In case you missed it, 2009 marked the international year of astronomy, celebrating the 400th anniversary of the Italian scientist and philosopher Galileo Galilei’s first squint through an astronomical telescope to search the heavens and identify stars.

Armed with our own magnifying lenses, Financial News has been peering into every corner of the financial services industry to seek out the Rising Stars - our pick of the top 100 executives under the age of 40 who have the potential to make it to the pinnacle of their professions.