The founder and former chief executive of Just Eat, Europe’s largest online food delivery service, has been appointed as the government’s new ‘cost of living business tsar’ in a move to help convince businesses to help out households struggling with rising prices.
The Cabinet Office said David Buttress – a multi-millionaire venture capitalist – will “work with the private sector to develop new business-led initiatives to help people struggling with the squeeze on living standards”.
Buttress will join education secretary Nadhim Zahawi on Tuesday at a meeting with supermarkets and sports organisations to discuss what assistance can be offered through a range of initiatives such as the government’s holiday activities and food programme.
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Announcing the appointment, Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay said Mr Buttress would bring a “wealth of experience” and the “vigour and ingenuity of business” to the role.
“Businesses and organisations across the country have stepped up time and time again when the nation needs it most. The financial pressures people are facing as a result of current global challenges will be no different,” he said.
Buttress is reported to have made £17.4 million by selling off chunks of his stake in the lucrative food delivery firm between 2016 and 2017, when he stepped down as CEO. Just Eat merged with Takeaway.com in 2020, in a deal worth £5.9 billion to investors.
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