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Dear Members of the BABC,
March has begun with exciting developments for our team and the UK-US relationship. At the end of February we were honoured to welcome our new Ambassador to the United States, Sir Christian Turner, to San Francisco. This was his first trip outside Washington, D.C., and he made the most of it – meeting with business, tech, and government leaders to highlight California’s central role in the UK-US partnership.
Ambassador Turner’s visit reinforced the importance of San Francisco and Silicon Valley as hubs of innovation and collaboration. He was energised by the region’s dynamism and the opportunities for British and American businesses to work together.
Looking ahead, this week brings the Game Developers Conference (GDC) to San Francisco. We are proud to support one of the largest UK delegations to ever participate in GDC, with 71 British gaming companies participating, marking a renewed presence for the UK in the city’s gaming scene. From our hub at UK House, the team will host several events throughout the week, including a networking reception, curated business meetings, and a special event celebrating the UK-US partnership in gaming.
Later in the month, I’m headed to Seattle for the Boeing UK Supply Chain Showcase, strengthening ties in aerospace and advanced manufacturing and, at the end of March, I’ll embark on a road trip through Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, connecting with partners and exploring new opportunities for collaboration across the mountain states. I’m looking forward to these engagements as we continue to strengthen UK-US ties across our region.
In April, I am especially excited for San Francisco Climate Week, and our series of events taking place that will ensure a high impact UK presence. We will share more details soon and hope to see many of you there.
Warm regards,
Eleanor Kiloh
HM Consul General San Francisco
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Dear BABC Community,
March certainly lives up to its “March Madness” reputation at the BABC. Alongside a full calendar of activity (in progress), we are currently relocating our office from our Premier Member Werqwise New Montgomery Street location to one of their newest spaces at 1301 Sansome Street, which will soon become our new home. We look forward to welcoming members of the BABC community there in the near future.
This month also marks the close of our fiscal year and a moment to reflect as we plan for the year ahead. As I approach my one-year anniversary as Executive Director of BABC Northern California, I want to thank everyone who has supported the organization through what has been a year of transition and renewed momentum.
Following International Women’s Day on March 8, I would also like to recognize the exceptional female leaders within the BABC community, including many who serve on our Board and across our membership: Maya Mancuso (Bird & Bird), Emily Jones (Simmons & Simmons), Julie Wicklund (Cooley), Kathleen Kimura MBE, Alyssa Lammers (ACE Relocation), Emma Cockerton (Florin Pensions), Charlotte Rawa (Penfolds), and Honorary Director Deidre Moore (British Consulate General San Francisco – Trade & Investment). I would also like to extend a special thank you to Sofia Pavlova, whose support to the BABC since 2018 has been invaluable.
Their leadership reflects the spirit of this year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Give to Gain.” As we continue through Women’s History Month, we celebrate the many contributions women make to the BABC community and beyond. We look forward to an exciting spring of events ahead, including the launch today of our 15th Annual. Funding, Exits & IPOs event on April 1st.
Kind regards,
Corey Hastings
Executive Director
BABC Northern California
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Date: Wednesday, April 1st, 2026
Time: 6.00 PM – 8 PM PST
Location: SAP, 3410 Hillview Ave, Pal Alto, CA 94304
Pricing:
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Young Professionals Member
$50
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Date: Thursday, April 30th, 2026
Time: 6.00 PM – 8 PM PST
Location: J.P. Morgan, 3223 Hanover St 1st Floor, 94301, Palo Alto
Pricing:
| | | | BPM LLP's expanding presence in the US | |
BPM LLP, one of the United States’ 35 largest public accounting and advisory firms, recently announced the opening of its newest offices in Austin, Texas and San Diego, California.
Located in the heart of Austin’s thriving innovation corridor, the new office will serve as a strategic hub for BPM’s expanding client base throughout Texas and the broader Southwest region while also providing a dedicated home for BPM professionals already based in the Austin area.
Meanwhile, the opening of its San Diego office will expand on BPM’s West Coast reach and accelerate growth in life sciences, wealth management, and nonprofit markets, all while supporting clients across the full spectrum of industries.
| | | | At this point in the year, families are thinking carefully about how they want their child’s school experience to begin. At Hiba Academy Bay Area, our focus right now is very practical: appointing excellent teachers, refining the program, and putting in place the routines and expectations that will shape daily life for our students. Opening a school is a significant responsibility, and we are approaching it deliberately and with great care. We are beginning to see the community come together and look forward to welcoming the families who will help shape Hiba Academy from the very start. | | | | Preparing for a UK statutory audit: practical considerations for finance teams | |
For US organisations with UK operations, the challenge of a statutory audit often lies less in the audit itself and more in how prepared the underlying information and processes are. Finance teams are typically asked to gather data from multiple sources, support forecasts used in going concern assessments, and document intercompany balances and internal controls before fieldwork begins.
