Brexit: Big names in business move to reassure staff and customers of no change

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, which has its headquarters in Goodwood, near Chichester, said there would be no ‘immediate change’.

A spokesman said: ‘Rolls-Royce Motor Cars respects the British electorate’s decision to leave the EU. While it is clear there will now be a period of uncertainty, there will be no immediate change to our operations in the UK.

‘We know that many of the relevant conditions for supplying the European market will have to be renegotiated, but of course we cannot say what this means for our UK operations until those future regulatory and legislative arrangements are agreed.’

Meanwhile, BAE Systems, a defence contractor that has a major Portsmouth operation, also said there would be no ‘immediate impact’.

A spokesman said: ‘We respect the decision by the British people to leave the EU.

‘While we await the outcome of the UK’s negotiations with the EU, we do not anticipate any immediate or material direct impact on our business.’

A spokesman for IBM, which has its head office at North Harbour, called on the UK government to adopt a stance in negotiations to ensure the country’s economy remains ‘successful, open, competitive and innovative’.

They added: ‘We also encourage leaders throughout Europe to preserve cross-border data flows that drive growth and innovation, and that underpin the worldwide digital economy.

‘IBM has been part of the British economy for over a century and has helped shape our technological development.

‘As the country moves forward, IBM will continue providing leading-edge technologies to help our clients remain globally competitive. We look forward to continuing to help the UK retain its position as a leader in the world’s digital economy.’

All three companies had publicly backed the Remain stance.

Rolls-Royce wrote to its staff warning that Brexit would put the company’s future investment plans in the UK at risk and BAE Systems’ chairman Sir Roger Carr had warned of ‘long-term economic risks’ with Scotland potentially seeking its own referendum as a result. IBM was one of 200 large firms across a range of industries that signed an open letter urging Brits to vote to stay in the Union.