Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy

United Kingdom Trade Envoy (formerly Prime Minister's Trade Envoy) is a position in British foreign policy, within the Department for International Trade since 2016, and formerly with the UK Trade & Investment government department from 2003 to 2016.[1]

Trade Envoys are appointed by the Prime Minister in order to promote British business and trade interests abroad. The Special Representative for International Trade and Investment is a currently dormant position previously held by a member of the British royal family, who had the responsibility of representing the Sovereign for trade purposes. Following the 2012 Cabinet reshuffle, Ken Clarke was made a roving trade envoy, focusing on promoting British expertise to emerging economies, in particular China and Brazil.[2]

Between September 2012 and November 2013, Lord Marland served as the Prime Minister's trade envoy. Upon his suggestion, and in collaboration with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the post was expanded in November 2012, when David Cameron announced the creation of eight new trade envoys to selected high-growth and developing markets.[3] Additional representatives of the British government were appointed in March 2014 following the success of the initial programme. On 23 August 2021 a further set of envoys were announced, including prominent Brexiteers Lord Botham and Kate Hoey.[4][5] The appointment of Ian Botham as a Prime Ministerial Trade Envoy was viewed by some people as unexpected, as he has no experience of economic or trade matters. When he was first appointed to the House of Lords, Botham had said that he would join discussions "when they are debating something I know about – like sport or the countryside", but that there was "[n]ot much point if it’s a trade deal with Japan".[6]

In January 2025, Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds appointed 32 trade envoys, covering 79 markets.[7]

Current Trade Envoys

Region Portfolio Name Party Start
Africa Anglophone West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana)
(formerly Nigeria)		 Florence Eshalomi
MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green		 Labour 28 January 2025[7][8]
East Africa Kate Osamor
MP for Edmonton and Winchmore Hill		 Labour Co-op 28 January 2025[7]
Francophone West Africa
(formerly Morocco and Francophone West Africa)		 Ben Coleman
MP for Chelsea and Fulham		 Labour 28 January 2025[7][8]
Horn of Africa
(formerly Ethiopia)		 The Baroness Ramsey of Wall Heath
Life peer		 Labour 26 January 2026[8]
North Africa (Egypt and Algeria) Yasmin Qureshi
MP for Bolton South and Walkden		 Labour 28 January 2025[7][8]
South Africa and Mauritius
(formerly Southern Africa)		 Calvin Bailey
MP for Leyton and Wanstead		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Oceania Australia The Lord Spellar
Life peer		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
New Zealand Carolyn Harris
MP for Neath and Swansea East		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
East and Southeast Asia Indonesia and ASEAN Naz Shah
MP for Bradford West		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Japan Sharon Hodgson
MP for Washington and Gateshead South		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Brunei George Freeman
MP for Mid Norfolk		 Conservative 28 January 2025[7]
South Korea John Slinger
MP for Rugby		 Labour 28 April 2026[9]
Taiwan The Lord Faulkner of Worcester
Life peer		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos Matt Western
MP for Warwick and Leamington		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
South Asia Bangladesh The Baroness Winterton of Doncaster
Life peer		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Pakistan Catherine West
MP for Hornsey and Friern Barnet		 Labour 26 January 2026[8]
Sri Lanka The Lord Hannett of Everton
Life peer		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
West and Central Asia Azerbaijan and Central Asia The Lord Alderdice
Life peer		 Liberal Democrats 28 January 2025[7]
Israel The Lord Austin of Dudley
Life peer		 Non-affiliated 5 October 2020[10]
Jordan, Kuwait and Palestine The Lord McNicol of West Kilbride
Life peer		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Türkiye Daniel Zeichner
MP for Cambridge		 Labour 26 January 2026[8]
Europe France Chris Murray
MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh		 Labour 26 January 2026[8]
Germany Feryal Clark
MP for Enfield North		 Labour 26 January 2026[8]
Italy Catherine McKinnell
MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North		 Labour 26 January 2026[8]
Switzerland and Liechtenstein David Pinto-Duschinsky
MP for Hendon		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Ukraine Alex Sobel
MP for Leeds Central and Headingley		 Labour Co-op 28 January 2025[7]
North America Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay
(formerly Southern Cone)		 Fabian Hamilton
MP for Leeds North East		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Central America Jessica Morden
MP for Newport East		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Commonwealth Caribbean Paulette Hamilton
MP for Birmingham Erdington		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Mexico Dan Carden
MP for Liverpool Walton		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
South America Andean The Lord Liddle
Life peer		 Labour 28 January 2025[7]
Brazil The Lord Evans of Sealand
Life peer		 Labour 14 March 2025[11]

References

  1. ↑ BIS - Press Releases - New trade envoys and business investment to boost trade links
  2. ↑ BBC News - Ken Clarke given trade envoy role
  3. ↑ Internet Memory |UK Government Web Archive Archived 2014-04-03 at the UK Government Web Archive
  4. ↑ BBC News - Lord Botham appointed trade envoy to Australia
  5. ↑ "Prime Minister's Trade Envoy Programme, Press release made on 23 August 2021". GOV.UK. UK Government. 23 August 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  6. ↑ "Ian Botham as Trade Envoy". The Independent. 24 August 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2021.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 "Written statements: Written questions, answers and statements". UK Parliament. 28 January 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Trade Envoy Programme Appointments". Department for Business and Trade. 26 January 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  9. ↑ "United Kingdom Trade Envoy Programme Statement Made on 28 April 2026". UK Parliament. 28 April 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  10. ↑ "Prime Minister's Trade Envoy Programme, Statement made on 5 October 2020, Statement UIN HLWS480". UK Parliament - Written questions, answers and statements. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2021.
  11. ↑ "Appointment of Lord Evans of Sealand as UK Trade Envoy to Brazil". UK Parliament. 14 March 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
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