Andrew Cahn Keynote Speaker

Sir Andrew Cahn is the Vice Chairman (Public Policy) at the Japanese conglomerate, Nomura Group; Chairman of Huawei Technologies UK’s advisory board and is a member of the Franchise Board of Lloyd’s of London.

Sir Andrew has held a wide range of senior positions throughout his career across both commercial and economic portfolios. From 2006 to 2011 he served as Chief Executive of UK Trade & Investments, under three Prime Ministers Tony Blair, Gordon Brown and David Cameron. During his tenure he was responsible for 2500 staff, a budget of over £400 million. Sir Andrew effectively doubled UKTI’s value to £6bn per annum, delivering a 19:1 return on budget that placed it as a central pillar to the government’s economic recovery programme.

Prior to this he was Director of Government and Industry Affairs with British Airways (2000-06), Chef de Cabinet to the Vice President of the European Commission, Neil Kinnock (1997-2000); and was Head of Research Policy, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1988–92).

Sir Andrew is a Trustee of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation; a governor of the Institute for Government; a member of the Advisory Boards of Harvey Nash, the British American Business Council, the School of Oriental and African Studies, Asia House and The Japan Society.