power-brokers
Behind-the-scenes dealmakers
Power-brokers are people who wield influence behind the scenes, arranging deals and outcomes through their connections rather than official authority.
The term often carries a cynical edge, suggesting politics operates through backroom negotiations rather than public process: The real decisions were made by party power-brokers long before the vote.
Also spelled as one word.
Senior corporate officers
- board membersGoverning body participants
- dealmakersThose who negotiate agreements
- shareholdersOwners of company stock
- CEOsHighest corporate officers
tycoons · financiers · venture capitalists · hedge fund managers · private equity · hostile takeovers · leveraged buyouts · oligarchs
Bumps or bigwigs
- publishersFirms producing printed works
- editorsContent revisers and correctors
- spin doctorsPR damage controllers
- publicistsImage management professionals
gatekeepers · influencers · opinion makers · talking heads · pundits · proprietors · propagandists · tastemakers
Paid political persuaders
- kingmakersThose who decide leadership
- fixersThose who restore function
- operativesThose who execute missions
- strategistsDesigners of careful plans
party bosses · machine politicians · patronage · cronies · dealmakers · handlers · whips · gatekeepers
Foreign government representatives
- envoysOfficial diplomatic representatives
- intermediariesAgents linking separate parties
- mediatorsConflict resolution facilitators
- negotiatorsThose who arrange agreements
back-channel · summits · treaties · arms dealers · oligarchs · warlords · strongmen · kleptocrats
executives
Senior corporate officers
- board membersGoverning body participants
- dealmakersThose who negotiate agreements
- shareholdersOwners of company stock
CEOs · tycoons · financiers · venture capitalists · hedge fund managers · private equity · hostile takeovers · leveraged buyouts · oligarchs · industrialists
moguls
Bumps or bigwigs
- publishersFirms producing printed works
- editorsContent revisers and correctors
- spin doctorsPR damage controllers
publicists · gatekeepers · influencers · opinion makers · talking heads · pundits · proprietors · propagandists · tastemakers · handlers
lobbyists
Paid political persuaders
- kingmakersThose who decide leadership
- fixersThose who restore function
- operativesThose who execute missions
party bosses · strategists · machine politicians · patronage · cronies · dealmakers · handlers · whips · gatekeepers · insiders
diplomats
Foreign government representatives
- envoysOfficial diplomatic representatives
- intermediariesAgents linking separate parties
- mediatorsConflict resolution facilitators
negotiators · back-channel · summits · treaties · arms dealers · oligarchs · warlords · strongmen · kleptocrats · emissaries
power-brokersordinary citizens
rank and file · common people · the masses · nobodies · small fry
power-brokerspawns
Lowest-ranked chess pieces
puppets · figureheads · lackeys · yes-men · minions
power, broker, powers, brokers, powered, powering, powerful, powerfully, powerless