Tuesday 19th September 2023, 4:00pm
Ten new Export Champions for Scotland have been appointed after a positive start to the scheme that was launched just under a year ago.
In October last year the first ever Export Champions for Scotland were selected and tasked with promoting the benefits of exporting. The latest 10 additions will join thirteen appointments made last year, ensuring a broad range of sector expertise is in place.
Working closely with the Department for Business and Trade and Scottish Development International, their role will be to encourage more Scottish businesses to consider selling abroad.
Since then they have taken part in over 78 engagements where they have spoken at events, shared advice with others in their sector and encouraged other companies across Scotland to consider selling to overseas markets. The new appointees, selected in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI), cover a broad range of sectors from life sciences, to hydrogen energy and legal services.
"With our current Export Champions having made such an excellent start, we were keen to grow our team here in Scotland to ensure that we were doing all we can to help companies start their export journey. Our new, larger team now cover an even broader range of sectors, and I look forward to them sharing their success stories of selling abroad and encouraging other Scottish businesses to start doing the same."
"Exports drive productivity and our Scottish economic performance. Scottish Enterprise and our global Scottish Development International colleagues are committed to working with partners to support Scottish companies’ growth by selling their innovative products and services to overseas markets. We have been pleased to help identify these latest Export Champions who we know will help encourage and inspire future Scottish businesses to trade internationally."
Dr Kate Cameron, one of the appointees, is CEO and Founder of Cytochroma, a Roslin Innovation Centre-based tenant company that manufactures human iPSC derived multicellular hepatic and cardiac models that predict adverse reactions, de-risk drug development and enhance clinical success.
“I am delighted and honoured to be selected to represent Scotland’s growing life science sector on a global stage. This is a fantastic opportunity to travel internationally and increase awareness of Cytochroma’s cutting edge science and our mission to address the lack of diversity and equality in preclinical testing.”
Dr Kate Cameron, CEO & Founder of CytochromaEach Export Champion will now work closely with Department for Business and Trade (DBT) in partnership with Scottish Development International (SDI), attending events and providing peer-to-peer exporting support to other businesses in their sector.
So far Export Champions in Scotland have appeared as panel members at the US Trade Dialogue held in Edinburgh in November last year, given presentations about the opportunities available to Scottish FinTech companies in North American markets, and provided feedback to DBT officials on the potential benefits of Free Trade Agreements.
Roslin Innovation Centre
The University of Edinburgh
Easter Bush Campus
Midlothian EH25 9RG
