Fundraising Magazine’s 50 Most Influential poll is open for voting until 20 May.

The annual poll, which in the past has been topped by fundraising directors, consultants and major donors, went live at the start of this month.

Last year, Richard Taylor, executive director of fundraising and marketing at Cancer Research UK managed to depose Mark Astarita as the sector’s most influential fundraiser, after the British Red Cross director of fundraising had held the mantle for three straight years. 2015's top 10 also featured five women, including Liz Tait, Danielle Atkinson and Lucy Caldicott.

A year is a long time in fundraising however, and the whole face of self-regulation has since changed. 

The creation of the new Fundraising Regulator and the increasingly public profile of men like Stephen Dunmore, its interim chief executive, has thrown this year’s field wide open. Ed Aspel has also taken over from Taylor at CRUK, the UK’s largest fundraising organisation, which could mean his name features high up the list.

Readers can now vote to see who will take top spot.

The poll is scheduled to close on Friday 20 May. Results will be available in the July 2016 issue of Fundraising Magazine.