One who uses secret influence (i.e. pulls wires or strings) for his own ends.

Roget 694: director, manager, governor, rector, comptroller.    superintendent, supervisor, straw boss; intendant; overseer, overlooker^†; supercargo^†, husband, inspector, visitor, ranger, surveyor, aedile^†; moderator, monitor, taskmaster; master etc. 745; leader, ringleader, demagogue, corypheus, conductor, fugleman^†, precentor^†, bellwether, agitator; caporal^†, choregus^†, collector, file leader, flugelman^†, linkboy^†.    guiding star etc. (guidance) 693; adviser etc. 695; guide etc. (information) 527; pilot; helmsman; steersman, steermate^†; wire-puller.    driver, whip, Jehu, charioteer; coachman, carman, cabman; postilion, vetturino^†, muleteer, arriero^†, teamster; whipper in.    head, head man, head center, boss; principal, president, speaker; chair, chairman, chairwoman, chairperson; captain etc. (master) 745; superior; mayor etc. (civil authority) 745; vice president, prime minister, premier, vizier, grand vizier, eparch^†.    officer, functionary, minister, official, red-tapist^†, bureaucrat; man in office, Jack in office; office bearer; person in authority etc. 745.    statesman, strategist, legislator, lawgiver, politician, statist^†, statemonger^†; Minos, Draco; arbiter etc. (judge) 967; boss [U.S.], political dictator.    board etc. (council) 696.    secretary, secretary of state; Reis Effendi; vicar etc. (deputy) 759; steward, factor; agent etc. 758; bailiff, middleman; foreman, clerk of works; landreeve^†; factotum, major-domo^†, seneschal, housekeeper, shepherd, croupier; proctor, procurator.    ... show more