Putin picked as world's most influential person

Vanity Fair has unveiled its annual list of the world`s 100 most powerful and influential people, what the magazine calls "the New Establishment", and topping the table for the first time is Vladimir Putin, according to reports.

The Russian prime minister, who recently sparked an international crisis and enraged the US and European Union with Russia`s military intervention in Georgia`s breakaway South Ossetia region, replaces last year`s chart-topper Rupert Murdoch, Telegraph informs.

It is Mr Putin`s first mention in the list, which Vanity Fair says "represents a global, moveable band of thinkers, owners, creators, and buyers who are the tastemakers, trendsetters, opinion formers and agenda creators in the worlds of politics, entertainment, media, business, technology, and fashion".

Inclusion in the ranks, the magazine adds, is "based on a number of factors: wealth and influence, as well as such intangibles as vision, philanthropy, and the x factor."

Mr Putin remains de facto leader of the world`s largest country after stepping down as president, a role he held for eight years, in May. The magazine notes he enjoys 80 percent approval ratings at home in part thanks to his revival of Russia`s economy and his efforts to rebuild the nation`s military, pride, and global standing.

But Vanity Fair adds the 55-year-old leader has also been criticised for eroding free speech and democracy, controlling the media, imprisoning his enemies and installing long-time protégé Dmitri Medvedev as president in an allegedly rigged election.

Mr Putin`s hawkish foreign policy reached new levels of aggression last month when Russian tanks rolled into neighbouring Georgia, sparking talk of a new Russian imperialism and rekindling of the Cold War.

The West condemned Russian`s actions and on Monday Gordon Brown called for the EU to suspend negotiations for closer relations with Russia.

But as European leaders debated how to punish Mr Putin, the former KGB official was displaying his macho side - evidence of "the x factor", perhaps? - reportedly saving a group of Russian reporters and scientists from an escaped Siberian tiger.

Also new to the 2008 list are Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, in at number seven, "actors and activists" Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt (number nine), Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg (25), British artist Damien Hirst (31) and Hollywood producer/director Judd Apatow (58).

Rising up are Russian billionaire and Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich, up to number eight from last year`s 30, and California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, now at number 33, up from 50 in 2007.

Slipping down, however, are Oprah Winfrey, falling to 43 from last year`s 14, and "actor, producer, director, activist" George Clooney, dropping from 27 to 55.

The Vanity Fair list appears in the October issue of the magazine.

THE VANITY FAIR 100:

2007 ranking in parentheses

1. Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister (new entry)

2. Rupert Murdoch, News Corp. (1)

3. Sergey Brin (3), Larry Page (3), and Eric Schmidt (new entry), Google

4. Steve Jobs, Apple, Disney, and Pixar (2)

5. Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway (5)

6. Jeff Bezos, Amazon (23)

7. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, ruler of Dubai (new entry)

8. Roman Abramovich, Millhouse Capital (30)

9. Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt, actors, activists (new entry)

10. Al Gore, eco-warrior (19)

11. Bill Clinton, Clinton Foundation (6)

12. Michael Bloomberg, Mayor of New York, Bloomberg L.P. (9)

13. Bernard Arnault, LVMH (8)

14. Steven Spielberg, DreamWorks SKG (7)

15. Ralph Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren (13)

16. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft (returning)

17. François-Henri Pinault, PPR (new entry)

18. Barry Diller & Diane von Furstenberg (15), IAC; Diane von Furstenberg (15)

19. H. Lee Scott, Wal-Mart (12)

20. Lloyd Blankfein, Goldman Sachs (new entry)

21. Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase (new entry)

22. David Geffen, DreamWorks SKG (16)

23. George Lucas, Lucasfilm (40)

24. Jerry Bruckheimer, Jerry Bruckheimer Films (26)

25. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook (new entry)

26. Ronald Perelman, MacAndrews & Forbes (31)

27. Jeff Bewkes, Time Warner (22)

28. John Lasseter (66), Andrew Stanton (new entry), and Brad Bird (new entry), Pixar, Disney

29. Herb Allen, Allen & Co. (21)

30. Miuccia Prada, Prada S.p.A. (44)

31. Damien Hirst, conceptual artist (new entry)

32. Sumner Redstone, Viacom, CBS (70)

33. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California (50)

34. Tom Hanks, actor, director, producer (32)

35. Robert Iger, Disney (36)

36. Bono, singer, humanitarian (28)

37. Larry Ellison, Oracle (20)

38. Larry Gagosian, Gagosian Gallery (84)

39. Howard Stringer, Sony (17)

40. Peter Chernin, News Corp. (24)

41. Philippe Dauman, Viacom (68)

42. Vivi Nevo, NV Investments (59)

43. Oprah Winfrey, Harpo Productions (14)

44. Jon Stewart, The Daily Show (89)

45. Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report (87)

46. Carlos Slim Helú, Teléfonos de México, América Móvil (11)

47. Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel (52)

48. Giorgio Armani, Armani Group (37)

49. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, Kingdom Holding Company (new entry)

50. Mike Nichols & Diane Sawyer, director; ABC News anchor (42)

51. Jacob Rothschild, financier (33)

52. Mickey Drexler, J. Crew (55)

53. Jeffrey Katzenberg, DreamWorks Animation (38)

54. Leslie Moonves, CBS (25)

55. George Clooney, actor, producer, director, activist (27)

56. Jay-Z, hip-hop (47)

57. Oscar & Annette de la Renta, Oscar de la Renta (53)

58. Judd Apatow, producer, director, actor, writer (new entry)

59. Robert De Niro, Tribeca Enetrprises, Tribeca Productions (34)

60. Bill Keller, The New York Times (new entry)

61. Mick Jagger, the Rolling Stones (60)

62. Bruce Wasserstein, Lazard; Wasserstein & Co. (43)

63. Ted Forstmann, IMG Worldwide (new entry)

64. Anna Wintour, Vogue (new entry)

65. Brian Roberts, Comcast (57)

66. Brian Grazer & Ron Howard, Imagine Entertainment (65)

67. Mukesh & Anil Ambani, Reliance Industries, Reliance ADA Group (new entry)

68. Jeff Zucker, NBC Universal (returning)

69. Jeff Skoll, Participant Media (61)

70. Jonathan Ive, Apple (83)

71. William McDonough, William McDonough & Partners (new entry)

72. Bobby Kotick, Activision Blizzard (new entry)

73. Shigeru Miyamoto, Nintendo (new entry)

74. Matt Drudge, the Drudge Report (new entry)

75. Donatella Versace, Gianni Versace S.p.A. (77)

76. Diego Della Valle, Tod`s (63)

77. Henry Kravis, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. (51)

78. Marc Jacobs, Marc Jacobs, Marc by Marc Jacobs, LVMH (returning)

79. Jean Pigozzi, investor, art collector (86)

80. Paul Allen, Vulcan Inc. (71)

81. Charlie Rose, Charlie Rose (80)

82. Frank Rich, The New York Times, HBO (82)

83. John Galliano, Christian Dior, Galliano (new entry)

84. Jann Wenner, Wenner Media (74)

85. Joel & Ethan Coen, movies (new entry)

86. John Malone, Liberty Media (69)

87. Harvey & Bob Weinstein, the Weinstein Company (41)

88. Michael Moritz, Sequoia Capital (56)

89. Steven Rattner, Quadrangle Group (97)

90. Arianna Huffington, the Huffington Post (98)

91. John Paulson, Paulson & Co. (new entry)

92. Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures (62)

93. Jerry Weintraub, Jerry Weintraub Productions (76)

94. Tobias Meyer, Sotheby`s (new entry)

95. Tom Brokaw, NBC News (returning)

96. Doug Morris, Universal Music Group (99)

97. Jimmy Buffett, Margaritaville (96)

98. Jeffrey Sachs, the Earth Institute at Columbia University, Millennium Promise (new entry)

99. Steven Cohen, S.A.C. Capital Advisors (45)

100. Walter Mossberg, The Wall Street Journal (new entry)

Telegraph