Top 50 Movers and Shakers... uncovered

The Growth Company Investor team highlights the most important people in the growth company market

1. Oliver Hemsley (31)

Lloyds insurance specialist Hemsley has presided over dramatic growth at corporate broker Numis. Under his stewardship Numis has enjoyed a golden year, boosting its brokerships to 40, raising £240 million for clients and improving interim profits 37 per cent to £5.1 million. It also won Growth Company Investor's Aim Company of the year, Adviser of the Year and joint Broker of the Year awards.

2. Terry Smith (1)

A one-time iconoclast, whose critique of acquisition accounting once sent waves far beyond the City, Collins Stewart chief executive Terry Smith found controversy close at hand this year following an acrimonious bust-up with erstwhile employee James Middleweek. Happily, an internal investigation ruled Collins Stewart had breached no FSA rules. On the trading front, the group has avoided the financial reverses suffered by others, raised more cash that any other Aim broker and bulked up its empire by buying inter-dealer broker Tullett in March for £250 million.

3. Bob Morton (5)

Veteran 'company doctor', chairman of a string of companies and an enthusiastic greyhound and racehorse owner, the keen-eyed Morton has a Midas touch. The market has watched with fascination the doubling of shares in Armour Group (which he chairs) and the revival of Tenon after he bought a 17 per cent stake. This appreciated in value by £5 million in eight quick months. Expect another busy year.

4. Peter Webb (13)

The vocal fund manager's major bets on an eventual recovery in cyclical stocks are beginning to pay off as the green shoots come through. Webb, who is chief executive of investment group Unicorn, has boldly backed recruitment companies, such as Harvey Nash and Robert Walters, on this basis. The fund with which he is most associated, Eaglet Investment Trust, has perked up 42 per cent in the past six months.

5. Adam Hart/Edward Horton (–)

With founders Christopher Holdsworth Hunt and Charlie Peel stepping away from the coalface at Peel Hunt (although they are to remain very much engaged on the client relationship front), this dynamic duo are the emerging powers. Hart, a man who doesn't suffer fools gladly, has been with the firm for 11 years. He is head of corporate finance. Horton, 'an enthusiast in everything he does', according to colleagues, is head of sales. Both will be kept very busy as Peel Hunt is the most active broker on Aim.

6. Keith Harris (3)

Football fan and corporate financier Harris, whose past clients include porn/media tycoon Richard Desmond, has been working on the break-up of Seymour Pierce, the loss-making stockbroker he chairs. Genial and informal, Harris recently sold the company's investment banking arm to its management (himself included) for £7.35 million – a deal backed by venture capitalist John Moulton.

7. Giles Hargreave (–)

Lancashire-born Hargreave is the manager behind the explosive growth of the Marlborough Special Situations Fund. This small-cap unit trust has jumped 74 per cent this year, making it the top-performing fund in its class. Hargreave, who set up his own investment management firm before becoming a partner at family stockbroker Hargreave Hale, has achieved this by timing the recovery in technology stocks supremely.

8. Richard Smith (–)

With more than 30 years' fund management experience to his name, Richard Smith has ascended to the helm of a triumvirate of leading smaller company funds run by the INVESCO Perpetual stable. INVESCO is the UK arm of US-based investment giant AMVESCAP – which is, in turn, by far the largest institutional backer of Aim stocks by value, with interests topping £150 million.

9. Andrew Buchanan (8)

A cogent figure in the growth company arena, Buchanan manages Close Brothers' highly regarded AIM VCT. Despite a tricky first quarter, things now seems to be falling into place, with Buchanan stating that it has been nice to see portfolio companies like Auto Indemnity 'finally receiving the recognition they deserve'.

10. John Dodd (2)

Many cynics speculated that Artemis' merger with ABN Amro's unit trust arm would prove to be a distraction too far for unconventional fund manager John Dodd. But his ability to let nothing get in the way of his money management has put paid to the critics. As things stand, his UK Smaller Companies Fund is up an impressive 35.2 per cent on a one-year view – and 347.7 per cent over five years' view. When he's not making money for investors, he spends his time huntin', shootin' and cookin'.

