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30th November 2012 London, UK
Satisfaction
The Rolling Stones may not have been foremost in the minds of Ministers as they agreed to open trade talks between the EU and Japan yesterday, but if the negotiations are successful, they could be among those that benefit. The decision to open negotiations between two of the world’s largest economies was a major success […]
30th November 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Why trade is win-win – for Turkey and the UK
Why does trade between countries help prosperity? Many people might say that the answer depends on your politics. But the most open trading economies in the world do tend to be comparatively wealthy. Most of those which seek to cut themselves off from the rest of the world (I won’t name them but you know […]
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30th November 2012 Windhoek, Namibia
Tackling sexual violence in Namibia
My day started early yesterday with a breakfast appearance on national TV’s Good Morning Namibia to discuss violence against women and how to tackle it. I was joined by Rachel Coomer from Namibia’s Legal Assistance Centre (LAC), a local legal NGO, which is helping to spearhead the current ‘16 days of activism’ in Namibia running […]
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30th November 2012 Warsaw, Poland
Inward Investment- it’s all about building partnerships for growth!
Up at the crack of dawn yesterday and on the way to Poznan to address a banking conference on what a Great Inward investment destination the UK is. Why on earth you may think would I address a set of moneymen and why in Poznan? Here we go: The banking community has a great role to play […]
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30th November 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Linked by a Saint
Today is the Day of St Andrew, Patron Saint of Scotland since the 10th Century – legend tells that his remains were sent out to sea in the 8th Century and by chance cast up on the coast of Scotland and buried there. So his national flag, the Saltire, will be flying over the British […]
30th November 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Promoting Australian investment in UK infrastructure
One of the British Government’s top economic priorities is promoting international investment in the infrastructure needed to support growth and prosperity, such as transport and energy. So I addressed the annual Australian Super Fund Association conference (ASFA 2012) in Sydney to set out the opportunities for Australian superannuation funds. In my speech I described the […]
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29th November 2012 New York, USA
New York State of Mo
Moustaches have been a staple of British male identity for centuries. They can be comic (Basil Fawlty, Borat), serious (any of Daniel Day-Lewis’s efforts), musical (Freddie Mercury leaps enthusiastically to mind), even political (one thinks of Harold Macmillan’s full-bodied triumph). Handlebar, pencil, horseshoe, toothbrush… such variety of facial topiary means there’s something for everyone. Approval […]
29th November 2012 Beirut, Lebanon
SOLIDARITY AND SHATILA
I’ve blogged previously about our work with the Palestinian veterans who fought with us in World War II, and questions of history and justice. Today is the Day of International Solidarity with the Palestinian People. Attention will rightly be focused on New York, where – just as Israel did in 1948 – Palestine is making […]
29th November 2012 New York, USA
Calling all tech entrepreneurs
This week in New York, we at UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) have led a Digital Mission of 20 British tech start-ups looking at New York as an international expansion destination. For four days, we’ve connected them with key players in New York’s technology scene, including: like minded-entrepreneurs; potential partners; prospective clients; industry experts; media […]
29th November 2012 New York, USA
Calling all tech entrepreneurs
This week in New York, we at UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) have led a Digital Mission of 20 British tech start-ups looking at New York as an international expansion destination. For four days, we’ve connected them with key players in New York’s technology scene, including: like minded-entrepreneurs; potential partners; prospective clients; industry experts; media […]