Lord Ian Botham has begun his first visit to Australia since his appointment as UK Trade Envoy. In his two month visit he will spend his time in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide meeting key industry stakeholders and business leaders to promote UK-Australia trade and investment opportunities.

The visit coincides with the former England Test captain joining the Seven Network as a commentator for all five Tests in the Australia-England Ashes series.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson appointed Lord Botham as the UK’s Trade Envoy to Australia on 23 August 2021. Trade Envoys are drawn from across industry and politics to promote UK trade, drive economic growth and encourage inward investment across all regions of the UK.

During this visit Lord Botham will help to boost export opportunities for British businesses and promote the UK as an attractive place to do business. He will meet with Australian businesses investing in the UK’s clean growth and green finance projects as a result of the UK Government’s commitments in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, the Global Investment Summit and COP26.

Lord Botham will build on the already strong relationship between the UK and Australia, promoting existing trade and investment opportunities at the time when the UK and Australia are also moving towards finalising a new free trade agreement.

Lord Ian Botham said:

The UK is home to some of the most innovative and exciting companies in the world.

There are real opportunities for UK-Australia trade and this visit is an opportunity for me to promote the UK as a great place to do business and support businesses from every part of the UK in their expansion to Australia.

Australia has always been like a second home to me, and I am looking forward to meeting the companies and people working across Australia in a range of industries.

British High Commissioner to Australia, Vicki Treadell said:

It is great to have Lord Botham in Australia to help us champion British goods and services and two-way trade and investment. We have an exciting programme for him and many opportunities to look forward to.

This is an important time in our relationship with Australia, as we deepen and strengthen it further, not least as we look to signing our first from scratch free trade agreement.

With our historic sporting rivalry and as a cricket fan I am of course also eager for the Ashes to begin.

British Consul General and Deputy Trade Commissioner Asia Pacific (Australia & New Zealand), Louise Cantillon said:

I am delighted that Lord Botham has arrived in the country and can begin his important work as a UK Trade Envoy to Australia.

There are thousands of companies already making the most of the exciting trade and investment opportunities between our countries and this visit will capitalise on these opportunities.

My team looks forward to working with Lord Botham as we use his skills, experience and market knowledge to build on this existing momentum.