Global Shifts, Local Decisions: Reflections from the Suffolk Chamber International Trade Group (SCITG) meeting in April 2026

SCITG meeting (April 2026) was hosted by Ransomes Jacobsen and chaired by Stuart Gregory, Managing Director at Wallis Shipping. The session focused on how global geopolitical developments are reshaping the way businesses trade internationally.

Our guest speaker, Richard Oppenheim, Director of the Diplomatic Advisory Hub at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), delivered a timely and thought‑provoking overview of today’s geopolitical landscape. His presentation explored the real‑world implications for internationally trading businesses, including the impact on supply chains, market access, regulatory and compliance pressures, sanctions, and the need for long‑term resilience planning.

The session prompted an open and highly engaged Q&A, underlining just how interconnected global political shifts and local commercial decisions have become for Suffolk businesses.

Key takeaways from the session included:

• The increasing fragility and repositioning of global trade routes
• Growing regulatory and compliance complexity for UK exporters and importers
• The importance of resilience, diversification, and forward planning
• The critical role businesses play in shaping trade policy by sharing insight and real‑world challenges

The policy discussion was particularly valuable, giving Suffolk businesses the opportunity to directly share pressures, barriers, and emerging risks helping to inform how Suffolk Chamber represents local interests at regional, national, and international levels.

The meeting concluded with an exclusive behind‑the‑ scenes tour of Ransomes Jacobsen’s factory operations, showcasing one of Suffolk’s globally recognised manufacturers and the innovation taking place right here in the county.

Thank you to Helen Griggs, Barry McTavish, and the team at Ransomes Jacobsen, our chair Stuart Gregory, our speaker Richard Oppenheim, and everyone who attended and contributed to such an engaging and thought‑provoking session.

We look forward to continuing these important conversations and supporting Suffolk’s international trade community as global challenges and opportunities continue to evolve.