Import Export Show 2024

Local to global: Empowering global trade

Our Import Export Show 2024 will be held in London on Tuesday 3 December.

The second Import Export Show brings together senior figures from the global trade community, including key business leaders and policymakers, to address how trade can deliver for the UK and discuss key themes including:

How a year of elections is reshaping international trade
How trade can drive economic growth in all UK regions and nations
How to practically navigate upcoming trade changes in the UK and EU

This significant event will connect trade professionals from various sectors, including MSMEs and large multinationals, offering the opportunity to listen to influential speakers and network with key government and industry stakeholders on all trade-related matters.

Discover the full agenda and event details and secure your place as there are a limited amount of tickets.

Agenda

Enjoy a full day of industry panels, roundtable discussions and networking opportunities. Make new connections over the lunch provided, with refreshments throughout the day.

A full agenda will be updated in due course. The agenda is subject to change.

Time
08.30	Reception and networking
10.05	Welcome address: Empowering global trade by Marco Forgione, Director General, Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade
10.15	Keynote address: Setting a vision for UK trade by Tim Reid, Chief Executive, UK Export Finance
10.45	Coffee and networking
11.15	Panel discussion: A new global order – how a year of elections is reshaping international trade Chaired by Chris Martin, External Affairs Director, Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade Speakers: - Kate Foster, Senior International Affairs Advisor, Federation of Small Businesses - David Henig, Director of the UK Trade Policy Project, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) - Emma Rowland, Policy Advisor, Institute of Directors
12.00	Fireside chat: New era for UK trade – making the most of free trade agreements and digital trade opportunities Speaker: Richard Given, Deputy Director of FTA Utilisation, Department for Business and Trade
12.30	International Trade Awards presentation part 1 - SME of the Year Award - Investment in Trade Award (Sponsored by EORI (UK) Ltd) - Innovation in Trade Award (Sponsored by cargo-partner) - Trading for Good Award
12.50	Lunch and networking
14.00	Fireside chat: Local to global - How trade can drive economic growth in all UK nations and regions Chaired by Paul Brooks, Head of UK Nations & Regions Team, Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade Speakers: - Suzanne Alecrim, Academy Special Projects Manager, Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade - Matthew Ord, Deputy Chair of the Tees Valley Business Board
14.45	Coffee and networking
15.15	Panel discussion: How I grew my business through exports Chaired by Nina Hossain Speakers: - Chris Balmer, Commercial Director, INCINER8 - Bob Gokani, Founder, Ezi Drops - Adriana Santos, Head of International, Tracklements
15.45	‘Ask the Experts’ Q&A: How to practically navigate upcoming changes in UK and EU customs Chaired by Kevin Shakespeare, Advisory Services Director, Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade Speakers from the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade: - Anna Doherty, International Trade & Customs Senior Specialist - Ilona Kawka, Digital Trade and Customs Specialist - Garima Srivastava, International Trade Legislation Senior Advisor
16.15	International Trade Awards presentation part 2 - Micro Business of the Year Award - Sustainable Trade Award - Rising International Trader - Young Trader of the Year Award (Sponsored by IOE Foundation)
16.35	Closing remarks: From local to global – we’ll get you there by Marco Forgione, Director General of Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade
16.45	Drinks reception and networking

Confirmed speakers

Suzanne Alecrim
Academy Special Projects Manager
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

Suzanne has over 30 years’ experience specialising in logistics and supply chain management, and customs compliance, and as the Head of Advisory services, leads on external projects with key stakeholders and government departments. Suzanne is also Advisory Service Practice Lead for Logistics and Supply Chain.

Suzanne’s career has been across a number of diverse industries including plastic and chemical manufacturing, security holograms, oil industry and wholesale consumer goods. Throughout her career, she has built a wealth of knowledge in supply chain strategy, procurement, excise, Incoterms, imports and exports and product regulatory compliance.

Suzanne has successfully guided business through establishing logistics and warehousing in Europe, as well as setting up EU entities and fiscal representation.

Paul Brooks
Head of UK Nations & Regions Team
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

Paul joined the Chartered Institute in May 2022 to build its profile and brand in Wales.

He sits on Welsh Government’s Trade Policy Advisor Group (TPAG) and is a member of the Wales Business Council.

From June 2023 Paul’s brief has widened to include the other devolved nations of the UK and regions wit England. Paul now leads colleagues who build the profile and brand of the Chartered Institute across the United Kingdom and within the UK Manufacturing sector.

