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Business Advisory Group

A small group of business leaders from sectors of strategic importance to the UK provides regular, high level advice to the Prime Minister.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

The business leaders in the group help advise on critical business and economic issues facing the country.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Chancellor and Business Secretary also attend meetings of the group. It functions as a sounding board through which ministers can listen to and debate concerns and priorities facing industry, and can discuss the government’s economic and business policy. The group meet quarterly.

Announcing the formation of the Group in 2010, Prime Minister David Cameron said:

The Deputy Prime Minister and I want to make sure the government is getting really good high level advice from some of Britain’s leading business men and women. Having an advisory group with a range of experience and expertise should ensure that there is real interaction and discussion.

It is vital that we get these policies right as we take forward our plans to drive down the deficit and transform our economy. Our prize will be balanced growth, getting Britain working and ensuring our whole country shares in rising prosperity.

Current membership of the group (as of November 2014) is:

  • Angela Ahrendts, SVP, Apple
  • Sir Roger Carr, Chairman, BAE Systems
  • Vittorio Colao, CEO, Vodafone
  • Sir James Dyson, Founder, Dyson
  • Tom Enders, CEO, Airbus Group
  • Katherine Garrett-Cox, CE, Alliance Trust
  • Harriet Green, CEO, Thomas Cook
  • Baroness Dido Harding, CEO, TalkTalk
  • Dick Olver
  • Farah Ramzan Golant
  • Sir Mike Rake, President, CBI
  • Eric Schmidt, Executive Chairman, Google
  • Andy Street, MD, John Lewis
  • Ratan Tata, Chair, Tata Group
  • Tidjane Thiam, Group CEO, Prudential
  • Sir Andrew Witty, CEO, GSK

Terms of reference

Role

The Group will meet quarterly to provide high level advice to the Prime Minister and senior ministers on critical business and economic issues facing the UK.

The Group will provide a forum to debate the concerns and priorities facing the economy in general, and strategically important sectors in particular. To facilitate an open and fruitful dialogue, discussions will be informal and participants will be understood and expected to give their views on a personal rather than a corporate basis.

Membership

Membership will be offered on a personal basis, and will initially be for a twelve-month period, at the end of which we will review the future of the Group. Members will not be remunerated.

Meetings and Attendance

Meetings will be chaired by the Prime Minister, and the group will meet quarterly. The Deputy Prime Minister, Chancellor and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills will also attend meetings of the Group. As membership is personal, it will not be possible for substitutes to attend.

Members will be invited to contribute suggestions for the agenda for each meeting. The Group will be supported by a small secretariat drawn from the Department for Business and HM Treasury.

Published 19 December 2012
Last updated 18 November 2014 + show all updates
  1. Showing current membership of the group.

  2. First published.