The phrase "a lot of influential" is not correct in standard written English.
It can be used when referring to a significant number of influential people or factors, but it typically requires a noun to follow it for clarity.
Example: "There are a lot of influential leaders in this organization who shape its direction."
Alternatives: "many influential" or "numerous influential".
"I'm up against a lot of influential and very powerful people.
"Brad has had a lot of influential records," said the saxophonist Joshua Redman, who appears on the new album.
Labour opposes the reform in theory but is pleased at the prospect of winning a lot of influential new posts.The police face severe difficulties.
"I think there's a feeling among a lot of influential people that a lot of it is never going to be paid back, and that's sort of OK".
I didn't do much in the way of marching, but it was totally inspiring and introduced me to a lot of influential stuff.
'Just look at that couch, I could lie right out on that thing.' 'Yes,' says Kim. 'But I'm not sure how appropriate that would be for an interview.' A lot of influential people are saying a lot of very nice things about Justin Timberlake.
They have a lot of other influential players now".
And there are a lot of other influential places -- like most major newsrooms, for example -- where there may be no norm but where announcing oneself an atheist probably makes one a lot less suspect than announcing oneself, say, a born-again Christian.
Again, at Coachella, a lot of the influential people he mentions are present backstage for his set, and the atmosphere is a million miles from the sniffy jostling that can occur when the music industry comes together: these people drink, smoke and dance together and, more or less, really are friends.
As Philby said: "Because I had been born into the British governing class, because I knew a lot of people of influential standing, I knew that they would never get too tough with me.
"There were a lot of powerful and influential people in this town who thought Deutch had a tremendous amount to offer.
