Press release

Diplomats sharing global business expertise with British firms

Foreign Secretary dispatches top diplomats to all parts of the UK to boost regional ties and deliver economic growth under the 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트™s Plan for Change.

British diplomats are visiting every corner of the UK this summer to build connections with British businesses and champion their interests overseas.

Ambassadors and High Commissioners are posted for long stints in other countries, and part of their brief is to get under the skin of the place where they are based. That includes getting to know the ins and outs of the business landscape, and spotting opportunities for British businesses.

As part of a first-of-its-kind 바카라 사이트˜domestic roadshow바카라 사이트™, the Foreign Secretary has called some of the country바카라 사이트™s top diplomats home to build relationships with mayors and regional businesses across all nations and regions of the UK so that they can represent them even better abroad.

Over 10 visits have taken place so far, with more planned throughout the summer and into the autumn. The goal of the roadshows is to strengthen ties between British regions and the UK바카라 사이트™s closest economic partners, to drive economic growth and deliver part of this 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트™s Plan for Change. 

Foreign Secretary David Lammy said:

Our Ambassadors and High Commissioners are the salesforce for the UK economy.

Through this roadshow, my top diplomats are meeting mayors and regional businesses to discuss trade and investment opportunities and strike new partnerships, ultimately so they can champion the UK바카라 사이트™s interests overseas and deliver growth.

In this 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트™s Plan for Change, the economic interests of British businesses sit at the heart of our foreign policy.

The roadshow follows the launch of the 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트™s landmark Modern Industrial Strategy, with each roadshow stop designed to target one of the eight growth sectors, including defence, clean energy, life sciences, digital tech, advanced manufacturing, and financial services.

The senior diplomats, who include ambassadors to Italy, Spain, and South Korea, have been told to harness the expertise of regional entrepreneurs to unlock growth opportunities overseas.

The UK바카라 사이트™s Ambassador to Italy, Ed Llewellyn was in South Yorkshire last Friday (4 July) where he visited steel manufacturer Marcegaglia, which announced a £50 million investment in Sheffield during Prime Minister Keir Starmer바카라 사이트™s visit to Italy last autumn. This investment will build a new clean steel electric arc furnace, supporting 50 new jobs directly and indirectly.

Ambassador Llewellyn also toured the Advanced Manufacturing Park in Rotherham 바카라 사이트“ visiting Italian steel manufacturer Danieli and the University of Sheffield바카라 사이트™s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), which is part of the UK바카라 사이트™s High Value Manufacturing Catapult network of research centres. 

Ambassador to Italy Ed Llewellyn said:

It바카라 사이트™s exciting to be in South Yorkshire as part of this first-of-its-kind roadshow 바카라 사이트“ going the extra mile to develop relationships that will help us supercharge growth to every corner of the UK.

Sheffield has had a close affinity with Italy since the 19th century, when many Italian workers arrived in West Bar and played a vital role in the city바카라 사이트™s economy.

We바카라 사이트™re hitting the road to speak directly to community leaders and businesses, so that not a single opportunity is missed to generate trade and investment wins overseas. 

The UK 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트™s Plan for Change is making Britain the best country to do business with, and I am looking forward to building on today바카라 사이트™s roadshow discussions to showcase South Yorkshire on the international stage.

South Yorkshire바카라 사이트™s Mayor, Oliver Coppard, said:

My job is growth 바카라 사이트“ building not just a bigger economy, but a better one. But that kind of transformation doesn바카라 사이트™t happen by accident. If we바카라 사이트™re serious about creating an economy where everyone can stay near and go far, then we need to take our message to the world.

That바카라 사이트™s why having Ambassador Llewellyn right here in South Yorkshire is so vital. South Yorkshire is already home to world-leading companies and cutting-edge research, and we바카라 사이트™re determined to grow our international footprint.

By working directly with the UK바카라 사이트™s diplomatic network, we can open new doors for local businesses, attract investment and build the partnerships that will power our economy for the future.

Meanwhile Ambassador to Spain Alex Ellis was in Greater Manchester to attend a Business Roundtable with the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and locally based businesses before meeting with the Leader of Manchester City Council, Councillor Bev Craig.

Ambassador Ellis visited the University of Manchester for a meeting with Professor Fiona Devine, Vice-President and Dean for the Faculty of Humanities.

On 30 June, Ambassador to Belgium Anne Sherriff visited South Wales for a meeting with the Welsh 바카라 사이트바카라 사이트™s Director for International Relations. She also visited CSA Catapult, a not-for-profit research and technology organisation based in Newport which supports start-ups, SMEs, large organisations, and academia to commercialise compound semiconductor technologies.

The first roadshow kicked off on Wednesday 25 June, as Ambassador to South Korea, Colin Crooks, headed to the North East of England. The ambassador visited firms linked to clean energy with a tour of the Tees Works freeport and met with the UK CEO of SeAH Wind, a South Korean company constructing a wind turbine manufacturing facility in Teesside.

The roadshow comes as the 바카라 사이트 marks one year in office. It is part of a wider effort by the FCDO, under the Foreign Secretary바카라 사이트™s leadership, to represent the interests of British businesses and consumers overseas and use its international networks to support in the delivery of the Plan for Change and a decade of national renewal.

In a speech to the British Chambers of Commerce in March, the Foreign Secretary laid out a 바카라 사이트˜new partnership바카라 사이트™ between the Foreign Office and businesses to drive economic growth in the UK and ensure this 바카라 사이트 is delivering for the British public.

Media enquiries

Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7008 3100

Email the FCDO Newsdesk (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

Updates to this page

Published 7 July 2025