The chief executive of Tyneside software giant Sage is one of a handful of FTSE-100 business leaders to make up the Prime Minister's new Business Council.
Steve Hare is one of 14 business chiefs from different sectors that make up the new group which the Government says will discuss ways to boost investment, innovation, and access to skills and talent. The group, which collectively employs about 330,000 people, also includes NatWest Group CEO Alison Rose, a graduate of Durham University; Sainsbury's CEO Simon Roberts, and Shell CEO Wael Sawan.
Other companies involved are bosses at SSE, Google, Deepmind, Vodafone, GSK, Aviva, Taylor Wimpey, Diageo, AstraZeneca and Barclays. The council met for the first time this week at a Downing Street meeting that was followed by a reception for about 100 businesses celebrating º£½ÇÊÓƵ enterprise.
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Mr Hare said: "Small and mid-sized businesses play a critical role in powering the º£½ÇÊÓƵ economy. Sage is proud to serve them as the º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s biggest listed tech company, helping them to harness the power of technology to boost productivity and resilience. I look forward to bringing SMEs’ voice to the table as a member of the Business Council, capitalising on the º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s opportunity to be a leading digital economy and drive economic growth."
NatWest Group CEO Alison Rose: "Partnership between government and business is the cornerstone of a sustainable growth economy. That’s why I’m delighted to be part of the Prime Minister’s Business Council for 2023. Working together we can face into the nation’s challenges to unlock investment, drive enterprise, grasp the opportunity of climate transition and ultimately, help º£½ÇÊÓƵ economy to thrive."
But there has been criticism from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), which points to the group being representative of larger corporates. Craig Beaumont, chief of external affairs at the FSB, said: "As it currently stands, this new Business Council is heavily focused on the biggest FTSE 100 corporates and lacks voices from the diversity of the business community, including small firms which account for 99% of the total business population. The º£½ÇÊÓƵ has produced great entrepreneurs who have started from their kitchen tables or garages and gone on to develop globally significant innovations, bringing new ideas and opportunities to our economy.
"The Government needs to send a clear message to these innovative small firms, new starters and aspiring entrepreneurs that there’s more to business than the corporate route. Small firms employ more people in the º£½ÇÊÓƵ than big businesses. That’s why we want a diverse discussion table at this new Business Council, with the inclusion of exciting, disrupting, world-changing small businesses, alongside these large incumbents."
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: "The more businesses innovate and invest, the more we grow and create good jobs right across the country. I look forward to hearing first-hand from business leaders about 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 are making the º£½ÇÊÓƵ the best place to do business and invest, so we can future-proof and grow our economy."
