Will life be quieter now that Sir Digby Jones has stood down as CBI director general?

Somehow I don't think so. He himself says he will be "fighting for the West Midlands" as always.

Will he be easing up on his frenetic lifestyle?

You have to be joking. Digby lives his life at 100 mph. And he has already accumulated a staggering number of new jobs.

He is to be a senior adviser to Ford of Europe and Barclays Capital, chair of an industry strategy board for accountants Deloitte, be an adviser to JCB and Aggregate Industries, is on the board at consumer electronics group Alba and rugby club Leicester Tigers, and is set to present a radio programme once a week.

Then there is his ambassadorial roles for Advantage West Midlands and Cancer Research.

And nor is he deserting the West Midlands. He plans to continue to have homes in Warwick and London.

But the big question is - will he go for elected mayor of Birmingham? Always assuming of course the position is created as part of the city region process. And it seems pretty clear that is the way the Government is headed.

There is a fiver on it between me and the editor. I say he won't go for mayor; the editor is predicting an announcement before the end of the year.

Digby has of course always said he didn't fancy politics.

Being what might loosely be described as outspoken, he reckons he wouldn't last five minutes without putting his foot in it. Digby doesn't really do collective responsibility.

And he has also said that were he to change his mind then the job of mayor certainly wouldn't be big enough.

Digby would want to be Prime Minister.

Last week he again distanced himself from going for elected mayor. But he left the door a little ajar.

Denying he had changed his mind despite rumours to the contrary, Sir Digby said it was not for him at the present.

"Of course I would love to do it, but for a while I want to keep my independence. There are a few things I want to do in the private sector. So it is a case of not for now."

Whether that position were to change in the future was impossible to predict.

Some believe this is code for Digby will stand for elected mayor but will make sure the timing is of his own choosing.

I may prove to be completely wrong, but I think we are talking years.

He has committed to all these other jobs, some of which will see him continuing his global travelling, and I am sure he will want to do the roles justice.

If Digby says he will do something then he delivers.

There is no way he would let the likes of Ford and Deloitte down.

So we will see how it all pans out.

For the moment he says he is going to take a bit of a break, except for a few speaking engagements this month.

A spot of holiday in August and then back into the fray in the autumn.

The return of the whirlwind.

I can't wait for the fun and frolics to start.

Mayoral bid or no mayoral bid, you can't keep a good man gagged. ..SUPL: