International Traders welcome leading voice on exporting

The Suffolk International Trade Group (SITG) continued to raise its profile as the authoritative voice on exporting when over fifty exporters from the county attended a key event at the Novotel, Ipswich.

Exporting is a key pillar of the Suffolk economy and Patrick Crawford, the Chief Executive of UK Export Finance, who answers into Government Minister Lord Green met with businesses in the County.

From 2002 to 2004 Patrick was Managing Director of Emerging Africa Advisers, a division of Standard Bank London, acting as the Principal Adviser to the Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund. This fund was established by the UK’s Department for International Development and three European Governments in 2002 in association with three official development finance institutions and Barclays Bank and Standard Bank of South Africa to provide long-term debt finance to private sector infrastructure in sub-Saharan Africa.

“We were delighted that Patrick, who has a wealth of experience of knowledge, came to Suffolk,” said the Chief Executive of Suffolk Chamber, John Dugmore. “We are rightly proud of the role exporters play in the county’s economy and it is events and speakers such as Patrick that give business a real insight into national and international thinking.”

Following his speech to the SITG, Patrick went onto a private Suffolk Chamber business leaders' dinner with a dozen key exporters in the county. These included BSP, a pile driving hammer manufacturer that is 1 of only 7 in the world and who exports 97% of their goods, Aspall, a traditional key family-run Suffolk business, which is growing its sales in overseas markets.