Department for INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Alex Robson

Regional Director – Southeast

Having spent almost 10 years working in international trade and investment, I can honestly say our commercial agenda has never been as important. We stand on the cusp of a new trade deal with the United States, and as we shift our focus from resiliency to post-COVID recovery, the focus is ever more on our “Global Britain” agenda.

Here in the Southeast US, we have a unique opportunity to work together to harness the collective power and reach of groups like the BABC-GA and Scottish Business Network, and amplify the story UK plc has to tell as an innovative, diverse and great trading nation.

In addition to DIT’s core work of supporting exporters and driving investment into the UK, we are increasingly looking to harness the potential of this region, whether that’s Atlanta-London collaboration in fintech/ payments, building on the regional synergies with the Northern Powerhouse, capitalising on the “soft power” connections that exist in sports and the arts, looking at transatlantic projects or innovation areas (5G, IoT etc.) that map against the UK’s Industrial Strategy priorities. What follows offers an insight into our priority sectors and we look forward to talking about areas where we can come together in the future!

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Life Sciences & Healthcare   Technology   Manufacturing   Financial & Professional Services   Consumer Goods

Life Sciences & Healthcare

The UK’s DIT Life Sciences & Healthcare Team covers 13 States along the South East and Mid-Atlantic Region engaging with clients in the 13 States (Delaware, Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia, North & South Carolina, Atlanta, Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi and Puerto Rico). 

As a team we are targeted on both Trade & Investment and so our 3 main objectives are:

• Ensure the UK remains a leading destination for international investment and maintains its number one position for international investment stock in Europe.
• Support and encourage UK businesses to drive sustainable growth.
• Open markets, building a trade framework with new and existing partners, which is free and fair.

Our current priorities are:

• Global Strategic Sourcing and Engagement Project (i.e. sourcing PPE, ventilators, diagnostics, etc.).
• FDI/trade opportunities that aid Covid-19 response, i.e. Manufacturing in UK of PPE or diagnostics to support Covid-19 response, Covid-19 vaccine/treatment trials or R&D collaborations, Connecting UK digital health companies with US healthcare providers to support Covid-19 response and Marketing of UK success stories supporting the Covid-19 response (currently led by UK/US marketing teams).
• Account management of top foreign direct clients – minimizing UK layoffs, connecting US companies with UK business support, and identifying new investment opportunities.
• Getting ready for the UK-US Free Trade Agreement.

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Technology

DIT Southeast US team focuses on engagement with hardware and software focussed companies in the following sub-sectors:

• AI  
• Analytics & Data Management 
• Cloud 
• Communications 
• Cyber 
• Electronic Systems, Semiconductor design, Sensors – Trade 

We are responsible for implementation in predominantly B2B application areas with a focus on the UK’s Grand Challenges:

• AI & Data
• Future of Mobility
• Healthy Ageing;
• Clean Growth
• Including Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Cities, Climate / Resilience, Autonomous systems

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Advanced Engineering & Manufacturing

Aerospace:

Our work in this sector aims to secure the UK’s position as the world’s second largest aerospace sector with world leading capability in the areas of propulsion systems, aero structures, wing development and complex systems. Our focus is on the following segments of the aerospace sector:

• Commercial aerospace and primary components and systems including:
• • Business Aviation
  • Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul
• Space (Small sats, satellite applications & downstream services, launch systems)
• Emerging markets and technologies i.e. Urban Air Mobility

Our activities are focussed on supporting our UK industrial strategy as laid out by Aerospace Sector Deal, as part of the Aerospace Growth Partnership and our R&D strategy delivered by the Aerospace Technology Institute

Automotive:

To promote the development and adoption of advanced technologies making vehicles, cleaner, smarter and ultimately safer, focussing on:

• Low carbon, battery and advanced propulsion and energy storage technologies
• Development, testing and validation of connected and autonomous vehicles
• Advanced Driver Assisted systems and technologies
• Advanced manufacturing and lightweight/composite materials

Operating, engaging and outreaching to manufacturers/engineers of:

• Premium and niche vehicles
• Commercial vehicles
• Off highway/construction
• Motorsport and high performance

Engagement with State and local government on city initiatives, such as:

• Future of Mobility -  first/last mile urban strategies
• Smart cities

Collaborating with:

• Centres of Excellence, Universities, R&D facilities, Trade Associations

Opportunities:

• Delivery based services/movement of goods
• UK collaboration with Mobility start ups i.e. micro mobility solutions, CAV, promoting UK testbed facilities such as Millbrook and HORIBA MIRA
• Continued promotion of vehicle electrification
• Address uncertainty through FTA negotiations, establishing UK/US trade relations, securing regulatory alignment and restoring confidence in the automotive supply chain. 

Food & Drink:

This is the UK’s largest single manufacturing sector.

The Advanced Engineering Team supports Food & Drink investment into the UK and is specifically focussed on supporting food and drink manufacturing and related activities such as food packaging.

While we support retail brands with their UK investment (headquarters, distribution, batch manufacturing) we do not handle franchise enquiries.

Areas of interest include:

• Food Packaging (single-use plastic mitigation)
• Clean Eating / Alternative Proteins
• Food Tech
• Sustainability

We promote the UK as a location for Food & Drink Research and Development among existing investors through:

• The Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, which includes up to £90 million in investment for transforming food production, developments in precision agriculture and food production, and building on UK technology strengths in crops, livestock and environmental sciences.
• UK Centres of Excellence, including The Centre for Process Innovation, Campden BRI, and Norwich Research Park.
• Innovation competitions hosted by Innovate UK;  SMART Grants

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Financial & Professional  Services

• The DIT Financial & Professional Services (FPS) team is based in Atlanta & Miami and covers the Southeast US region: Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama & Puerto Rico.
• It is in charge of promoting the UK as the top investment destination, with London as the financial capital of the world, as well as helping UK companies access opportunities and trade in the US.
• Main areas of focus are fintech, insurtech, digital banking, impact investment, insurance and risk management.

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Consumer Goods

This sector is made up of two primary categories; food and drink and retail. The team covers the whole of the Southeast and Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

As a primarily trade focused team, we work mostly with British companies in the who are looking to or who are currently selling their products in the Southeast region. Services to these UK companies include research, market intelligence and introductions to relevant members of the supply chain such as importers, distributors and end retailers to assist companies with their US business.

The team is also dedicated to inward retail investment into the UK. This consists of working with Southeast headquartered retail companies who have an interest in opening a physical presence in the UK, such as a sales office or a warehousing/distribution facility.

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