1 day event
2nd Annual UK Trade & Export Finance Conference
Hilton Birmingham Metropole , Birmingham, United Kingdom
June, 04, 2014
UK exports under the spotlight at high level industry gathering in Birmingham
The UK’s trade and export industry met in Birmingham for the 2nd Annual UK Trade & Export Finance Conference, which took place on June 4th at the Hilton Metropole.
The conference, following on from the inaugural event last year, provided the opportunity for engagement and meaningful discussion between exporters, financiers and policy makers on the leading issues impacting on UK trade and exports, with the UK government having set a number of targets for export growth, with particular emphasis on the development of the SME and mid-cap sectors.
Sponsored by organisations including Barclays, RBS, Lloyds and UK Export Finance (UKEF) – the UK’s official export credit agency – and enjoying support from UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), the British Exporters Association (BExA) and British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) among others, emphasis was placed on the challenges faced by UK exporters as they seek to negotiate the many obstacles faced in obtaining funding and entering new markets.
Such opportunities, and the UK’s evolving role within a changing global dynamic, formed the basis for the day’s discussions, including an opening keynote address from noted UK manufacturing expert Professor David Bailey of Aston Business School on ‘the return of Made in Britain’, which reflected on the recent upturn in UK manufacturing as a result of increasing offshore costs and greater focus on the UK’s stamp of quality, among other factors. Other issues up for debate included the ongoing awareness campaigns on support options for exporters by UKEF and UKTI, the options currently available to SMEs in particular, the continuing growth of the alternative finance market, the development of overseas networks and chambers as well as the potential impact of geopolitical factors such as the proposed UK withdrawal from the European Union.
“This is clearly an exciting time for the UK market, with much discussed throughout the course of the day,” said Jeff Ando, Associate Director and Head of Conference Production at Global Trade Review. “Since last year’s inaugural gathering we have seen an appointment of a new trade minister, a new head of UKTI and a new head of UK Export Finance. This has led to new levels of engagement with the export community which whilst of course not pleasing everyone has been greeted broadly positively, not least in the recent budget announcement. It is very much our view that events such as these play a key role in putting these needs front and centre, both onstage and as the basis for many networking conversations on the day.”
Supporting the conference for the second consecutive year, UK Export Finance – which helps small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-market exporters by sharing financial risks that the private sector is unable to shoulder alone – reinforced its commitment to playing a key role in the UK’s export-led economic recovery.
Said Paul Croucher, Head of Trade Finance and Insurance Solutions Group at UK Export Finance: “We enjoyed engaging with exporters and hearing how Government and UK Export Finance can further develop our suite of financing options to help UK businesses secure and deliver larger and more profitable international contracts which will boost local job creation and fuel economic growth.”
The conference took place only weeks after the announcement of the results of the International Trade Survey 2014, the largest survey of the UK export community, undertaken with the Institute of Export and supported by AIG, with many of the respondents in attendance on the day in Birmingham.
