James North may not yet be the most powerful man in Birmingham, but he is certainly one of the most influential.
Anyone wanting to meet or talk to city council leader Mike Whitby will almost certainly find themselves having to convince the young but tough North they are worthy of an audience.
North, 28, arrived in Birmingham with praise ringing in his ears from Conservative Central Office, where he is seen as one of the Tories' brightest hopes. Brought in with the express intention of bring a little order and strategic direction to the council leader's office, he quickly became chief of staff to Coun Whitby but is in reality the council leader's confidant, policy advisor, friend and first port of call in the event of trouble.
Captains of industry, senior politicians, even Government Ministers, have been surprised to find themselves dealing with the young North rather than older and more experienced council officers.
A workaholic, North thinks nothing of putting in a 15-hour day on a regular basis.
Since assuming his role as chief of staff, North has been at the council leader's side almost seven days a week including trips to China and the Mipim property fair in Cannes.
Not only is he Whitby's gatekeeper, he also fills a role as a talented press officer briefing journalists on the hopes and achievements of the council's Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.
Certainly one of the smartest dressers in the Council House, if not in the whole of Birmingham, he is an increasingly flamboyant figure around the city's bars and eating places.
Brought up in the North-west of England, North was educated at St Andrew's University where he first cut his political teeth by standing, unsuccessfully, in 2003 for election to the Scottish Parliament. He says the experience made him sure of one thing, that he did not want to pursue a career as an elected politician but would rather work for the Conservative cause behind the scenes.
James North is already at 41st position in our list of the top 50 most powerful and influential people in Birmingham - not a bad achievement for one so young. There is every reason to believe his influence will continue to grow for as long as Mike Whitby remains leader of the city council.
