Business leaders express concern over US President Donald Trump's travel bans
Sir Martin Sorrell has added his name to the growing number of business leaders voicing concern over US president Donald Trump’s travel ban on seven Muslim-majority countries and refugees.
The tycoon, boss of advertising giant WPP, said he has an “instinctive dislike” of the measures, which has resulted in travel chaos and global protests.
Sir Martin said: “No immediate impact we are aware of in the first few days of the ban, but we are concerned about the impact it may have on our people and their families both inside and outside the USA and on innocent people generally.
“As the grandson of Eastern European grandparents, who were admitted to the UK in the very late 19th and early 20th centuries, I have an instinctive dislike of such measures.”
His comments come after a number of prominent tech bosses – at firms such as AirBnb, Twitter, Uber and Tesla – lashed out at Mr Trump’s move.
Starbucks also weighed into the debate, saying it will hire 10,000 refugees over the next five years in response to Mr Trump’s indefinite suspension of Syrian refugees.
Howard Schultz, the coffee chain’s chairman and chief executive, said in a letter to employees that the hiring would apply to stores worldwide and the effort would start in the United States where the focus would be on hiring immigrants “who have served with US troops as interpreters and support personnel”.
