: UPDATE brings you a selection of stories on UK-based companies that are trading internationally, as well as the latest initiatives and events from UK Trade & Investment

NEW ENTREPRENEURIAL AGE FIVE-YEAR STRATEGY HERALDS

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The creation of a new Strategy Task Force, with members drawn from the most innovative UK-based companies, will help inform the future direction of UK Trade & Investment and the Export Credits Guarantee Department. The development was one of a number of approaches announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable, Foreign Secretary William Hague and Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green as they jointly launched a new cross-government focus on trade and investment to help boost the UK’s economic recovery. Additionally, the introduction of greater

private-sector expertise, the development of new partnerships with key businesses which support SMEs to highlight the benefi ts of exporting, and a new online self-help community refl ect an increased entrepreneurial approach for UK Trade & Investment over the next fi ve years.

investment to the UK, a new private- sector delivery partner, PA Consulting, has been tasked with attracting and retaining high-value investments, and the Global Entrepreneur Programme will be expanded. Announcing the measures, Lord Green

said: “The strategy we have developed builds on our success to date, but this is not business as usual by any means. As UK Trade & Investment seeks to become more entrepreneurial, it will bring

springboard: | page 06 Central to the Coalition Government’s

Plan for Growth, the fi ve-year UK Trade & Investment Strategy and the Foreign & Commonwealth Offi ce’s seven-point Business Charter demonstrate the Government’s commitment to supporting international business, championing UK trade overseas and attracting inward investment. In a bid to raise levels of foreign direct

more private-sector expertise into its relationships with exporters and inward investors to develop new partnerships with key businesses which support SMEs. “Our plans will ensure that UK Trade

& Investment is well equipped to face the demands of the future, listening to the concerns of businesses so that we have an economic climate that benefi ts us all.”