Confederation of British Industry
Encyclopedia
The Confederation of British Industry is a British not for profit organisation
incorporated by Royal charter
which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.
, Brussels
, New Delhi
and Washington DC.
It is the foremost lobbying
organisation for UK business on national and international issues. It works with the UK government, international legislators
and policymakers to help UK businesses compete effectively.
, who was formerly the editor of the Financial Times
and member of the Bank of England
Monetary Policy Committee
.
CBI policy is decided by its members – senior professionals from all sectors and sizes of business are directly involved in the policy-making process.
It has offices in every region of the UK. The headquarters are next to Tottenham Court Road tube station
, not far from the headquarters of the TUC
.
, the British Employers' Confederation and the National Association of British Manufacturers.
(as of June 2011)
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
incorporated by Royal charter
Royal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
which promotes the interests of its members, some 200,000 British businesses, a figure which includes some 80% of FTSE 100 companies and around 50% of FTSE 350 companies.
Role
The CBI works to promote these interests by lobbying and advising governments, networking with other businesses and creating intelligence through analysis of government policies and compilation of statistics, both in the United Kingdom and internationally through their offices in BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
and Washington DC.
It is the foremost lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
organisation for UK business on national and international issues. It works with the UK government, international legislators
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
and policymakers to help UK businesses compete effectively.
Structure
The present Director-General is John Cridland, former Deputy Director General, who assumed the role in January 2011. He replaced Richard LambertRichard Lambert
Sir Richard Peter Lambert is the former Director-General of the CBI, and the present Chancellor of the University of Warwick.-Education:...
, who was formerly the editor of the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
and member of the Bank of England
Bank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
Monetary Policy Committee
Monetary Policy Committee
The Monetary Policy Committee is a committee of the Bank of England, which meets for two and a half days every month to decide the official interest rate in the United Kingdom . It is also responsible for directing other aspects of the government's monetary policy framework, such as quantitative...
.
CBI policy is decided by its members – senior professionals from all sectors and sizes of business are directly involved in the policy-making process.
It has offices in every region of the UK. The headquarters are next to Tottenham Court Road tube station
Tottenham Court Road tube station
Tottenham Court Road is a London Underground station in central London. It is an interchange between the Central line and the branch of the Northern line.On the Central line it is between and , and on the Northern line it is between and...
, not far from the headquarters of the TUC
Trades Union Congress
The Trades Union Congress is a national trade union centre, a federation of trade unions in the United Kingdom, representing the majority of trade unions...
.
History
The organisation was formed in 1965 out of a merger of the Federation of British IndustriesFederation of British Industries
The Federation of British Industries was founded by the Midlands industrialist Dudley Docker in 1916. It was composed of 124 firms which all gave £1,000 for its foundation. The FBI never took part in labour relations but progressively involved in tariff reform...
, the British Employers' Confederation and the National Association of British Manufacturers.
Research
The CBI conducts numerous surveys and reports which are of particular use to its members. Research conducted is available to the relevant sections of its membership.University funding
In September 2009, it concluded that UK universities should be more scrupulous over who is funded for university courses, with concern over some universities seeking quantity of students rather than quality of learning. Industry wanted students with work-friendly skills and knowledge. Students were expected to contribute more to their courses.Senior personnel
- Helen Alexander (chairman of Incisive MediaIncisive MediaIncisive Media is a publisher of business media. It is based in London, United Kingdom, with offices in New York, Hong Kong, Singapore and Beijing.-History and management:...
), President - Sir Roger CarrRoger Carr (businessman)Sir Roger Martyn Carr is a British businessman who is regarded as one of the growing number of "Double Chairmen" who head two companies in Britain’s benchmark FTSE 100 index...
, Vice President - John Cridland, Director-General
- Neil Bentley, Deputy Director-General
- Ian McCafferty, Chief Economic Adviser
- Katja Hall, Chief Policy Director
- Andy Scott, Director, UK Operations
- Susan Anderson, Director, Public Services and Skills
- Matthew Fell, Director, Competitive Markets
- Rhian Chilcott, Director, International
- Neil Carberry, Director, Employment Affairs
(as of June 2011)
Directors-General since 1965
- John DaviesJohn Davies (businessman)John Emerson Harding Harding-Davies, MBE, PC was a successful British businessman who served as Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry during the 1960s...
(30 July 1965 – 15 October 1969) - Sir Campbell AdamsonCampbell AdamsonSir Campbell Adamson was a British industrialist who was best known for his work as Director-General of the Confederation of British Industry from 1969 to 1976...
(15 October 1969 – 2 July 1976) - Sir John Methven (2 July 1976 – 23 April 1980) (died in office)
- Sir Terence Beckett (1 October 1980 – 26 March 1987)
- Sir John BanhamJohn BanhamSir John Banham is a British business leader. He has been the chairman of Whitbread, a major brewer since 2000, and is also chairman of ECI Ventures and Johnson Matthey.- Biography :...
(26 March 1987 – 26 June 1992) - Sir Howard DaviesHoward Davies (LSE)Sir Howard Davies is a British economist. Davies served as Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science from 2003 to May 2011, having decided to resign from the position on 3 March 2011 following concern over the institution's decision to accept funding from a foundation...
, (29 June 1992 – 31 December 1995) - Adair Turner (1 January 1995 – 31 December 2000)
- Sir Digby JonesDigby JonesDigby Marritt Jones, Baron Jones of Birmingham, Kt is a British businessman and politician, who has served as Director General of the CBI and Minister of State for Trade and Investment...
(1 January 2001 – 30 June 2006) - Sir Richard LambertRichard LambertSir Richard Peter Lambert is the former Director-General of the CBI, and the present Chancellor of the University of Warwick.-Education:...
(1 July 2006 – 30 January 2011) - John Cridland (31 January 2011 – present)