Prime Minister's Trade Envoy visits the Philippines
Richard Graham MP will lead a large UK business delegation to Manila. He will also attend the Great British Festival in Iloilo.
Richard Graham in his last visit to the Philippines in 2016
Richard Graham MP, the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to the Philippines, will visit Manila and Iloilo on 21-24 March to reaffirm the bolstering trade and investment relations between the UK and the Philippines. He will lead one of the largest UK business delegations ever to visit the Philippines. He will be at a business opportunities fair run by the Asian Development Bank.
The 30-member UK delegation includes a range of companies and UK universities with interest and expertise in education, infrastructure, consultancy, energy, and financial professional services. The delegation includes:
- Arcadis
- Arup
- Atkins
- Arcadis
- Biwater Malaysia Sdn Bhd
- BPP Professional Education Group
- British Council
- BSI Group
- Cambridge English Language Assessment
- Cambridge International Examinations
- City & Guilds
- Coventry University Indonesia Office
- Crown Agents
- Education Development Trust
- Exscitec
- Grimshaw
- IMC Worldwide
- Institute of the Motor Industry
- International Skills UK
- Legion
- Longcroft Associates Ltd
- Nottingham University
- Online Business School Ltd
- Ricardo AEA, Scottish Enterprise
- Scottish Qualifications Authority
- TNEI Services
- Twig World
- Turner & Townsend Inc
- UK NARIC
- Department for International Trade.
Richard Graham said:
I believe that the Philippines can benefit from the expertise and experience of UK infrastructure firms. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has projected an $8 trillion infrastructure gap across the entire Asia-Pacific. British firms can work with Filipino partners to deliver projects, not least through the UK industry-led Infrastructure Export Leadership Forum (IELF) and the use of UK Export Finance. I am here to lead one of our biggest dedicated UK business missions to witness first-hand the various aid-funded business opportunities generated through aid organisations here in Southeast Asia. With the ADB itself headquartered in Manila and founded almost in tandem with ASEAN, I believe that British companies can simultaneously do well here and make a significant contribution to local economies, by offering and sharing their expert services to help deliver aid-funded programmes.
I will also promote education opportunities in the Philippines and around the region, noting the ASEAN Economic Community’s long-held vision to create a competitive, innovative, people-oriented community alongside a global hub of economic activity. The UK is home to four of the world’s top ten universities, more triple-accredited business schools than any other country, and the most popular – and I daresay effective – K-12 curriculum in the world. Filipino families will always want the best education for their children – and that is where Britain can come in and help, if the market conditions are made right.
The UK will be more Global and outward looking than ever. The Philippines, where I worked many years ago, and Southeast Asia is a very important market for the UK.
British Ambassador to the Philippines Asif Ahmad said:
I am delighted to welcome back the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy Mr Graham to the Philippines. We see enormous potential for the Philippines and the UK to work together in education and infrastructure. His visit is timely as we visit Iloilo following the hugely successful Great British Festival in Manila held in February.
The Trade envoy will be in Iloilo on 24 March for a reception with high-level business contacts in the region and conclude the visit with the opening ceremony of the Great British Festival in SM Iloilo. He will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony with Ambassador Asif Ahmad and Senator Franklin Drilon.
Follow the British Embassy Manila’s Twitter account for real time coverage of the visit.