Dear Members and Friends,
Thank you very much to everyone who attended the event we hosted on Tuesday along with the British Foreign Policy Group on “What Next for International Development”. We heard insights from Sue Griffiths of Social Development Direct, Bridget Brown of Montrose and Ryan Henson of the Coalition for Global Prosperity as a prelude to a very engaged debate on where to find ideas (and optimism) following the double blows to the US and then UK development budgets. The group covered a lot of ground which we’ll be summarising in a blog post very soon.
My main takeaways were that this time we really are in a new world in which defence spending is going up and development budgets are being cut with no significant political or public pushback. So we need more than ever to recognise that a lot of the work our members do around the world (and sometimes in the UK) as relevant to a wider range of Government priorities, from growth to defence and from clean energy to migration control as well as the priority sectors identified in the industrial strategy. Much of this work contributes significantly to the UK’s strength in professional services and should be valued as such, with all its potential benefits for the country. This points to the need to framing the opportunities for a wider range of audiences, understanding public opinion and its role in driving policymaking, building on the work we at BEI have been doing for several years. At the same time, while we have already been diversifying our engagement with more donors, there is scope to do more and to look more creatively at partnerships.
My final – and perhaps most important – takeaway from the session is that our members have a wealth of experience and expertise which can help inform decisions to ensure that the UK development programme continues to achieve impact while preserving crucial British capability for the longer term. We will be working to bring this expertise to bear in a spirit of collaboration with our stakeholders in FCDO and across Government. We are continuing to reach out to members for ideas and input, and look forward to hearing from you.
Yesterday, we welcomed members for an in person panel session on Empowering Women and Girls for a Climate-Resilient Future to mark International Women’s Day and this year’s theme: “Accelerate Action”. Particularly in developing countries, women are often on the front lines of climate change, experiencing its impacts firsthand. By providing education, resources and opportunities for leadership, there is an opportunity to amplify their unique perspectives and solutions to climate challenges. Our panel, featuring speakers from Save the Children UK, the University of Sussex and Cambridge Education Mott MacDonald, focused on the critical role that climate education can have in accelerating action for women and girls, with a particular focus on the life skills needed for adaptation, leadership and advocacy. In practical terms, the panel also explored how these benefits can be supported through collaboration between donors, international development organisations and academia.
On a closely-related theme, BEI member Fathom are keen to share an invitation for their next Women in Climate gathering on 27 March: Women in Climate: Building Influence. This will be an opportunity to celebrate achievements, share insights and drive change, bringing together a range of industries and academic experts to explore how women can build influence in the workplace and shape the future of climate and sustainability. Please register here.
Meanwhile, our next Climate Change Networking Evening takes place next Thursday 20 March from 16:00, when we look forward to exploring the Blue Economy with Nick Lambert, co-founder and director of NLA International which specialises in the blue economy and tech innovation in associated domains. Nick will explore how a blue economy approach can create socio-economic benefits and address climate change.
Looking further forward, we’ll be putting a focus on the always topical healthcare sector with an event on Tuesday 8 April at 16:00 looking at Developing Resilient Public Health Systems. Speakers will include Betty Freeman, Account Manager at Dulas; Jackie Lane, Deputy Director and Senior Health Systems Strengthening Advisor, Reaching the Last Mile at Sightsavers; Salim Nakueira, Director of Global Health Development, Government Services at International SOS; Shanti Mahendra, Global Practice Specialist at Options Consultancy Services; and Raheelah Ahmad, Director for Global Engagement at City St George’s, University of London.
Away from London, Luisa is leading a delegation to Kazakhstan from 17-20 March for a Higher Education Trade Mission. The delegation includes a number of our leading education members: Pearson, UCL Consultants, AdvanceHE, Arup, NOCN Group, Quality Assurance Agency (QAA), and IXL Learning/Rosetta Stone. This visit is a significant step in strengthening our growing education collaboration with Kazakhstan. Kazakhstan sees the UK as a key partner for higher education reform, reflecting shared commitment to innovation, excellence and global partnerships. With a young, internationally-minded and rapidly expanding population, the opportunities for quality education are growing and there is a regular drumbeat of new UK collaborations. We will be sharing updates on the mission throughout next week on LinkedIn.
At the same time, the Asia-Pacific region, Southeast Asia in particular, remains a big focus as it provides amazing potential for growth for the UK supply chain and many of our members are already actively working in the region. As part of our engagement programme, Sasha will be travelling to several markets in Southeast Asia in late March/early April. The confirmed programme includes Manila, Singapore, Jakarta and KL. Sasha plans to meet with our key HMG partners in the region, as well as visiting some of our members’ operations, ADB and other key regional funding and capacity building organisations. If you have specific suggestions for or interests in the programme, please get in touch direct with Sasha (ab@britishexpertise.org).
