Oct 30, 2026

BEI Weekly Update - 30th October 2026

by

David Landsman

by

Dear Members and Friends,

BEI may have had (on the surface only) a quieter half-term week, but out there it’s a busy season of elections. Among others I may have missed, we have already seen elections in Serbia, Bulgaria, Brazil and Israel, while the US midterms are around the corner. Last Sunday’s Serbian elections reminded me of those in 2000. I was posted in Belgrade at the time, and just a few days after the momentous departure of Slobodan Milošević, I drove around the country and came across a team of men quietly getting on with road repairs. The politics may have changed, but daily life went on. Some things change, while others stay the same and the challenge is to understand in good time which is which. In turbulent times, normalcy bias can be both comforting and dangerous. In addition to the day job, we increasingly need to watch for unexpected change coming from perhaps uncomfortable directions and remain adaptable to changing circumstances. As always, our programme aims to help in that difficult task by bringing people and organisations together to learn and share best practice, explore shared challenges and find new opportunities.

On Tuesday from 09:00-12:00, we look forward to our next Skills Working Group, focusing on the Green Transition. Along with members from the D Group, we will explore the international mobility of skilled tradespeople relevant to the green transition. The guest speaker will be Helen Dempster, Co-Director, Migration and Displacement and Policy Fellow, Centre for Global Development. The session will identify priority markets and explore best practice for standardising skills, qualification requirements and accreditation of international training providers. If you are interested in joining, click here to register.

On Wednesday from 14:00-16:30, we will host a delegation of Women in Business from Pakistan spanning a range of sectors for a discussion about workforce skills in a changing world. The session will explore how skills and workforce development drive women’s economic empowerment in Pakistan and the UK. If you are interested in joining us on Wednesday, click here to register.

On Thursday from 09:00-10:00 GMT, join us for a virtual Market Opportunity Overview exploring business and investment opportunities in Thailand with the UK Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) in Thailand, the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand and the Thailand Board of Investment. If you are interested in joining us on Wednesday, click here to register.

Finally, I’m pleased to report that BEI will be taking part as an exhibitor at the forthcoming UK Trade and Export Finance Forum, next year on 11 March 2027 at the InterContinental London – The O2. The conference will be especially relevant for UK suppliers looking to export overseas and seeking to understand financing opportunities. You can register as a delegate here: Delegate selection - UK Trade and Export Finance Forum 2027.Warm wishes for a weekend that looks to be bringing some sunshine,

David Landsman

Executive Chair

British Expertise International

Upcoming BEI Events:

Tuesday 3rd November 2026 09:00 – 12:00 GMT: Skills Working Group: The Green Transition - Join us for our next in-person Skills Working Group meeting, which will explore the international mobility of skilled tradespeople relevant to the green transition. This meeting will bring together members of BEI and the D Group with guest speaker Helen Dempster, Co-Director, Migration and Displacement and Policy Fellow, Center for Global Development.
Wednesday 4th November 2026 14:00 – 16:00 GMT: UK - Pakistan Perspectives on Skills and Workforce Development - We will be hosting an incoming delegation from Pakistan for a conversation around workforce development and managing talent pipelines in key industries. This event will be for members in the Skills and Education sectors. More details to come soon.
Thursday 5th November 2026 09:00 – 10:00 GMT: Market Opportunity Overview: Thailand - Join us for a virtual Market Opportunity Overview exploring business and investment opportunities in Thailand with the UK Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade in Thailand, the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand and the Thailand Board of Investment.
Wednesday 25th November 2026 11:00 – 12:30 GMT: Ukraine Reconstruction: Managing Risk and Delivering Resilience - Join us for a webinar focusing on the security, delivery, political and financing dimensions of working and delivering projects in Ukraine today, offering a realistic, non-alarmist picture of what entering or expanding into Ukraine involves.
Thursday 26th November 2026 12:30 – 14:30 GMT: Business Opportunities in the Overseas Territories: A Discussion with OT Leaders - Join us for a business engagement event and networking lunch with a visiting delegation of leaders from the Overseas Territories (OTs), as we explore economic diversification across the OTs and the opportunities this presents for UK businesses. Please note that this event will take place at Lancaster House, Stable Yard, St James’s, London SW1A 1BB.

Event recordings and resources

Event recordings - BEI member access only

External Events & Resources:

11th - 13th November 2026: Africa PPP Summit in Nairobi, Kenya: the 16th Africa PPP Summit is co-convened by Kenya PPP Directorate and supported by the State Department for Public Investment & Asset management, National Treasury, Kenya. This years theme is "Building Africa’s Prosperity: Transformative Infrastructure, Investment and Partnerships to Accelerate Economic Development”. BEI members have an exclusive 10% discount. Please email Sofia Pennacchietti via sp@britishexperitse.org for more information.
17th - 19th November 2026: Ed Tech Pavilion at Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa - A curated exhibition floor inside Africa's largest tech event - 13,500+ decision-makers, 650+ policymakers, 250 investors. Stands, pitch slots, and pre-qualified buyer meetings for education and skills companies entering African markets. Complete the expression of interest form.
19th November 2026: Jordan–European Union Investment Conference at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, Jordan - The conference will bring together senior government representatives, investors and business leaders to explore investment opportunities in Jordan and strengthen cooperation across a number of key sectors.
30th November - 4th December 2026: UK-Cameroon Business Roadshow - The British High Commission Yaoundé, in partnership with Cameroon's Ministry of Commerce, is inviting British businesses, investors and professional service providers to engage with a high-level delegation of leading public and private sector decision-makers from Cameroon during a unique investment and business roadshow scheduled across the UK from 30 November to 04 December 2026. To take advantage of this opportunity and explore how you can participate in the Roadshows, please email Alex Murr via am@britishexpertise.org.
11th March 2027: UK Trade and Export Finance Forum - Taking place at the InterContinental London - The O2, the UK Trade and Export Finance Forum brings together finance and business leaders for a full day of keynotes, case studies, panels, workshops and networking, covering the latest developments in export and trade finance.
6th - 8th April 2027: Innovation Africa 2027 in Harare, Zimbabwe: Innovation Africa 2027 is a Ministerial summit for Education, Skills and ICT Innovation which connects Africa's leaders with global technology partners. BEI members interested in joining can view partnership and participation options at this link: Innovation Africa Participation Options.