MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK appoints Trade Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean

“With the IMF predicting that 90% of growth will come from outside the EU, we need to look at where the emerging markets are”, said Dr. Liam Fox.

The United Kingdom's International Trade Secretary, Dr Liam Fox, named a new Trade Commissioner to champion British trade with Latin America and the Caribbean, as the UK prepares for future trade agreements with countries around the world.

 Joanna Crellin, currently the British Consul-General in São Paulo and the Director-General for the Department for International Trade for Latin America, will seek to grow trade between the UK and Latin America in her new role.

The new appointments come as the latest ONS statistics showing an increase in demand for British goods & services around the world.

“With the IMF predicting that 90% of growth will come from outside the EU, we need to look at where the emerging markets are. That is why, as an international economic department, we are introducing a new way of doing things with the appointment of our HM Trade Commissioners”, said Dr. Liam Fox.

The demand for UK goods in the Caribbean and Latin America region is strong, with £9 billion of UK goods and services exported to the area in 2016.

Speaking after her appointment, Joanna said: “I am delighted to be appointed as Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to Latin America and the Caribbean. Our relationship with this exciting and vibrant region is already a robust one and we are looking to strengthen our ties even more. My focus in this new role will be to allow our partnership to grow, raising opportunities for both LATAC and the UK and seeking deeper trading links”.

All of the new HMTCs will cooperate closely with HM Ambassadors and High Commissioners, the wider diplomatic network, and other HM Government colleagues based in countries in their region, in a joined-up and coordinated Government effort overseas to promote UK trade and prosperity.

In total, there will be nine geographical areas that the HM Trade Commissioners will cover: Africa, Asia-Pacific, China, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Network, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Middle East, North America and South Asia.

Richard Burn, Anthony Phillipson and Crispin Simon were last month appointed HMTC for China, North America and South Asia. Further HMTCs will be appointed shortly.

Joanna Crellin took office as British Consul-General in São Paulo in February 2015 in her first post overseas. She is also the Director-General for the Department for International Trade for Latin America.

She has worked for the UK Government since 2001, having occupied a number of roles within the former Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) and HM Treasury, covering issues as diverse as nuclear decommissioning, social enterprise and corporate finance.

Joanna has a degree in Social Anthropology, French and Spanish from Cambridge University and a MSc in Politics and Economic Development in Latin America from the London School of Economics. She is married and has two small children. You can follow Joanna on Twitter: @JoannaCrellin