Lazard's Verey handed govt advisory role

David Verey, the former CEO of international investment bank Lazard's UK operations, and now a senior adviser to the company, is among a group of 31 leading business figures handed advisory roles within Whitehall.

Verey, who is joined by Argos managing director Sara Weller and Andrew Witty, chief executive of GlaxoSmithKline, is tasked with helping the government operate more efficiently. Former BP boss Lord Browne, who was appointed by the government in June to help find the non-executive directors, will take the lead non-executive position in the Cabinet Office. Other business leaders who will take up non-executive roles in the government include former Tate & Lyle boss Iain Ferguson and Val Gooding, former head of Bupa. In total, 31 private, public and not-for-profit sector leaders ...