Digby Jones

Business Leader & Keynote Speaker, Former CBI Director General

Digby Jones is a world-renowned business leader, keynote speaker, and former Director-General of the CBI, best known for operating at the sharp end of global business, where deals are struck, markets are opened, and reputations are won or lost. Having served as the UK Minister of State for Trade and Investment, Digby has spent decades representing British business on the world stage. His career has spanned boardrooms, ministries, and negotiation rooms across every major market, translating political intent into commercial opportunity and reality.

What sets Digby apart is his fluency in the languages of both business and government. He understands how global trade policy is shaped, how regulation impacts organisational performance, and how cultural nuance determines success far more often than strategy decks.

For senior leaders and board-level audiences, he provides the strategic insights necessary for businesses to scale internationally, offering a masterclass in leadership, trade and investment, and the realities of the modern global economy.

Signature Keynotes

  • What really open and closes markets.

  • How decisions are made and felt.

  • Why nuance beats force.

  • Turning trade frameworks into opportunity.

  • What leaders must get right.

  • This is not trade as policy. It is trade as practice.

The Jones Effect

Global trade becomes practical, not theoretical.

Boards and executives leave ready to:

  • Understand how trade policy translates into real commercial impact

  • Navigate international markets with cultural and political awareness

  • Negotiate effectively across borders and systems

  • Anticipate regulatory and geopolitical friction

  • Lead global growth with realism and confidence

Why Book Digby

Digby Jones brings unmatched credibility across international trade, business leadership, and government relations. He resonates with boards and senior teams responsible for growth beyond domestic markets, particularly where negotiation, reputation, and regulatory complexity intersect.

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