Heathrow and IHG Hotels & Resorts are founding members of a new Business Council, formed by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
Drax and BP are fellow founders of the group which aims to “design and drive the future of the British economy”.
The BBC reported the new group will rival the troubled CBI, which faces a “crunch vote” on a series of reforms, the result of which will be revealed on Tuesday.
Shevaun Haviland, BCC director general Shevaun Haviland and BCC president Baroness Martha Lane Fox will join a wider group of business leaders at a roundtable meeting in London this afternoon (June 5) to discuss the Business Council and the BCC’s new national offer.
Haviland said: “Over the past few months, working closely with the Chamber Network, we have been talking to the nation’s largest corporates and it has become clear to us that they are looking for a different kind of representation.
“These businesses want to be part of a framework that’s rooted in their local communities, but with the ability to shape the national and international debate.
“In response we have developed a new offer, the Business Council. I’m delighted to have Heathrow, Drax, IHG and BP join us as the first founding partners and look forward to speaking with potential members this afternoon at our roundtable event.
“The Council is a long-term project and will bring together leaders from across UK industry to consider the key policy issues faced by British businesses, and work on Future of the Economy initiative, convened by our president, Baroness Martha Lane Fox.
“This initiative will focus on five challenges: Digital Revolution, People and Work, Net Zero, Global Britain and the High Street.
“The voice of business needs to be heard loud and clear, and now is the right time for us to speak up.”
John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow chief executive, commented: “Over the last 10 years we have established a strong relationship with the British Chambers of Commerce and are delighted to be taking our partnership to the next level by joining their new Business Council as a proud founding member.
“As the UK’s only hub airport and largest port by value, we play a key role in facilitating trade and tourism, boosting UK exports, and connecting nations and regions to the rest of the world.
“We want to continue growth in these areas and the Council will give us the opportunity to join fellow business leaders in identifying trends and challenges facing business and industry, ultimately shaping the BCC’s policy work and putting the right processes in place to drive change, alongside our longstanding partners.”
Yasmin Diamond, global corporate affairs executive vice-president at IHG Hotels & Resorts, said the Business Council “provides a new way to participate in the national policy debate and to discuss future challenges and opportunities for the UK economy”.
“The BCC’s Global Business Network will also enable us to connect with more than 75 markets around the world – an invaluable asset to our global organisation,” she added.
Leading corporate members such as Aviva and the John Lewis Partnership have left the CBI after it was hit by a sexual misconduct scandal.