The panel
Who was sitting in judgement?

Tony Hallett
silicon.com editor and Agenda Setters 2003 panel chairman

This year marks Tony's second time as host of the annual panel, though he has been Agenda Setters editor since its inception in 2000. One of the editorial team behind the launch of silicon.com in 1998, Tony is now responsible for all silicon.com content. He previously did time at Sequent Computers and in market research.

Richard has been the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Hallam since 1997 and is the Liberal Democrat spokesman on ICT. He holds an MSc in IT and is active in several All Party Groups. Voted an 'Internet Hero' earlier this year by ISPA his specialities include, perhaps unsurprisingly, e-government and e-democracy.

James Bennet

A networker par excellence James is MD of the European Technology Forum (ETF), one of the world's premier events business with unrivalled relationships with the industry's top vendors and deal-makers. This is James' first time on the panel and with ETF now owned by CNET Networks UK, silicon.com's publisher, it meant he didn't have far to travel.

Martin Brampton, consultant

Founder and director of Black Sheep Research, Martin is a long-time silicon.com contributor with his Devil's Advocate column. A keen commentator on open source and how tech affects the wider world he works with a range of organisations. Previously at Bloor Research and making his Agenda Setters debut.

Kate Bulkley, broadcaster and journalist

Back for a second consecutive year, Kate is a well-known freelance journalist, writing for broadsheets on a range of TMT issues and bagging countless CEO interviews. Previously media editor at CNBC Europe and a frequent moderator of debates herself.

Ajay Chowdhury, VC

Making his third consecutive panel appearance, Ajay is managing partner of IDG Ventures Europe, a $100m European VC fund. His past employment includes being CEO of NBCi Europe, the interactive offshoot of the US broadcaster, CEO of ISP LineOne and, once upon a time, a consultant at Bain & Co.

Ric Francis, CIO

Ric is a member of the operational board at Safeway at a time when it is involved in a possible merger with a number of rivals. Previously at TI Group and before that international CIO for Pepsi Co out of New York, meaning his vertical expertise lies in retail and consumer packaged goods. An Agenda Setters first-timer.

Simon Kent, academic

Simon is the technical head of the Fluid Business team at Brunel University in London. He is in the final year of a three-year government-sponsored project - the team's most famous work arguably being research into broadband roll out in South Korea - and has previously worked in technical roles in the City.

David Naylor, lawyer

David is a partner at the London offices of Morrison and Foerster, one of the industry's premier law firms working in software, telecoms, the internet and related fields. His specialities are privacy and IPR issues. 2003 marked his first year on the Agenda Setters panel. Chairman of the London chapter of the Global Communications Society (www.commsgroup.org/)

Richard Sykes, consultant

The chairman of several start-ups as well as sourcing consultancy Morgan Chambers, Richard is a champion of services over technologies. He was also a 25-year veteran at ICI, where he finished his career as VP IT, a former campaigner with Ralph Nader in the US, and unique in that he has served on every Agenda Setter panel.

David Taylor, writer

silicon.com readers will know David's monthly Director's Cut column, European CIOs will know him as president of IT director association Certus (now part of the NCC) and hundreds of thousands know him as the author of the best-selling book The Naked Leader. David returns for a third year and as an expert on what makes a great leader.

Process

The panel convened at silicon.com's London offices on the morning of 18 September 2003. Post-discussion, all 11 individuals listed above chose 20 Agenda Setters in order. Results were aggregated to come up with the final top 50.