The techUK International Technology Policy & Trade Group is the primary forum for members interested in international issues affecting the technology sector, spanning both policy and commercial priorities across global markets.
The group brings together members to shape the UK’s approach to international technology policy, digital trade, and regulatory cooperation, while supporting market access, export growth, and international partnerships for UK tech companies. Its scope covers techUK’s core international markets, including the EU, North America, Asia-Pacific, and the Gulf, as well as engagement with key international institutions.
The group supports members in developing positions on UK and international trade and technology policy, including bilateral and plurilateral trade negotiations, international technology agreements, and regulatory frameworks. It also provides a forum to address the wider geopolitical, strategic, and economic context shaping global tech markets, including issues such as economic security, digital sovereignty, geopolitical tensions, and supply chain resilience.
In practical terms, the group acts as the main point of contact within techUK for members interested in international market access and expansion; trade policy and international technology regulation; regulatory cooperation and standards alignment; trade delegations and international engagement; and the implications of geopolitics and economic security for international technology partnerships.
The group supports techUK’s engagement and leadership in global fora including the WTO, OECD, UNCTAD, G7, and G20, and provides strategic coherence across techUK’s international policy and trade activity.
Under this umbrella, members can also participate in a number of more focused and specialised groups aligned to specific interests, including the EU Policy Working Group; the Product Safety and Technical Standards Group; the Trade, Customs and Compliance Group; and a range of bilateral and regional fora, including India, Japan, and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
For more information, please contact:
Sabina Ciofu
International Policy and Strategy Lead, techUK
Sabina Ciofu is International Policy and Strategy Lead at techUK, where she heads the International Policy and Trade Programme. Based in Brussels, she shapes global tech policy, digital trade, and regulatory cooperation across the EU, US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and the Gulf region. She drives strategy, advocacy, and market opportunities for UK tech companies worldwide, ensuring their voice is heard in international policy debates.
With nearly a decade of previous experience as a Policy Advisor in the European Parliament, Sabina brings deep expertise in tech regulation, trade policy, and EU–US relations. Her work focuses on navigating and influencing the global digital economy to deliver real impact for members.
A passionate community-builder, Sabina co-founded Young Professionals in Digital Policy (800+ members) and now runs Old Professionals in Digital Policy (more experience, better wine, earlier nights). She is also the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club, a network of 500+ women supporting each other with kindness.
She holds advisory roles with the UCL European Institute, Café Transatlantique (a network of women in transatlantic tech policy), and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club for women.
Recognised by ComputerWeekly as one of the most influential women in UK tech, Sabina is also a sought-after public speaker on tech, trade and diversity.
Sabina holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.
Senior Director, Government and Corporate Affairs, UK and Europe, Cisco
Matt joined Cisco as Director for Government Affairs for the UK and Ireland in October 2015, a role which sees him developing and delivering Cisco’s government engagement strategy across the two countries. Matt has recently built on this role to also lead Cisco’s Corporate Affairs work in the UK. Matt chairs techUK’s EU and trade group and represents the tech sector in the Trade and Investment All Party Parliamentary Group.
Previously, Matt worked for the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office in postings in Paris and in the UK’s Permanent Representation to the EU in Brussels. Matt has also worked as an advisor to the UK’s EU Commissioner, in the Prime Minister’s EU advisory team and in various policy roles in the Home Office.
Matt holds a BSc in Sociology and an MSc in European Politics and Policy, both from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a diploma in Economics from the Open University.
Frank Faraday is Senior Advisor Trade Policy for the British Standards Institution (BSI), the UK’s national standards body, a role he has occupied since 2018. Frank works to ensure that UK trade policy reflects the broad interests of the UK’s diverse technology sector where there is a link to standards. Frank represents BSI on numerous UK government trade policy advisory groups focusing on addressing regulatory barriers to trade. Among Frank’s areas of responsibility are the UK’s ongoing trade relationship with the EU, the UK government’s negotiation of new trade agreements and the UK’s position in the WTO in both goods and services.
Before joining BSI, Frank was based in Brussels for many years, heading the sustainability and innovation division of Europe’s largest construction sector trade association before returning to the UK where he worked in various positions in international development and inward investment before managing the global standard for sustainable hydropower.
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Senior Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK
Theophile Maiziere
Policy Manager - EU, techUK
Tess Newton
Team Assistant, Policy and Public Affairs, techUK
Sabina Ciofu
International Policy and Strategy Lead, techUK
Sabina Ciofu is International Policy and Strategy Lead at techUK, where she heads the International Policy and Trade Programme. Based in Brussels, she shapes global tech policy, digital trade, and regulatory cooperation across the EU, US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and the Gulf region. She drives strategy, advocacy, and market opportunities for UK tech companies worldwide, ensuring their voice is heard in international policy debates.
With nearly a decade of previous experience as a Policy Advisor in the European Parliament, Sabina brings deep expertise in tech regulation, trade policy, and EU–US relations. Her work focuses on navigating and influencing the global digital economy to deliver real impact for members.
A passionate community-builder, Sabina co-founded Young Professionals in Digital Policy (800+ members) and now runs Old Professionals in Digital Policy (more experience, better wine, earlier nights). She is also the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club, a network of 500+ women supporting each other with kindness.
She holds advisory roles with the UCL European Institute, Café Transatlantique (a network of women in transatlantic tech policy), and The Nine, Brussels’ first members-only club for women.
Recognised by ComputerWeekly as one of the most influential women in UK tech, Sabina is also a sought-after public speaker on tech, trade and diversity.
Sabina holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge.
Senior Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade, techUK
Dan joined techUK as a Policy Manager for International Policy and Trade in March 2023.
Before techUK, Dan worked for data and consulting company GlobalData as an analyst of tech and geopolitics. He has also worked in public affairs, political polling, and has written freelance for the New Statesman and Investment Monitor.
Dan has a degree in MSc International Public Policy from University College London, and a BA Geography degree from the University of Sussex.
Outside of work, Dan is a big fan of football, cooking, going to see live music, and reading about international affairs.
Theo joined techUK in 2024 as EU Policy Manager. Based in Brussels, he works on our EU policy and engagement.
Theo is an experienced policy adviser who has helped connect EU and non-EU decision makers.
Prior to techUK, Theo worked at the EU delegation to Australia, the Israeli trade mission to the EU, and the City of London Corporation’s Brussels office. In his role, Theo ensures that techUK members are well-informed about EU policy, its origins, and its implications, while also facilitating valuable input to Brussels-based decision-makers.
Theo holds and LLM in International and European law, and an MA in European Studies, both from the University of Amsterdam.
Tess joined techUK as an Policy and Public Affairs Team Assistant in November of 2024. In this role, she supports areas such as administration, member communications and media content.
Before joining the Team, she gained experience working as an Intern in both campaign support for MPs and Councilors during the 2024 Local and General Election, and working for the Casimir Pulaski Foundation on defence and international secuirty. She has worked for multiple charities, on issues such as the climate crisis, educational inequality and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). In 2023, Tess obtained her Bachelors of Arts in Politics and International Relations from the University of Nottingham.
