Digby Jones

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Sir Digby Jones, Baron Jones of Birmingham, is a businessman, former Director of the CBI (2000-2006) and former Minister of State for Trade (2007-2008).

Early life

Jones was born in Birmingham in 1955. He won a scholarship to Bromsgrove School then attended University College London. He worked for Birmingham based law firm Edge & Ellison for twenty years.[1]

At the CBI

Jones was Director General of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from 2000 to 2006.

In government

In June 2007, Digby Jones was appointed Minister of State for Trade at the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.[2] He was one of a number of non-party political figures given life peerages by Prime Minister Gordon Brown in order to serve in his “government of all the talents.” [3]

In October 2008, he confirmed that he would leave the government at the time of the next reshuffle.[4] He had previously announced that it was always his intention to leave government before the next General Election.[5]

He continues to sit in the House of Lords as a Crossbench peer.

Return to business

Since leaving government Lord Jones has taken up the following positions:

  • Unpaid Adviser to HRH the Duke of York, in his capacity as the UK’s Special Representative for International Trade and Investment; January 2009.
  • Chair of International Advisory Board; HSBC Holdings plc; January 2009.

All of which were approved by ACOBA who saw "no reason why he should not set up as an independent consultant in January 2009 as he proposes, provided that he makes clear in any activities undertaken on behalf of his clients that he is representing them and not acting in a governmental capacity; that he does not draw on any privileged information which was available to him as a Minister for their particular benefit; and that, for 12 months after leaving office, he does not become personally involved in lobbying the Government on their behalf"[6]

  • Member of Advisory Board; Monitise plc; January 2009[7] Appointment was approved by ACOBA who saw "saw no difficulty provided that he makes clear in any activities undertaken on their behalf that he is acting as a representative of Monitise and not in a governmental capacity; that he does not draw on any privileged information which was available to him as a Minister for their particular benefit; and that, for 12 months after leaving office, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the Government on their behalf."[8]
  • Senior Adviser; J C Bamford Excavators Ltd (JCB); April 2009.[9] Appointment was approved by ACOBA who saw "no reason why he should not take up these appointments, in January 2009 as he proposes, provided that he makes clear in any activities undertaken on their behalf that he is acting as a representative of the firm and not in a governmental capacity; that he does not draw on any privileged information which was available to him as a Minister for their particular benefit; and that, for 12 months after leaving office, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the Government on behalf of his new employers or their clients".[8]
  • Chairman; Triumph Motorcycles Ltd; June 2009.[10] Appointment was approved by ACOBA who saw "no reason why he should not take up this appointment, in June 2009 as he proposes, provided that he makes clear in any activities undertaken on their behalf that he is acting as a representative of Triumph Motorcycles and not in a governmental capacity; that he does not draw on any privileged information which was available to him as a Minister for their particular benefit; and that, for 12 months after leaving office, he should not become personally involved in lobbying the Government on their behalf."[8]
  • Chairman of Advisory Board, Argentex Limited (foreign exchange specialists)[11]

Affiliations

Notes

  1. ↑ Biography, Digby Jones's personal website, accessed 18 March 2010
  2. ↑ Government post for Digby Jones, BBC News, 29 June 2007, accessed 18 March 2010
  3. ↑ Brown brings in more 'outsiders', BBC News, 29 June 2007, accessed 18 March 2010
  4. ↑ Lord Jones to leave in reshuffle, BBC News, 2 October 2007, accessed 18 March 2010
  5. ↑ Sam Coates, Business minister Lord Jones of Birmingham plans to jump ship, The Times, 15 April 2008, accessed 18 March 2010
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Advisory Committee on Business Appointments - Tenth Report, p. 17, accessed 18 March 2010
  7. ↑ Appointments taken up by former Ministers since 1 April 2009 (or, if earlier, where notification received after 1 April 2009) Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, accessed 18 March 2010
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Eleventh Report 2009-2010 Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, accessed 27 November 2014
  9. ↑ Appointments taken up by former Ministers since 1 April 2009 (or, if earlier, where notification received after 1 April 2009) Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, accessed 18 March 2010
  10. ↑ Appointments taken up by former Ministers since 1 April 2009 (or, if earlier, where notification received after 1 April 2009) Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, accessed 18 March 2010
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Lord Jones of Birmingham Parliament.UK, accessed 19 December 2014
  12. ↑ Aerospace APPG Register Feb 16, www.parliament.uk, accessed 17 February 2016
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