Since November 2023, Paul is also Chair of the E-Commerce Trade Commission’s (ECT-C) Financial Services Working Group. The Chartered Institute have convened the UK’s first ever ECT-C. This was launched in June 2023 and will work on solutions to encourage small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to trade internationally online.

Prior to the Chartered Institute, Paul spent over 30 years in the Corporate & Commercial Banking world supporting businesses to trade internationally with a particular focus on the manufacturing sector. In his last banking role, he led Santander’s UK Manufacturing Sector team.

Marco Forgione
Director General of Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

As director general of the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade since January 2020, Marco Forgione MCIEx has become a leading authority and commentator on global trade, empowering businesses to grow internationally through educational programmes and digital trade solutions.

He is a key intermediator between governments and businesses domestically and overseas, sitting on the Critical Imports Council in the UK and on the international B20 Taskforce for Trade and Investment. He is a visiting professor at Aston University and regularly comments on trade and supply chain matters in the international media, including the BBC, Sky News, CNN, Al Jazeera and Bloomberg, among others.

Under his leadership, the Chartered Institute has grown from a team of 12 to now over 170 trade and customs experts, seeing membership grow from 2,000 to 7,000, culminating in the Institute of Export & International Trade being awarded a Royal Charter in 2024.

Richard Given
Deputy Director of FTA Utilisation
Department for Business and Trade

Richard joined the Department for International Trade when it was created in 2016, following over a decade of work on economic policy across the UK Government. Since then, he has been involved in various roles and projects within the Department’s export promotion services, including serving as the principal economist and head of research. His work has bridged the world of policy development and economics with the commercial experience of UK businesses, particularly SMEs.

Richard is currently leading the Department for Business and Trade’s efforts to engage with businesses on the benefits of Free Trade Agreements, with an enhanced focus on digital trade and the practical implications of provisions on goods trade digitalisation. Prior to this role, he led the DIT policy team supporting the Export Support Service, which was established to assist UK exporters in navigating the new trading arrangements with the EU.

David Henig
Director, the UK Trade Policy Project
European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE)

One of the UK’s leading authorities on international trade policy, David Henig is Director of the UK Trade Policy Project at the think-tank European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE). Examining the economic and trade implications of Brexit and UK trade, David places these in the context of the changing EU and global trade policies which he also studies. He writes about all these topics in a regular column for the specialist trade news service Borderlex, serves as Expert Adviser to the House of Lords International Agreements Committee, and speaks regularly in the media and at various events. Until March 2018 he worked for the UK Government including for three years on Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) talks between US and EU, establishing the Department for International Trade after 2016, issues around inward investments from China, and coordinating work on major international bodies such as the OECD and G7. A graduate of Oxford University, David started his career in consultancy.

Chris Martin
External Affairs Director
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

Chris Martin joined the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade as director of external affairs in January 2023, bringing two decades of experience in corporate communications and public affairs. He leads a department responsible for corporate reputation, government relations and public affairs, policy and international engagement, and our offices in Brussels and Kenya.

Prior to joining the Chartered Institute, Chris worked in communications consultancy for global agencies including Ketchum, Hume Brophy and Bell Pottinger, advising clients ranging from multinational corporations and FTSE 100 companies to trade associations and NGOs.

Tim Reid
Chief Executive
UK Export Finance

Tim is the Chief Executive of UK Export Finance, the UK’s export credit agency. He is also a Director General in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). Previously he was a Director General in the Department for International Trade, and a member of its Executive Committee and Management Board.

Tim joined UKEF in 2022 as Director of Business Group. He was previously at HSBC, where he spent 34 years in a variety of roles.

Tim has an international outlook and proven track record helping customers expand their business internationally. At HSBC, he managed businesses across Europe, the Americas and the Middle East and North Africa, and was most recently the Global Head of Transaction Banking for the bank’s Global Banking division.

Adriana Santos
Head of International
The Tracklement Company

Adriana is Head of International at The Tracklement Company; a B Corp certified business based in the heart of Wiltshire since 1970 making an award-winning range of over 50 artisan condiments, from the UK’s first Wholegrain Mustard to Fresh Chilli Jam.

She is responsible for all their export operations and strategy in over 20 markets across the globe. Currently their export sales accounts for 11% of the total business turnover and their top 3 export markets are USA, Australia and Canada. She is also Department for Business and Trade (DBT) appointed Export Champion which is a voluntary role offering support to businesses at any stage of their own export journeys.

