DIT announces top negotiating team for 2022

The International Trade Secretary has confirmed the latest line-up of Chief Trade Negotiators who will be going into bat for Global Britain to strike ambitious new trade deals across the world.

The Chief Trade Negotiators will be bastions for free and fair trade, travelling around the world and leading negotiating teams to broker new deals that will support higher-paying jobs in high-value sectors; curb the cost of living by lowering prices; open dynamic new markets for exporters; and level up the regions of our country by boosting enterprise across the UK.

Many of the refreshed line-up of Chief Trade Negotiators have already worked on securing the UK’s trade deals with 70 countries plus the EU – worth £766bn last year - and together they have decades of experience and country expertise.

2022 is already building on this success and is set to be a 5-star year for UK trade. The UK launched talks with India in January and has outlined its ambition to kickstart negotiations with Mexico, Canada, and the Gulf Cooperation Council, while also being on track to secure accession to CPTPP by the end of the year.

With the UK-Australia free trade agreement now signed, Vivien Life will continue in her role as Chief Negotiator as the Department continues to engage with Parliament on bringing the agreement into force.

International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

As a truly Global Britain, we will seize the golden opportunities created by seismic shifts in the world economy and play to our country’s strengths to bring jobs and prosperity to every part of the UK. We look forward to seeing the ambitious deals we agreed with Australia and New Zealand come into force.

2022 is already shaping up to be a 5-star year for UK trade, with negotiations launched with India last month and plans for new talks with Mexico, Canada and the Gulf, while also securing CPTPP accession.

Our Chief Trade Negotiators will be going to every corner of the globe to promote and secure free and fair trade, ensuring the UK is once again a trailblazing, deal-making nation.

Further information

Please see the table below for a list of the Chief Trade Negotiator line-up for 2022.

Country

Chief Negotiator

New Zealand

Matt Davies

CPTPP

Graham Zebedee

Mexico

Charlotte Heyes

Canada

Charlotte Heyes

India

Harjinder Kang

Singapore

Graham Floater

US

Graham Floater

GCC

Tom Wintle

Israel

James Clarke