No. 20 Bill Gates, chairman and chief software architect, Microsoft

Last year's position: 7

Microsoft's instantly recognisable figurehead has taken something of a tumble in the Agenda Setters ratings this year, falling to 20 from last year's seventh place (which he shared with Linus Torvalds, who this year beats him, coming in at number 11).

The drop is a testament to the growing influence of Redmond's pit bull-esque CEO, Steve Ballmer, now seen by our Agenda Setters panellists as the engine in the Microsoft machine. Microsoft is no big innovator or software perfectionist, according to our panel, but it is a beast of a business - hence Ballmer's better placing at number 14.

However, there's no doubt Gates is one of the big names - possibly the biggest - in all of tech. Even the non-tech media are interested in what he's got to say, hence the unstinting jaw-flapping from Bill over Microsoft's recent security efforts and his vocal proclamations that the iPod shine can't last.

But Gates isn't just a legend when talking tech, he's a personality in his own right, making appearances at Live 8 and at the Davos world economic forum. All proof he still wields considerable power in the IT world and beyond.