend £35 million of his personal funds to renovate his West End theatres). And fifth is Nick Hytner, who has presided over an immensely successful start to his National Theatre tenure, with the RSC’s Michael Boyd just behind him.

Jon Conway and Nick Thomas are the least recognizable names in the top ten, having acquired the Midas Media Group and International Artistes for their Qdos empire. Producer Bill Kenwright is at number eight, with star catching young producer Sonia Friedman at nine. Peter Hall comes tenth, thanks to his enormous vitality — he currently has two shows on in the West End, with a new artistic directorship at Kingston theatre.

If the top ten are dominated by producing powers, numbers 11 through 20 are more varied:

11 – Trevor Nunn, director
12 – Michael Grandage, director
13 – Raymond Gubbay, impresario
14 – Monica Mason/Antonio Pappano, Royal Ballet and Royal Opera directors
15 – Michael Attenborough, director
16 – Simon Russell Beale, actor
17 – Stephen Waley-Cohen, producer and president of the Society of London Theatre
18 – Colin Ingram – for Disney Theatricals (an odd choice, since he left the company over a year ago)
19 – Nick Salmon – chief executive of the Theatre Ivestment Fund
20 – Richard Eyre, director