Big name entrepreneurs join new government advisory forum

Business secretary Vince Cable has announced the creation of a new forum of high profile entrepreneurs who will advise the government on business and enterprise policies. 

Unveiled ahead of the launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week on Monday, the Entrepreneurs' Forum will provide "informal and personal advice" and meet four times a year. The first meeting is expected to take place in early 2011.

The government said the group will have up to 26 members but only 16 have been appointed so far. They are:

• Dawn Gibbins, founder, Barefoot Living
• Sarah Tremellen, founder, Bravissimo
• Christiane Wuillamie, founder, Elgius
• Jan Fletcher, chair, Montpellier Estates
• Julie Meyer, founder, Ariadne Capital
• Polly Gowers, founder, Everyclick
• Anne Malkin, CEO, Access Risk Management Group
• Kresse Wessling, founder, Elvis & Kresse
• Shaf Rasul, founder, E-Net Computers
• Tim Campbell, founder, Bright Ideas Trust
• Carl Hopkins, founder, Joblink Solutions
• Bruce Savage, director, Cherwell Capital
• James Caan, investor, Dragons' Den
• Sahar Hashemi, founder, Skinny Candy
• Sara Murray, managing director, Buddi
• Baroness Margaret Ford, chair, Olympic Park Legacy Company  

A government press release noted that "a significant proportion of the forum are women and increasing the rate of female entrepreneurs is one area the forum will be encouraged to look at."

Cable added: "People with the courage to start up a business will be crucial to driving the growth of the economy. Start-ups create jobs, stimulate innovation and provide a competitive spur to existing businesses to encourage them to increase their productivity. 

"I am delighted with the quality of the membership of my new forum and look forward to bouncing ideas off them and hearing their views."

The forum will complement other groups, such as the prime minister's Business Advisory Group, the business secretary's Business Advisory Group and the Small Business Economic Forum.

BusinessZone.co.uk has previously interviewed three of the forum members; Tim Campbell, Julie Meyer and Carl Hopkins. Here are the interviews: