Dear Members and Friends,
This week has been a rather two-edged reminder of the importance of infrastructure, as our much-anticipated panel discussion on water resilience had to be postponed because of the London Underground strike. Our new Birdcage Walk venue has as a result been quieter this week for BEI than we had hoped, but we very much look forward to seeing all those who had planned to attend on the new date of 22 October. You can find details, here, there are still places available for anyone who can make the new date.
Despite the frustrations, it’s worth looking beyond the ups and downs of the daily news cycle and look to the longer-term trends and the new opportunities they can present. My thoughts are beginning to turn to a planned visit to India in November and I’d be keen to hear from any members with an interest in a country which offers so much exciting opportunity and potential for collaboration with the UK. One of many possible areas in which we can work together is water resilience, which we plan to follow up after the 22 October event.
A number of us in the BEI team had the opportunity this week to explore another very promising development for our members when we met with a senior level visiting delegation from the World Bank, led by Galina Vincelette, VP Operations Policy and Country Services and Hiba Tahboub, Chief Procurement Officer. We learned how the Bank’s latest procurement reforms will reduce the weighting attributed to price in the award of contracts, as well as (among others) providing for more early market engagement and transparent complaints processes. This creates the real possibility that UK companies (“British expertise”) currently seriously under-represented in World Bank contracts could start to reverse a long-term trend and start to become much more competitive. Moreover, with the World Bank setting the standard for the other development banks, improvement procurement processes could present a wider range of opportunities for our members. This is clearly very timely given the pressures both on bilateral international development programmes and the domestic market.
We are planning to work with the Bank to organise a number of events specifically for BEI members to go into greater detail on the Bank’s procurement approach and pipeline in our focus sectors. In the meantime, you can see the revamped suppliers page on the Bank’s website, along with information about current and forthcoming business opportunities. Those with an interest in energy may find interesting a recent webinar on projects in this sector: the next in the series, on 9 October covering energy transport and water will be advertised on the Bank’s website soon. If you are interested in a recent World Bank presentation on the procurement regime, please do let Alex Murr know.
On the subject of energy, we will be hosting an in person panel event entitled “Global Energy Landscapes” on Wednesday 1 October, in collaboration with our UK-focused sister organisation, the D Group. This panel will bring together industry leaders to explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of energy. Our speakers from Dalkia, Kuungana Advisory and the Energy Industries Council will provide perspectives on global investment trends, regulatory shifts, technological advancements and industrial transformation. To register for this event, please click here.
Turning more immediately to next week, our programme resumes with two webinars, “Meet UKEF – Asia & the Middle East” on Tuesday 16 September from 11:00-12:00 BST. We look forward to hearing from Vomic Nur Shah, Head of Global Business and Client Coverage at UK Export Finance, who will provide an initial overview of markets and UKEF products, followed by Sean Burnage and Joseph Chakra, the Regional Heads for Asia and the Middle East respectively, who will explore market coverage in their regions.
On Thursday 18 September from 10:00 – 11:30 BST, we hope to welcome you for “Infrastructure Opportunities in South Africa”, where we will be joined by Mike Foster, Economic Counsellor the British High Commission in South Africa; Mauricio Apablaza, Deputy Country Director for DBT in South Africa; Shabari Shaily-Gerber Head, Urban Economic Development for FCDO in South Africa; and Nombulelo Nyathela, Chief Director of External Relations and Communications at Infrastructure South Africa (ISA).
For those with an interest in education, we will on Wednesday 24th September, be hosting an in person discussion for members and stakeholders on, “Shaping the Future of the Higher Education sector”, which will explore how the UK higher education sector can harness its global reputation and institutional strengths to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape. We look forward to hearing from our panel, Ian Hall, Head of Partnerships (International) at Advance HE, Joel Arber, Group Chief Executive Officer at SUMS Consulting, and Michael Peak, Head of Education Research and Insight at the British Council. Those within our membership can register using the link to the event page, here. If you aren’t a member but are interested in joining, please email events@britishexpertise.org.
Our partners at the Safeguarding Leads Network are hosting a virtual event on 8th October on Perpetrator-Centred Prevention. The session will be led by Sarah Maguire and Elizabeth Wright, who will explore the hidden risks organisations face in inadvertently recruiting perpetrators, how workplace culture can either deter or enable misconduct, along with practical steps to prevent Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH). This session is designed for Heads of Business Units, senior leadership, and heads of HR, Ethics, Compliance and Legal. To register your interest in the session, please email sln@britishexpertise.org.
Finally, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) are keen to hear insights from BEI members on how the CPTPP is working in practice for those working in countries which are parties to the treaty. The focus is on three priority policy areas: public procurement, data localisation, and customs and rules of origin (RoO). In addition to these areas, DBT is also very interested in hearing about any market access barriers that those exporting services may be experiencing more broadly in CPTPP markets and in particular with domestic regulation in services.For more information, if you are interested in sharing insights about your experiences operating in a CPTPP market, or to discuss direct with the DBT, please email Sofia Pennacchietti via sp@britishexpertise.org by September 19th.
