Brigitte de Lima, BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research

Brigitte de Lima of BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research jumps from runner-up to second place. “One can easily see the rationale underlying her firmly held recommendations within the sector,” observes one money manager. The London-based analyst, who works solo, publishes research on ten stocks, two more than last year, and is currently bearish. “The sector is undergoing tough times given limited funding, high risk aversion in the market in light of the poor macro backdrop, and multiple disappointments over the past few years, including clinical failure of many Phase 3 assets and below-expectation product launches,” she says. “Eventually, we will see the emergence of a new breed of high-quality biotech companies highly focused on truly innovative technology, but it is hard to predict when.”