Rebalancing the Economy: Trade and Investment

Letter to the Rt Hon David Cameron MP, Prime Minister from Patricia Francis, Executive Director, International Trade Centre

I would like to commend the national Trade Promotion Organization (TPO) of the United Kingdom, UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), for their recent win of a TPO Network Award. Every two years the International Trade Centre (ITC) conducts an international competition to find and celebrate

TPOs exemplifying institutional excellence. The purpose of the TPO Network Awards is to encourage

the sharing of proven best practices among national export promotion agencies. In 2010, the fourth

edition of the Trade Promotion Organization Network Awards focused on the key processes required

to offer effective export development initiatives and on the positive impact of the TPO’s offer.

It was with great pleasure that, in my role as Chair of the TPO Network Awards Adjudicating

Panel, I presented UK Trade and Investment with the Excellence in Export Development Initiatives’

Award for the Best TPO from a Developed Country. The presentation was conducted at a gala

ceremony held during the 8th World Conference of Trade Promotion Organizations in Mexico City in

October 2010.

The Award recognized UKTI’s contribution in overcoming the challenges faced by UKTI’s

beneficiaries over the past two to four years. The key elements of UKTI’s application focused on the

effective approach to selecting its target market to ensure impact and its performance and impact

monitoring survey (PIMS) which has generated interest amongst the global TPO community.

The best TPOs have demonstrated that it is possible to support and deliver services to their

business sectors, facilitating export promotion and export growth and, more generally, the

internationalization process. The critical role of TPOs and their motivation to better maximize and

demonstrate their impact to their stakeholders were strongly reinforced during the TPO Network

Conference, occurring as it did against the need to adjust to austerity measures and the demand to

prove that they can deliver value for money. UKTI will play a key leadership role in the course of the

next two years as TPOs look towards replicating its success stories.

This award clearly demonstrates that UKTI stands at the top of an elite group of organizations

that are providing innovative, relevant and sustainable services to their countries’ exporting

community.

I trust that you will continue to support the excellent work being undertaken by your national

TPO.

Please accept, Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration.

2 February 2011