Steve Case may have built the most successful internet business in the world through his stewardship of America Online, but it took good old-fashioned media glamour for him to gain genuine acceptance.

After a slow climb in the New Establishment rankings of glossy magazine Vanity Fair, Mr Case has finally reached top spot after agreeing to merge AOL with Time Warner.

This year's survey, published in the current edition, lifts him from sixth to overtake Microsoft founder Bill Gates, still hanging on in second despite his bruising encounter with the US justice department.

Gerald Levin, 18 years the senior of Mr Case and chief executive-designate of the combined group, is stuck at number four. Ted Turner, vice-chairman-designate, is at number 14.

Mr Case, 42, started his career in the marketing department of Procter & Gamble. He stumbled across the net while in charge of development for Pizza Hut.

AOL was established in 1985 via a company run ning an online service for users of Atari computer games but it was 1997's takeover of Netscape which cemented Mr Case's reputation. Vanity Fair waxes lyrical: "Once obscure, he's become a celebrity: Hollywood legend Tony Curtis recently interrupted Case and his second wife, Jean, at a Washington DC restaurant to have his picture taken with them."

Third is Sumner Redstone, chief executive of Viacom, and fifth is Rupert Murdoch, whose attempts to play catch-up in new media failed to prevent him losing second place.

The highest-ranked woman, at 40, is chat show host Oprah Winfrey, whose interests range from a cable TV channel to TV production and magazines.