A consistent month end-close, well organised evidence for balance sheet positions, and early visibility of major transactions or operational changes can all help the audit progress more smoothly. Planning conversations scheduled in advance, along with ongoing communication with auditors, particularly when teams are spread across locations, also help keep the process coordinated.
Read more from ZEDRA on practical steps finance teams can take to prepare for a UK statutory audit.
| | | | H-1B visa lottery changes – what should US employers expect in 2026 and beyond? | In our latest episode of Workforce WorldView, Gregory Wald and Samuel Mudrick, partners in our Business Immigration team, discuss the US H-1B specialty occupation visa, a high-skilled visa often used by US employers looking to fill roles that routinely go unfilled due to domestic skills shortages. | | The New Wage Rule and the $100K Proclamation Will Shape the 2026 H‑1B Cap Season | | USCIS has announced that the FY 2027 H‑1B cap registration window will run from March 4 to March 19, 2026. During this period, employers seeking to sponsor H‑1B workers for this year’s lottery (covering employment beginning October 1, 2026) must use a USCIS online account to electronically register each beneficiary for the selection process and submit the required $215 H‑1B registration fee for each entry. | | Latest reports from Silicon Valley Bank | | State of the Markets - H1 2026 | | Global Private Market Trends in 2026 | | Bird & Bird’s AI experts publish the third edition of their EU AI Act Guide | |
The EU AI Act’s deadlines and duties have evolved. In response, Bird & Bird’s AI experts have published the third edition of their EU AI Act Guide! Your go-to guide now reflects the latest regulatory developments and recent European Commission guidance on AI compliance.
What's new?
- GPAI Guidelines and Code of Practice
- The potential impact of Digital Omnibus proposal
- Draft Code of Practice for synthetic content marking
The guide breaks down the AI Act’s scope, the rules for different risk categories, and how enforcement and sandbox testing operate. You’ll find clear definitions and an overview of the roles of the AI Office and AI Board - helping you navigate the rules more easily.
| | | | | 2026 International Deals Report | We have launched our 2026 International Deals Report, which looks at how the cross-border dealmaking landscape is evolving. Markets are entering a new phase of dealmaking where selectivity, strategic focus and regulatory complexity are reshaping how transactions get done. | | | | The King's Trust 50 for 50 Marathon | |
The King’s Trust, His Majesty King Charles III’s global youth charity, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. To mark the milestone, The Trust has launched a nationwide marathon campaign spanning LA, San Francisco, Chicago, NYC, Miami, Boston, and Disney World Orlando to raise funds that help young people build confidence, skills, and pathways into work.
Los Angeles kicked off the campaign this weekend with incredible energy and support. Now it’s San Francisco’s turn!
British Consul General Eleanor Kiloh will lead the charge at the San Francisco Marathon on July 26th, and we are on the hunt for a fantastic team of 20 to join her! I know this remarkable SF community will rise to the challenge and help power brighter futures for the next generation.
Visit 50-for-50 to support the campaign or register to run or email marathon@kingstrust.us
| | | | AI speads across key industries at different speeds, KPMG finds as featured in San Francisco Business Times | | | | A significant development impacting bilateral trade and investment is the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last month striking down the Trump administration’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to invoke reciprocal and country-specific tariffs. A new global tariff at 10% in response to the ruling was introduced shortly after, although the administration’s announcement to increase the tariff to 15% begs important questions about how this applies to the UK given the existing 10% tariff agreed to under the Economic Prosperity Deal. BAB is monitoring developments and underscoring the importance of maintaining the positive momentum in the U.S.-UK economic relationship. | | |
Date: Saturday, March 14th, 2026
Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM PST
Location: Elixir, San Francisco, 3200 16th St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
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| | Renewing Business & Community Member | | New Community Partner Member | | The Trust was founded on the vision that every young person should have the chance to succeed. Our mission is to help young people transform their lives by developing the confidence and skills to live, learn and earn. | | British American Business Council | (415) 296-8645 | info@babcsf.org | www.babcsf.org | |
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