Enterprise Nation founder Emma Jones to co-chair new small business group advising the prime minister

Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, is to chair one of five new advisory groups set up by the government to advise the prime minister on business issues.

With Timpson boss James Timpson and investor and Lastminute.com co-founder Brent Hoberman, Emma will co-chair the Small Business, Scale-ups and Entrepreneurs Council.

It will meet three times a year, twice with the prime minister and once with a senior Cabinet minister, and provide high-level advice and policy recommendations on the issues affecting small businesses. The Council will also be a forum for the government to share developing policy ideas.

Emma Jones said: "The overwhelming majority of businesses in the UK are small and they are the heart of our economy so I'm pleased that their voice is formally being recognised in these Councils.

"I'm looking forward to representing these entrepreneurs and innovators and discussing their unique perspective with the prime minister."

The Council is one of five being set up. The other four cover services, infrastructure and manufacturing, consumer, retail and life sciences and telecoms, creative industries, technology and the media.

Chairs include ITV CEO Carolyn McCall, Tesco CEO Davis Lewis and Prudential chairman Paul Manduca.

"The UK has always been one of the best places in the world to do business and is a leader in sectors from advanced manufacturing to the creative industries," said prime minister Theresa May.

"Brexit presents a huge opportunity to build a better, stronger economy for people all over the country.

"So I've asked these new councils to advise us on the opportunities and challenges facing business as we shape the UK for the future."

May will meet the co-chairs at 10 Downing Street for the first time ‪later today‬, where she will set out their objectives and they will discuss issues such as productivity and international investment.

The Councils in full:

• Jan du Plessis (chairman, BT Group) and Carolyn McCall (CEO, ITV) will co-chair the Telecoms, Creative, Technology and Media Council. John Allen (president, CBI) and Stephen Martin (director general, IOD) will be the business groups' representatives

• Roger Carr (chairman, BAE Systems) and Ian Davis (chairman, Rolls Royce) will co-chair the Industrial, Infrastructure and Manufacturing Council. Stephen Phipson (CEO, EEF) will be the business group representative

• James Timpson (CEO, Timpson), Brent Hoberman (co-founder and chairman, Founders Forum) and Emma Jones (founder, Enterprise Nation) will co-chair the Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs Council. Mike Cherry (national chairman, Federation of Small Business) will be the business group representative

• Paul Manduca (chairman, Prudential) and Shriti Vadera (chairman, Santander UK) will co-chair the Services - Financial, Professional and Education Services Council. Carolyn Fairbairn, (director generak, CBI) will be the business group representative

• Dave Lewis (CEO, Tesco) and Emma Walmsley (CEO, GSK) will co-chair the Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences Council. Adam Marshall (director general, British Chambers of Commerce) will be the business group representative