Humphrey Battcock

Non-executive, Towergate Partnership and managing partner, Advent

The breaking news in November that Towergate has appointed joint advisers to assess offers for the firm followed a tough year that saw accounting errors and the departure of CEO Mark Hodges. Battcock may well be the last man standing at the firm in 2015 but with 23 years of private equity experience, he's sure to be in the thick of whatever the future holds for the broker.

Who would play him in a movie of his life?

Solid and steady industry stalwart Jim Broadbent would know just how to play this man.

Martin Wheatley

CEO, Financial Conduct Authority

When he took up his role in 2011, Wheatley warned he would shoot first and ask questions later - and the FCA certainly hasn’t stood still under his guidance. Thematic reviews are coming thick and fast and, although the regulator has been criticised for its scattergun approach, the jury is still out on whether it is an improvement on the Financial Services Authority.

Who would play him in a movie of his life?

There’s life in the old dog yet and he can still roll with the punches - Harrison Ford.

Chris Urmson

Director of Google’s self-driving car project

Following Sebastian Thrun’s decision to step down as vice-president at Google, its self-driving project is now in the hands of Urmson. As a company pushing the technological boundaries, he and his team will continue to push autonomous driving to the fore and - as the UK government allows these vehicles to be tested on the roads - personal lines insurers will be watching their progress with interest.

Who would play him in a movie of his life?

Matt Damon as in Will Hunting from the film Good Will Hunting, with a genius-level IQ.

Amanda Blanc

Executive director and CEO, Axa Personal Lines & Commercial Intermediary

Several years into her role but still wielding significant power in the insurance market, Blanc is sure to have a say in the major decisions in the market in 2015, as well as how Axa grows moving forward.

Who would play her in a movie of her life?

She’s blonde and she loves fashion - see @amandas_shoes on Twitter for proof. It can only be Reese Witherspoon.

Inga Beale

CEO, Lloyd’s

Lloyd’s of London, the oldest insurance market in the world, appointed its first-ever female CEO in 2013. Beale, former boss of Canopius, said there was an “extraordinary opportunity” to boost the size and scale of the group in the global insurance and reinsurance markets. But with rumblings that the London market’s leading position is under threat getting louder, Beale will have to work hard in 2015 to make sure Lloyd’s remains a pre-eminent global brand at the forefront of innovation.

Who would play her in a movie of her life?

A tough female who will see the job through - Sigourney Weaver.

Stephen Hester

Group CEO, RSA

Another new appointment for the market, Stephen Hester was brought in to the insurer in February after he led one of the largest corporate restructuring programmes at Royal Bank of Scotland Group. He has his work cut out for him, although the appointment of former Zurich CEO Stephen Lewis could be a brilliant move. Could Hester rebuild the firm and take it back to the glory days of being the UK’s insurance powerhouse?

Who would play him in a movie of his life?

He is no nonsense and sorts the wheat from the chaff, our favourite follicly challenged hard man - Bruce Willis.

Maurice Tulloch

CEO, Aviva UK & Ireland

Although he arrived with a big bang last year, Tulloch has spent his time to date taking stock. Group chief executive Mark Wilson has continued with the job of keeping the City happy, while Tulloch has quietly been building up his reputation in the UK broker market. Now he has found his feet and taken over as chairman of the Association of British Insurers’ General Insurance Council Management Committee, 2015 is sure to be a big year for him.

Who would play him in a movie of his life?

A Canadian actor and screenwriter who can turn his hand to all roles - Dan Aykroyd.

The UK electorate

With the general election set for 7 May 2015 it will be make or break for Prime Minister David Cameron - and it could have a big impact on the insurance market too. Predictions are that the next election will be a ‘consumer’ election, while the public will make its feelings known about whether it wants to stay in the European Union or get out. The Scottish voters made their presence felt this year and had the politicians on their knees, so what will the UK public decide and what will this mean for UK insurers? The power is in the electorate’s hands.

Who would play them in a movie?

Despicable Me’s minions - a law unto themselves and who knows what they will do next.

Jacqueline McNamee

Managing director, AIG UK

This summer McNamee took over the helm of the biggest insurance company in the UK general insurance market, according to AM Best. Like her recent predecessors, McNamee had an accomplished career at AIG before becoming UK MD, in which she quickly progressed into positions of authority across a range of locations - in her case, through the fi nancial lines and broader commercial businesses in Dublin, New York and London. The firm has been through nationalisation, a huge asset sale and downsizing, repaid its total loan of $182.3bn (£116bn) to the US government - plus $22.7bn profit prior to its deadline - returned from government ownership and had a three-year spell as Chartis following a rebranding. McNamee is now working on her “blueprint for the future” and 2015 is sure to prove an interesting year for her and the firm.

Who would play her in a movie of her life?

Earning the big bucks for women and leading the way to power - who else but Julia Roberts?

Tom Gallagher

Chairman, international brokerage, Arthur J Gallagher

It’s fair to say that Arthur J Gallagher dominated the press this year with its embedding of Giles and purchase of Oval and the movement of staff both in and out its doors. While David Ross, CEO, is the man orchestrating the deals in the UK market, Gallagher is ultimately the man who signs the cheques and decides how the UK arm should operate and grow. The firm still has a pot to spend and it’s a fair bet that it will be opening its purse again in 2015 and once more re-shaping the broking landscape.

Who would play him in a movie of his life?

Surely with no limit on money to spend only the highest paid actor in Hollywood would be good enough - Robert Downey Jr.