Matthew Stadlen is a British television and radio presenter with experience in hosting 400 live events. He has presented and produced TV shows for the BBC, hosted twice weekly radio shows on LBC and written The Matthew Stadlen Interview in the Telegraph. He has interviewed leading names from business, politics, sport and entertainment.

As director general of the Chartered Institute, Marco is a leading authority on global trade, empowering businesses to grow internationally through educational and digital trade solutions. He is a key intermediator between governments and businesses domestically and overseas, sitting on the UK Critical Imports Council and on the multilateral B20 Taskforce for Trade and Investment, and is a visiting professor at Aston University. Marco is also a passionate advocate for trade as a force for good in the world, regularly commenting in international media that trade is a driver of economic prosperity and that it can bring communities closer together.

Jeff is the former Managing Director China for the China-Britain Business Council, former Chair of the EU SME Centre in China, and former Managing Director in Shanghai for advisory firm APCO Worldwide. He is Managing Director of WMA International, China Ambassador at the IOD, a Senior Advisor to China-UK Business Development Centre, and advisor and consultant to a range of UK-China related business projects. He has 15+ years experience living and working in China.

Clive founded Strategic Management Partners "SMP" in 1990 after developing new products and services internationally for USA and German PLC's. Since 1990 Clive's international trading has taken him across EU, Africa, Middle East and Asia. SMP partners with government funding agencies, trade embassies, professional bodies, universities, corporates and high growth SME's. Clive's authoring includes The European Business Handbook, The International Guide to Management Consultancy and Business Ethics published by The Economist. His scope of support includes risk and reputation management, supply chain vetting, ESG assessment for Responsible Business Standards, due diligence for equity investment, dispute mediation and intellectual property protection.

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Richard is the Commercial Director at ABN Australia, leading business development, sales, marketing, and partnerships. Based in the UK, he provides localised support to clients and partners across the UK and Europe. Prior to joining ABN, Richard played a key role in the international expansion of a leading UK-based tax and accounting franchise, supporting operations in Australia, Ireland, Canada, and the US. With extensive experience in business development and stakeholder engagement, he has a strong track record in driving growth and building lasting relationships. Richard brings deep expertise in international markets and market entry strategy for overseas businesses.

Fiona Clouder has wide experience of working with governments, business and investors. Fiona was the UK's Ambassador to Chile (2014-2018); and Regional Ambassador, Latin America and Caribbean, COP26, (2020-2022), driving engagement for a Net Zero world. Now in the private sector, including with The Ambassador Partnership, Fiona focuses on both Latin America and the global interface of mining, energy and environment issues and associated geopolitics. Fiona is a Distinguished Fellow of RUSI (Royal United Services Institute); Senior Advisor to Appian Capital Advisory; Non-Executive Director, Chilean Cobalt Corp; Chairman, Anglo Chilean Society; and a Board member of Canning House.

Shabir Djakiodine is a chartered accountant with qualifications from France (Chartered Accountant), the UK (ICAEW, AIA), and Oxford Saïd Business School. A multi-award-winning entrepreneur, he has been recognized with prestigious accolades, including Most Trusted Accounting & Finance MD 2024, Managing Director of the Year, and Entrepreneur of the Year 2022, 2023, and finalist in 2024. He was also named Business Person of the Year 2022 and a finalist in 2023 and 2024. As the founder of Euro Accounting, Shabir leads an international firm with offices in the UK, France, Dubai, Italy, Ireland, and Switzerland. Fluent in five languages, he also established Gentia Alliance, a global network of 25 professional practices dedicated to providing clients with cross-border financial, legal, and tax services.

Chris is a chartered management accountant with extensive knowledge of helping business expand internationally.   He has been at UK India Business Council for 7 years leading on key sectors including financial services, sport betting and gaming and energy transition.  More recently Chris has move to head up the consultancy division supporting companies in the UK India trade corridor.  

