Raines is currently responsible for trying to boost overseas investment and helping British firms win business abroad.
In an interview with Real Business in December 2014, she highlighted that UK exports had increased by over 37 per cent in the last two years, and that Britain overtook France to become the European Union’s second biggest exporter to the nation. Furthermore, China remained the UK’s seventh biggest export market in 2013 – with British exports to the country growing three times as fast as imports from China. She suggested that over the past few years, China had jumped up the list of the UK’s biggest destinations for exports. It has also become one of the fastest growing sources of inward investment into the UK. Accelerating urbanisation, the spending power of China’s new middle class and the increasing globalisation of Chinese capital, Raines said, meant the trend was likely set to continue. Raines said: “As China strives to become more innovative and competitive as a knowledge economy, the creativity and innovation that runs through British businesses make us an increasingly natural partner.”
With CEO Dominic Jermey set to leave the company to become an international counter-extremism co-ordinator for the foreign and commonwealth office, Raines will succeed him in September. She takes up the post after more than two years leading in China, having overseen an increase in business successes attributable to support from around £300m a year to more than £3.7bn, according to the government. Lord Maude, the trade and investment minister, said: “The world increasingly sees Britain as the best place to do business in and to do business from. UKTI has a central role in mobilising government support for exports and inward investment. “We have made great progress, especially in attracting investment from overseas, where Britain’s success among EU countries is second to none. I look forward to working with Catherine, who comes with a high reputation for leading change in both public and private sectors.” By Shané Schutte
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.