The Chairman of Ford Britain called for long-term thinking from British and European governments on regulation and climate change, to support an increase in R&D expenditure from industry. Hailing the automotive business as a “cauldron of innovation”, he targeted over-regulation and a lack of science and engineering graduates as the biggest threats to growth in the UK and Europe.

Britain had a particular image problem with industry, and industry faced a quality problem with education. A “firm purpose and direction” was needed to “accelerate the educational performance of our young people”. He added that alongside government, business had a vital role to play. Last year Britain produced 3,000 Physics graduates and 15,000 psychologists, an example of an educational imbalance that Putnam believed helped explain Britain’s poor productivity record. The emphasis must be not simply on attracting more young people, but the best young people into science and technology careers, otherwise Britain would fail to keep up with its competitors.

On the environmental challenges, Putnam called for consistent policies from governments to allow companies to invest in long-term solutions. Business and political time frames were completely different, but it was politicians who needed to adapt and take a strong lead, “ innovation can flourish with both direction and purpose and encourage real growth.” Robert Bosch intends to organise further meetings of the Industry Forum on various topics. With nearly 5,000 employees at 10 sites in the UK, Bosch supports industry, innovation and excellence in the UK in many fields, including in manufacturing, training, service and a commitment to sustainable development.