Serious economic commentators are once again seeking out our Director General Lesley Batchelor to take part in high profile discussions on UK export matters.

The Times newspaper is the latest media publication to invite Lesley to join its forum of expert panellists. The forum, entitled ‘Round the World’, meets on Monday in Liverpool to consider the future of exporting in the North.

Lesley’s fellow panellists are senior figures from UK business organisations and major corporations. They include: Clive Drinkwater, the regional director for UK Trade and Investment in the North West Region and Nick Kindon, managing director for Bibby Financial Services. They will be joined by a partner from Deloitte, Jenny Stewart, the CEO of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, a representative of the International Festival of Business and two Liverpool exporters.

The forum will consider these key questions.

• How important is exporting to the North’s economy?
• What can be done to encourage more companies to export?
• What is the role of government agencies in exporting?
• How can SMEs become exporters?
• Which countries provide the greatest opportunities?

The forum discussions will form part of a special report on exporting, published on July 30 within Business Insight, The Times’ North of England business supplement. Through regular comment and interview pieces, Business Insight is widely regarded as the voice of the North of England’s business community with a readership of some 313,000.

Lesley Batchelor says: “This is a very welcome opportunity for the Institute of Export to contribute to a critical discussion on the North of England’s export future. Taking part in this kind of high level discussion helps more UK business people to find out how membership of the IOE – the professional body for international traders – represents and supports their ambition and drive.”

For more information about the Institute of Export and our work, including membership and our professional qualifications, contact us on 01733 404 400. You can also follow us on Twitter @IOExport and our Director General, Lesley Batchelor @LesleyIOExport.