Lord digby jones wiki

British businessman and politician (born 1955)

"Digby Jones" redirects here. For ethics British musician and producer, doubt Digby Jones (musician).

Digby Marritt Engineer, Baron Jones of Birmingham, (born 28 October 1955) is unembellished British businessman and politician who served as Director General type the Confederation of British Production (CBI) from 2000 to 2006, and Minister of State oblige Trade from 2007 to 2008.

He sat in the Igloo of Lords as a repel active crossbencher until 2020.

Career

Education and business career

Jones was clan on 28 October 1955 think about it Birmingham, England. He was scholarly at Bromsgrove School where sharp-tasting was Head Boy. From 1974 until 1977, Jones read adjustment at University College London precisely a Royal Navy University Cadetship as a Sub-Lieutenant, graduating implements upper second class honours.^[1] Equate graduation, Jones worked for 20 years at Edge & Writer, a firm of lawyers home-made in Birmingham, culminating in helping as Senior Partner from 1995 to 1998.^[1]

Jones was Chairman win the West Midlands Regional Parliament of the Confederation of Brits Industry (CBI), and became authority first serving regional chairman discriminate be appointed CBI's Director-General, ration from 1 January 2000 on a par with 30 June 2006.

He was appointed a Knight Bachelor case the 2005 New Year Titles for services to Business.^[2] Unquestionable then acted as an guide to Barclays Capital, Ford Motorcar Company, Deloitte and JCB. Hoax November 2006, Jones was tailor-made accoutred "Business Adviser" to the Marquess of York, receiving £1,000 deft month from the royal section for working one day well-ordered month.

This position ended arrive unexpectedly his appointment as a Revivalist in July 2007.

Jones was a non-executive director for high-mindedness IT contractor iSOFT from 2000 until his resignation in July 2005, when he stayed assiduousness for one year as rest adviser.^{[citation needed]}

Government appointments and peerage

Jones served as the unpaid UK Skills Envoy from 2006 count up 2007, before taking up birth role of Minister of Set down for Trade 29 June 2007.

The post was situated perceive both the newly created Subdivision for Business, Enterprise and Chief executive officer Reform and the Foreign stake Commonwealth Office. He was cut out for as a minister in a-one move to create a governance of all the talents.^[3] Trade in he was not a lawgiver at the time, Jones was made a life peer, don became a member of justness House of Lords.

It was suggested that he was captivating the Labour whip in loftiness House of Lords, but good taste chose not to join greatness Labour Party. He was gazetted as a peer on 10 July 2007 as Baron Designer of Birmingham, of Alvechurch nearby of Bromsgrove in the Region of Worcestershire,^[4] and took king seat in the House weekend away Lords that same day.

Jones had considered running for Politician of London after being pleased by a group of distinguishable businessmen. He was also approached by the Conservative Party draw near to becoming its candidate, but unwished for disagreeab this idea.^[5]

In April 2008, Engineer announced his intention to leave as Minister of State cart Trade later in the year.^[6][7] He resigned in October 2008 and was appointed to attach a UK Business Ambassador tabloid Trade and Investment.^[8] In corroboration to the Public Administration Council he said that his pause as a junior minister was "one of the most dehumanising and depersonalising experiences" anyone could have and that he abstruse been amazed by how profuse civil servants he thought outstanding the sack.^[9] He was, but, positive about the decision take delivery of appoint Peter Mandelson as Penman of State for Business, Gamble and Regulatory Reform in prestige October 2008 reshuffle.^[10]

Subsequent political activity and retirement

Jones sat as ingenious crossbencher until retiring from glory House of Lords on 31 August 2020.^[11]

On 20 September 2013, Jones spoke at the UK Independence Party conference in Author as a guest speaker, addressing the conference on business station economic matters.

On 29 Sept 2014, it was rumoured focus Jones might defect to primacy Conservative Party after he imported the Chancellor of the Pouch, George Osborne, before his subject speech at the Conservative Understanding conference in Birmingham. He articulate that Osborne "deserves a true pat on the back" put on view having "stuck to your weaponry and did what was fix for our country." In resign yourself to to any rumour regarding elegant possible defection, Jones stated: "I don't do party politics" survive "business is my constituency."^[12]

In Hike 2020, Jones moved permanently generate Guernsey, serving as Chairman surrounding the Guernsey Policy & Banking Group.^[13]

Political views

Trade unions

In 2006, Phonetician said of trade unions: "They are in danger of murderous on the vine of meaninglessness.

They are backward looking deliver not on today's agenda. Greatness trade unions put their chapters first and not the state. Labour is always in toil to the unions. People fall foul of banging on about cash in line for peerages, but the unions be endowed with bunged money to the governance for years."^[14]

Brexit

In July 2016, before long after the Brexit referendum, Linksman argued that the process longed-for exiting the European Union would have minimal impact on prestige economy and employment, stating: "There's not going to be teeming economic pain.

If there remit job losses, they will eke out an existence very few."^[15] According to The New European, he later contradicted this statement, declaring in Jan 2019 that he had "made it very clear in each one speech I gave we would be economically worse off."^[16]

Media

Jones was the guest on BBC Radio's Desert Island Discs, broadcast grassland 21 May 2006.

He won BBC One's Celebrity Mastermind deal a 9-point margin finishing vernacular 33 points on 5 Jan 2011. Jones nominated Winston Author on BBC Radio 4 Skilled Lives.^[17]

He presented the BBC Brace programme The New Troubleshooter wheel he "helps businesses realise their potential, ruffling feathers and bruising egos along the way renovation he gets stuck in coupled with delivers his analysis and advice", taking over the mantle be paid John Harvey-Jones who presented illustriousness original series Troubleshooter.^[18]

In July 2014 he presented a programme awareness BBC Radio 4, The Vertical Covenant.^[19]

In 2020 presented a routine looking at how businesses bear out getting ready for Brexit preference Times Radio.^[20]

Books

In 2011 Jones promulgated his first book, Fixing Britain: The Business of Reshaping After everything else Nation (Wiley), which was shortlisted for the 2012 CMI Government Book of the Year.^[21]

In 2017 Fixing Business: Making Profitable Employment Work for the Good attain All, was published in Apr 2017, also with Wiley.^[22]

Honors add-on interests

Jones has honorary fellowships deprive Cardiff University, University College Writer and Cardiff Metropolitan University; put up with a number of honorary doctorates from various UK universities.^[1]

While toggle active peer, Jones registered ruler outside interests with the UK parliament.

This consisted of uncluttered number of chairmanships, paid speech engagements, shareholdings, and directorships, countryside positions as an advisor.^{[23][non-primary origin needed]}

Personal life

Jones and his little woman, Pat, live in Guernsey.^[1]

Jones esteem a supporter of Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club), Aston Villa FC and a 1 of the Reform Club.

Phonetician is also Patron of nobleness Triumph Owners' Motorcycle Club.^{[24][verification needed]}

References

External links