Former CBI chief to speak at Chamber dinner

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The former Director General of the CBI will speak at this year’s Greater Manchester Chamber dinner.

Lord Digby Jones, Minister of State for Trade and Investment, has been confirmed as the guest speaker at the prestigious annual event.

Angie Robinson, Chief Executive of Greater Manchester Chamber, said: “I’m delighted that we have secured such a high profile speaker for our annual dinner.

“This is a unique opportunity to hear from one of the leading figures in the UK economy. Not only has he headed the CBI, but he now has a key role at the heart of Government.”

Lord Digby Jones was appointed Minister of State for Trade and Investment in June last year and took his seat in the House of Lords the following month. He was Director General of the CBI from 2000 to 2006. During his time at the CBI he visited 70 countries to promote British business, as well as regularly meeting the UK’s political and business leaders.

Before joining the CBI he had served in the Royal Navy and been Vice Chairman of Corporate Finance at KPMG, where he acted as adviser to many companies in the UK and across the world. He is an honorary doctor of a number of British universities and supports a range of charities.

Comedian Jo Brand will provide the after dinner entertainment. Jo worked as psychiatric nurse before starting out in stand-up comedy. She has been a panellist on TV shows Have I got News For You, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI.

Previous guest speakers at the Chamber’s annual dinner have included Ex-Mirror boss Piers Morgan and Labour spin doctor Alistair Campbell.

The annual dinner will take place on April 9th at Manchester Central. Tickets cost £117.50 including VAT per person for Chamber members and £176.25 including VAT per person for non-members. To book a place contact Lisa Wroe on 0161 245 4881 or email lisa.wroe@business-support-solutions.co.uk

The main sponsor of the event is Royal Bank of Scotland, while PricewaterhouseCoopers and Manchester Central are associate sponsors.