John Sunderland, executive chairman of Cadbury Schwepps, has been appointed president of the Confederation of British Industry.

As he began his unpaid two-year term, he said he wanted to focus efforts on restoring corporate reputation, amid fears that the younger generation would turn its back on all that business had to offer.

He said the run-up to the next General Election would give the CBI an opportunity to ensure that business, wealth and job creation were at the heart of each party's manifesto.