11. Andy Brough (9)

Star fund manager Andy Brough has more than two decades of experience in the investment arena and has worked for current employer Schroders since 1987. Since its launch in 1999, he has guided the revered Schroder UK Mid 250 to an excellent 36.2 per cent positive return – no mean feat given the vagaries of the bear market. He is also co-manager of Schroders' UK Smaller Companies Fund. An espouser of the 'bottom-up' investment approach, Brough focuses on detailed analysis of individual companies.

12. Bill Brown/Robert Mitchell (16)

This pair manage money for ISIS, one of the biggest investors in Aim. However, being large also brings disadvantages, making the duo's funds less flexible and consequently harder to manage. This year saw the demise of the heavily geared Aim Trust, which was folded into ISIS' Active Capital Trust to create a £70 million-investment trust. Technology punts like Transense still hang heavy, dragging back performance.

13. Stuart Sharp (–)

Followers of veteran fund manager Sharp have witnessed a spectacular return to form. Sharp's BWD UK Micro-Cap Growth fund has more than doubled in value since launch just over a year ago. Top performers include biotech services plays BioProgress and BioTrace as well as stockbroker Charles Stanley. Sharp has also looked after BWD's consistently performing UK Smaller Companies Trust since 1995.

14. Chilton Taylor (24)

Media savvy Cambridge-graduate Taylor acts as figurehead for accountancy firm Baker Tilly's Aim and Ofex corporate finance team. One of the few accountants to sit on the Aim Advisory Panel, he was fittingly on hand to collect Baker Tilly's Aim Accountant of the Year award at this year's Growth Company Awards. Interestingly, he played cricket for Cambridge and Middlesex (alongside a certain Phil Edmonds) during the 70s and 80s.

15. John Gunn (29)

Former money broker turned tycoon and determined backer of young companies, the affable Gunn has a taste for businesses with interesting or unusual technologies. Past investments include high-tech power generation specialist Turbo Genset, 'smart home technology' hopeful SRS and compressed air technology aspirant Corac. One disappointment was Canadian cut-flower life-extension concern SunBlush.

16. Bob Holt (23)

Very much a man's man, brusque entrepreneur Holt is an accountant by training. The son of a grocer from Oldham, he learnt mental arithmetic behind the counter in his formative years but is these days best known for his stewardship of Aim-quoted support services star Mears. Holt also chairs two further Aim companies, Wyatt and Staffing Ventures, and is a former chief of MITIE and Tottenham football club.

17. Gerry Beaney/Brian Moritz (19)

Accountancy group Grant Thornton is a leading nominated adviser. Heading up the firm's capital markets team, Beaney and the amiable Moritz have made a name in the junior mining sector, in particular, helping several exploration hopefuls tap the London market. The firm was caught up in controversy though, as adviser to Bullion Resources, when assets claimed in its prospectus were queried by professionals.

18. Michael Cunningham (6)

Suave, polite and always impeccably presented, Michael Cunningham leads investment group Rathbone's Pennine pod of Aim VCTs. But while these trusts retain a diverse portfolio of junior market investments they have, as yet, been unable to capitalise heavily on the recent surge in market valuations. A profit warning from mobile phone repairer CRC was among the main stumbling blocks. However, with Cunningham at the helm, a brighter 2004 is very likely.

19. Peter Leach (–)

Baker Street-based accountancy firm BDO Stoy Hayward has enjoyed a busy year, helping to organise no less than seven Aim floats in a difficult market. As head of BDO's highly regarded 'Growth' team, Peter Leach deserves much of the plaudits.

20. Ken Ford (22)

Following a dismal 2002, the outlook is beginning to brighten for Ken Ford's Teather & Greenwood. In turnaround investment vehicle Volvere, Teathers engineered one of this last year's most successful Aim floats and, having taking something of a battering on the analyst front last year, the firm's research team also appears to be regaining past strength. Ford hopes that the recent upswing in IPO activity will provide further recovery momentum.