With over 10 years’ experience in International Trade, her area of expertise is in the Food & Drink sector, and in the past, she has worked for an Export Management company representing a number of well-established UK brands in the LATAC Region (Latin America & Caribbean).

Adriana enjoys the challenges and variety that the world of international trade presents to her and is always looking at ways to improve her knowledge and skills.

Garima Srivastava
International Trade Legislation Senior Advisor
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

Garima Srivastava, an international trade and customs lawyer works as a Senior Trade & Customs Specialist at the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade.

With an undergraduate law degree from National Law University, Raipur, India, she began her career at Lakshmikumaran & Attorneys, a leading law firm in India, where she focused on customs compliance, classification, valuation, rules of origin, foreign trade policy, special customs procedures, and export licensing.

After gaining valuable experience in India, she pursued a master's degree in law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School in the United States. Following her studies, Garima joined Ernst & Young’s Global Trade Advisory team in New York, where she continued to focus on customs compliance projects and customs health checks.

At the Academy, Garima delivers trainings on tariff classifications and practical workshops on customs valuation, classification and rules of origin besides being a key member of the customs advisory division

Garima has extensive experience advising clients across a diverse range of industries, including the life sciences, electronics, automotive, and food and beverage sectors.

Chris Balmer
Commercial Director
INCINER8

Chris Balmer is a highly successful director with over 15 years of experience in senior roles within the B2B industries. With a strong record of delivering challenging sales targets, Chris' key skills span marketing, communication, technical, and presentation skills.

Chris attended Swansea University, where he graduated with double honours in Geography & Anthropology. His career has seen him thrive as a Managing Partner, demonstrating a strong history of working in the Automotive, Composite and other manufacturing industries.

Chris is a strong business development professional, skilled in negotiation, sales strategy, value selling, people management, and account management. His extensive experience and strategic insight make him an invaluable addition to our team, driving our growth and innovation as our Commercial Director over the past six months.

Anna Doherty
Senior Trade and Customs Specialist
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

A qualified and accredited customs professional, Anna is a leading international trade and customs specialist and commentator, having worked as a practitioner before joining the Chartered Institute in April 2023.

She represents the Chartered Institute at industry and government forums, while advising public and private sector clients on trade compliance and customs facilitations.

A regular speaker at UK and European events and at government working groups, Anna is industry chair of HMRC’s Joint Customs Consultative Committee, its forum for consulting with key trade stakeholders on customs procedures and regulations.

With expertise in interpreting UK and EU regulations and their impact on business, Anna’s current focus is on the UK’s Border Target Operating Model, the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), and Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) as well as EU customs reform.

Before joining the Chartered Institute, Anna was customs lead at a major UK manufacturing retailer, developing its customs compliance policy and processes for post-Brexit trading.

Kate Foster
Senior International Affairs Advisor
Federation of Small Businesses

With over a decade's experience in European and UK public affairs, Kate advocates on behalf of the UK's SMEs in relation to international trade. Her work focuses on UK trade and customs policy with the aim of reducing the barriers to export facing small businesses. She also leads FSB's engagement with European stakeholders and is a board member of SMEunited, the European association for crafts and SMEs.

Prior to joining FSB in 2020 she worked at various trade associations and public affairs consultancies in London and Brussels, largely focusing on the creative industries. She has a postgraduate degree in European Institutions and Policy-Making from the University of Lancaster.

Bob Gokani
Founder
EziDrops Ltd

EziDrops Ltd is an Inventor and Manufacturer of Medical Devices.  Suffering from hayfever at the age of 50, I just could not get the eye drops in my eye.  I went to the most obvious of places, Boots and found nothing available to help.  It’s at that moment the idea of EziDrops was born.  To date, we now have three products, all selling well, in Boots, RNIB, Amazon/EU and other major pharmacies.  We have also been exporting to USA, New Zealand and Australia and due to sell much more to a growing number of countries over the coming years.

Ilona Kawka
Digital Trade and Customs Specialist
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

Ilona is an expert in international trade compliance with over eight years of experience, specialising in import operations. As the lead for the Imports Advisory Practice, she excels in managing complex import processes, conducting customs and broker invoice audits, and developing policies that streamline cross-border trade while ensuring strict adherence to global regulations. Her expertise spans customs requirements in the MENAT and EMEA regions, where she has successfully mitigated risks and optimised compliance strategies for various organisations.

