Dear Members and Friends,
With President Trump’s arrival in the UK this week amid a host of bilateral agreements and differences, along with the political news from pretty well every European country, I’m reminded of an American friend who commented a couple of years ago that political risk is increasingly coming home to the developed world. This made me think. On the one hand, now’s a good time to dispense with the air of superiority with which we have been accustomed to treating too much of the world: development can come in many forms and doesn’t always have to equate to being more like us. On the other hand, we may have more than we think to learn from what we describe as emerging and developing economies. This thought was reinforced in a conversation I had a few days ago with the Indian High Commissioner, who (among other things) talked about India’s world-leading success in using technology for financial inclusion. At the same time, it’s interesting to see some of our members applying the expertise they have built in international development to address challenges closer to home. This is a theme which we, along with our sister organisation D Group, want to help support and amplify.
It was good to be back in full force with our events programme this week. It was great on Tuesday to welcome a good number of BEI members to our Strategy International housewarming reception at our new premises at One Birdcage Walk in the library overlooking St James’s Park. We were joined by members and friends of our sister organisations The D Group, The British Foreign Policy Group, and Defence Impact, a clear demonstration of the scope for collaboration across the group and with our partners in Government and beyond.
Also this week we hosted two online discussions. On Tuesday, we held an event with UK Export Finance (UKEF) focusing on Asia and the Middle East. We were joined by Sean Burnage, Regional Head for Asia and Joseph Chakra, Regional Head for the Middle East. As the second of two regionally-focused sessions in partnership with UKEF, the event offered an opportunity to learn more about UKEF’s increasingly diverse range of offerings. Both speakers explored market coverage, key stakeholders on the ground and current opportunities and projects in these regions. Many thanks to UKEF and our speakers for providing valuable opportunities and insights for our members: we very much value the strong collaboration with UKEF, which I know members appreciate, and we will look for more opportunities to spread the word.
On Thursday, our second online event of the week also highlighted an important element of our collaboration with HMG. We were pleased to host a discussion on infrastructure opportunities in South Africa with colleagues from DBT, FCDO and Infrastructure South Africa, represented by: Jon Senior, Head of Infrastructure Partnership Opportunities at DBT; Mike Foster, Economic Counsellor at FCDO in South Africa; Shabari Shaily-Gerber, Head, Urban Economic Development at FCDO South Africa; Dr Hubert Joynt, Programme Manager of the Centre of Excellence at Infrastructure South Africa (ISA); and Mauricio Apablaza, Deputy Country Director, DBT South Africa.
The session provided insights into the UK-South Africa G2G Infrastructure Partnership: a strategic initiative launched in July 2025 with the aim of accelerating infrastructure delivery in South Africa and promoting UK expertise in engineering, design and project management. We heard about the programmes and specific project opportunities in national and sub-national public sector infrastructure portfolios, as well as how DBT and local organisations such as Infrastructure South Africa are able to support UK companies to develop opportunities in the region. Once again, many thanks to our speakers for taking the time to work with us.
Next week, we look forward to welcome members with an interest in education to Birdcage Walk on Wednesday 24th September, to what promises to be an interesting in person discussion on Shaping the future of the Higher Education sector. This event will bring together experts working in the higher education sector both in the UK and internationally for an in-depth examination of the trends and opportunities. Panellists will explore how the UK’s higher education sector can harness its global reputation and institutional strengths to navigate a rapidly evolving landscape. We look forward to hearing from 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. There are a few places still available for this event – for those within our membership, you can register using the link to the event page, here. If you aren’t a member but are interested in taking a look, please email events@britishexpertise.org.
Finally, next week we are looking forward to a Networking Reception with LATAC EPC Contractors, which will be a special opportunity for British organisations to network with a delegation of leading EPC contractors working on major infrastructure projects across Latin America and the Caribbean. If you are interested in joining, please register here.
As I write this from the Western Balkans where we seem set for a pretty hot couple of days, my best wishes for a good weekend,
David Landsman
Executive Chairman
British Expertise International
Key events coming up include the following:
- 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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