The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) is undergoing a major restructure prompted by the departure of Neil Carberry, the organisation’s managing director of people and infrastructure.

The organisation will not be replacing Mr Carberry, who will become the new chief executive of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation next month. Instead, Matthew Fell, the CBI’s chief of staff, has been promoted to the newly created role of chief UK policy director.

Mr Fell, who has been with the organisation for almost 20 years, explained the reasons for the change yesterday: “For the UK to have a clear pitch to the world to drive our future success, we need to also grip the challenges at home.

“Whether it’s people and skills, infrastructure, industrial strategy or innovation, these are all policy areas the CBI cares deeply about and works hard on. I am now taking on the newly created role of chief UK policy director to ensure they get the focus they need.”

Setting out priorities

Mr Fell singled out the “people and skills agenda” and “getting the apprenticeship levy right”, as being among the CBI’s priority areas. Others included tackling diversity and inclusion, the impact of technological change, and improving the country’s infrastructure.

Hinting that the CBI would now be taking a more collaborative approach in its dealings with the government, he commented: “At a time when the government has got its hands full, and parliamentary time is hugely constrained, it’s solutions, not problems, it needs. So the more we have sharp, road-tested, proven solutions that command a strong mandate from across the business community, the more we can be helpful to government.”