Executives from AstraZeneca PLC, Alphabet Inc’s Google, Shell PLC, and other major companies will gather in Downing Street on Tuesday for the first meeting of Rishi Sunak’s Business Council.
Downing Street presents this council as a body that reports “from the front lines of business.” Fourteen executives and bosses will attend the meeting.
Other companies represented include NatWest Group PLC, J Sainsbury PLC, Vodafone Group PLC, and BAE Systems PLC.
Sunak said, “The more companies innovate and invest, the more we grow and the more good jobs we create across the country.
“I look forward to hearing firsthand from business leaders how we can break down the barriers they face and unlock new opportunities for them to thrive.
“My new Business Council is one of the many ways we’re making the UK the best place to do business and invest, so we can make our economy resilient and grow.”
The Tuesday meeting also includes a reception for approximately 100 companies to celebrate British business.
The council is intended to meet biennially, with membership until the end of the year.
Wael Sawan, CEO of Shell, said it was an honor to join the Business Council to “help drive prosperity and growth in the UK, particularly through the delivery of safe, affordable, and cleaner energy.”
He said, “The economic and societal challenges we face today require candid collaboration between the government and business to realize the undeniable growth potential we have in this country.”
AstraZeneca Chief Executive Pascal Soriot said, “The private sector has a vital role to play in collaborating with government and society to build a sustainable economy.
“I look forward to productive discussions on matters impacting the UK’s growth agenda and efforts to truly become a global science superpower, creating high-quality enterprises and jobs, and advancing the UK’s global net-zero ambitions.”
Charles Woodburn, the boss of BAE, said, “It is more important than ever that the government and industry work closely together, and as one of the largest employers in the UK, playing a key role in supporting both national security and economic prosperity, I look forward to discussing as part of the new Business Council how we can help drive growth and attract investment to the UK.”