Chris and his team support companies to understanding, enter and expand in both the Indian and UK market.  He has led a number of delegations to India most recently a tech delegation from West Yorkshire.  

Prior to joining UKIBC Chris played a pivotal part in the creation and running of the International Business festival heading up its operations in 2014, leading on International in 2016 and in 2018 heading up the Commercial and Events functions.  This role including raising over £1m in commercial revenues, project managing over 300 events in areas such as Smart Cities, The Future of Mobility and Clean Energy.  

Prior to moving to London Chris was based in Shanghai were he lead the award winning Liverpool Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 where he managed 120 staff, hosted 64 events and attracted 775,000 visitors.

Julie is a renowned Space Professional whose 30 years' international, operational experience makes her advice sought after by both Governments and Business. She has successfully directed and led missions for ESA and NASA; also complex, multi-national, private sector operations spanning defence, civil and commercial programs whilst navigating intricate, international space policies, geopolitics, and cultural/language differences. Recent experience of microgravity commercialisation (which will lead to manufacturing in Space) offers exciting new horizons. With extensive experience of Asia, India, the Middle East and Europe, her consultancy offers unrivalled strategic guidance to those seeking success in this arena.

UN Ambassador - Strategic Leader in TMT - 35+ Years Driving Global Growth, M&A, and Turnarounds - CEO, CIO, COO - Expert in Digital Transformation, Ops Mgmt, and Innovation - UN Award Recipient - Founder @ Impresario Partners International. With a foundation in business strategy and a deep passion for innovation, Nicholas has spent over 35 years navigating the complex intersections of finance, operations, and digital transformation. His academic journey and a strong interest in global macroeconomics and emerging technologies laid the groundwork for a career focused on corporate growth, restructuring, and investment strategies.

Steven is former Managing Director of the British Chamber of Commerce in China. Steven was recently awarded an MBE for services to the British Business Community in China in His Majesty the King's 2024 New Year Honours List. Steven spent 12 years in Beijing, China working with the largest FTSE 100 companies as well as dynamic startups. He is a strategic leader with experience in business development, events management and developing public/ private sector relations. Steven has extensive experience in international relations and business transformational growth strategies. He is Chairman of the Institute of Directors China group.

In 1999, John set up a manufacturing and retail business in Shanghai and since then he has been active in UK/China trade & investment. In 2020, he co-founded CUKBDC to promote bilateral trade which now has 13 offices across China. John is a Chartered Accountant and started in London and New York with PwC. He has been CEO, Chair and NED of several listed and private companies with a focus on business change and growth. John is the Senior Advisor to CCCUK . He is also Chair for IoD for the City of London and is on the FTSE Women Leaders Advisory Board. John sits on the Lord Mayor's Appeal Fundraising Board and previously he was Chair of VSO China

John has led Made in Britain's growth since 2015, transforming it into an influential trade body of more than 2,020 members today. Under his leadership, the Made in Britain mark has become a renowned symbol of British provenance and high standards, with member companies using it on their products to help them sell more at home and abroad. He is committed to raising awareness of the strengths of British manufacturing both in the wider business community and with the public, and to ensuring that the sector's challenges are addressed at government level. Prior to this role, John was one of the leads of the UK government's GREAT Britain global marketing campaign.

Rob is the Space Applications International Lead at UKSA, supporting the commercialisation of downstream space technologies through funding and global promotion. He focuses on building international partnerships to boost UK exports and attract foreign investment into the space sector. Previously, Rob held roles at the Department for Science and Innovation and the Department for Business and Trade, contributing to free trade negotiations. He served as Deputy Chapter Lead for Intellectual Property negotiations with Australia and New Zealand and supported the UK data policy in digital trade chapters, covering data protection and cross-border data flows.

As Chief Revenue Officer at Country Navigator, Nikki Samant-Jones partners with clients to improve cross-cultural collaboration, communication, and inclusion within their organizations. She advises on strategies that help global teams work better together and ensures companies can measure the impact of their efforts. Alongside her executive role, Nikki co-hosts The Hippo Question podcast, where she shares fresh perspectives on inclusive leadership and building high-performing teams. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Psychology from Goa University.

