The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) has a new UK chair in the person of Michael Rake, already chairman of BT Group and World Pay.

He will lead the ICC’s efforts boost open trade, and represent UK businesses on the international level.

His experience also includes roles at Barclays, the Confederation of Business Industry (CBI) and the Prime Minister’s Business Advisory Council.

Rake will be joined on the ICC UK board by Paul Korolkiewicz, a partner at KPMG (as honorary treasurer), Roger Carr, chairman of BAE Systems, Nora Senior, president of the British Chamber of Commerce, Robert Elliott, senior partner at Linklaters, John Beechey from Beechey Arbitration, and Paul Dreschler, president of CBI.

Rake comments: “ICC is the global organisation that connects companies from all corners of the globe to influence and create the rules that govern the entire business and trading landscape. The opinion of UK business is valued and highly sought after across the world, but they need to be heard – our priority is to give them a voice.”

Chris Southworth, director of ICC UK, adds: “With a global economic slowdown on the cards, uneven growth and prosperity, and volatile conflicts ever-present, we need the help of UK business to keep the minds of global governments 100% focused on providing a pro-growth, investment, and employment business environment.

“The UK plays a far more important role than people realise in shaping the global agenda and providing a voice of reason to both foreign governments and business communities around the world. We have effectively doubled the size of our board with some big names from UK industry. This has not gone unnoticed and sends a powerful message to the world that we are actively stepping up to the plate to play our part on the global stage.”