Out of the mergers and take-overs which hit the headlines every week emerges a new breed of chief executive.
Christopher Brasher interviews one of the youngest of this new breed

Jim Slater was a successful executive-deputy sales director of Leyland-when he decided to start up on his own. He had already turned £2,000 worth of savings into £50,000 by studying 'special situations' on the Stock Exchange. With this money he bought a substantial interest in a public company, changed its name to Slater, Walker Securities Ltd., and launched himself on a new career as one of the highest-flying entrepreneurs in the City. Now, just five years later, with a personal fortune valued at £3-million he has interests in Australia and South Africa, health foods and metal windows, unit trusts and timber. How did he build up and how does he control such a diverse group?