Dr Elena Georgiadou, Lecturer in International Management at Loughborough Business School, appeared before the UK Parliament’s Business and Trade Committee where she was questioned as part of its Inquiry into Export-led growth.
The invitation to give evidence was the result of an earlier written submission authored by Dr Georgiadou alongside Business School colleagues Dr Huw Edwards and Tien-Der Jerry Han, and Loughborough London colleague Dr Anna Grosman. The submission discussed the efficacy of commercial diplomacy and other activities in promoting exports.
The Business and Trade Committee scrutinises the policy, spending and administration of the Department for Business and Trade and its public bodies. The Committee is chaired by the Rt Hon Liam Bryne MP and consists of 11 cross-party MPs, including MP for Loughborough Jane Hunt.
The Committee launched the Inquiry into Export-led growth in May 2023. It is examining how well equipped the UK is to achieve the target set by the Government to achieve £1trillion in exports by the end of the decade. It will also consider how the UK can take advantage of export opportunities in emerging technologies and critical international supply chains.
The Policy Unit offered Dr Georgiadou support prior to her appearance before the Committee and accompanied her on the day. Dr Georgiadou was questioned alongside representatives from export groups from Germany and Japan during a session which focused on how the UK compares with other nations in its exports.
Questions to Dr Georgiadou asked for an overall comparison of the UK’s export system compared with other nations and what the UK would need to replicate from other countries to become a best-in-class export promotion service. In response, she cited the systems in place in Australia, such as its one-stop-shop system covering everything exporters would require. She also emphasised the need for a ‘hybrid’ system of collaboration between central government and its partner organisations.
You can access the transcript of the session here and watch the full evidence session here: Parliamentlive.tv - Business and Trade Committee
Once the Committee has concluded its evidence sessions it will then write a final report which will make recommendations to the Government on how it can make improvements so that the UK can achieve its £1 trillion in exports target by 2023. The Government has to respond to the Committee.