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• International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP appoints banker Simon Penney as new HM Trade Commissioner for the Middle East
• he will oversee trade promotion and investment in the Middle East – raising the profile of the region in the UK and building stronger and deeper trading relationships
• the announcement comes as Dr Fox visits Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to promote £30 billion of investment opportunities and championing British businesses in the Gulf

Today (Monday 28th May) International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP appoints Simon Penney as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for the Middle East.

The announcement comes as Dr Fox visits Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), meeting government and industry representatives to boost trade and promote more than 68 UK projects worth £30 billion to investors.

Simon joins the Department for International Trade (DIT) following a career spent working in the Middle East and Africa, most recently as Head of Wholesale and International Banking at First Gulf Bank. Prior to that he was Middle East & Africa Chief Executive Officer at RBS.

International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said:

The addition of Simon to the team is a statement of intent for our Middle East trade ambitions, and another example of the department attracting the very best people from across both private and public life. The knowledge, contacts and business nous he brings will be a boost to all firms looking to do business in the region.

As the UK develops its first independent trade policy in more than 40 years, the opportunity for British firms to trade with markets like the Middle East has never been greater.

DIT Permanent Secretary Antonia Romeo said:

I am delighted to welcome Simon to the Department’s top team in what is another significant appointment transforming our trade and investment business overseas.

Simon has deep links with industry in the region and a proven track record in leadership, and is well-placed to lead a strong and informed service to UK businesses in-market, as well as to Middle Eastern investors looking to invest in the UK.

On joining the Department, the new HM Trade Commissioner for the Middle East, Simon Penney, said:

Having spent a significant part of my career working in the Middle East, I understand the great opportunities the markets present to British business. There is vast appetite for British goods and services in the region and huge numbers of Middle Eastern investors looking to invest in the UK.

The UK’s trade relationship with the region is already strong, but its true potential has not yet been tapped. I look forward to getting back on the ground and making the case for UK PLC.

The appointment makes Simon the sixth HM Trade Commissioner to be announced by the Department and follows the appointment of Trade Commissioners for North America, China, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network, Latin America and South Asia.

Simon will start in the role this summer.

About HMTCs

All of the new Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners (HMTCs) will cooperate closely with HM Ambassadors and High Commissioners, the wider diplomatic network, and other HM Government colleagues based in countries in their region, in a joined-up and coordinated Government effort overseas to promote UK trade and prosperity.

In total, there will be 9 geographical areas that the HM Trade Commissioners will cover:

• Africa
• Asia-Pacific
• China
• Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network
• Europe
• Latin America
• Middle East
• North America
• South Asia

Simon Penney

Simon Penney will be named as the new HM Trade Commissioner for the Middle East. Simon has spent much of his career working overseas, particularly in the Middle East and will bring with him a wealth of knowledge of operating within the region.

He was mostly recently Head of Wholesale and International Banking at the First Gulf Bank and was the Chief Executive Office, Middle East & Africa for the Royal Bank of Scotland prior to that. Simon will be joining the team at the beginning of July.

The appointment is conditional pending satisfactory security checks being completed.

For further information

Contact the DIT Media and Digital Team on 020 7215 2000

Follow us: @tradegovuk, gov.uk/dit

Proposals to consult industry on new quarantine arrangements for high-risk plants are among the measures set out today (Friday 25 May) in the Government’s plan to protect the UK’s precious trees.

Currently quarantine is used by some horticulture businesses as part of strong biosecurity measures against high-risk species. We want to explore how this targeted approach can be broadened out so we have better protection against harmful pests and diseases right across the industry.

Once we leave the EU we will have the chance to tighten biosecurity measures further and take swifter, more targeted action against serious threats like Xylella.

The Tree Health Resilience Strategy, the first major publication to come out of the 25-Year Environment Plan, sets out a new proactive approach to tree health, with landowners, charities, the public and government working together to take actions to build resilience against pests and diseases to protect the nation’s trees – worth an estimated £175billion.

As part of this approach, a new senior cross-industry Plant Health Alliance to strengthen biosecurity practices across industry has been established. The Alliance brings together the country’s leading nurseries, retailers, tree suppliers, landscapers, foresters, the RHS and Defra to ensure an effective response to threats such as Xylella and Emerald Ash Borer.

Launching the strategy, Secretary of State Michael Gove said:

The UK has a global reputation for setting the high standards for biosecurity of plants and trees but there is no room for complacency. We must seize every opportunity offered by Brexit to strengthen our biosecurity.

In 10 years’ time I want to be able to say our oaks are thriving, that pests are being kept at bay and that our woodlands and forests are flourishing.

Trees benefit our economy, society and wellbeing significantly and this strategy sets out how we will preserve them for generations to come.

The Strategy also includes:

• Launching the ‘Don’t Risk It’ campaign this summer to raise awareness of the risks of bringing back plant materials from holiday destinations
• Consulting with industry on contingency plans for key threats to our trees and plants to ensure a swift and effective response should new pests and diseases enter the UK
• Strengthening protection against Xylella – maintaining continuous scrutiny of the risk situation and taking measures to maintain the strongest possible controls
• Building knowledge and awareness of threats to trees to ensure accurate and up to date information
• Working in partnership with the sector to drive up biosecurity standards through assurance and safe sourcing
• Exploring strengthening of public procurement strategies to specify safe sourcing, and
• Reviewing passenger baggage allowance for regulated plant material to assess whether it should be discontinued.

Christine Reid, Head of Conservation for the Woodland Trust, said:

The Woodland Trust welcomes this strategy. It is an important step in coordinating the UK’s efforts to combat tree pests and diseases; we rely on our beloved trees, yet they are facing too many threats.

We need an effective biosecurity strategy, we need to plant more UK-sourced trees, and we need to develop the forestry sector. With the necessary knowledge, skills and capacity, we can ensure a healthy, resilient tree population.

This strategy outlines the key steps required, and has brought together the sector charged with making this happen.

Sir Harry Studholme, Chair of the Forestry Commission said:

Publishing this strategy is a critical milestone in our ongoing work to safeguard England’s trees.

It provides clear direction on how we can work collaboratively across sectors, to combat tree pests and diseases, to protect our beloved forests and woodlands for not only our current generation but for the future.