The event combined its eighty SME Export
Champions with business mentors, government and business representatives.
The highlight of the event was the introduction of the latest cohort of UK SME
Export Champions. These companies represent various regions and business
sectors, showing rich breadth of innovation and excellence that the UK has to
offer the world. These include businesses delivering off-grid renewable energy,
healthy snacks, innovative antimicrobial technology, teddy bears, and even a
digital knitting machine.
Whilst most of the Export Day was focused on encouraging cross sector
collaborations, there were presentations from Richard Snowdon, Director at
Royal Mail International on ‘exporting through ecommerce', and Luke Walden, FX
Specialist at Godi Financial on ‘FX management as an early stage exporter'.
Opening the Export Day, Lord Marland, Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise
& Investment Council (CWEIC) said, "The trading environment is very
challenging. The CommonwealthFirst programme provides a wonderful platform
combining support and mentoring with high profiled trade missions, but it is only
through an on-going focus on improving the quality of products and services
along with excellent customer service, sensitive to diverse cultural needs."
Applications [1] to become
an Export Champion for the CommonwealthFirst programme are ongoing. All
submissions will be considered for our fourth and final cohort to be announced
in winter 2017. Apply now! [2]
CommonwealthFirst is the brainchild of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) with Royal Mail as lead sponsor and i-genius as implementation partner. Its mission is to encourage and support small and medium enterprises to trade and invest across the Commonwealth. Its SME trade missions have been to India, Malaysia and Singapore with the next one to Canada scheduled for October.