In November 2010, David Cameron, the prime minister, announced the Coalition government’s new business ambassadors. Here is the full list, with hyperlinked biographies.
The business ambassadors are:
- Sir Anthony Bamford – JCB
- Malcolm Brinded – Royal Dutch Shell
- Sir Richard Lambert – CBI
- Chris Patten – Chancellor University Oxford
- Alan Parker – Brunswick
- David Brewer – Former LM of London/Chair China British Business Council
- Lord Charles Powell
- Bob Wigley – Yell
- Baroness Sarah Hogg – Financial Reporting Council
- Hermann Hauser – Amadeus Capital Partners
- Caroline Plumb – Freshminds
- Anya Hindmarch – Anya Hindmarch
- Nick Fry – Mercedes
- David Reid – Tesco
- Tamara Mellon – Jimmy Choo
- Brent Hoberman – Lastminute.com
- Sir Roger Bone – Boeing UK
- Lord John Browne – Royal Academy of Engineering
- Lady Barbara Thomas Judge – Pension Protection Fund
- Lord Ara Darzi – Imperial College London
- Malcolm Grant – President & Provost UCL
- Julia King – VC Aston University
- Sir Kevin Smith – GKN
- Sir John Sorrell – The Sorrell Foundation
- Marcus Agius – Barclays
- Sir John Bond – Vodafone
- Dick Olver – BAEs
- Lord Digby Jones – HSBC/Triumph
- Sir Victor Blank – Formerly Lloyds
- Samir Brikho – AMEC
- Paul Skinner – Infrastructure UK
- Larry Hirst – Ex – IBM
In specific terms, the role of business ambassadors will:
- When travelling on business, carry out priority meetings at the request of UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), for example lobbying to remove barriers to market access or leading events for SMEs;
- Undertake dedicated overseas visits or lead missions in agreement with UKTI;
- Brief UK Ministers and Ambassadors on key business priorities and interests as they might arise;
- Meet overseas Ministers and inward missions;
- Provide insights into how UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) can best deliver for business;
- Contribute to Government-to-Government dialogues with China, India, Brazil, Russia, Vietnam, Eastern Europe and other key markets.
