Space Scientist Dr Margaret Aderin-Pocock set up her own company, Science Innovation Ltd, in 2004. Educated at Imperial College London, she began her career at the Ministry of Defence and has since worked on a variety of projects in industry and academia. Awarded an MBE for services to science education in 2009, she enjoys ‘star gazing’ in her spare time.

Michelin-starred chef Michael Caines has been Head Chef of Gidleigh Park in Devon since 1994. After attending Exeter College and working at Grosvenor House Hotel, he trained at Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons for three years before moving to France for further training. He founded Michael Caines Restaurants in 2000 and became Director and Operational Partner of ABode Hotels in 2003. In 2007 he won AA Chefs’ Chef of the Year.

Athlete Jessica Ennis won Olympic gold in the heptathlon at London 2012. Born and raised in Sheffield, she secured her first heptathlon gold medal at the 2009 World Championships and then scooped gold at the European Championships the following year. A graduate in Psychology from the University of Sheffield, she was awarded an honorary doctorate from the university in 2010.

Jewellery designer Theo Fennell is the Chief Executive Officer and Creative Director of luxury jewellers, Theo Fennell plc. Educated at Byam Shaw School of Art, he first worked as an office boy at Edward Barnard & Sons and then in 1975 formed his own jewellers. He lists ‘strumming guitar with tuneless vocals’ among his recreations.

Arianna Huffington is President and Editor-in-Chief of Huffington Post Media Group. She is a co-founder of Huffington Post, a news and blog website, launched in 2005. She studied Economics at the University of Cambridge, where she was President of the Cambridge Union. The Greek-born award-winning columnist is the author of thirteen books, including On Becoming Fearless … in Love, Work and Life.      
  
© Philip Hefferman

Leo Johnson was appointed Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers Sustainability and Climate Change in 2008. He co-founded Sustainable Finance Ltd and is a Visiting Business Fellow at the University of Oxford. This year, he and his journalist sister, Rachel Johnson, join their well-known brother, Boris Johnson, plus their father and brother Joseph, in the pages of Who’s Who.

Gabby Logan is a leading sports broadcaster and journalist. Before becoming a sports presenter, she was a rhythmic gymnast and in 1990 represented Wales in the Commonwealth Games. She has presented football coverage across a number of channels and most recently hosted the BBC’s coverage of the London 2012 Olympic Games. A law graduate from Durham University, she has had her own programmes on radio and television.  
 
© Bill Waters

Tim Minchin is an Australian musician, composer, songwriter, actor and comedian. Best known for his musical comedy, he broke through in 2005 with his comedy show Dark Side, winning the Perrier Best Newcomer Award at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Born in Northampton and educated at the University of Western Australia, he composed the music for Matilda The Musical and performed in Jesus Christ Superstar at the O2 Arena.  
 
© James Penlidis

Best-selling author Caitlin Moran has been a columnist at The Times since 1992. Named critic and interviewer of the year at the British Press Awards in 2011, she wrote her first novel at just fifteen years of age and one year later started her journalism career at Melody Maker. Widely known for her award-winning book, How to be a Woman, her recreations are ‘hair biggening, cava, eyeliner, The Struggle’.  
 
© Gareth Iwan Jones

Tennis player Andy Murray is a new entry in Who’s Who from the sporting world and completes a memorable year after winning gold in the London 2012 Olympic Games and his first grand slam title at the US Open. Born in Dunblane in 1987, he began playing tennis professionally in 2005 and has since won numerous singles and doubles titles.

Bariatric surgeon Shaw Somers is a Consultant Surgeon at Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust and The London Clinic. A specialist in weight loss surgeries, he has presented the television series, Fat Doctor and Food Hospital. He previously worked as an Associate Professor in Hong Kong and Senior Lecturer at the University of Leeds. Among his recreations are collecting fountain pens, wild mushrooms and Italian wine.

Actor Dominic West is best known for his role as Baltimore cop, Jimmy McNulty, in hit US television series The Wire. From Sheffield and educated at Eton, Trinity College Dublin and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, he has starred in many films and appeared in a number of stage productions, including Othello and My Fair Lady at the Sheffield Crucible. Star of the BBC’s The Hour, he enjoys ‘paragliding and pubs’ in his spare time.  
 
© Perou