Scotland's Power100 31-40

31 David Frost

As international sales of Scotland's whisky have increased, with exports nearly doubling in the last 10 years, so has the influence of the organisation that protects the drink, the Scotch Whisky Association, and its chief executive.

Once the UK's ambassador to Denmark, 49-year-old Frost has not been afraid to use his muscle and influence in the job, warning against independence and challenging the Scottish Government's minimum pricing law in the courts.

Watch out for: The result of the Scotch Whisky Association's challenge.

32 Judy Murray

Like her son, tennis player Andy, Judy Murray, 55, has struggled to earn the affection of the British public. Andy's Wimbledon win and Olympic gold-medal triumph helped, as has her time on Strictly Come Dancing, but her greatest influence has always been with the top young players she has coached.

She and golfer Colin Montgomerie are also working on plans to create Scotland's first purpose-built tennis and golf centre in Stirling.

More likely to say: "Can I have this dance?"

33 David Nish

Standard Life and its chief executive, 54-year-old David Nish, were officially neutral in the recent referendum campaign, but the man who runs the insurance and investment giant also knows
its influence.

As one of Scotland's biggest employers, Standard Life let it be known plans were being made for new firms in England to which parts of the business could be transferred if necessary.

Watch out for: Further consequences of the Government's pension reforms which have led to a big drop in annuity sales for Standard Life.

34  Kate Mavor

With her experience as chief executive of the youth volunteer programme ProjectScotland, 52-year-old Mavor was an unstuffy choice as chief executive officer for the National Trust for Scotland.

Since taking over at the height of the economic crisis in 2009, she has set about boosting the organisation's finances. She is originally from Glasgow, but now lives in Edinburgh with her husband and two sons.

Watch out for: More efforts to boost membership of the trust.

35 Paul Gray

At a time of change and pressure for the NHS in Scotland, Paul Gray is the man in charge.

Extremely experienced (he has been in government in Scotland since 1979), the director-general for health and social care with the Scottish Government and chief executive of NHS Scotland has already put his stamp on the service by setting new targets to reduce the hours worked by junior doctors.

Biggest challenge: Can he develop a new integrated NHS that can deal with Scotland's ageing population?

36 Emeli Sande

She the first credible urban act Scotland has produced and has written songs for acts as diverse as Susan Boyle and Tinie Tempah. She also fosters links between music and good causes.

She is to perform a Christmas concert for Shelter and has announced her support for a music therapy centre in Aberdeen to help young people affected by conditions such as autism.

Most likely to say: "Music changes lives."

37 Martin Gilbert

Through a combination of growth and grab, the 59-year-old chief executive of Aberdeen Asset Management has taken the fund management group from small to big and powerful.

It is now one of the world's leading independent asset managers, but Gilbert's influence goes much wider, particularly in sport. Aberdeen Asset sponsors golf's Scottish Open and Gilbert is involved in running Aberdeen FC. He is also a financial advisor to the Scottish Government.

Most likely to say: "Remember, it's not your money you're managing, it's someone else's".

38 Ian Marchant

Marchant, 53, combines top-flight business credentials with a drive to get Scottish businesses  to cut carbon emissions. Chairman of Wood Group oil-and-gas services firm since May, he spent more than 10 years as chief executive of SSE, one of the UK's big six energy companies, in a career mostly spent in the energy industry.

He is president of the UK's Energy Institute, the professional body for those working in the energy sector, and chairman of Scotland's 2020 climate delivery group, which encourages businesses and Scottish civic society to share ideas on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Least likely to say: "I really can't stand all those windmills."

39 Irvine Welsh

Welsh's 1993 novel Trainspotting brought Edinburgh to worldwide attention, first on the page, and then as a film. His portrayal of the city's drug culture was repellent and invigorating - and rang true.

The verve of his style sparked a renaissance in gritty fiction. Later works such as Ecstasy and Filth have continued his best-selling success, though dividing the critics.

Now wealthy as well as acclaimed, he has become an unlikely spokesman on culture and politics.

Watch out for: Danny Boyle's film sequel to Trainspotting with the original cast.

40 Angus Robertson

The SNP's main man at Westminster, Robertson, 45, is well-respected as a heavyweight, speaking for the party on defence and foreign affairs, though of course he will be supplanted if a certain other north-eastern parliamentarian decides on a return to the House of Commons.

Robertson lay behind the SNP's controversial pre-referendum change of stance on Nato, committing the party to support independent Scotland joining the organisation as a non-nuclear hosting country.

The English-born former journalist, who is half German and bilingual, ran the SNP's 2011 Holyrood campaign which delivered a landslide majority and was also the director of its impressive referendum campaign, though kept a lower profile than some expected.

Most likely to say: "Ja wir können!"