Business Roundtable to lead corporate engagement at G20

FIRST ON FOX: The White House is tapping the Business Roundtable to lead corporate engagement during the United States’ upcoming G20 host year, marking a shift away from the traditional Business 20 framework historically organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Administration officials say the decision is aimed at streamlining business participation and aligning it more closely with the Trump administration’s economic priorities, including deregulation, energy expansion and innovation-driven growth.

In a statement, White House spokesperson Olivia Wales told FOX the Business Roundtable, comprised of leading U.S. CEOs, would play a central role in advancing a pro-growth agenda during the G20 cycle.

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“Business Roundtable, led by top U.S. CEOs, is the right choice to champion business engagement during the United States’ G20 year,” Wales said, pointing to what the administration views as a successful economic model built on trade deals, expanded domestic energy production and private-sector job creation.

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“The president’s tried-and-true policies are a model for the entire world, and the United States looks forward to discussing how other countries can replicate this success,” she added.

Under the new structure, the Business Roundtable will host a major CEO-focused event at Trump National Doral on Dec. 12, just ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit scheduled for Dec. 14 and 15.

The gathering is expected to include more than 120 Business Roundtable member CEOs, along with at least one chief executive from each G20 economy and invited guest nations. Discussions will center on key themes such as growth through deregulation, energy dominance and innovation.

Additional business engagement events are planned throughout the year, including sessions tied to Business Roundtable board meetings in Washington, D.C., as well as programming alongside the G20 Finance Ministers’ meeting in Asheville, North Carolina, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

The move effectively sidelines the B20 process, which has traditionally served as the primary vehicle for business input into G20 deliberations.

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The B20 changes hands, led by business groups in the host country as the meeting moves around among G20 members. 

Administration officials described the existing structure as “cumbersome” and “bureaucratic,” arguing the result was unproductive.

Chamber officials tell FOX Business they agree. The B20 will still be held in a revamped format in the U.S. this year.

Jessica Boulanger, the chamber’s senior vice president and head of communications and public affairs, said in a statement to FOX Business that the organization is working to host a “B20 unlike any other.”

“We’re working with top government and business leaders to hold B20 USA in November with dialogue that will be focused on a ‘back to basics’ agenda consistent with the Trump administration’s vision,” Boulanger said.

“We welcome the engagement of the BRT and other organizations to support pro-growth dialogue between government and business,” she added.

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A source familiar with the plans for the B20 told FOX Business that Ross Perot Jr. will be the chairman of this year’s conference. 

The move reflects a broader shift in how business voices are included in global economic discussions during the U.S. host year, giving top CEOs a more direct role and aligning their input more closely with the administration’s priorities.