How best to describe Lord Jones? Business leader, inspirational speaker, a man with a contacts book to die for, networker-supreme, marathon runner and showman, he is arguably Birmingham's only world-class personality.
When it comes to power and influence Lord Jones has it in abundance, as well as a passionate commitment to the city where he was born and brought up.
He was ennobled earlier this month after accepting an invitation by the Prime Minister to become Minister of State for Trade and Investment. Typically, he promised to use his new position to "bang the drum for Birmingham".
His life resembles a tick list of achievement at the highest level.
A precocious child, he won a major scholarship to Bromsgrove School where he was asked to leave on his last day for "high jinks" involving an impromptu streak after his team won the hockey cup.
After gaining a law degree at University College, London, he joined the Royal Navy before starting his career with corporate law firm Edge & Ellison in 1978. He became a partner in 1984, at the age of 33.
In 1998, he joined KPMG as vice-chairman of corporate finance. But it was as director general of the CBI that Lord Jones came to national and international attention.
Appointed on January 1 2000, initially to serve a five-year term, he achieved the seemingly impossible by giving the dull but worthy CBI a high media profile. He was rarely out of the headlines, whether pronouncing on interest rates, economic policy, the sick-note society or the laziness of British workers.
Such outspokenness occasionally got him into trouble. His relationship with Birmingham City Council never really recovered after he accused the council leadership of navel-gazing and not doing enough to secure the redevelopment of New Street Station.
His remarks, delivered at a Conservative Party conference fringe meeting, infuriated the council's Tory leadership.
He later offered to assist the council in promoting one or two specific projects, but has not so far been called upon to do so.
After three years as director general, Lord Jones’ contract was extended to 2006 at the request of CBI members – the first time the organisation's head had been invited to serve for more than five years.
A regular visitor to Downing Street, he took on the task of banging the drum for the UK around the world.
Always flamboyant, Lord Jones made no secret of his patriotism and took to wearing Union flag cufflinks while lobbying for Britain in the 60 foreign countries he visited while director general.
Since leaving the CBI, he has appeared regularly on television, radio and in the newspapers, promoting the interests of wealth and job creation in the UK, the rest of Europe and beyond.
Incredibly well connected in the boardrooms of Britain and Europe, he was invited in 2006 by Gordon Brown to act as the Government's skills envoy advising on what needs to be done to better equip school leavers for the world of work.
He was also appointed advisor to the Duke of York in connection with the Duke's role as the UK Special Representative for International Trade and Investment.
Until his ennoblement, he held many senior jobs in business and finance.
He was corporate and governmental affairs advisor to Ford of Europe and the Premier Automotive Group, which includes Land Rover and Jaguar, an adviser on governmental and international affairs to JCB and chairman of Deloitte's industry strategy board. Sir Digby also advised Aggregate Industries and Barclays Capital.
He is also a member of the National Learning and Skills Council, the Skills Alliance, a Fellow of the RSA, a Fellow of the Royal Institution, chairman of the Birmingham University Business School Advisory Board, a member of the Aston Reinvestment Trust and a member of Film Birmingham's steering group.
Lord Jones is president of the West Midlands Ambassadors, a group of business leaders dedicated to promoting Birmingham and the region in this country and abroad.
His commitment to good causes is legendary. He is a vice-president of Unicef, chairman of Cancer Research UK Ambassadors, a vice-president of Birmingham Hospice and president of the Diversity Works initiative, a programme designed to spread the message of equality for disabled people.
In 1988, as chairman of the Birmingham Hospice Appeal, he personally raised £218,000 by cycling from John O'Groats to Lands End. In 2005, he raised £191,000 for Cancer Research and Unicef by running the London Marathon.
