4th March 2016 Bangalore, India
One of the UK’s brightest (quite literally) and revolutionary technological developments is Light Fidelity or LiFi. Invented by Professor Harald Haas, LiFi has the power to change how we access and transmit data in offices and home around the world. You can read more about my visit to Prof. Haas’s lab in the University of […]
Read more on Li-Fi brings digital enlightenment to India | Reply
26th February 2016
In May this year, the first World Humanitarian Summit will be held in Istanbul. The United Kingdom sees this as a real opportunity to take stock of how humanitarian aid around the world is distributed, and to improve the effectiveness of delivery to ensure that aid reaches those most in need. Humanitarian aid needs to […]
4th February 2016 Beijing, China
Last week I visited Seoul to attend the first UK-Korea workshop to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR), expertly organised by the SIN Korea team. If not tackled, AMR is going to kill an additional 10 million people every year by 2050. In China and India there is already 100% resistance to some antibiotics. But this is […]
Read more on Working with Korea to tackle antimicrobial resistance | Reply
28th January 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
No other international gathering attracts such mythology. The place where the world’s economic elite co-opts its political leadership. Or the best place in the world to discuss and solve global problems. The arguments for and against Davos rage every year. But it’s as popular as ever. BIG SHORT Just before this year’s Davos gathering, Oxfam […]
Read more on Davos: Big Short or Indispensable Summit? | Reply
11th January 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
The Geneva institutions are facing big questions at the start of 2016. Will the humanitarian system adapt to the challenges of protracted conflicts and unsustainable mass migration? Will the World Trade Organization (WTO) rediscover its role at the heart of the global economy? Can we respond effectively to the growing threat of pandemics and the […]
17th December 2015 New Delhi, India
Within a span of a few weeks UK and India relations in Science and Innovation received a new impetus by a number of high profile visits! In mid-November, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the UK during which he, along with Prime Minister David Cameron announced a number of joint research and innovation initiatives that address […]
Read more on UK India Science and Innovation relationship soars to new heights! | Reply
14th December 2015 Bangalore, India
Unlike other visits to the UK, this one was different. I and my colleague Vijay Jasuja from UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) went on a tour to the UK with an interesting and vibrant mix of academics and R&D Heads of Indian manufacturing companies to visit the high value manufacturing catapults and universities from October […]
Read more on A whirlwind tour to UK’s manufacturing research centres | Reply
14th December 2015
Time to move on and let someone else take a turn. This is my last day in extraordinary Ethiopia as the British Ambassador. Goodbyes are never easy, but I have had an amazing four years getting to know this place – full of hospitable people and outstanding experiences. But as is common for most diplomats, we […]
11th December 2015 New Delhi, India
The end of November saw the much anticipated launch of a joint funding call on Agri-Food. This call is funded by Newton-Bhabha – our five year £50 million joint programme with India. Under Newton-Bhabha, Innovate UK, the UK Research Councils and India’s Department of Biotechnology (DBT) plan to invest £10 million on developing joint industrial […]
Read more on Post Harvest Technologies – New Ties – UK and India | Reply
10th December 2015 Stockholm, Sweden
On arrival at Stockholm Arlanda airport is a large sign welcoming visitors to the Swedish capital. Nothing unusual in that of course. But what makes this sign different is exactly who the sign is welcoming. Holidaymakers back from Thailand? Weary business people from the US? Neither. The sign says ‘Welcome Students and Researchers.’ Anyone who […]
Read more on Celebrating Success in Stockholm – the Nobel Prizes | Reply