Meeting Agenda

Welcome 

Julian David, CEO, techUK

8.30 - 8.35

Opening remarks

Natalie Black, Her Majesty's Trade Commissioner for Asia Pacific, Department for International Trade

8.35-8.40

 Keynote

Richard Graham MP and Trade Envoy to the ASEAN Economic Community, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia

8.40– 8.45

Panel I: UK-Asia Pacific: Ambitions and opportunities in digital trade policy. What is in it for businesses?

The APAC region plays a key role in UK’s international agenda and digital trade policy. The region is home to Singapore, Australia and New Zealand - countries breaking the newest ground in digital trade with the Digital Economy Agreement and Digital Economy Partnership Agreement - and to some of the fastest growing digital markets and tech ecosystems in the world. The recently finalised UK-Australia FTA, the ongoing UK-NZ negotiations and the launch of UK-Singapore DEA negotiations further highlights UK’s ambitions to join this club of digital trade policy frontrunners. With policy restrictions being the fastest-growing trade barriers, sensible digital trade policy creates the spaces for governments and regulatory authorities to develop rules and standards in cooperation with each other and create easier access for exporters to overseas markets.

The panel will discuss the opportunities of developing world-leading standards for digital trade between the UK and countries across Asia Pacific and explore what new paths the agreements the UK is seeking to forge will bring to tech businesses.

  • Gaynor Jeffery OBE, Deputy Director, Digital Trade and Telecoms/Trade Negotiations Group, Department for International Trade
  • Stephanie Honey, Deputy Executive Director, APEC Business Advisory Council and Director, Honey Consulting Lt
  • Jeremy Lilley, UK Government Affairs Manager, RELX Group
  • Sabina Ciofu, Head of EU and Trade Policy, techUK (Chair)

8.45 - 9.20

Panel II: Expanding your tech business into Asia Pacific

With the Asia Pacific region on track to account for 20-30% of global revenue for technology companies in the next two decades and ASEAN’s potential to enter the top five digital economies in the world by 2025, it is important for UK tech business to start building commercial networks in these fast-growing markets. Despite this, only few UK-based tech businesses have taken full advantage of what the region has to offer, with many tech businesses choosing to prioritise more familiar markets.

We will explore emerging export opportunities for UK tech businesses, potential challenges tech businesses face when scaling up and the ways to successfully grow tech business in the region.                                                                                                   

  • Tanya Williams, Head of Digital Trade Network (Australia and New Zealand), Department for International Trade
  • Dario Acconci, Managing Director of Southeast Asia, Hawksford
  • Andrew Lambert, CEO, Electronic Media Services
  • Jana Psarska, Policy Manager for International Trade, techUK (Chair)

9.20 - 9.55

Panel III: UK-Asia Pacific collaboration on tech and innovation

The UK and Asia Pacific share a passion for innovation, vibrant tech ecosystems and fast-developing start-up scenes. At the same time, both regions face many common challenges of the future, such as the constructive use of emerging tech, meeting net zero targets and managing the welfare of an ageing society.

The panel will explore which emerging technologies offer new opportunities for collaboration and how businesses and governments can work together to drive innovation to address some of these challenges.

  • SzeKi Sim, Executive Director - Community & Brand, SGInnovate
  • Oriel Petry, Director, Technology and Advanced Manufacturing, Department for International Trade
  • Steven Marcelino, COP26 Strategy Lead and ASEAN Client Engagement Lead at Accenture Strategy UK
  • Steven Marshall, Chief Product and Network Officer, Crown Agents Bank (Chair)

9.55-10.30

Close

10.30