21. Michael Jackson (11)

Ubiquitous and tireless, 52 year-old Jackson is chairman of software behemoth Sage and German-owned venture capital house Elderstreet. On the small company scene he sits in the chairman's seat at Planit Holdings and as a non-executive at Netstore, a venture that has produced remarkable gains this year. He is, no doubt, hoping that his other chairmanship Computer Software Group – previously the disastrous Software for Sport – will produce similar gains soon.

22. Alex Sandberg (39)

Ensconced on London's bustling Cannon Street, PR firm College Hill manages media relations for 71 quoted, and 31 unquoted, clients. Within its hallowed confines many lunches are conducted and matters corporate discussed. Under the stewardship of Alex Sandberg, College Hill has been picking up award after award.

23. Nick Hasell (18)

Is there no end to the softly spoken Hasell's talents? From just penning a single market report, he has expanded his empire to include a FTSE 100 report, a widely regarded small-cap report and a bond market report.

24. Jon Pither (–)

At 68, Pither remains one of Aim's most influential figures. Chairman of five companies and a non-executive director of two more, his interests range from industrials outfit Metnor all the way through to bar operator Ultimate Leisure. 2003 may have been a disappointing year for some of his charges – most notably Comeleon – but as chairman of the recently formed Active Capital Trust, Pither remains very much in demand.

25. Richard Oldworth (17)

Part of FTSE 100 global advertising behemoth WPP, Oldworth's Buchanan is one of the biggest and most experienced financial PR firms in the business, advising over 100 listed clients. It is by far the most frequently employed PR adviser to Aim companies.

26. Katie Potts (–) Founder and managing director of well-respected fund management firm Herald.

27. Richard Griffiths/Alex Snow (10) Chairman and chief executive of active broker Evolution Beeson Gregory.

28. Russell Stevens (–) Enthusiastic executive at the helm of Bidtimes, Innobox and Meriden.

29. Nigel Wray (21) Rugby fan and active Aim investor.

30. Mark Taylor (46) Partner at Aim solicitor DLA.

31. Mike Jones (32) Key player at Canaccord, broker to the year's second largest Aim newcomer Bema Gold.

32. Anthony Bolton (–) Small company specialist at heavyweight investment house Fidelity.

33. Julian Bosdet (–)Entrepreneurial frontman of Bankside Consultants.

34. Michael Robins (–) Corporate finance partner at joint Aim Lawyer of the Year Ashurst Morris Crisp.

35. Stephen Hazell-Smith (–) Formidable fund manager breathing new life into Hoodless Brennan & Partners.

36. Mike Prentis (12) Lead fund manager of 3i's Smaller Quoted Companies Trust.

37. Geoff Foster (34) Straight-talking Daily Mail market reporter.

38. Penny Freer (14) Head of equities at US-based broker RW Baird's UK division.

39. Jonathan Bloomer (42) Sailing fanatic and chief executive of active Aim backer Prudential.

40. Phil Edmonds (–) Ex-cricketer Edmonds currently chairs five mining hopefuls.

41. Tim How (–) Eloquent chief executive of Majestic Wine, a star Aim stock.

42. Mark Slater (50) Son of legendary asset-stripper Jim.

43. Bob Young (–) Veteran mining entrepreneur with multiple Ofex interests.

44. Laurie Beevers (–) Chief executive of Manchester-based WH Ireland, the second most active Aim new issue broker of the past year.

45. Mickey Clarke (–) Charismatic Evening Standard market reporter and co-presenter of Radio Five Live's Wake up to Money.

46. Simon FT Cox (–) Corporate finance partner at Norton Rose, joint Aim Lawyer of the Year.

47. Peter Totte (–) Midicorp corporate financier with taste for food stocks.

48. Vikram Lall (–) Director of group corporate finance at adviser/broker Brewin Dolphin.

49. Johnny Townsend (–) Vigorous small company supporter.

50. Roger Hardman (–) Well-respected analyst, now heads his own small-cap research house.