The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, The Rt Hon Sir Chris Bryant MP, today announced the reappointment of The Rt Hon. the Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee DBE as Chair of Intertrade UK. Baroness Foster will continue to lead the non-statutory advisory body, which was established to promote trade and investment within the UK internal market.
In addition to the Chair, four other board members have also been reappointed to Intertrade UK. These include Dr Esmond Birnie, a Senior Economist at Ulster University, Kirsty McManus, Northern Ireland Director for the Institute of Directors, and Roger Pollen, Head of the Federation of Small Businesses in Northern Ireland.
Intertrade UK was established by the UK government following a commitment made in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, published in January 2024. Its role includes providing advice and facilitation for businesses to expand trade across the UK, promoting the UK's market, and conducting research to remove trade barriers and address misconceptions about providing goods and services in Northern Ireland.