The event brought together a group of UK-based experts, policymakers, business- and thought-leaders with an interest in the bilateral relationship, the wider Baltic region, and European security more broadly. The roundtable was run under the ‘Chatham House’ rule and stimulated an engaging conversation around Estonia’s own perspectives on some of the geopolitical challenges facing the world.

This event was part of BFPG’s ‘Diplomatic Hour’ event series, which will see Ambassadors from across the UK’s most important global partners come together with stakeholders from across the foreign policy sphere in a series of public events and private roundtables.

The post Diplomatic Hour: In Conversation with the Estonian Ambassador appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

The BFPG’s Director Evie Aspinall was joined by Ryan Henson, CEO at the Coalition for Prosperity, and Olivia O’Sullivan, Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House, to dissect the Government’s refreshed ambitions and priorities for international development, and how these align with the UK’s wider diplomatic ambitions and the priorities of the new Foreign Secretary, David Cameron. Discussion touched on the feasibility of the White Paper’s ambitions, the importance in shifting public opinion when it comes to aid and development, how Labour is likely to view to paper, and much more.

SPEAKERS

Ryan Henson

Ryan is Chief Executive Officer at the Coalition for Global Prosperity, working to ensure the UK remains at the forefront of saving lives, alleviating poverty, and bringing freedom, security and prosperity to those who need it most. Ryan has a background in international development, social mobility, and political campaigns. Prior to joining the Coalition, he worked for the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, and on human rights policy at the Ministry of Justice. In 2022 Ryan was appointed by the Government to serve as a Social Mobility Commissioner. Ryan serves as a Reservist in the Royal Air Force, has guest lectured at the University of Hertfordshire, and is a founding trustee of a social mobility charity. Ryan holds a first-class BA in History, and an MA in Modern and Contemporary British History, awarded via full academic scholarship, both from Queen Mary, University of London. An Aspen UK Rising Leaders Fellow, Ryan was the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Bedford at the 2019 General Election.

Olivia O’Sullivan

Olivia O’Sullivan is Director of the UK in the World Programme at Chatham House. Before joining Chatham House, Olivia worked for over a decade in international development and foreign policy in the UK government, across roles in the Department for International Development, Cabinet Office and cross-government teams. She was foreign policy lead and deputy head of the Open Innovation Team, a government research unit that translates academic evidence into policy. Her experience includes managing external expert engagement for the 2021 Integrated Review, working on the UK’s funding and policy response to the Rohingya refugee crisis, and overseeing a range of international development and humanitarian funding programmes. 

Evie Aspinall

Evie Aspinall is the Director of the British Foreign Policy Group. Her primary research interests are domestic consent for foreign policy, the UK’s role in the world and challenges posed by the UK’s strategic rivals. Evie holds a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MSc from King’s College London. She has previously worked at UN Women UK and the Future Leaders Network and was formerly the UK Head Delegate to the Youth7, the G7’s official youth engagement group. She also served as President of Cambridge University Students’ Union. She is a regular commentator in the media on issues pertinent to UK foreign policy.

The post Making Sense of the International Development White Paper appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

The report finds that sanctions against Russia have led to a significant degree of trade diversion, are catalysing the separation of the economic, technological and financial world into ‘Eastern’ and ‘Western’ spheres of influence, and are inhibiting the UK’s broader security and prosperity objectives by impacting the ‘patient diplomacy’ of engagement with ‘middle-ground’ powers. The panel convened leading experts to review the report’s findings and explore impact the UK’s sanctions regime has on its wider foreign policy objectives.

SPEAKERS

Lord Kim Darroch KCMG

Lord Darroch is a retired UK civil servant and life peer in the House of Lords. His diplomatic career spanned over 40 years, primarily focusing on national security issues and European policy. Most recently, Lord Darroch served as the British Ambassador to the United States (2016-2019). Prior to Washington, he was National Security Adviser to Prime Minister David Cameron (2012-2015), and in that role, oversaw issues such as the rise of Daesh in Iraq and Syria, Russian aggression in Ukraine, and the collapse of government authority in Libya. In addition, he worked in senior roles on UK-EU policy and multilateral negotiations, including spells as Permanent Representative to the European Union (2007-2011) and as EU Adviser to Prime Minister Tony Blair (2004-2007). Earlier in his career, Lord Darroch worked in a wide range of positions and policy specialties, including Private Secretary to the Minister of State for the Middle East, Head of the Adriatic Department during the Dayton Accord negotiations, and as Head of the News Department at the FCDO. In addition to his two ambassadorial postings, Lord Darroch completed tours in Brussels, Rome, and Tokyo. In 1997, he was appointed a Companion of Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG), and as a Knight Commander (KCMG) in 2008. In 2019, he was made a life peer in the House of Lords.

