Tony Danker replaces Dame Carolyn Fairbairn as new CBI director-general
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The CBI has reportedly picked a replacement for Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, who will step down as director-general at the end of the year.
Sky News has reported that the business group has appointed Tony Danker as Dame Carolyn’s successor, and it is understood the CBI will issue a release later today.
Danker is currently chief executive of Be the Business, a movement intended to improve Britain’s productivity record.
It was set up and is chaired by Sir Charlie Mayfield of the John Lewis Partnership. He was previously chief strategy officer and international director at Guardian News & Media. Before that, he spent two years as a policy adviser at the Treasury.
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Danker’s role at Be the Business has brought him into close contact with leading City figures, and the organisation’s advisory board includes Fairbairn, and Lloyds boss Antonio Horta-Osorio.
He will take over at a critical time for the CBI, as it helps British businesses navigate the aftermath of the pandemic and the end of the Brexit transition period. Dame Carolyn had been set to step down this summer but agreed in April to extend her tenure until the end of the year due to the pandemic.
The CBI is overhauling its top team as it looks to appoint Cobra Beer founder Lord Bilimoria in the next few weeks. Lord Bilimoria, who campaigned for remain in the Brexit referendum, and the CBI’s approach to a likely departure from the EU on WTO terms will likely drive the agenda, according to Sky News.
Dame Carolyn took up the director-general role in November 2015. She had been a BBC executive and journalist at the Economist, as well as being a member of the 10 Downing Street policy unit.
The CBI was contacted for comment.
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