Marc Bolland, the former chief executive of Marks and Spencer, has been appointed by the government to help address the growing crisis of young people out of work.
His appointment follows a review by former minister Alan Milburn, which warned of a “lost generation” of young people locked out of employment and education.
The review found that one in six young people is set to be out of work, education or training within five years unless significant action is taken.
Bolland has been specifically tasked with bringing business leaders together to expand opportunities for young people across the country.
He will also advise Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden on how best to respond to the findings of the Milburn review.
“I believe the government is serious about tackling this generational crisis of youth unemployment, and I know that working hand-in-hand with business to support young people gives them the best possible chance of success,” Bolland said.
Milburn’s review investigated why so many 16- to 24-year-olds are not in employment, education or training, a group referred to by the acronym Neet.
Among the review’s findings, six in 10 Neets had never held a job, while official figures revealed more than one million young people were currently not in education, employment or training.
That figure represents the highest level recorded in more than 12 years, underlining the scale of the challenge facing both government and business.
Despite the bleak headline numbers, the review found that 84% of Neet young people surveyed want a job or training, suggesting demand for opportunity remains strong.
Milburn warned in his review: “The problem is that for too many young people, opportunities are not growing, they’re shrinking.”
Following the release of the report, the government announced that some of the UK’s biggest businesses would back 300,000 work experience and training placements for young people over the next three years.
Bolland brings considerable business experience to the role, having also served as chief executive of Morrisons and chief operating officer at Heineken.
In 2012, he founded the charity Movement to Work, which has helped more than 200,000 disadvantaged young people into employment since its creation.