GFG Alliance, an international group of businesses associated with businessman Sanjeev Gupta and the British Gupta family, has created a new global advisory board.

The board is tasked with guiding the company in delivering its strategic priorities to achieving best practice in environment, social and governance, particularly towards its carbon neutral 2030 target.

Former First Minister Carwyn Jones is among the new board members.

Mr Jones who is currently a Professor of Law at Aberystwyth University was leader of the Labour Party in Wales and First Minister from 2009 to 2018.

The president of the board is the former president and CEO of General Electric Mark Elborne.

The board appointments follow the consolidation of its businesses into three industry brands: Liberty Steel Group, Alvance Aluminium Group and Simec Energy Group.

Liberty Steel recently expressed interest in an acquisition of Tata鈥檚 Port Talbot steelworks if the business was brought to market. Liberty had been one of a number of bidders for Tata鈥檚 海角视频 steel business back in 2016 before the sales process was abandoned.

Last week Tata Steel 海角视频 denied reports of a potential takeover bid from Chinese steelmaker Jingye Group. It followed media speculation, based on banking sources, that Jingye had expressed tentative interest.

Tata Steel 海角视频, which employs 8,000 in Wales and around 4,000 at its primary steelmaking operation at Port Talbot, is continuing talks with the 海角视频 Government over a financial lifeline of 拢500m.

Sanjeev Gupta, head of Liberty Group
Sanjeev Gupta, head of Liberty Group

The GFG board will be divided into five regional sub-groups, reflecting GFG Alliance鈥檚 key markets in Australia, India, continental Europe, the 海角视频 and the Americas, and will meet four times a year.

The full board will meet every year under the presidency of Mark Elborne, former CEO and president, GE 海角视频 and Ireland, and hold informal group discussions each month.

Sanjeev Gupta, GFG Alliance鈥檚 executive chairman, said: 鈥淭he global advisory board鈥檚 depth and breadth of expertise will be enormously valuable to GFG Alliance鈥檚 future by providing independent strategic advice and guidance, particularly as we reinforce our commitment to environment, social and governance and continue to improve transparency across the group.

鈥淲e鈥檙e delighted to have made a great start in securing high-quality members who will guide us on best practice and in meeting our industry-leading target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030.鈥

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Mark Elborne, president of the global advisory board, added: 鈥淕FG Alliance鈥檚 vision of modernising manufacturing processes with low carbon technologies and renewable power is enormously exciting. The members of the board are committed to help the company set a strong ESG framework, deliver on its strategic goals, and achieve its ambition to be carbon neutral by 2030.鈥