Baroness Gustafsson of Chesterton CBE was appointed Minister of State (Minister for Investment) jointly in the Department for Business and Trade and HM Treasury on 10 October 2024.

Prior to entering government, Baroness Gustafsson was part of the team who founded Darktrace in 2013 and brought its AI-powered cybersecurity solutions to market. Under her leadership, Darktrace experienced significant growth and global expansion leading to the company being listed on the London Stock Exchange in 2021, before being sold for over £4bn.

Baroness Gustafsson is a chartered accountant and was honoured with an OBE for services to cybersecurity in 2019. Baroness Gustafsson studied maths at the University of Sheffield and is married with 2 children.

John WH Denton AO is Secretary General of the International Chamber of Commerce, Paris. John was formerly Partner and CEO of Corrs Chambers Westgarth, the leading Australian independent law firm. 
 
John’s appointment to the ICC is the first time that an Australian has held such a position. John is a member of the Board of the global infrastructure investor – IFM Global Investors. He is a member of the Board of the UN Global Compact. He is Asia Pacific Chair of Veracity Worldwide Advisory Board.  
 
John is Co-Chair of the B20 “Financing Growth and Infrastructure” Taskforce, Chair (emeritus) of the Business Council of Australia’s Global Engagement Task Force; Chairman (emeritus) of the Experts Group on Trade and Investment in Indonesia;and a founding member of the Australia-China CEO Roundtable. 
 
John was a member of the Australian Government advisory panel overseeing the development of the ‘Australia in the Asian Century’ White Paper. He was on the Government’s Cabinet sub-committee for the White Paper review process published in October 2012 and later a member of the Strategic Advisory Board advising the Government on implementation and emerging policy issues. 
 
A former diplomat, John was a Panel Member of the Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness and was the founding Chairman of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Australia for more than a decade. 
 
John has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and a Bachelor of Law from the University of Melbourne, and is a Harvard Business School Alumnus. 

Anne-Marie Martin FCMI is the Director of Membership UK & International at the British Chambers of Commerce, managing a global network of 51 UK Chambers and 70+ international Chambers around the world.

Leading in International engagement, strategic development of Climate and Trade network programmes, she plays a vital role in the organisation’s overarching strategy as a member of the Senior Leadership Team.  

Formerly, Anne-Marie served as Chief Executive of the Council of British Chambers of Commerce in Europe and the British Romanian Chamber of Commerce, significantly impacting international development and representation strategies, and spent her early career working in industry leading commercial, sales and marketing and export operations in the Engineering sector. 

Ms Daisy Ip is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in driving economic growth and fostering international trade and investment relationships. Currently serving as the Head of Investment Promotion and Talent Attraction, InvestHK London, Daisy is at the forefront of driving investment and economic development in Hong Kong.

With nearly 13 years of dedicated service in the public sector, which began with a role in promoting trade for Hong Kong in the UK, Ireland, Nordics and Benelux, where she cultivated her expertise in international trade and investment dynamics.

Prior to her illustrious public sector career, Daisy honed her skills in the world of marketing and PR in both London and Hong Kong. This experience endowed her with a keen sense of market trends and the ability to create effective and strategic communications.

She brings a unique blend of public and private sector knowledge to her current role, where she champions economic development through investment promotion.

David Kelly is the Executive Director of the British Chamber of Commerce Singapore responsible for the strategy, growth and profile of the Chamber, representing British business interests, and connecting companies to opportunities in Singapore and across ASEAN. David joined the British Chamber of Commerce (Singapore) in 2019, is a regional Co-Chair of Britain in South East Asia (BiSEA) promoting pan-ASEAN opportunities for UK companies, and is on the Board of the British Chambers of Commerce since January 2024. David has lived in Singapore since 2015.

