As chair, Brian will help guide the council’s focus on championing manufacturing as a high-tech, modern component of the UK economy, and help foster a positive investment environment for UK manufacturing.
As a passionate advocate for manufacturing, Brian brings a wealth of experience including holding numerous positions on boards within the sector. In 2022, he was appointed co-chair of Made Smarter, a national digitalisation movement to drive productivity, growth and sustainability in manufacturing.
Brian’s appointment comes in the midst of a global cost of doing business crisis, including supply chain disruptions, rising energy costs, and unprecedented labour shortages. The UK’s manufacturing sector must play a vital role in helping overcome these challenges and driving economic growth across the UK – and CBI manufacturing members look forward to realising this potential through Brian and the council.
Commenting on Brian’s appointment, Tony Danker, CBI Director General, said:
“It is fantastic to welcome Brian as Chair of the CBI Manufacturing Council, and I am excited to work alongside him to champion the value that manufacturing brings to the UK economy.
The UK manufacturing sector is a source of innovative excellence, leading the transition to more sustainable practices, as well as a bedrock for jobs across the country. Brian’s expertise will drive the council to focus on key issues around productivity and resilience, and ensure manufacturing is at the heart of the UK’s levelling up agenda as we look to go for growth post-COVID.
We are also grateful to Tom Crotty for his leadership of the council since 2018 and his continued role on the council in coming years.”
Brian Holliday, incoming Chair of the CBI Manufacturing Council, said:
“I am delighted to be appointed at such an important time for the UK economy, where the manufacturing sector will play a vital role in levelling up regions across the UK, reaching net zero and embracing a high skilled economy.
I look forward to leading the group of manufacturing businesses and continuing to not only articulate the collective value of that UK manufacturing brings to the economy and society, but also to further strengthen the Council’s relationship with innovative and digital technologies – ensuring it is best placed to deliver outcomes that support government priorities in an innovative and sustainable way.”