BEI Weekly Update - 26th June 2026

Dear Members and Friends,
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This week’s extreme weather has provided an appropriate backdrop for London Climate Action Week, in which (despite some necessary last-minute climate-related modifications) the BEI programme events have been the largest yet.  More on these below, including the launch of our latest BEI report in our Water Resilience series, which will be the springboard for a dynamic programme of activities and collaborations to extend our reach and that of our members further into the world of infrastructure finance.

For my part, I had the privilege to chair two of our LCAW events: a lively and frank debate on adaptation vs mitigation as well as a discussion inspired by a showing of “AZEEMA” (“Undaunted”), a documentary film telling the story of BEI member Resurgence’s work over the past ten years in climate resilience, especially in Sudan.  And that’s only a part of what BEI’s been doing this week: heatwave or not, we’re full steam ahead (if that’s the right metaphor) into the summer.

On Monday this week, our panel debate in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), entitled "Is Climate Adaptation the New Common Ground?"  challengingly set the scene for London Climate Action Week. The session explored the global policy shift from climate mitigation to adaptation in different environments. Many thanks to our speakers and to all who attended.

The launch on Wednesday of our new paper on “Water Risk and Finance: Bridging the Gap” explored how the financial community can better understand, price and respond to water-related risks, while unlocking new investment opportunities. Our sincere thanks to our working group members who were integral in putting this together.

Our final event for LCAW was a webinar on inclusivity in Early Warning Systems, which highlighted the vital role of more equitable approaches in strengthening climate resilience for those most at risk.  Many thanks to our speakers from Practical Action, Social Development Direct, People in Need and Christian Aid for their insights.

Unfortunately, our panel, "Not Losing Ground: Climate Action in an Increasingly Fragile World", had to be postponed owing to the weather conditions, but we will be looking for a new date.

“In other news”, we had an excellent session on Tuesday with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) on the newly-published International Education Strategy, discussing how the government seeks to place our education offering at the heart of the UK’s global engagement. Many thanks to Sarah Chidgey from DBT and Calum Hebron from the FCDO for joining us, and to Daley Middleton from the Department for Education for helping us put this together.

This morning, we held the first event in our Meet the Ambassador Series for 2026, with His Majesty’s Ambassador to Indonesia and Timor-Leste, Dominic Jermey CVO OBE.  Many thanks to Dominic for providing a strategic political and economic overview of the region and highlighting a broad range of opportunities for UK organisations – from defence and maritime security to nature financing and education.

Please take a look at the list of this year’s “Meet the Ambassador” events, which will take place between Monday 29 June and Monday 6 July:

Monday 29th June:  

• Meet the Ambassador: Kazakhstan: 10:15 – 11:30

• Meet the Ambassador: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan: 11:30 – 13:00

• Meet the Ambassador: South Sudan: 13:15 – 14:45

• Meet the Ambassador: The Western Balkans: 15:45 – 17:30

Thursday 2nd July:  

• Meet the Ambassador: Barbados and Eastern Caribbean: 12:45 – 14:00

• Meet the Ambassador: Egypt: 16:00 – 17:00 BST (WEBINAR)

Friday 3rd July:  

• Meet the Ambassador: Sierra Leone: 10:45 – 12:00

• Meet the Ambassador: Angola: 13:15 – 14:30

Monday 6th July:  

• Meet the Ambassador: Jordan: 13:30 – 14:45

BEI members can register via the links above. If you have issues registering for these events through our website portal, please email events@britishexpertise.org.

If you have general questions regarding BEI’s Meet the Ambassador Programme or if you are not a BEI member and are interested in joining, we would be delighted to hear from you. Please email Sofia Pennacchietti via sp@britishexpertise.org.

Finally, those who joined our recent India-related events will be aware that the UK-India Free Trade Agreement will enter into force on 15 July.  Although there are still some important details to be clarified, the agreement is expected by the UK Government to boost bilateral trade by around £25bn in the long run and has some very positive implications for infrastructure and other service sectors, so it’s doubtless something we’ll be returning to before long.

Best wishes for what might become a slightly cooler weekend – we look forward to seeing you next week,

David Landsman

Executive Chair  

British Expertise International

Event Recordings and Resources:

(Member access only)‍

• Water Risk & Finance: Bridging the Gap
• Rwanda Market Opportunity Overview
• Procurement Opportunities with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia
• Strengthening Equitable and Inclusive Health
• FCDO Development Director Series: Ethiopia
• Preventing Tech-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)
• FCDO Development Director Series: Nigeria
• Transforming India's Water Sector Non-Revenue Water Trends & Growth Opportunities
• Towards COP17: Urban and Rural Synergies for Water Resilience in Mongolia
• Skills for the Future
• FCDO Development Director Series: Sudan
• Opportunities for Partnership and Innovation in African Tech Sectors

Upcoming BEI Events:

• Monday 29th June 10:30 – 11:30 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Kazakhstan -  Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan, Sally Axworthy MBE.
• Monday 29th June 11:30 – 13:00 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan - Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassadors to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
• Monday 29th June 13:30 – 14:45 BST: Meet the Ambassador: South Sudan - Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassador to South Sudan, David Ashley.
• Monday 29th June 13:30 – 15:00 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Western Balkans - Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassadors to Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and North Macedonia.
• Wednesday 1st July 2026 09:00 – 10:00 BST: DFAT Tender Requirements and Bid Writing - The second in our series of webinars with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, will provide UK companies with insights into DFAT's tender requirements and information about bid writing.
• Wednesday 1st July 2026 18:00 – 20:30 BST: Building Organisational Resilience in a Changing World - Join us for short networking reception followed by a roundtable dinner, where we will hear from Sir Philip Barton. Sir Philip Barton is Chair of Strategy International's Advisory Board. He is a Senior Adviser at SC Strategy and a Visiting Professor in Public Policy at the LSE.  He also on the Advisory Council of the International Institute for Strategic Studies.
• Thursday 2nd July 13:00 – 14:00 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean - Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassador to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean, Simon Mustard.
• Thursday 2nd July 16:00 – 17:00 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Egypt - Join us virtually for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassador to Egypt, Mark Bryson-Richardson MBE.
• Friday 3rd July 11:00 – 12:00 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Sierra Leone - Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, Josephine Gauld LVO.
• Friday 3rd July 13:30 – 14:30 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Angola -  Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassador to Angola and São Tomé e Príncipe (non-resident), Bharat Joshi.
• Monday 6th July 13:30 – 14:45 BST: Meet the Ambassador: Jordan - Join us for our Meet the Ambassador Series, as we welcome His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Philip Hall OBE.
• Monday 6th July 13:30 – 14:45 BST: UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement Briefing -
  In partnership with the Middle East Association, this event will provide an on overview and briefing of the recent UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement, exploring how UK organisations can take advantage of advanced trade with the GCC.
• Tuesday 7th July 2026 14:00 – 15:00 BST: FCDO Development Director Series: Ukraine - Join us as we host Andrew Ockenden, Development Director in Ukraine for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), who will present FCDO’s development strategy, programming and pipeline of opportunities in Ukraine.
• Tuesday 7th July 2026 11:15 – 13:30 BST: Roundtable with HM Trade Commissioner to Asia Pacific - Join us for a roundtable with HM Trade Commissioner to Asia Pacific, Martin Kent. This event will provide members with the opportunity to hear from Martin on current trade in the region.
• Wednesday 8th July 2026 09:30 – 11:00 BST: Infrastructure Deep Dive - Republic of Korea - Join us for a virtual Market Opportunity Overview on the Republic of Korea to explore opportunities for UK organisations looking to work in the region. This session will highlight available support for UK private sector delivery partners and offer a platform for discussions of success, challenges and market access barriers.
• Date and Time TBC: Working with the Inter-American Development Bank - Join us for a virtual webinar with the Inter-American Development Bank. Our panel of speakers will explore the IDB's work as a principle source of financing, technical expertise and knowledge for sustainable and inclusive development. The IDB will share an update on its strategy, alongside information about how it works with suppliers and guidance on navigating its procurement process.
• Date and Time TBC: Not Losing Ground: Climate Action in an Increasingly Fragile World - As part of our activities surrounding London Climate Action Week, join us for a discussion on how to sustain climate ambitions in the world’s most fragile settings. This session will bring together leading experts to explore practical, conflict‑sensitive and locally led approaches to protecting climate progress where it is most at risk

Register for an upcoming event →

External Events and Resources:

• Tuesday 30th June 2026 18:00 – 20:30 BST: Future Leaders Group Reception - The Future Leaders Group are pleased to welcome Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, CEO of Ploughshare Innovations and Chair of Refuge, who will share her personal reflections on leadership and her career journey. Hetti’s organisation has also sponsored a recent Future Leaders Group graduate, and we look forward to hearing her insights and experiences. If you would like to join us, please register by 19 June here.
• 28th - 30th July: UK- Indonesia Rail Forum 2026 Building on the momentum from the UK-Indonesia Rail Roundtable in London (February 2026), the UK- Indonesia Rail Forum 2026 will bring together senior stakeholders from government and industry to translate dialogue into practical collaboration. The Rail Forum will take place in Jakarta between 28th - 30th July. Please email Joel Morro, Government Partnerships Project Lead, DBT London at Joel.Morro@businessandtrade.gov.uk and  Efrizal Saputra, Head of Infrastructure, DBT Jakarta at Efrizal.Saputra@fcdo.gov.uk.
• C4C Global Awards - The C4C Global Awards have been created to spotlight and champion real-world solutions driving sustainable transformation across business and the business events industry. The awards recognise pioneering technologies, impactful events and trailblazing leaders who are redefining how the industry is designed, delivered and experienced. C4C is seeking scalable, innovative solutions with the potential to create meaningful and lasting impact across the entire value chain.
• Cambridge Education Legacy Webinar Series - A special legacy webinar series sharing key lessons from 45 years of supporting education systems worldwide, with a look ahead to the future of the global education sector.
• AI for Social Impact Webcast Series from Accenture - A series of one-hour sessions, open to all organisations in the social impact sector, including non-profits and social enterprises. Each webcast will focus on a key theme within AI, designed to be relevant and applicable to social impact organisations of a variety of sizes, geographies, and current levels of AI proficiency.
• City & Guilds: Essential Digital Skills: Employer Perceptions Survey

