Meet the British Consulate trade team

Tripp Whalen, Director of Trade, New England

British Consulate-General Boston | Department for Business & Trade

Jack Conway, Senior Capital Investment Officer, Capital Investment

Mike Hendy, Senior Trade & Investment Officer, Financial Services

Matthew Clark, Vice Consul, Senior Trade & Investment Officer. Healthcare & Life Sciences, Lead

Andrianna Gomez, Senior Trade and Investment Officer

Healthcare & Life Sciences

Emily Walt, Senior Trade

& Investment Officer

Technology, NE Region

The Boston Biotech Brits Annual Curry & Networking Night

March 3, 6: 00 pm - 8:00 pm, Cambridge*

The British Consulate-General Boston is pleased to announce the return of the Boston Biotech Brits Annual Curry & Networking Night! Enjoy complimentary British beer and curry.

Join us for an evening of delicious curry and the chance to network with the Life Sciences ecosystem, as we seek to connect Brits and Anglophiles working in New England's Biopharma, Healthcare, and Medical Device sectors.

In association with our generous sponsor – pRxEngage, Inc and with representation from The Francis Crick Institute, this free event is designed to encourage innovation and international business cooperation through networking. 

Please note:

This event is open to Brits and Anglophiles working in New England's Biopharma, Healthcare, and Medical Device sectors. You do not need to be British to attend.

*Contact Adrianna Gomez for an invitation: Adrianna.gomez@fcdo.gov.uk.  

We’re excited to invite you to the BABCNE's very first Next Gen gathering of 2026!

March 24, 2026, 6:30 pm

Join us for a fun evening of drinks and networking at Tony C's in Assembly Row on March 24, at 6:30 pm.

Bring along your friends and colleagues—everyone is welcome!

Where to Find Us:

Tony C's 699 Assembly Row Somerville, MA (Just off I-93 and easy to get to via the Orange Line)

*Parking:* Enjoy free parking for up to 3 hours in any of the nearby garages.

Questions? Feel free to reach out to Matt O'Rourke at orourke.matt.b@gmail.com.

You may be interested in viewing the events of

the twenty chapters of the network: https://babn.org/events/

BABCNE in New Hampshire

January 27, 2026

The recent meeting held at Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green PA in New Hampshire, organized by the British American Business Council of New England (BABCNE), British Consulate-General Boston and New Hampshire American Development Corporation (NHADC), was a valuable and insightful experience.

This gathering brought together a diverse array of New Hampshire companies, industry groups, and sector leaders.

Key remarks were delivered by:

Sarah Holmes, State Director for Senator Jeanne Shaheen

Nicola Moss, Deputy Consul General at The British Consulate-General Boston

Jane Ollerhead from Capital One, Vice President of BABCNE.

Additionally, we were honored to welcome Air Commodore Nikki Thomas, OBE as our special guest speaker. She provided an informative briefing for NHADC members regarding the UK air and space export opportunities and outlined details about the upcoming Farnborough Air Show this July.

BABCNE Director, James Normington, of Edward Jones, made the closing remarks. A door prize was generously donated by member Lucinda Sears of The Bee's Knees British Imports in West Acton, MA. Additionally, fellow member Kirsten Chambers-Taylor of Taylored Pathways LLC provided British treats for attendees.

BAB Transatlantic Trade & Investment Policy Conference

February 2, 2026, London



This year's Transatlantic Trade & Investment Policy conference brought together over 200 attendees from 160 transatlantic organisations, and 19 high-profile speakers to discuss policy ideas that can shape transatlantic investment in the UK economy, and the future of the US-UK Trade and Investment Relationship.

The speakers included:

🔹Sir Mel Stride MP, Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer;

🔹Our host Ryan Wagner, The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, London;

🔹Jennifer Bachus, Embassy of the United States of America, London;

🔹Oliver Christian, His Majesty's Trade Commissioner for North America;

🔹Peter Arnold, EY;

🔹Christopher Stokes, Eli Lilly and Company UK, Ireland and Northern Europe; 🔹Emma Reynolds, Mars Food & Nutrition;

🔹Iain Wood, Amazon;

🔹Sophie Oliphant, 3M;

🔹Mark Kent CMG, Scotch Whisky Association;

🔹Simona Popa, InterDigital, Inc.;

🔹Professor Jennifer Hillman, Georgetown University Law Center;

🔹Tom Corcoran, Qualcomm;

🔹Varun Chandra, Prime Minister’s Chief Business, Investment and Trade Adviser, Special Envoy to the United States on Trade & Investment;

🔹Przemek Szuder, Honeywell;

🔹Louise Kingham CBE FEI

🔹Colm Lacy, British Airways;

🔹Saif Malik, Standard Chartered Bank

who shared their valuable insights on the current and future transatlantic business environment, with discussions moderated by BAB CEO Duncan Edwards OBE and Emanuel Adam, Chief Trade and Policy Officer, BAB.

