23rd April 2012 Washington DC, USA
I’m just three weeks into the Corporate Services role here and spent last week flying solo after a great handover from my predecessor, Alison, who is now destined for Uganda in the summer. It’s a busy agenda as expected, but made easier by a remarkable and supportive team from the very top downwards. But my […]
23rd April 2012 Washington DC, USA
At the 18 April meeting of the NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers in Brussels, the British Defence Secretary, Philip Hammond announced a firm UK commitment to help fund the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) after 2014. He said “The UK contribution of £70m per annum to the funds to support the Afghan National Security Forces will make […]
20th April 2012 Dublin, Ireland
For me, space was always about Star Trek or Apollo rockets. I am old enough to remember Neil Armstrong walking on the moon in 1969. This month we are celebrating the golden anniversary of “50 Years of the UK in Space.” Ariel-1 was the world’s first international satellite. It was US-built with UK instruments. It […]
19th April 2012 Warsaw, Poland
Having spent most of my career in healthcare it is always a pleasure to have the opportunity to lead an event in this area. This week’s joint British-Polish Chamber of Commerce (BPCC) and British Embassy healthcare policy working group took the format of a panel discussion on Health Insurance with a number of leading specialists […]
Read more on Healthcare Opportunities – Insurance we’re up for that! | Reply
17th April 2012 USA
Touching down in the Nation’s Capital as World Creativity and Innovation Week launches means I miss the UK a bit less. Why? Because this week invites me to shout about the GREAT British creative companies and innovators I just met across the pond – and at MIPTV in Cannes. Take Log Media and their new […]
17th April 2012 Washington DC, USA
Before I continue on my theme of how GREAT Britain is this year, I’d like to give a shout out to the 100 Days to Go event coming up tomorrow at American University. All afternoon we will strive to go ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger’ than our fellow Embassy (and previous Olympic Host) competitors in the “Embassy […]
17th April 2012
Ukraine is, with Russia, amongst the countries in Europe with the highest rates of HIV infection. In Ukraine around 60 people are infected daily and over 235,000 people live with HIV/AIDS. So I was delighted when Alliance Ukraine, a member of the Brighton-based International HIV/AIDS Alliance, organised a visit to Ukraine recently by Lord Fowler, […]
Read more on HIV/AIDS and needle exchanges in Ukraine | Reply (1)
17th April 2012 Dublin, Ireland
Deregulation or making it easier to do business is key to a successful growth agenda. I recently joined a panel at SGH (Warsaw School of Economics) on the important theme of deregulation. Governments everywhere are regularly criticised for imposing too many regulatory burdens on business, especially small business, and thereby hampering growth. The SGH discussion […]
13th April 2012 Washington DC, USA
Today the US/UK Defence Trade Cooperation Treaty comes into effect. In a ceremony presided by Rose Gottemoeller, the acting US Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, our two countries finalised an agreement originally signed five years ago to strengthen our mutual security and build our shared prosperity. British and American manufacturers […]
Read more on Strengthening Trade for Security and Prosperity | Reply (1)
13th April 2012 Islamabad, Pakistan
I really enjoy sharing my experiences and thoughts in an informal way through this blog. I’ve been able to do blog posts on subjects as diverse as foreign policy issues, the Commonwealth, the trade and education links between the UK and Pakistan and of course cricket. And I have particularly valued the feed back. But […]