THE CBI is to keep its Sevenoaks base despite the merger of two regions in an office shakeup.

CBI South East, an amalgamation of the business organisation's former south east and southern regions, mirrors the area covered by the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA).It will serve members in Kent, Medway, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex.

Nigel Bourne, Sevenoaks-based regional director, said there were no plans to close the Kent operation.He said: "This will add to the reputation of the CBI as the voice of business in the region. It is vital that business has a direct line to the people and organisations directly influencing the health and competitiveness of their operations.

"Businesses in the South East face many common issues, such as transport infrastructure, recruitment and retention of staff, planning regulations and the need to maintain the attractiveness of the region to inward investors. By working closely with them we can influence Government policy and continue to make a difference to the viability and profitability of our members."

Gordon Storey, head of external affairs at Masterfoods, Slough, is CBI South East's first chairman.

He said: "The world of business is ever changing and it is essential that the CBI keeps pace to ensure that it meets the needs of its members, large or small, in services or manufacturing. The new single region will make us even more effective."