Chiltern Economic Forum (CEF) was launched on Friday 13th February 2015 at the Old Palace Lodge, Church Street, Dunstable, LU5 4RT with Lord Digby Jones as the VIP Speaker and a number of local businesses and guests.

 Lord Digby Jones

Digby Jones is a champion of British business and has returned to TV screens in the new three part BBC 2 series of Troubleshooter.

From July 2007 to October 2008 Digby Jones served in the UK Government as Minister of State for Trade & Investment. During his 15 months in Ministerial office he made 45 overseas visits, travelling to 31 different countries and meeting with the world’s top business leaders and politicians. He changed the way that UK Trade & Investment was perceived in delivering a record year for inward investment and expanded the UK’s presence in all of the major international markets.

Digby Jones was made a partner at Edge and Ellison, the law firm in 1984. He was responsible for developing the firm’s London presence and establishing its representation in many European countries and several states of America. He was involved in most of the major management buy-outs and merger and acquisition activity in the West Midlands in the late 1980s and early 1990s. He was made deputy senior partner in 1990, becoming the firm’s senior partner in 1995.

In 1998 he joined KPMG as vice chairman of Corporate Finance, acting as close adviser to many public companies across the United Kingdom and in KPMG’s global markets.

Digby served as director-general of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) from 2000 to 2006 which involved regular visits to businesses in the UK and worldwide – taking their views back to those who make the rules. During his appointment he took the British business message to 70 different countries, internationalising the organisation and opening CBI offices in Washington DC and Beijing.

Following his departure from the CBI he held a number of senior corporate advisory positions – senior advisor to the executive of Deloitte; senior advisor to Barclays Capital; corporate and governmental affairs advisor to Ford of Europe and its Premier Automotive Group; senior advisor to JCB; special advisor to His Royal Highness the Duke of York in connection with his role as the UK Special Representative for International Trade & Investment; senior advisor to Computer Science Corporation inc, member of the advisory board of Monitise Ltd; member of the advisory board of Thales (UK) Ltd; advisor to Hugh James, solicitors, advisor to Wragge & Co, solicitors, non-executive director of Alba plc, i-Clean Systems Ltd and Leicester Tigers Rugby plc. It’s a wonder he ever sleeps!

In 2007 he served as the UK’s Skills Envoy, campaigning for both private and public sector employers to raise the level of skills of all of their employees to Level Two by 2010.

He accepted a lifetime peerage in the House of Lords where he now sits on the cross benches and is known as Lord Jones of Birmingham.

 Andrew Selous MP has asked me to lead an economic forum to encourage companies to promote their products and services, network with other business people and tackle common problems. We would like businesses of note (in Dunstable, Houghton Regis and Leighton Buzzard that are in his constituency of South West Bedfordshire) to come along to this launch event as no one has a monopoly on wisdom and sharing best practice is very important and it is vital that our MP and elected councillors understand the wide range of issues confronting businesses hence you are already in a great position to assist!

The Chiltern Economic Forum has been established to promote the interests of businesses within the South West Bedfordshire area and our aim is to invite members to a number of high profile networking events through out the year including at least two formal dinners at VIP venues such as Luton Hoo, Ashridge, The Carlton Club and the Houses of Parliament. Members will have the opportunity to join other members, enjoy fine dining and, listen to, and meet, high profile speakers at enjoyable and lively events that will provide a platform for thought provoking discussion and practical problem solving. The Forum is part of the South West Bedfordshire Conservative Association.

 Branko Bjelobaba Chiltern Economic Forum (07980) 824152

 South West Beds Conservative Association, Wentworth House, 83 High Street North, Dunstable, Beds, LU6 1JJ.

Tel ‐ (01582) 476619 Email ‐ swbca@outlook.com

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