Prior to his role at the Chamber, David worked at the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) where he spearheaded the development and execution of a completely reinvigorated global growth-marketing strategy. He also built the Asia Pacific regional expansion plan which fortified the Institute and supported rapid growth between 2012-2019, seeing the Institute double in size from 11,000 members to 23,000 with membership in Asia Pacific increasing from 19% to 40% of global subscribers. Alongside his role at the IMarEST, he was also the Chair of the UK’s Marine Industries Leadership Council (MILC) Image Working Group from 2014 – 2016 and was involved in a number of industry reports covering skills, education & training and automation in the shipping industry.

Before the IMarEST, David led and delivered the global turn-around marketing programmes for the International Wine & Spirit Competition Group which had brands in the UK, America and Asia after marketing B2B and B2C solutions, both online and offline, in the financial services industry.

Born in Manchester, UK, David is passionate about mentoring, life-long learning and supporting others and has been a mentor at Ngee Ann Polytechnic (Singapore) and the University of Hull for Business and Marketing students and between 2016 and 2020 was a committee member on the Singapore Institute of Technology’s Marine Programmes’ Industry Advisory Committee (IAC).

Elisabeth Bowes is a senior career officer of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and was most recently First Assistant Secretary and Chief Negotiator, Free Trade Agreements and Stakeholder Engagement Division . She has previously served overseas in postings to Washington and Geneva WTO. Prior to joining DFAT, Elisabeth Bowes was a legal officer in UN organisations in Geneva and Hamburg.

Elisabeth Bowes was awarded the Public Service Medal in 2021 for outstanding public service to international trade policy, particularly as Head of the Tobacco Plain Packaging Taskforce.

Ms Bowes graduated with Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degrees from the University of Queensland, and a Master of Philosophy in International Relations from the University of Oxford.

Ernst joined DP World UK in September 2019 from DP World Ecuador where he held the position of CEO.

While in Ecuador Ernst worked on establishing a new company in the Americas region, building a deep water port, Logistics Park and inland barge terminal for Ecuador.

Ernst has been in the ports and logistic industry for over 25 years starting his career in the 1990’s at the Port of Rotterdam before moving to the UK port of Felixstowe.

Throughout his career, Ernst has also held senior roles globally in Embraport Brazil, ATI Manila and GMP France. 

Harjinder Kang is His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia and the British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India. He was appointed in May 2023. 

Prior to his appointment, Harjinder was the UK’s Chief Negotiator for the UK-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA). In parallel, he served as the Director for Trade Policy in the areas of Intellectual Property, Government Procurement and Core Text. He has previously served in the Department for International Trade as Director for Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Bioeconomy. 

Before joining government, Harjinder had a career spanning nearly 30 years with AstraZeneca, one of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies, joining as a Chemist and spending his early career in R&D helping to develop radiopharmaceuticals and new antibiotics. He ultimately served as the company’s Global Commercial Director, working to create and implement strategy for access to medicines for the ‘next billion’ people through creating affordable solutions for pharmaceuticals in some of the less developed parts of the world. 

He is a member of the Council of the University of Birmingham.

Katy Holmes is the CEO of the British Chamber of Commerce Dubai and led its transition from the long-established British Business Group Dubai and Northern Emirates. Katy has a proven track record in international trade and a wealth of expertise working with financial institutions, government agencies, MNCs and SMEs. 

 Throughout Katy’s career, she has successfully developed valuable relationships and encouraged collaborations across borders, providing valuable guidance to businesses looking to expand their international reach and maximise their trade potential. 

In addition to her corporate achievements,  Katy is deeply committed to philanthropic initiatives, actively fund-raising, volunteering, and educational efforts that make a positive impact in the community. 

Miguel Berger has been the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Kingdom since May 2022.

One of his major positions since starting work at the Foreign Ministry in 1990 was as Head of the German Representative Office in the Palestinian Territories. From 2010 to 2012 he was Deputy Head of the Permanent Mission of Germany to the United Nations in New York and a member of the United Nations Security Council in 2011 and 2012. At the Federal Foreign Office, he was Head of the Parliament and Cabinet Division, Commissioner for Global Issues, Energy and Climate Diplomacy, and Regional Director for the Near and Middle East and the Maghreb. Before becoming State Secretary in May 2020, he held the position of Director-General for Economic Affairs and Sustainable Development.

