Ex-Darktrace CEO Poppy Gustafsson wants investment into UK to bloom

Her remit as a Minister in Treasury and the Department of Business and Trade is designed to help the UK raise billions globally to invest in growth – notably for the hi-tech and life science sectors.

Gustafsson left Darktrace after it was sold to Thoma Bravo in the US for $5.3 billion. She had co-founded Darktrace with financial backing from tech entrepreneur Mike Lynch who died at sea when his yacht sank off the coast of Sicily.

Government sources say Gustafsson will become a peer. They add that she will also head a new unit containing government high flyers and a hand-picked advisory board.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was quoted as saying: “I am delighted to welcome Poppy as our new investment minister. She is an accomplished entrepreneur who brings invaluable experience to the role.

“We’re upgrading the Office for Investment to ensure it is fit for purpose and has the capability it needs to make the UK the first choice for investment and the best place in the world to do business, which is central to our mission to drive growth and make people better off.”