Dan Nye - Agenda Setters 2008

Name: Dan Nye

Title: LinkedIn CEO

Position: 48    Last year: Not ranked

Why? Leading the social networking site for 'grown ups'

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Since taking the helm in 2007, Dan Nye has led LinkedIn to stellar growth in the crowded web 2.0 social networking space against rivals such as Plaxo and the more consumer-focused Facebook and MySpace.

This summer LinkedIn bagged $53m in funding, valuing the company at more than $1bn - and the site currently has 23 million members across 170 industries and 150 countries.

LinkedIn's differentiator is its 'grown-up' business focus and the high calibre of members, which advertisers will pay a premium to reach. Execs from many Fortune 500 companies - including Bill Gates - have profiles on the network.

Social networking is more than a fad, agreed the Agenda Setters panel, and for business people LinkedIn is the place to be seen.

It's Nye's knowledge of how to foster this community - and to please advertisers at the same time - which earns him a spot on this year's list.