International Trade Secretary Liz Truss is today congratulating UK exporters and business leaders who have been recognised with Honours for their outstanding service to international trade, investment and exports.
Those selected for honours represent a diverse range of businesses, from vanilla pod exporters and maze designers, to bionic arm experts and English tea exporters.
The Queen’s Birthday Honours List, initially delayed due to Coronavirus, recognises the work and dedication undertaken by those who worked during the pandemic to keep the country safe.
International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said:
A warm congratulations to the exporters being acknowledged for their work in championing trade across the globe in this year’s Honours List.
It is a testament to the innovation and creativity of UK businesses and I look forward to continuing to celebrate those who export overseas, showcasing UK goods the world over.
This year’s celebration is especially important given the pandemic and, with trade being essential to the UK’s economic recovery from Coronavirus, it is integral that we continue to equip businesses across the country with the information and tools needed to export across the globe.
Exporters and business leaders in the Queen’s Birthday Honours include:
- Kelly Hoppen; Interior Designer and Entrepreneur – for services to the GREAT campaign (CBE)
- Robin Watson; Chief Executive Officer, Wood Plc (CBE)
- Jonathon Glyn Jones; Managing Director, Trading, Tregothnan (OBE)
- David Alexander Wilson McCredie; Chief Executive Officer, Australian British Chamber of Commerce (OBE)
- Alpesh Bipin Patel; Founder, Praefinium Partners (OBE)
- Elizabeth Vega; Group Chief Executive, Informed Solutions (OBE)
- Rory Clarkson; Aerospace Engineer for Rolls Royce (MBE)
- Anthony Cleary; Managing Director of Lanchester Wines (MBE)
- Kimberley Cram; Project Director, Macquarie Group (MBE)
- Arthur Curtis; Founder of TILE, Experience UK, ITEC and ETSA (MBE)
- Adrian Fisher; Founder of Maze Creator Design (MBE)
- Samantha Payne & Joel Gibbard; Co-founders of Open Bionics (MBE)
- Janet Elizabeth Sawyer BEM; Founder, LittlePod (MBE)
- Jacob Thundil; Founder, Cocofina (MBE)
Staff from the Department for International Trade (DIT) have also been recognised in the 2020 New Year Honours list, including:
- Joanna Crellin, HM Trade Commissioner (Latin America and the Caribbean) and Consul-General, Sao-Paulo, Brasil (CBE/CMG)
- Stephen Johnston, Economic Adviser, Trade Remedies and Disputes (OBE)
- John Kell, Research and Development Specialist in Automotive Sector Team (MBE)
- Simon Kelly, Country Director for Angola (MBE)
Antonia Romeo, Permanent Secretary at the Department for International Trade, said:
It’s brilliant to see, once again, British business leaders be recognised for their exporting capabilities and successes abroad, as well as a number of talented and dedicated DIT colleagues for their service to international trade
This year we also celebrate the resilience of individuals who have made a significant contribution to the COVID-19 response. To those individuals as well as the exporters and DIT colleagues, a huge congratulations to you all.
