IP’s most influential people 2014

This is the 12th year we have compiled a list of the 50 most influential people in IP worldwide. Over that time, ideas about influence have changed. It's no longer the case that IP law and policy is determined by self-important officials sitting in the centres of power, and academics preaching to small audiences. Today, everyone from business leaders to consumers has views on IP use and limits; many people make those views heard loudly; and some of them lead to actual change in laws and commercial strategies. We have divided this year's 50 figures into five groups: one is law (judges, legislators etc); another is business and entertainment; a third is policy makers and a fourth is what we are calling advocates. The advocacy category is probably the most nebulous and open: readers will undoubtedly have their own views on who should be included, and we invite you to send us them.

To start with, though, we have 10 figures (not all, strictly, people) who are influential in a domain that did not even exist 12 years ago: social media. The profiles on these pages introduce them; to get to know them better, visit their blogs, twitter accounts and websites.