Sunak rolls out ministerial army in bid to charm private sector chiefs

More than 20 ministers will attend a summit with corporate chiefs on Monday as Rishi Sunak attempts to mount a fresh private sector charm offensive.

Sky News has obtained a full list of ministers who are due to attend Business Connect, an event being held at a central London venue to discuss issues such as skills, innovation, and visa reform.

Alongside Mr Sunak, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch, other cabinet attendees include Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer and Oliver Dowden, who was named deputy prime minister after Dominic Raab’s resignation on Friday.

Among other ministers due to be at the summit are science minister George Freeman; Andrew Griffith, the City minister; and Nusrat Ghani, whose remit includes the Investment Security Unit.

The PM’s new special adviser on business and trade, Franck Petitgas, a former senior executive at the Wall Street giant Morgan Stanley, will also attend.

Earlier this month, Sky News reported that the PM had convened the event amid intense efforts by Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, to pitch Labour as the new party of business.

Under Sir Keir, Labour has been trying to reposition itself in the eyes of traditionally Tory-supporting bosses, and has won qualified endorsements from the likes of John Allan, the Tesco chairman, and Paul Drechsler, the former CBI president.

It recently emerged that the party was charging £15,000 for membership of the Labour Business network – an initiative that marks a clear dividing line with his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn.

Sources said those attending from the private sector were expected to include Dame Carolyn McCall, the ITV chief executive; Liv Garfield, CEO of Severn Trent; Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy; Adrian Mardell, boss of Jaguar Land Rover; Seb James, who runs Boots the Chemist; Claire Barclay, UK CEO of Microsoft; Gerry Murphy, the Burberry chairman; and Jon Holt, who runs KPMG UK.

The event will take place during a period of shock at the sudden unravelling of the CBI, the business lobby group, which would typically have been represented at events such as Business Connect.

Downing Street has been contacted for comment.