International Trade Conference 2026 | Time to Trade: Taking UK Tech to the World in 2026

Amanda Brooks

Director General for Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations, Department for Business and Trade

Amanda Brooks has been Director General for Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations in the Department for Business and Trade since June 2021. Amanda leads teams: negotiating free trade agreements (FTAs) and leading the DBT contribution to the reset of the UK-EU relationship; implementing some trade agreements, including aspects of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and Windsor Framework; providing policy leadership for work on market access, multilateral trade, and development of broader economic relationships; and developing related domestic regulatory policy to improve trade and domestic outcomes together.

Amanda joined the then Department for International Trade in 2016. Her prior roles include Director of Business Innovation, and Deputy High Commissioner and Director of Trade and Investment in Singapore. Amanda holds an MBA from Imperial College.

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Sabina Ciofu

International Policy and Strategy Lead, techUK

Sabina Ciofu is International Policy and Strategy Lead at techUK, where she oversees the organisation’s global policy, strategy, and trade work. She leads the International Policy and Trade Programme, shaping techUK’s international engagement across the EU, US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, and the Gulf region.

Based in Brussels, Sabina drives strategic initiatives on digital trade at both bilateral and multilateral levels, regulatory cooperation, and the creation of new international commercial opportunities for UK technology companies - from startups to global players. Her remit also includes long-term strategic positioning, ensuring UK tech’s voice is heard in global policy debates and that members can navigate and influence the world’s digital economy.

Prior to joining techUK, Sabina spent nearly a decade as Policy Advisor to a Member of the European Parliament, specialising in tech regulation, international trade, and EU-US relations.

She is passionate about building communities and fostering connection. For 10 years, she co-organised Young Professionals in Digital Policy, growing the network to over 800 members, and now runs Old Professionals in Digital Policy - more experience, better wine, and slightly earlier bedtimes. She is also the founder of the Gentlewomen’s Club, a community of 500+ women committed to supporting each other with kindness and authenticity. In the past, she led civic engagement and gender equality initiatives through the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community.

Sabina serves on the Advisory Board of the UCL European Institute, Café Transatlantique (a network of women in transatlantic tech policy), and The Nine, Brussels’ first women’s members club. She has been recognised as one of the most influential women in UK tech by ComputerWeekly and regularly speaks on tech regulatory cooperation, digital trade, and diversity, equity and inclusion.

She holds an MA in War Studies from King’s College London and a BA in Classics from the University of Cambridge. When not working, Sabina enjoys travelling (mostly for work - but she squeezes in fun when she can!) and running marathons around the world.

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Julian David OBE

CEO, techUK

Julian David is the CEO of techUK, the leading technology trade association that aims to realise the positive outcomes that digital technology can achieve for People, Society, the Economy and the Planet.

He leads techUK’s 100+ strong team representing 1,100+ British based tech companies, comprising global and national champions and more than 600 SMEs and ScaleUP companies. techUK is the voice of the tech industry in the UK with 21 member led programmes covering all of tech from ‘Chips to Clicks’ and addressing 11 market sectors from Defence and Central Government, through to Health, Consumer Electronics and Financial Services.

In 2021 techUK launched TechSkills, the employer-led accreditation organisation that aims to improve the flow of talent into the digital workforce and open up access for all to high value tech jobs.

Julian represents techUK on a number of external bodies including the Digital Economy Council, the National Cyber Security Advisory Council and the Department of Business and Trade’s Strategic Trade Advisory Group. He is member of the NTA Advisory Board of DIGITALEUROPE and is a member of the Board of the Health Innovation Network the South London Academic Health Science Network.

Julian has over thirty years of experience in the technology industry. Prior to joining techUK, he had a series of leadership roles at IBM including Vice President for Small and Medium Business and Public Sector. After leaving IBM he worked as a consultant helping tech SMEs establish successful operations in the U.K. His personal interests include Football (West Ham, Balham FC and Real Madrid) and Art.

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Adam Stevens

Deputy Director, Department for Business and Trade

Adam is Deputy Director for exports performance in the Department for Business and Trade. Working with businesses of all shapes and sizes to ensure they get the most from the export support services the UK government provides. 

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