UK govt appoints Microsoft CEO to chair industrial strategy council as it looks to attract tech investment

Microsoft’s UK CEO Clare Barclay will chair the government’s new Industrial Strategy Advisory Council as part of a sharpened focus on UK tech investment.

Announced jointly by Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds and UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the council will look to deliver a modern industrial strategy focused on eight key areas.

Digital and technologies are one of these areas, along with advanced manufacturing, clean energy, creative industries, defense, finance, life sciences, and professional and business services.

As a Microsoft executive, Barclay’s appointment foregrounds the tech industry. She said the council will work to represent the voices of businesses, nations, regions, and trade unions.

“Whilst we fully embrace the industries of today, we must also have a clear plan for future growth, and the Advisory Council will play a central role in shaping and delivering this plan,” Barclay said.

Barclay has previously spoken out on the potential for the UK tech sector, stating in early 2024 that the UK could be a leader in AI provided it gets a grip on responsible governance and legislation.

Reynolds added that the council will build stability for investors, giving them the foundation needed to plan for the coming decade and beyond, rather than just the approaching year.

Taken in conjunction with other moves from the Labour government, this decision seems to form part of a wider focus on tech.

Barclay’s appointment comes just a week after ex-Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson was appointed as the UK’s minister for investment after stepping down from her role.

Gustafsson will head the Office for Investment as a minister in both the treasury and the Department of business and trade. She will also take ownership of a new unit drawn from these departments and a new external advisory board.

UK sees investment uptick

The government’s tech-focused appointments came ahead of some hefty investment in the region at the UK investment summit.

According to live reporting by The Guardian, the government revealed that ServiceNow, CyrusOne, CloudHR, and CoreWeave would invest a combined £6.3 billion in the UK’s data center landscape.

Technology Secretary Peter Kyle made the announcement at the summit, framing it as a positive development for UK tech.

“Tech leaders from all over the world are seeing Britain as the best place to invest with a thriving and stable market for data centers and AI development,” Kyle said.

“Today’s drumbeat of investment is a vote of confidence in Britain and our approach to work with business to deliver sustained growth for all,” he added.

Earlier in the year, AWS announced an £8 billion investment into a data center expansion scheme in the UK. The move is expected to contribute around £14 billion to the UK’s GDP over five years.