This conference was made possible with the support of BAB members, and hosts The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, and sponsors 3M, AIG, Amazon, bp, British Airways, Diageo, EY, Honeywell, Interdigital, Eli Lilly, Mars and Qualcomm.

View photos from the Conference here: https://lnkd.in/dUhP6rgP

Bridging Borders: International Networking Night

On February 9, 100 attendees braved freezing temperatures to hear Bill Aulet, Professor of the Practice of Entrepreneurship and Managing Director of the Martin Trust Center for MIT Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan, share his insights on opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Bill Aulet has transformed the way entrepreneurship is taught at MIT and around the world, emphasizing a structured and rigorous framework over reliance on intuition. He is the author of the best-selling book *Disciplined Entrepreneurship: 24 Steps to a Successful Startup*.

The evening fostered a collaborative environment, bringing together professionals from various European business chambers for meaningful networking and knowledge exchange.

The participating business groups included:

• British American Business Council of New England
• French American Chamber of Commerce
• German American Business Council of Boston
• The Netherland-America Foundation New England
• Turkish Hub

Scottish Innovation Discussion

January 22, 2026

The British Consulate-General Boston hosted a roundtable with Venture Café Cambridge and Venture Café Edinburgh, which explored Scotland's growing reputation in life sciences and AI.

Attending the roundable were David Clay MBE, HM Consul General to New England and Mike Fisher, PhD, FRSC, Chief Commercial Officer at Oncimmune, an Alden Scientific Company, President of BABCNE.

UK Science and Technology Network

🫖🧪 Leaders from academia and industry gathered at the British Consulate in Boston for the UK Science and Technology Network afternoon tea series in January.

A panel of experts discussed research priorities, AI-ready biodata and standards, and opportunities for UK-US collaboration.

🥼 Dr. Arpita Kulkarni (Harvard Medical School)

🥼 Dr. 🎯 Ming "Tommy" Tang (AstraZeneca)

🥼 Dr. Yonatan Chemla, PhD (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

🇬🇧 Moderated by Mary Shin (UK STN)

Massachusetts Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) Secretary Eric Paley and MOITI Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment Executive Director Jeevan Ramapriya welcomed senior UK trade officials for a meeting which focused on strengthening the Massachusetts–UK economic partnership.

Discussions centered on deepening collaboration across priority sectors including life sciences and healthcare, climate tech, advanced manufacturing, and AI. With the United Kingdom serving as Massachusetts’ 4th largest trading partner, accounting for nearly $5.0B in goods, the meeting reinforced the value of sub-national partnerships in driving innovation, investment, and shared economic growth.

Attending the meeting in January, were: David Clay MBE, HM Consul General to New England, Sir Martin Donnelly, Tammy Reynolds, and Oliver Christian, HM Trade Commissioner for North America and HM Consul General in New York.

Want to learn more about the services of the British Consulate?

Click here

The British American Business Network (BABN), engages with the US and UK governments on a broad range of policy issues impacting the flow of goods and services between the UK and North America. The New York/London chapter, named British American Business (BAB), represents all the chapters on policy matters.

For more details visit: https://babn.org/about-us/ The BABCNE is a founding member of the network of 20 chapters.

BritishAmerican Business Welcomes New British Ambassador to the United States

Statement from BritishAmerican Business CEO, Duncan Edwards OBE, January 30, 2026

“On behalf of BritishAmerican Business, I congratulate

Sir Christian Turner KCMG on his appointment as the British Ambassador to the United States. We warmly welcome him to Washington DC and look forward to working closely with him at this crucial moment for the transatlantic relationship.

Sir Christian Turner, is a career diplomat whose experience spans almost three decades. Bio | Read more here

BAB 2026 Policy Agenda

January 30, 2026

The BritishAmerican Business (BAB) has published its 2026 Policy Agenda setting out business-led recommendations to strengthen the US-UK economic corridor at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, evolving trade policy and national security concerns.

In the year ahead, BAB will advocate for practical, pro-growth transatlantic policies built around four pillars, designed to strengthen trade, investment, security and sectoral collaboration.

Press Release | Details

Win a Servier Golden Ticket to get access to LabCentral’s vibrant and growing community!

Servier is a Gold level Sponsor of LabCentral, a top-tier shared laboratory space in Cambridge, Massachusetts, designed to serve as a launchpad for life science and biotech startups, and is seeking interested startups to apply for their Golden Ticket!

The recipient of the Servier Golden Ticket will receive a $50,000 credit towards space and services at LabCentral’s flagship site at 700 Main Street in Cambridge, for use within a 13-month period.

Servier invites startups to apply that are pursuing research in Servier's fields of interest, including:

• Oncology
• Neurology
• Technologies enabling
• AI/ML data-driven platforms for drug design

Apply here

Funding: Verdiva Bio’s $410M Series A

(Led by New England VCs)

On January 13, 2026, London-based Verdiva Bio officially launched with $411 million to advance oral GLP-1 therapies for obesity. The round was heavily backed by major New England investment powerhouses, including RA Capital Management and OrbiMed (which have deep roots in the Boston ecosystem).