In a rapidly-changing world (don’t we know?), your feedback remains crucial to ensure that we are delivering for our members in the best way possible. I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes in the meantime for the weekend ahead,
David Landsman
Executive Chairman
British Expertise International
Recordings of recent past events:
- 6th February 2025: Disinformation: Countering Divisive Narratives
- 5th February 2025: Philippines - Market Opportunity Overview
- 20th February 2025: Unlocking Potential: Expanding Affordable Housing Solutions in Africa (Slides only, recording to come)
- 25th February 2025: Education Working Group: Driving Operational Effectiveness in International Schools
- 6th March 2025: Angola – Market Opportunity Overview
Key events coming up include the following:
- 20th March 2025 16:00 – 19:00 GMT: Climate Change Networking Evening - Join us for an evening of thought-provoking conversation, potential new partnerships and the chance to meet with members of our Climate Change Working Group. Our keynote speaker this time is Nick Lambert, co-founder and director of NLA International. Nick will discuss how implementing the Blue Economy can create socio-economic benefit and address climate change.
- 26th March 2025 16:00 – 19:00 GMT: Resilience in Action - Join us on 26th March for an in-person panel and networking event on the topic of Resilience in Action. The panel will discuss best-practice for growing the resilience of people, communities, and systems to achieve transformational change in contexts affected by climate change, conflicts, and other disasters.
- 27th March 2025 16:00 – 18:30 GMT: Education Working Group: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) - Join us for our March Education Working Group on Continuing Professional Development (CPD), with speakers from the British Council, City & Guilds Institute and the University of Sunderland. The in-person panel will explore different approaches to CPD frameworks and training educators in an international context.
- 8th April 2025 16:00 – 18:30 BST: Developing Resilient Public Health Systems - Join us on 8th April for an in-person panel discussion on Developing Resilient Public Health Systems with speakers from City St George’s, University of London, Dulas, International SOS, Options Consultancy Services and Sightsavers. Our panellists will provide valuable insights into how different strategies and initiatives can contribute to building resilient health systems capable of tackling acute and chronic public health threats.
- 9th April 2025 16:00 – 19:00 BST: Climate Change Networking Evening - Join us for an evening of thought-provoking conversation, potential new partnerships and the chance to meet with members of our Climate Change Working Group. Our keynote speaker this time is Virginie Fayolle, Head of Climate at Mott MacDonald International Development Services.
- 30th April 2025 10:00 – 11:30 BST: Mauritius – Market Opportunity Overview - Join our virtual Market Opportunity Overview on Mauritius, featuring speakers from DBT and senior Mauritian government officials and industry leaders. We will discuss the UK-Mauritius Strategic Trade Partnership (STP), and focus on key opportunities in Education & Skills Development, Healthcare & Digital Health, Green Economy & Sustainability, and the Blue Economy.
- 26th June 2025 10:00 – 11:30 BST: Achieving Systems Change for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Adaptation - This roundtable will explore the complexities of Disaster Risk Management, with a particular focus on Early Warning Systems and locally-led solutions to resilience, and discuss strategies for overcoming these challenges.
External Events:
- People in Need - “International Women's Day 2025: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.” Gender equality and social inclusion are priorities at People in Need and key objectives for every developmental project they do. Read about how PIN implements gender equality and social inclusion into their climate, health, education and livelihood projects.
- 9th - 11th April 2025: ESG Adria Summit 2025 in Tivat, Montenegro - The Summit will provide an action-oriented forum for leaders to explore solutions to challenges in climate, energy, finance, technological transformation, and workforce development. It will include high-level panels, fireside chats, interactive workshops, startup showcases, and closed-door ministerial meetings, ensuring meaningful engagement across sectors. BEI Members can get a 10% discount on tickets by using the following code when registering: DGroupESGAdria2025.
- 7th & 8th May 2025: Global Leakage Summit - The premier event for the international leakage community to listen, learn, and build relationships, tackling the toughest challenges together. Join presenters and panelists from leading UK and international water companies, and explore the latest technologies, data innovations, and software solutions from our exhibitors. In the face of climate change and record-high global investment in leakage management, this two-day conference promises a world-class knowledge-sharing program and invaluable networking opportunities.
- 2nd - 6th June 2025: Asia Clean Energy Forum 2025 at ADB Headquarters, Manila, Philippines. This is one of ADB’s signature events where clean energy practitioners from across the world convene to share insights and experience in the design and implementation of concrete actions that accelerate the financing of clean and efficient energy solutions. Registration will be open soon. For more details on how the 2024 ACEF transpired, you may refer to this link: Home ACEF 2024 - Asia Clean Energy Forum.
- 3rd - 5th September 2025, KazBuild 2025, Kazakhstan: Stand booking is now open for international exhibitors at KazBuild exhibition in Kazakhstan - the largest international building and interiors exhibition in Kazakhstan, annually welcoming over 7,000 specialist trade visitors to the show. KazBuild will be held 3-5 September 2025 in Almaty, the biggest city of Kazakhstan. Held since 1994, the exhibition showcases the latest products, services, technologies, and projects available on the market, and provides a key platform for governmental and building industry professionals to exchange experiences, establish cooperation and share the latest industry developments. Please contact Mrs. Tatyana Borodikhina by email: tatyana.borodikhina@exhibitions-conferences.com to learn more about how KazBuild can help to establish your business in Kazakhstan.
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