No. 15 John Thompson, chairman and CEO, Symantec

Last year's position: Not placed

John Thompson will play a major part in setting the Agenda over the coming years - in terms of how businesses secure themselves but more vitally in terms of how the security industry consolidates, and the repercussions that has for business and the health of the IT sector.

Symantec will make acquisitions - that is beyond doubt for most industry watchers. It will also play the largest and most active role in keeping Microsoft from getting too strong a hold in a market that would add such considerable cash to the Redmond coffers as to have a serious impact on rivals in all Microsoft's active sectors.

As proof that the Agenda Setters panel views security as a rising concern for all businesses, Thompson debuts on the Agenda Setters list solidly within the top 20.