News & Articles:

• Paper: Water Risk and Finance: Bridging the Gap - British Expertise International and the Water Resilience Working Group
• Article: London Stansted Airport: Manchester Airports Group's (MAG) Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade & Investment Dialogue - British Expertise International
• Press Release: Minister of Investment of Jordan, H.E. Tareq Abughazaleh and UK industry leaders meet for talks on trade and investment opportunities - British Expertise International
• Article: North London Heat and Power Project: WSP – EcoPark Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade & Investment Dialogue - British Expertise International
• News: Beyond the deal: How the GCC-UK trade deal opens new era of economic partnership - Arab News
• Press Release: UK Government and industry partners host senior Omani delegation for talks on private‑sector investment partnerships ahead of the UK-GCC FTA announcement
• Article: Blue-Green Infrastructure in Urban Areas: UKCEH Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade & Investment Dialogue by British Expertise International
• Article: Innovative Solutions to Water Challenges: HR Wallingford's Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade & Investment Dialogue by British Expertise International
• Article: Ocean Economy Satellite Accounts: Water Research Centre’s (WRc) Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade & Investment Dialogue by British Expertise International
• Article: Delivering a Better World: AECOM's Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade & Investment Dialogue by British Expertise International
• Press Release: British Expertise International (BEI) to receive board seat and support secretariat for Infrastructure Exports UK (IE:UK) by British Expertise International
• Showcase: Gender Equity in Action – Building a Fairer Future by British Expertise International and its members
• Article: Integrated Masterplanning: Arup’s Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade and Investment Dialogue by British Expertise International
• Press Release: BEI and FCDO Co-Convene Trade and Investment Study Visit with a Ministerial Delegation from the Overseas Territories (OT’s) by British Expertise International
• Article: Leading with Science®: Tetra Tech’s Contributions to the Overseas Territories Trade & Investment Dialogue by British Expertise International
• Article: British Expertise International (BEI) hosts a ministerial delegation from the Ministry of Roads and Highways (MoRH), Ghana by British Expertise International
• Article: Middle East High-Risk Insurance by Bellwood Prestbury
• News: John Pelton MBE Joins British Expertise International (BEI) as Senior Adviser by British Expertise International
• News: Strategy International Group’s Advisory Board Member: The Lord Forbes of Newcastle CBE by British Expertise International
• Press Release: Minister Gabriel Oddone travels to the United Kingdom to strengthen economic and financial ties by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, Uruguay
• Press Release: British Expertise International – Helping UK Education Service Providers to Forge Global Partnerships by British Expertise International
• Yearly review: Strategy International 2025 Yearbook by Strategy International
• Article: 2025 Christmas Message from British Expertise International
• Report: From Strategy to Delivery: What New Zealand Can Learn from the UK Infrastructure System from Infrastructure New Zealand
• Written evidence: Future of UK aid and development assistance from British Expertise International
• Communique: UK and Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council 2025: communiqué from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
• Article: Infrastructure as Legacy: UK Perspectives on Strategic Delivery and Innovation by Sasha Barnes and Sofia Pennacchietti
• Press Release: Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council Business Engagement Session from British Expertise International
• Article: Why Water is Everyone’s Business: A UK Perspective on Global Water Challenges by Evie Ramsay
• Article: Ukraine’s Recovery – Mobilising Private Sector Engagement by Sasha Barnes
• Article: Global Energy Landscapes: Key Takeaways and Insights by Sofia Pennacchietti
• Press Release: Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, South Africa, Mr Dean Macpherson at British Expertise International (BEI) from British Expertise International
• Article: Shaping the Future of the Higher Education Sector by Evie Ramsay
• Article: With FCDO slashing budgets, where will UK NGOs turn for funding? from DevEx
• Report: Water Resilience - Unlocking local and global benefits through collaboration (Second Edition) by British Expertise International & Water Resilience Working Group
• Report: Systems Strengthening: The UK Education providers’ contribution to the global education systems by British Expertise International & Education Working Group
• Report: Beyond Boundaries: The Role of UK-Based Organisations in Advancing Global Gender Equality and Social Inclusion by British Expertise International and its members delivering GES

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