The UK’s Department for International Trade has today welcomed Simon Penney in the new role of Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan (MEAP).
Appointed by the UK’s Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr. Liam Fox, the former banking chief executive becomes the most senior UK trade figure to be based in the MEAP region.
In this new role, Penney will drive the UK’s trade and investment ambitions across the region, overseeing trade promotion and investment, trade policy and export finance. HMTC will lead the Department for International Trade teams in twelve markets, working to connect companies and governments in the region with cutting-edge UK technology and innovation, helping them deliver against their countries’ transformation agendas.
Speaking of his role, new HMTC for MEAP, Simon Penney, said:
“The UK’s trading relationship with the region is already strong, but its true potential has not yet been tapped. We want to work in partnership with businesses and governments to identify opportunities for greater collaboration. This could be in traditional sectors of energy and infrastructure, but also in sectors which are key to transformation. Healthcare and life sciences, education, creative services and technology are sectors where UK innovation has much to contribute.”
Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the UAE, Patrick Moody, said:
“I am delighted that Simon has arrived as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner. It is testament to the important role that the UAE plays as a commercial hub that Simon will oversee the UK’s trade and investment agenda across the region, and he will be based here in UAE. We have ambitious plans to further strengthen the trade and investment ties between the UK and UAE; our Consul General in Dubai, Andrew Jackson, and I will work closely with Simon to achieve them.”
The UK’s trade with the MEAP region was £45bn in 2017/18, of which £29.5bn was related to the export of goods and services. The UAE is the UK’s biggest trading partner, with UK exporting £11bn of goods and services, recoding 12% growth YoY. In fact, the GCC is the UK’s 4th largest export market for goods outside of the EU after the US, China and Hong Kong.
Penney’s appointment follows the formation of a dedicated regional UK Export Finance team in the UAE earlier this year and signals the strategic importance of this region to the UK.
Simon Penney is one of nine regional HMTCs appointed by the UK government across the globe.
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