Ilona has an in-depth understanding of international customs regulations, staying ahead of legislative changes to proactively address challenges and assess their impact on business operations. Her strong focus on import compliance and her analytical approach to auditing have been pivotal in achieving seamless and compliant import operations across multiple markets.

Currently, as a digital trade and customs specialist within Academy Strategic Projects, Ilona leads key initiatives around cross-border movements and the UK 2025 Border Strategy. She spearheads projects that leverage disruptive technologies to optimise import processes and enhance global trade facilitation. Her expertise aims to ensure that businesses remain competitive and compliant in the rapidly evolving landscape of international trade and drive innovation and efficiency in cross-border operations.

Matthew Ord
Deputy Chair of the Tees Valley Business Board

Matthew is the Company Ambassador of LV Logistics globally. He has over 20 years’ experience in international trade and is a proud Teessider, having worked and lived here all his life.

Having previously worked for the North East of England chamber of commerce for 6 years as their International Trade lead, he developed relationships with all of the exporters in the region and became a credible source of support and guidance for those businesses.

When moving to LV Logistics, 7 years ago Matthew helped guide their business through some of the most challenging global impacts and process changes for many decades, this required dedication and a sound understanding of the global markets and the implications on trade from and with the UK.

Matthew’s understanding of the local business community is highly regarded, and he is often the barometer for Tees Valley in terms of measuring the current business climate. He is a highly credible business leader and is often to go to person for soft landings with new businesses and inward investment in Tees Valley.

Matthew is also Trustee for Vision Academy (8 schools in Teesside); Vice-Chair of Tees and Hartlepool Port Users Association – (Chair as of December l) and Member of The Etc’s LAB (Logistics advisory board).

Emma Rowland
Policy Advisor
Institute of Directors

Emma Rowland specialises in policy issues relating to international trade and EU affairs.

She advocates on behalf of IoD members in areas relating to export promotion, free trade agreement negotiation and the trading relationship between the UK and EU. Emma has represented business interests in government inquiries on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and input into the Labour Government’s strategy for boosting UK exports.

Emma manages Policy Voice, the IoD’s policy research and survey platform. This involves collating statistical and company-level evidence on the impact of policy decisions on business, and tracking economic confidence trends. Emma graduated with a history degree from Cardiff University in 2020. Her final dissertation focused on the geopolitical relationship between China and Hong Kong from 1979-2019.

Kevin Shakespeare
Advisory Services Director
Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade

An advocate for international trade for more than 40 years, Kevin is highly respected within the international trade community. He has facilitated cross-border trade for thousands of UK businesses and been pivotal in designing and delivering new documentation and processes pre- and post-Brexit.

He is currently leading the IOE&IT’s trade digitalisation work, with a focus on the UK Single Trade Window and Ecosystem of Trust.

Formerly the IOE&IT’s director of stakeholder engagement and then Academy Director, Kevin was involved in developing the Diploma in World Customs Planning and Compliance, a Foundation Degree in International Trade and the Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (NICTA).

Kevin has led many trade initiatives in the UK and internationally, including work with UN Agencies,  Invest NI, Scottish Enterprise, UK Export Finance and Saudi Export Development Authority.

He is a United Nations-approved trainer and author of a best-selling book, Trade for Good.

Testimonials

It's a great opportunity to find out what's going on in the market.

Darren Wareing Head of Sales & Marketing, CORE (UK) Limited

It's a great place for us to network and meet new people, and there's loads of like-minded individuals in this environment and it really does help us.

Emmanuel Tei-Tetteh Head of Sales, Phlo Systems Ltd

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Duration:

10 hours

Location:

In Person Only

Start Date:

3 Dec 2024 8:00 am

End Date:

3 Dec 2024 6:00 pm

Local to global: Empowering global trade

See you at Import Export Show 2024

Hear from industry leaders

Connect with fellow trade professionals

Learn about key trade trends

Meet with members and other fellow international trade professionals

Connect with global trade thought leaders and decision-makers

Gain practical expertise on regulation compliance and supply chain efficiencies

Shining a spotlight on the critical themes that will shape the future of UK trade

Agenda

Confirmed speakers

When

Pricing

Members

Non-members

For sponsorship enquires please contact James Clowes at partnership@export.org.uk

Principal Sponsor

Breakfast/Lunch/Drinks Reception Sponsor

Exhibitors

Lanyard Sponsor

Testimonials

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