Neil Bentley Deputy director-general, chief operating officer CBI no 2 praised as a 'champion of boardroom diversity' in World Pride Power List Neil is responsible for UK and international operations, business planning, and representing the CBI nationally and internationally to governments and media. Appointed deputy director-general in February 2011 and chief operating officer in June 2012, Neil is a member of the CBI Board and Executive Committee and is driving forward the CBI's new leadership programme which is designed to improve business engagement with government and boardroom diversity. Neil joined the CBI in 2002, since when he has been a policy director and successfully led the CBI's first climate change campaign, as well as campaigns and lobbying on infrastructure development, energy -- which led to the 2011 Electricity Market Reform White Paper -  and public service reform, which led to the 2008 Julius Review of public service industry. He also previously led lobbying on employment and trade union law reform, diversity and skills issues. Neil is Deputy Chairman of Stonewall, the charity that promotes equality for lesbian, gay and bisexual people. He was number 76 in the 2012 World Pride Power List of the 100 most influential lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender people globally, in which he was praised as a "champion of boardroom diversity". He has also featured in Stonewall's gay Role Models publication. Neil sits on the government's Green Economy Council and between 2008-2012 was a non-executive director of the Carbon Trust, a not-for-profit company providing specialist support