CBI director general Sir Digby Jones is to become a part-time adviser on corporate and government affairs to Ford of Europe and its Premier Automotive Group, which includes Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin.

Sir Digby, who steps down from the CBI at the end of June, will take up his new duties in October. This month the accountancy firm Deloitte said Sir Digby would spend three to four days a week as a senior adviser to its chief executive, John Connolly.

Sir Digby said yesterday he was a loyal Jaguar customer and "as a born and bred Brummie, a passionate advocate of the British motor industry."