Chancellor Rachel Reeves has appointed entrepreneur Alex Depledge as the Treasury’s first-ever entrepreneurship adviser, as she works to deepen engagement with the UK’s burgeoning start-up sector. Depledge, best known for founding Hassle.com and Resi, a tech-led home improvement business, will be working two days a week in the Treasury. Her mission: to unlock barriers faced by high-growth and female-led companies, ahead of the upcoming Autumn Budget.
This marks a strategic shift in how the government approaches business. Reeves acknowledged that while the Treasury has strong ties with major corporations, financial institutions, and industry bodies, interaction with smaller, fast-growing firms has been lacking. By bringing Depledge into the fold, Reeves aims to ensure that the voices of dynamic entrepreneurs are heard in policymaking. “Having Alex on the team will bring invaluable expertise,” she said, highlighting both the impact of start-ups and the need for fresh perspectives.
Depledge is expected to spearhead a thorough look at the challenges start-ups face, such as limited access to patient capital, scaling hurdles, and gender funding gaps. She has previously flagged the difficulty female entrepreneurs encounter in growing their firms, especially in attracting later-stage investment. “Funding is the only thing that matters,” she told the Financial Times last year, underscoring that while women launch businesses in strong numbers, scaling these ventures remains a critical obstacle.
Given her track record, Depledge is the perfect ambassador to shepherd reforms. Her experience as a founder, combined with roles in trade bodies like Sharing Economy UK and the London Enterprise Panel, gives her both credibility and insight. She will act as a direct line between the government and entrepreneurs, helping shape policy that better reflects the realities of scaling a modern business.
Reeves’ wider economic agenda is clear: rebuild Britain as a leading start-up haven, support green shoots of innovation, and drive inclusive growth. This appointment follows plans to launch economic advisory councils and strengthen regional investment across the UK; all tied to a wider ambition to reverse stagnation since Brexit.
For Depledge, the role is personal. She’s quoted as saying it’s “groundbreaking” to see high-growth businesses positioned at the heart of Treasury thinking. Her part-time appointment bridges different worlds, tech founders, female leaders, and national policymakers, all in service of creating a more entrepreneurial economy.
In today’s fast-evolving business landscape, bringing real-world entrepreneurial knowledge into government signals a more thoughtful, growth-focused economic vision. This historic move reflects the government’s belief that start-ups, and the individuals behind them, should shape the future of economic policy.