Dr Rebecca Harding

Rebeccais a Senior Research Fellow of the British Foreign Policy Group and an independent trade economist, public speaker and sustainable trade and supply chain specialist. She has built three data-based technology businesses in the trade and sustainability space and held senior positions as Head of Corporate Research at Deloitte, Senior Fellow at London Business School, and Chief Economist roles at the Work Foundation, and UK Finance. She acted as Specialist Adviser to the Treasury Select Committee and advised the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Entrepreneurship. She has acted as a trade finance and supply chains expert witness, is a member of the World Trade Board, the ITFA’s ESG Committee and the ICC’s sustainable trade finance technology sub-committee. Between 2004 and 2018 she was a Director and Trustee of the German-British Forum. Her co-authored books, “The Weaponization of Trade: the Great Unbalancing of Policy and Economics” and “Gaming Trade: Win-Win Strategies for the Digital Era” have defined the trade-based nature of strategic competition in the digital era. She provided the business case for the adoption into UK law the framework to enable digital trade; her work on the “regulatory paradox” of current sustainability reporting requirements has catalysed the establishment of the ITFA’s cross-industry Audit Council to set sustainability reporting and audit standards. She has authored 8 other books on the German economy, global innovation policy, and SME financing and Venture Capital. Her high media profile includes frequent appearances on BBC Television and Radio, Sky News, CNBC, and Times Radio, as well as citations in the broadsheet media.

David Landsman

David is a Senior Adviser at the British Foreign Policy Group. David is also Chief Executive of British Expertise International, and Senior Advisor at The D Group, two of BFPG’s sister organisations. He is a former British diplomat and senior executive whose main area of interest now is the interface between business, government and geopolitics. His diplomatic career included serving as British Ambassador to Albania and Greece and working on defence and proliferation. He has had executive roles at De La Rue plc and the Tata Group’s holding company in Europe. His other current positions include Chair of Digital Cognate, a deep tech company, and of the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce; Partner at Circklo, which supports early-stage tech businesses; and member of the International Advisory Board of the London Institute of Banking and Finance.  He has a PhD in Linguistics from the University of Cambridge and is a Chartered Director.

Evie Aspinall

Evie Aspinall is the Director of the British Foreign Policy Group. Her primary research interests are domestic consent for foreign policy, the UK’s role in the world and challenges posed by the UK’s strategic rivals. Evie holds a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MSc from King’s College London. She has previously worked at UN Women UK and the Future Leaders Network and was formerly the UK Head Delegate to the Youth7, the G7’s official youth engagement group. She also served as President of Cambridge University Students’ Union. She is a regular commentator in the media on issues pertinent to UK foreign policy.

The post Sanctions and Patient Diplomacy: Having It All or Just A Diversion? appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

SPEAKERS

His Excellency Mr José Pascual Marco Martínez

His Excellency Mr José Pascual Marco Martínez became a member of the Spanish Foreign Service in 1983. During his diplomatic career, he has been posted to Pakistan, Nicaragua, Australia, Turkey and South Africa. He was Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of Congo from 2003 to 2006 and Deputy Head of Mission of the Embassy of Spain to the USA 2006-2010. He was Ambassador-Deputy Permanent Representative of Spain to the EU from 2010 to 2015. Mr Marco was named in 2015 Director General for Cultural Policy and Cultural Industries and the Book Sector in the Spanish Ministry for Education, Culture and Sport. From 2017 to 2021 he was Director General for Coordination of EU Common Policies and General Affairs at the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation. He was appointed Ambassador of Spain to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in August 2021. He holds degrees in both law and philosophy, and a diploma in international studies from the Spanish Diplomatic Academy.

Evie Aspinall

Evie Aspinall is the Director of the British Foreign Policy Group. She is a social and political researcher specialising in UK foreign policy, with a particular focus on domestic consent for foreign policy. She was formerly Head UK Youth Delegate to the G7 and President of Cambridge University Students’ Union. Evie holds a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MSc from King’s College London. Her primary research interests are climate change, the transatlantic relationship and the Indo-Pacific.

The post In Conversation with the Ambassador of Spain appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

In this official launch event, the BFPG’s Director Evie Aspinall was joined by Lord Peter Ricketts, Baroness Gisela Stuart of Edgbaston, and Jim Hughes to dissect the findings of the report, and to examine the international and domestic context influencing British citizens’ perceptions of our foreign policy, and the ways in which this might evolve in the coming years. As we move into an era of more complex global threats, ensuring that foreign policy is based on the consent of the British people will provide a more robust foundation on which the UK can act with confidence and legitimacy on the world stage.

SPEAKERS

Lord Peter Ricketts, GCMG, GCVO

Lord Peter Ricketts spent 40 years as a member of the Diplomatic Service, finishing his postings as Ambassador to France (2012-16). Before that he was the UK’s first National Security Adviser (2010-12), and in that role was the coordinator of the 2010 National Security Strategy and Strategic Defence and Security Review. He was Permanent Under Secretary at the FCO and Head of the Diplomatic Service from 2006 – 2010. Lord Ricketts spent much of his career working on politico-military issues and crisis management, including spells as the FCO Political Director and Permanent Representative to NATO. Lord Ricketts is a Visiting Professor at King’s College London, holds Honorary Degrees from the Universities of London, Kent and Bath, and is an Honorary Fellow of Pembroke College Oxford.