Ambassador O. Koray Ertaş serves as Turkish Ambassador to the UK since March 2023.

He previously served as the Turkish Ambassador to Romania (2014-2019), Special Advisor to the Foreign Minister (2019-2023), and Chief of Staff to the President (2011-2014).

Prior to that he worked at the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. (2008-2011), Turkish Permanent Mission to the UN Office in Geneva (2003-2005), Turkish Embassy in Sofia (2000-2003), and the Policy Planning Department at the Turkish Foreign Ministry (1997-2000). Mr. Ertaş also worked at the U.S. State Department as a Transatlantic Fellow (2008-2009).

O. Koray Ertaş has a PhD degree from George Mason University’s School of Conflict Analysis and Resolution. He has an M.A. in Contemporary European Studies from University of Sussex and a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Ankara University.

Ambassador Ertaş was born in Iskenderun, Türkiye, in 1974. He is married with three children.

Rhiannon joined the UK Civil Service in 2006 and is currently Deputy Trade Commissioner for Southeast Asia, responsible for the trade and investment relationship between the UK and ASEAN. She is based at the British High Commission in Singapore and leads a team of 90 staff across the region.  

 Rhiannon’s previous positions have included Director for the Better Regulation Executive in DBT HQ and Deputy Trade Commissioner for South Asia, based at the British High Commission New Delhi. Her career has spanned several government departments on topics including business, energy, civil nuclear, policing and national security. 

Rhiannon grew up in Worcestershire and studied at University College, Oxford and the London School of Economics and Political Science.  She is married to Himanshu Pandey, an independent film maker.  

Director General of British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) since April 2021, Shevaun was formerly Head of Business Engagement at Number 10 Downing Street and was at the heart of Government in the Cabinet Office as Head of the Inclusive Economy Partnership. 

Shevaun started her career in consultancy in London and New York. She then moved to the Walt Disney Company in strategic planning before joining Disneyland Paris, opening its second theme park. Shevaun then joined the agency world, running global accounts for Millward Brown, Mindshare and WPP. 

Following this, she started her own business as a partner in a digital innovation agency and venture builder, Independents United, where she also became an Advisor for the Danson Foundation. Most recently, Shevaun was the New Ventures Director for Avado, building new businesses in Edtech and founding the Academy of Digital Business Leaders. 

Shevaun has a passion for business as a force for good. She was elected to the International Chambers of Commerce’s (ICC) World Chambers Federation General Council and is a Board member of ICC UK. She is a Trustee of the Women of the World Foundation (WoW) and a Trustee of Barefoot College International, as well as a Venture Partner at the Conduit Connect.

Tamara Zajec Balažič is the Deputy Director of SPIRIT Slovenia Business Development Agency. She holds a master’s degree in social and economic sciences and has many years of experience in various international companies, both in managerial roles and as a strategic consultant. Prior to her current position, she worked for internationally recognised companies such as Kearney, Ernst & Young, Sava Insurance Group and RZB banking group, mainly focusing on strategy design, digitisation, compliance, transformation, and cost as well as process optimisation. 

In her work, she emphasises a forward-looking vision and collaborative effort, as she believes that teamwork is crucial for overcoming challenges and achieving success. 

Ambassador Sherif Kamel graduated from Ain Shams University in Cairo in 1991, with a BA in Civil Engineering. Ambassador Kamel joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1993, and assumed different posts in Egypt’s missions abroad, starting with the Delegation to the United Nations in Geneva (1997- 2001), as well as the Embassy in Washington DC (2005-2009), then was appointed as Deputy Chief of Mission at Egypt’s Embassy in New Delhi (2012-2016). He served as Egypt’s Ambassador to Jordan (2018-2021), and is Egypt’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since December 2021. He is married with two sons.