This session will explore how businesses can navigate compliance issues within an increasingly complex international trade environment. Drawing on experience from ChamberCustoms and the British Chambers of Commerce, it will provide insight into how customs compliance, audit readiness and effective documentation retention support both regulatory assurance and commercial resilience. The session will examine what HMRC audits typically focus on, where compliance risks most commonly arise, and how weaknesses in processes or record keeping can escalate into wider operational and financial challenges. It will also touch on how emerging requirements, such as the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), are beginning to influence compliance expectations, data requirements and governance decisions for UK traders. Designed for senior leaders, compliance professionals and trade practitioners, the session bridges technical requirements with strategic decision-making. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how strong governance, informed leadership and proportionate controls help businesses manage risk, respond confidently to audits and maintain sustainable, compliant international trade operations.

Sir Crawford is a Senior Adviser at Bradshaw Advisory. He has held senior leadership roles across governments, international organisations, and academia, advising on complex negotiations and helping shape global trade frameworks. Formerly the UK Chief Trade Negotiator, he served as Second Permanent Secretary at the UK Department for Business and Trade until 2024, having previously been New Zealand's Chief Trade Negotiator and Ambassador to the WTO.

Scaling Beyond Borders in the Age of AI explores how artificial intelligence is reshaping the way small and medium-sized businesses access global markets. For decades, international expansion has favoured large corporations with deep pockets, extensive teams, and specialist knowledge. Today, AI is beginning to change that equation.

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In this session, Mayank Shah will unpack how emerging technologies are reducing traditional barriers such as market research complexity, partner discovery, regulatory opacity, and information asymmetry, making global growth more accessible for SMEs. The talk will focus on how businesses can move from reactive decision-making to insight-led expansion, using data, automation, and intelligent systems to de-risk internationalisation.

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Rather than discussing tools or trends in isolation, this session will offer a practical, forward-looking perspective on how SMEs can prepare for a world in which global trade is no longer reserved for the few but is structured, strategic, and achievable for many.