We look forward to seeing you, in person or online, soon. In the meantime, warm wishes for the weekend.
David Landsman
Executive Chairman
British Expertise International
Key events coming up include the following:
- 16th September 2025 11:00 – 12:30 BST: Meet UKEF – Africa & the Middle East - This virtual event will offer UK organisations a valuable opportunity to explore UKEF's diverse offerings, engage directly with UKEF stakeholders and gain key insights on export markets in Asia and the Middle East.
- 18th September 2025 10:00 – 11:30 BST: Infrastructure Opportunities in South Africa - This webinar offers a focused deep dive into South Africa’s infrastructure landscape and provides an insight into the UK–South Africa G2G Infrastructure Partnership - a strategic initiative launched in July 2025.
- 18th September 2025 12:00 – 13:00 BST: Water Resilience Working Group - The UK has a distinctive offer and world-leading expertise in sustainable and climate-resilient water services. This group, in partnership with UK government, IFIs and other key stakeholders, aims to define that offer and leverage it to increase exports.
- 24th September 2025 09:30 – 12:30 BST: Shaping the future of the Higher Education Sector - This in-person panel event will bring together organisations and key stakeholders working in the higher education sector both in the UK and internationally for an in-depth discussion of the future of the sector. Panellists will explore how the UK’s higher education sector can harness its global reputation and institutional strengths to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape.
- 24th September 2025 17:00 – 18:00 BST: Water Resilience roundtable with LATAC Contractors - The BEI Water Resilience working group will meet with a delegation of leading EPC contractors working on major infrastructure projects across Latin America and the Caribbean. The hour-long workshop will feature an introduction from DBT and UKEF, key insights from the BEI Water Resilience working group’s recent report, and knowledge sharing through selected BEI member case studies.
- 24th September 2025 18:00 – 19:00 BST: Networking Reception with LATAC EPC Contractors - This is a unique opportunity for British organisations to network with a delegation of leading EPC contractors working on major infrastructure projects across Latin America and the Caribbean.
- 1st October 2025 15:00 – 17:30 BST: Global Energy Landscapes - This in-person panel will explore the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of energy. Our speakers will provide essential insights into the future of energy, offering perspectives on global investment trends, regulatory shifts, technological advancements and industrial transformation.
- 14th October 2025 11:00 – 12:30 BST: Infrastructure Opportunities in Nigeria - This webinar offers a focused deep dive into Nigeria’s infrastructure landscape with a focus on several specific projects well suited for the UK supply chain.
- 22nd October 2025 14:00 – 16:30 BST: Turning Water Risk into Resilience-By bringing together key stakeholders who operate outside the regulated water sector yet face equally pressing water risks, this event, delivered in partnership with the Global Summit series, aims to provide UK organisations with the strategies and insights needed to safeguard their operations and adapt to future water-related challenges.
External Events and Reports:
- 27th September – 2nd October 2025 - Save the date for the Aramco STEM Racing World Finals 2025, set to take place in Singapore. This landmark event will be the 20th edition of the globally recognized science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) programme’s World Finals and the first under its new branding, following the transition from its previous name, F1 in Schools. Developed to introduce students to STEM subjects through the creation of a miniature F1 car, STEM RACING (Formerly F1 in Schools) is an educational project designed for teachers, informed by engineers, and endorsed by F1.
- 28th September – 2nd October 2025 - UK Ports and Maritime Trade Mission to Saudi Arabia. This high-profile mission will visit Jeddah and Dammam Ports and participate in the Saudi Maritime and Logistics Congress. More information can be found, here.
- 8th October 2025 - Perpetrator-Centred Prevention - Join the Safeguarding Leads Network, with speakers Sarah Maquire and Elizabeth Wright on Perpetrator-Centred Prevention. The session will explore the hidden risks organisations face in inadvertently recruiting perpetrators, how workplace culture can either deter or enable misconduct, and practical steps to prevent Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH). This session is designed for Heads of Business Units (HoBs), senior leadership, and heads of HR, Ethics, Compliance and Legal. To register your interest in the session, please email sln@britishexpertise.org.
- 28th – 31st October 2025: AME Trade - 15th edition of Africa PPP in Windhoek, Namibia - Africa PPP 2025 is the longest running infrastructure finance, investment, and partnership summit, focused on increasing private sector participation in infrastructure development through viable PPPs and innovative financing mechanisms, for a sustainable economic growth. The event is organized with the support of Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board and the Ministry of Works and Transport of Namibia at the prestigious Hilton Conference Centre in Windhoek, Namibia. Africa PPP includes two-days Conference, one day masterclass on Project Preparation and one day Touristic and/or Technical Tours.
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