Covid Recovery Commission unveils high profile Advisory Group 

September 8, 2020

Pictured: Helen Barnard, Acting Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and member of the Advisory Group

 

 

The Covid Recovery Commission has today announced the creation of a new expert Advisory Group to inform its work.

 

The Commission, which is independent from government, was unveiled in June and consists of business leaders from companies including Tesco, Vodafone, British Land, AstraZeneca and Shell. The group will primarily consider how Covid-19 has impacted the ‘levelling up’ agenda and will produce bold and practical ideas over the coming months to support higher productivity levels, encourage business investment and promote a culture of innovation across the UK.

 

The Advisory Group members have been selected to represent the diversity of UK business and society and include public policy experts from a range of fields including climate change, infrastructure, innovation and mental health.

 

Members of the Advisory Group include:

 

  • Adam Marshall, Director General, British Chambers of Commerce
  • Andrew Carter, CEO, Centre for Cities
  • Andy Rose, former CEO, Global Infrastructure Investor Association
  • Ben Willmott, Head of Public Policy, CIPD
  • Brian Dow, Chief Executive, Mental Health UK
  • Professor Cameron Hepburn, Oxford Martin School
  • Chris Yiu, Head of Public Policy, Tony Blair Institute
  • David Hughes, Strategy and Programme Director, Transport for the North
  • Professor Emmanuel Ogbonna, Chair of Welsh Government Commission into the Socio-economic Impacts of Covid-19 on BAME Groups, Cardiff University
  • Guy Newey, Director of Strategy and Performance, Energy Systems Catapult
  • Helen Barnard, Acting Director, Joseph Rowntree Foundation
  • James Kanagasooriam, Partner, Hanbury Strategy
  • James Plunkett, Director of Advice and Advocacy, Citizens Advice
  • John Godfrey, Corporate Affairs Director, L&G
  • Kate Bell, Head of Rights, International, Social and Economics, TUC
  • Kate Henderson, CEO, National Housing Federation
  • Kathleen Henehan, Senior Research and Policy Analyst, Resolution Foundation
  • Kathryn Parsons, Founder, Decoded
  • Mark Bretton, Chair, The Local Enterprise Partnership Network
  • Matt Leach, CEO, Local Trust
  • Rain Newton Smith, Chief Economist, CBI
  • Simon Alcock, Head of Public Affairs and Campaigning, ClientEarth
  • Victoria Hills, CEO, Royal Town Planning Institute
  • Victoria Hornby, CEO, Mental Health Innovations

 

John Allan CBE, Chair of the Covid Recovery Commission, said:

 

“On behalf of all of the Commissioners, I am delighted to welcome the Advisory Group members.  It is critical that our work considers not just the perspectives of business but of the communities in which we live and experts in specific areas such as climate change and housing.

Their expert views will be critical to ensuring that we fulfil our purpose of ensuring the UK economy emerges stronger, fairer and more resilient post-Covid.”

 

The Advisory Group will initially contribute to the Commission via a written submission and one-to-one semi-structured interviews with the research team. This will feed into the three papers examining the current state of UK communities, business and trends such as climate change before final policy recommendations are presented in early 2021. The first paper on communities will be published in early October. The final analysis and recommendations of the Commission will be made by the Commissioners alone.

 

Helen Barnard, Acting Director Joseph Rowntree Foundation said:

 

“The Recovery Commission has the opportunity to inspire action and to make sure that the economy after Covid works for everyone. I am delighted to be working with the Covid Recovery Commission’s Advisory Group alongside such an expert and committed range of organisations. Our work will have an important role in building a more resilient economy which prevents people from being swept into poverty when times are hard. By taking the time to listen to people, communities and businesses we can ensure that we deliver an economic recovery that will truly level up the country.”

 

In addition the Commission will consult with think tanks and business organisations throughout the research process. Any organisation wishing to contribute to the Commission’s work, who has not already been contacted, can do so through the Commission website.

 

 

ENDS

 

 

Notes to editors

  • For more information about the Commission please see the Commission website here:  http://covidrecoverycommission.co.uk/ or contact Nick Faith, Director at WPI Strategy: 07960 996 233 / nick@wpi-strategy.com
  • The independent Commission, of cross-sectoral industry leaders including FTSE100 chief executives and entrepreneurs, will primarily consider how the pandemic has impacted the ‘levelling up’ agenda. It will consider the role of business and government in delivering the kind of jobs and opportunities that will boost peoples’ life chances.
  • John Allan CBE, Chair of Tesco, Barratt and Imperial College London Council, chairs the Commission. The other Commissioners are:
    • Manoj Badale, Co-founder and Joint Managing Partner, Blenheim Chalcot and Chairman of the British Asian Trust
    • Ruth Cairnie, Chair, Babcock
    • Ian Funnell, CEO UK and Ireland, Hitachi ABB Power Grids
    • Chris Grigg, CEO, British Land
    • John Holland-Kaye, CEO, Heathrow Airport
    • Nick Jeffery, CEO, Vodafone UK
    • Tom Keith-Roach, UK President, AstraZeneca
    • Sinead Lynch, Chair, Shell UK