Allyson Stewart-Allen is a renowned advisor, author, speaker, educator and Non-Executive Director whose expertise in brand internationalisation is sought by global businesses. She has advised more than 270 businesses across 28 countries and is the author of both editions of the best-selling book Working with Americans. She is also the creator of the LinkedIn Learning course Leading International Growth so has experience of working with Microsoft! An experienced and frequent broadcaster, Allyson has joined 5 seasons of BBC's The Apprentice, is the regular business expert for Sky News and is a frequent commentator for a range of global print and broadcast outlets including the Al Jazeera, BBC, CNN, Deutsche Welle, France 24, FT and The Wall Street Journal.

Laurent Strauss is a Cyber Security Strategist at OpenText with great passion for emerging Trends & Technologies. He spent over 20 Years in various areas of the IT Industry with expertise in Disaster Recovery, Virtualization, Cloud and Cyber Security. He is also part of a faculty board lecturing Web 3.0 Security.

With over 30 years of entrepreneurial adventure in international management, Susanna has been a driving force in supporting the growth of organisations. Her expertise lies in developing communication strategies and reviewing and implementing processes, ensuring the success of her clients. She helps businesses set up, expand and invest in the UK, Canada, Hungary, and CEE. Her team at HBBA helps businesses target maximising International Trade as a means of company expansion, improved profits, brand recognition, increased value, and growth. HBBA's international support team of advisers is dedicated to supporting and expediting market entry, ensuring your business is set up for global success. Their expertise and commitment will provide you with the necessary support and guidance.

Martin is a celebrated and pioneering entrepreneur, inventor, educator and bestselling author who has driven breakthroughs across AI, automation, and digital innovation. With 120 patents and recognition as a Global 100 Innovator, he has disrupted industry by integrating AI into productivity, media, and aviation. As the founder of warpSpeed (https://www.iamwarpspeed.com), an AI-driven productivity platform, Martin is revolutionizing personal and professional efficiency. He previously founded Flix Premiere, transforming indie film streaming, and played a pivotal role in advancing autonomous eVTOL technology. His entrepreneurial journey includes scaling a 3D printing company to a $50M exit in just 17 months. With a passion for AI-powered innovation, Martin continues to mentor thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide at https://www.entrepreneurseminar.comand shares his insights in the USA Today bestseller, The Startup Story: An Entrepreneur's Journey from Idea to Exit. More about Martin at https://martinwarner.com

Winnie is the International Markets Lead at Hawksford. Based in London, she is responsible for helping Asia businesses to expand their business into the UK and Europe and vice versa. With more than 10 years of experience in international expansion, Winnie has held different roles within the public and private sector, where she assisted multinational corporations and SMEs on their market entry and expansion needs. Winne has lived and worked in China and Southeast Asia and is fluent in English, Malay, Mandarin, Cantonese and Hokkien. She prides herself on her good understanding of cultural sensitivity and ways of working with clients in Asia.

Jack Wu leads the Acadia team with an extensive international accounting and taxation background and a keen understanding of practical issues that arise while doing business in China. Jack has experience working in China on virtually all kinds of business operations including setting up a legal structure, market-entry, human resource strategy, taxation, accounting, import/export regulations, sourcing, and cross-border fund flows.
Jack and his team have been trusted partners to Sino-foreign Joint Ventures, manufacturing plants from setup to maturity, Fast Moving Consumer goods brands, restaurant chains, and fund managers, financial institutes as China increasingly opened more industry sectors to foreign investment in recent years.  Jack is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) in the US and received his MBA degree from the University of Tennessee.  He has been a frequent speaker in the foreign chamber of commerce and spoke globally in the US, Canada, Germany, Singapore, The Netherlands, and Hong Kong. Before joining Acadia, Jack was the Executive Director of Vistra China, in charge of the International Expansion unit.