Lord Rogers and Fosters director named as 'business ambassadors'

Lord Rogers, the architect and Labour peer, is to sit on the government's new team of business ambassadors at UK Trade & Investment.

Rogers has been named alongside Lord Browne, former BP chairman and a non-executive director of Foster + Partners, on a team of ambassadors to promote UK business and investment overseas. Sir Terence Conran and Lord Digby Jones are also on the team.

The prestigious team also features the chairmen of companies such as Barclays, Lloyds TSB, Sainsbury's and Rio Tinto.

Rogers' new role will lend credence to rumours that he intends to step down as design adviser to the mayor of London.

A spokesperson for Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners quashed suggestions that the two roles would be incompatible. She said: “We are still waiting for some clarity from the mayor's office, but London is still obviously very important to Richard.”