Poll acclaim for Financial Mail man

FINANCIAL Mail's Jeff Prestridge is more powerful than Bank of England Governor Sir Edward George, according to a new league table of the most important figures in British financial services.

Prestridge, Personal Finance Editor since Financial Mail's launch, is ranked ninth in a list of the top 100 most powerful and influential people in the industry. George is number 29.

The Top Power and Influence List, compiled for the respected specialist journal Money Marketing, was put together by a panel of eight experts from the financial services field.

They said Prestridge had earned his place through his 'campaigning journalism on behalf of consumers'. The sheer size of Financial Mail's readership 'and the scope of coverage make The Mail on Sunday the most influential newspaper on financial services in the UK'. Nearly 3.5m people a week read Financial Mail.

Prestridge's vigilance has forced companies to look carefully at their financial products and advice to ensure that they cannot be accused of ripping off customers. 'There are many people in the financial services business who always have an eye on making things Prestridge-proof,' said the Money Marketing panel. The list puts Chancellor Gordon Brown in top spot, followed by Sir Howard Davies of the Financial Services Authority, Ron Sandler who heads the Treasury review of long-term savings, and Pensions Minister Alistair Darling.

Prestridge's ninth place puts him ahead of figures such as Barclays chief executive Matt Barrett, Legal & General chief David Prosser, Jonathan Bloomer who heads Prudential, Treasury economic secretary Ruth Kelly, and Nicola Horlick who founded SG Asset Management.

Tony Hazell, editor of the Daily Mail's Money Mail, is in number 11 spot in the list, close behind Prestridge. The next journalist to be mentioned, Daily Telegraph City editor Neil Collins, trails in 22nd place.