Baroness Gisela Stuart of Edgbaston

Baroness Gisela Stuart is a Crossbench member of the House of Lords. Baroness Stuart was the Labour MP for Birmingham Edgbaston from 1997 to 2017, was a Health Minister in the first Tony Blair government, and served on the Foreign Affairs and Defence Committees. In 2015, Baroness Stuart was appointed by the Prime Minister to join the Intelligence and Security Committee and was made a Privy Councillor, and in the 2016 EU referendum, Baroness Stuart chaired the official ‘Vote Leave’ campaign. In 2022 Gisela became the First Civil Service Commissioner. Baroness Stuart is an Honorary Captain in the Royal Naval Reserve, is a Board member of the Royal Navy Strategic Studies Centre, and sits on the advisory board of the Global Strategy Forum, a forum focussing on foreign affairs, defence and international security issues.

Jim Hughes

Jim is Integrity’s Chief Operating Officer and a Board Director. Jim holds 25 years’ experience in project management, risk management, strategy development, and operational planning, both within and outside of conflict-affected environments. Jim has extensive operational experience of working with international and national partners. He has worked at the centre of UK Government in the Ministry of Defence, and in partnership with the Cabinet Office, the FCDO, the Home Office, and the Department for Transport.

Evie Aspinall

Evie Aspinall is the Director of the British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG). She is a social and political researcher specialising in UK foreign policy, with a particular focus on domestic consent for foreign policy. She was formerly Head UK Youth Delegate to the G7 and President of Cambridge University Students’ Union. Evie holds a BA from the University of Cambridge and an MSc from King’s College London. Her primary research interests are climate change, the transatlantic relationship and the Indo-Pacific.

The post Surveying the Nation: Public Opinion on Foreign Policy – 2023 Annual Survey Launch appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

Notes for Editors

The BFPG is an independent, non-aligned, not-for-profit think tank supported by Strategy Group, which also runs two of the leading business networks in the UK, The D Group and British Expertise International.

The post BFPG Appoints New Director appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

We were delighted to bring together a group of UK-based experts, policymakers, business- and thought-leaders with an interest in the bilateral relationship, for an enlightening session on the current and future state of relations, which reflected on the refreshed ambitions for the relationship revealed in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023.

The post In Conversation with the High Commissioner of India appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

Hetti’s experience covers a variety of different industries, and in the last 10 years of her private sector career she brought her expertise and collaborative leadership skills into the telecommunications industry, being responsible for delivering the commercial model for Openreach on its establishment, and the transformation of the Vodafone UK Enterprise business, which works with many of the large UK businesses including the public sector. She also held financial, commercial and transformational change roles across large blue-chip organisations.

Hetti joined Ploughshare as CEO in 2020, and under her leadership, Ploughshare’s impact and presence across the public sector has been elevated as the focus on innovation has increased. Ploughshare was relaunched in September last year and is now focused on maximising the impact for society as a whole from government-owned intellectual property.

Strategy International’s five interlinked organisations, which share a common purpose to make an emphatic contribution to the prosperity of the UK, are collaborating to bring this event together, and open up discussion around innovation and technology within the gender equality space. Each network is welcoming leading figures for an evening of networking and valuable conversation.

REGISTER HERE

Event Details:

• Date: 21st March, 2023
• Time: 17.30 – 20.00
• Location: In-person, at 23 Grafton Street, London W1S 4EY
• For further information: Please contact eliza.keogh@bfpg.co.uk

The post International Women’s Day Event with Hetti Barkworth-Nanton: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

Our submission covered the need for a clear-sighted but calibrated approach to China. It outlined the need for a whole-of-Government and whole-of-UK engagement, that recognises and integrates a sophisticated appreciation of trade dynamics. The submission also outlined that broadening and deepening national capability in languages and regional understanding is essential, and touches on international development assistance as a strategic part of a national effort to counter Chinese influence in the developing world. The submission proposes further reflection on the second-order effects of sanctions and other drivers of decoupling, following observation of the recent sanctions imposed on Russia, with a view to ensuring that activist measures achieve the desired results. 

Read Our Written Evidence Here

The post Written evidence submitted by BFPG to the Foreign Affairs Committee appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.

In his role as Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, His Excellency the Honourable George Brandis QC has played an instrumental role in several landmark new initiatives, including the securing of a UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement, and the formation of the AUKUS security partnership. His term has spanned the aftermath of the UK’s seismic decision to leave the European Union, the coronavirus pandemic, the UK Government’s ‘reset’ on its engagement with China, and Russia’s shocking invasion of Ukraine – a dynamic landscape which has compelled many opportunities to modernise and deepen the enduring UK-Australia relationship.

As his term comes to a close, High Commissioner Brandis joined the British Foreign Policy Group’s Director Sophia Gaston in conversation about the importance of alliances in a time of geopolitical turbulence, and how advanced democracies such as Australia and the United Kingdom should respond to the threats facing the liberal world order.

The post HE Hon. George Brandis QC, Australian High Commissioner to the UK, on ‘The Value of Alliances and the Future of the Liberal World Order’ appeared first on British Foreign Policy Group.