Karen Finegold, executive director of the Engineering Industries Association, has been invited to join the board of the Genesis Initiative, which was formed to act as an umbrella organisation, working on behalf of UK SMEs to “optimise potential growth in the SME sector by fostering a ‘can do’ culture”.

Genesis aims to participate fully in achieving economic and structural reforms that will enable business to flourish; it works through a senate that meets during each Parliamentary session.

Currently, 117 organisations are involved in the Genesis Initiative, representing about a million members.

Ms Finegold said: “Genesis believes that small businesses are the backbone of the British economy; when they do well, the whole country does well.

“New jobs, new ideas and new wealth will be created, if small businesses are thriving. The role of Genesis is to help sustain this business environment.”