Chancellor Rachel Reeves has appointed Katie Martin as Business Adviser, effective Monday 12 January 2026, with a UK‑wide brief to step up engagement with business leaders. For Northern firms from Carlisle to Hull, it’s a fresh route into the Treasury without the London shuffle. (gov.uk)

HM Treasury says the post is a Direct Ministerial Appointment. Martin, who previously served as the Chancellor’s Chief of Staff, will work with Reeves and her ministerial team to deepen dialogue with industry across the country. (gov.uk)

Terms published by HM Treasury confirm she will work four days a week in the department, unpaid, for an initial 12‑month term to 12 January 2027, with the option to extend. She will coordinate with ministers, special advisers, civil servants and No.10 on business engagement. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)

Reeves framed the move as a practical step to work with business to deliver growth, calling Martin’s insight invaluable. The Chancellor said the aim is to work “in genuine partnership with business” and create opportunity nationwide. (gov.uk)

Martin said the priority is raising living standards by increasing business investment, stressing her role is to “bridge the gap between business and government” so the two sides can get things done together. (gov.uk)

For the North, the yardstick is simple: time on the ground. Manufacturers in South Yorkshire, offshore wind in the Humber, chemicals on Teesside and digital teams in Manchester will expect site visits that end with decisions and swift follow‑through.

Governance arrangements are set out plainly: a full declaration‑of‑interest process has been completed, with mitigations overseen by the Treasury’s Permanent Secretary and support from the Propriety and Ethics Team if needed. Martin will have access to relevant ministerial papers and update the Chancellor as required. (assets.publishing.service.gov.uk)

Practical next steps for Northern businesses: turn up with one investable project and one regulatory fix, both backed by job numbers, capex and timelines. When the invitation lands, bring numbers, not slogans.

The appointment begins today and runs for 12 months. We’ll be watching how much of Martin’s diary lands north of the M25 in the weeks ahead, and whether factories and labs here see benefits as quickly as Whitehall hopes. (gov.uk)