UK hires top business brains as Brexit advisers

British Prime Minister Theresa May will welcome on Wednesday co-chairs of the five new business councils formed to advise on how to create the best business conditions in UK after its exit from the European Union, 10 Downing Street announced.

Co-chaired by top names in the business world, each council will have around ten members representing core sectors of the British economy, as well as a representative from the country's key business groups.

At their first meeting Wednesday, May will set out their objectives and they will discuss issues such as productivity and international investment, said a Downing Street press release.

Jan du Plessis, chairman of the BT Group and Carolyn McCall, CEO of independent television company, ITV, will co-chair the Telecoms, Creative, Technology and Media Council.

Roger Carr, chairman of BAE Systems, and Ian Davis, chairman of Rolls Royce will co-chair the Industrial, Infrastructure and Manufacturing Council.

James Timpson, CEO of shoe company Timpson and Brent Hoberman, co-founder and chairman of the Founders Forum and Emma Jones, founder of Enterprise Nation, will co-chair the Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs Council.

Paul Manduca, chairman of insurers Prudential and Shriti Vadera, chairman of bankers, Santander UK, will co-chair the Services - Financial, Professional and Education Services Council.

Dave Lewis, CEO of supermarket chair Tesco and Emma Walmsley, CEO of pharmaceutical giant GSK will co-chair the Consumer, Retail and Life Sciences Council.

Members of the councils will also include top names from the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), British Chambers of Commerce, Institute of Directors, Trades Union Congress and the Federation of Small Businesses.