Thirteen businessmen and women to watch in 2013

Some are already famous, others are just making names in their own companies – but all of these faces should be major fixtures in the business pages next year. Mark Leftly looks into his crystal ball

Paul Tucker, Bank of England deputy governor

Unveiling the Bank of England's Financial Stability Report at the end of November, the deputy governor pointedly refused to answer questions over his future, having just been passed over to succeed Sir Mervyn King. Few now expect Tucker to stay, which could mean a switch to the private sector.

Hector Sants, Incoming Barclays compliance officer

Knighted in the New Year's Honours list, the Former Financial Services Authority head Sants has been asked by Barclays to overhaul the bank's policies on pay and bonuses, the results of which will be unveiled in February. That said, his own remuneration – reportedly of up to £3m – might come under scrutiny.

Kate Swann, Outgoing chief executive WH Smith

One of a trio of business leading ladies – the others being Anglo American boss Cynthia Carroll and Pearson head Dame Marjorie Scardino – to leave the top jobs of major UK-listed businesses in 2012. Not even 50, plenty of retailers will want her on-board when she leaves next summer.

Steve Auckland, Local World chief executive

Auckland is expected to save – and buy-up – an entire industry: local and regional newspapers. The aim of Local World, which was established out of the purchase of Daily Mail & General Trust's Northcliffe titles a few weeks ago, is to “start the fight back in Britain's regional media industry”.

Tamara Mellon, Jimmy Choo co-founder

The luxury shoemaker's creative driving force's non-compete clause comes to an end in February, with scores of investors believed to be willing to back her to develop another global superbrand. However, Mellon is likely to launch from New York rather than the UK, having recently moved across the pond.

Moya Greene, Royal Mail chief executive

Having seen operating profit for the first six months of the financial year rise to £144m from £12m in 2011, Greene is en route to deliver a flotation of Royal Mail in the coming year. However, she will need to overcome furious unions and a choppy stock market.

Errol Damelin, Wonga founder and chief executive

The payday loan lender is looking at a partial flotation in the US, which could be launched off the $250m (£155m) acquisition of small business loans specialist On Deck Capital. Damelin is also likely to be quizzed in an Office of Fair Trading investigation into the short-term loan sector.

Pat Regan, Aviva finance director

Having been in the spotlight at Aviva since the sudden departure of Andrew Moss in a shareholder row over pay in May and led a review to sort out the business, it was a surprise that Regan was overlooked to take the job on a long-term basis. Rivals watch with interest.

Marissa Mayer, Yahoo president and chief executive

Poached from Google over the summer, the youngest chief executive of a Fortune 500 company at 37 must now prove that she is worth her $117m (£72m) salary. The search engine has already started an overhaul under her watch, including an improved Mail home page and is now wooing advertisers.

Ian Hannam, Former JP Morgan Cazenove rainmaker

The SAS veteran left Caz this year after the Financial Services Authority (FSA) slapped him with a £450,000 market abuse fine. His City fight-back has already started and he is expected to be very vocal in challenging the fine over the next 12 months.

Judith McKenna, Asda chief operating officer

McKenna appears to be leading Asda's big technology drive, which has already included giving store managers iPads so they're not chained behind a computer. She is also rolling out a “click-and-collect” service so customers can buy food from home and pick it up at the stores.

Laura Wade-Gery, Marks & Spencer director of multichannel ecommerce

The high street giant's internet sales boss is one of the few possible internal candidates for the chief executive role should the man who hired her, Marc Bolland continue to oversee a slide in profit. Wade-Gery has been given the funds to turn M&S into a leading smartphone and tablet retailer.

Mick Davis, Outgoing Xstrata chief executive

Mick the Miner's stock is high having transformed Xstrata from a small ferrochrome and zinc business into a diversified mining group that is finalising a $56bn (£35bn) megamerger with copper-to-rice trader Glencore. Expect Davis's name to be linked with a number of FTSE 100 chief executive roles soon.