The majority of big British business leaders are worried about the potential fallout from a no-deal Brexit. But amid the warnings over jobs losses, withheld investments, weaker economic growth and political unrest, some captains of industry are more sanguine.

Last week, Aston Martin shrugged off concerns over Brexit damaging the British car industry and announced its flotation plans, while household appliance maker Dyson has earmarked a £200m expansion of its research campus to test electric cars, with enough space for 2,000 people. Here are some of the British business figures who believe Brexit will not be negative for the economy.

Sir James Dyson

Sir James Dyson: ‘They’ll come to us.’ Photograph: Heathcliff O'Malley/PA

The billionaire inventor who revolutionised the humble vacuum cleaner was among the most prominent supporters of Brexit before the EU referendum. Dyson, 71, has argued the UK would benefit from setting its own trade policy independently from Brussels. Although his company invests heavily in Britain, his company produces its vacuum cleaners, fans and hairdryers in Asia before exporting them. He has had repeated run-ins with the EU over regulation, including courtroom battles with the EU’s executive arm, the European commission.

The British inventor has previously urged ministers to walk away from talks with the EU without a deal, “they’ll come to us”, arguing that European firms would want to sell their goods in Britain rather than lose market access.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe

Sir Jim Ratcliffe: ‘Never forget we have a decent set of cards.’ Photograph: Christopher Thomond/The Guardian

The chairman and founder of the petrochemical firm Ineos is ranked by the Sunday Times as Britain’s richest person, with a fortune estimated at £21bn. Knighted by the Queen earlier this year for services to business and investment, the prominent Brexit supporter is reportedly moving to Monaco for tax purposes. Ineos would not comment on the reports, but stressed that it remained “committed” to the UK.

Ratcliffe has argued Britain would thrive outside the EU and believes Europe needs the UK market: “Never forget that we have a decent set of cards … Mercedes is not going to stop selling cars in the UK.”

Dame Helena Morrissey

Dame Helena Morrissey has spoken out against ‘one size-fits-all approach to business and politics’ from the EU. Photograph: Bloomberg via Getty Images

The head of personal investing at Legal & General, the FTSE 100 investment management firm, is one of the most high-profile women in the City of London, and one of the most prominent City supporters of Brexit.

A staunch advocate for more women in senior corporate positions, this year she launched a pro-Brexit campaign group alongside several other City grandees and academics. She has spoken-out against the “top-down, command-and-control, one-size-fits-all approach to business and politics” from the EU.

Anthony Bamford

Lord Bamford believes the UK can strike deals all over the world that will be beneficial. Photograph: David Jones/PA WIRE

The chairman of the digger company JCB was among the prominent financial backers of the Vote Leave campaign, and has repeatedly said his company can prosper just as well outside the EU as it does within it.

Lord Bamford has said that he voted to stay in the common market in 1975, yet did not vote for political union. He quit the Confederation of British Industry lobby group saying it had ignored the voice of smaller businesses opposed to the EU and had become the voice of multinational firms.

JCB was fined €39.6m (£35.5m) by the European commission in 2000 for antitrust breaches. A major Conservative Party donor, Bamford believes the UK could strike trade deals around the world for the benefit of British businesses.

Tim Martin

Tim Martin criticised Theresa May for dealing with ‘unelected EU representatives’. Photograph: Linda Nylind/The Guardian

The founder and chairman of the JD Wetherspoon pub chain has begun replacing EU drinks with UK and non-European products, having been a staunch supporter of Brexit since well before the referendum.

He has criticised Theresa May’s Brexit plan for seeking a deal with “unelected EU representatives”, while arguing that, outside the EU, the UK would be able to remove tariff barriers on imports from countries such as Singapore and Australia, leading to lower prices for British consumers.

Simon Wolfson

Lord Wolfson urged the government not to rush negotiations. Photograph: Andrew Parsons/Rex

The chairman of the Next retail chain has said that leaving the EU could spark an “economic renaissance” for Britain, by enabling trade deals to be struck in emerging markets and allowing the UK to leave behind swaths of regulation.

However, he has urged the government not to rush negotiations, warning that the economy would suffer from a botched or rushed deal. A prominent supporter of the Conservative party, Lord Wolfson is in favour of an immigration policy that would give companies access to workers, an open approach to international trade and an orderly transition process as Britain leaves the EU.