Rasputin
Svengali
VIP
access
agent
bad influence
big wheel
calculator
conductor
court
driver
eminence grise
engineer
five-percenter
friend at court
functionary
good influence
gray eminence
handler
heavyweight
hidden hand
influence
influence peddler
influencer
ingroup
intriguer
key
kingmaker
lobby
lobbyist
lords of creation
machinator
man of influence
maneuverer
open sesame
operant
operative
operator
pilot
powers that be
pressure group
runner
schemer
sinister influence
special interests
special-interest group
steersman
strategist
tactician
the Establishment
artificer
craftsman
diplomat
diplomatist
draughtsman
fencer
financier
forger
hacker
maneuvering
manipulation
manipulations
manoeuvre
marksman
planner
practitioner
ruse
salesperson
speculator
swordsman