• The Link: New England venture capital is increasingly looking to the UK for "capital-efficient" early-stage assets in the high-growth obesity sector.

Read the BIA Announcement

Technology: Charles River Labs Acquires PathoQuest

Massachusetts-based Charles River Laboratories (headquartered in Wilmington, MA) announced on January 12, 2026, its agreement to acquire PathoQuest. While PathoQuest is French-born, the acquisition is a pivotal move for the UK-US biologics pipeline, as it integrates Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) biosafety testing into Charles River’s global network used by UK biotechs.

• The Link: Provides a critical technological bridge for UK firms looking to meet FDA standards for cell and gene therapy manufacturing via Massachusetts-based service providers.

Read the Charles River Press Release

Policy: UK-US "Zero-Tariff" Pharma Agreement

In early 2026, the biotech community began reacting to the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, which secured a 0% tariff on UK-manufactured pharmaceuticals entering the U.S. This policy has been cited by Massachusetts industry leaders (via MassBio) as a major incentive for New England firms to utilize UK-based CDMOs (Contract Development and Manufacturing Organizations).

• The Link: Reduces the cost of transatlantic clinical trials and drug supply chains between the two regions.

Read the News Coverage (Labiotech)

Global trade in 2026: significant slowdown amid large shifts

ING THINK, January 30, 2026, Julian Geib & Rico Luman 

Expect another year of volatility in global trade. Geopolitics continues to prevail over efficiency, and protectionism remains firmly in place. US tariffs will have lasting effects, but the world moves on. The outlook is less bleak than a year ago thanks to trade's resilience, but the impact of the emerging global order will be felt in 2026

2025 will go down in history as the year everything changed in global trade.

Read more here

Tariffs might seem manageable now – but they’ll quietly squeeze households later

Yahoo! Finance, Umair Choksy, Senior Lecturer in Management, University

of Stirling, February 6, 2026

For more than a year, major institutions like the World Trade Organization (WTO) have been warning that rising tariffs and policy uncertainty would stifle global growth. This is reflected in the ways governments have been deploying tariffs unpredictably. 

Read more here

Your BABCNE Membership Today

We connect. We inform. We support.

Now is the ideal time to renew your membership—or join for the first time—and take full advantage of what’s ahead in 2026. JOIN US!

Video courtesy of Hawke Commercial Filmmaking

You are invited to an exclusive promotional screening of MIDWINTER BREAK in Boston before the film opens nationwide!

Synopsis: A stirring meditation on faith, commitment, and the enduring power of love, as a longtime couple takes a life-changing trip to Amsterdam

📅 Thursday, February 19

🕖 7:00 pm

📍 AMC Boston Common

🎟️ FREE admission – RSVP required

This is a complimentary event, and seats will go fast — please RSVP by replying by email, here! 

MA Export Center Annual Export Expo

February 26 & 27, 2026

This year’s Export Expo will focus on current and imminent developments in our international trade environment, including the impact of the geopolitical landscape, policy, regulation and enforcement on global trade operations. 

Critical issues such as export control and economic sanctions policy, the implementation of widespread tariffs, and escalating regulatory enforcement and more will be addressed, with a focus on helping companies to remain nimble while navigating and responding to a dynamic and increasingly complex global trade environment.

For details and to register: www.mass.gov/export/expo | Free Virtual Event

Salem’s 400^th Anniversary to be Toasted with a Series of Culinary Events

FOOD at 400+

June 11 to 22, 2026

You are invited to the week-long list of events celebrating the 400th anniversary of the founding of Salem!

June marks the 400th anniversary of the founding of Salem as a fishing station by British settler, peacemaker, and salter Roger Conant. Conant's 17th-century dedication to the North Atlantic fisheries paved the way for both settlement in New England and lucrative international trade.

Fishing, farming and the culinary arts have long been the foundation of New England commerce, prompting local Salem Food Tours director, Karen Scalia, to produce a multi-faceted festival entitled FOOD at 400+.

Local restaurants are participating with historic dishes. A number of Salem's historic house museums and properties will be open with special exhibits, including Old Town Hall.

Celebrity chef Scott Conant, a descendant of Roger Conant, will host a special evening during the festival. 

Save the date and learn more at Salem Food Tours here

Sponsors are being sought to support this exciting event! For inquiries, reach out to Karen Scalia at: info@foodat400.com

or call 978-594-8811.

Buckingham Palace summer tickets on sale

July 9 to September 27, 2026

Your summer plans await - tickets to the Summer Opening of Buckingham Palace are on sale.

From July 9 to 27 September 2026, explore the magnificent State Rooms, where The King and members of the Royal Family entertain their guests on state, ceremonial and official occasions. In these rooms, you'll find some of the greatest treasures in the Royal Collection. 

You can combine your visit to the State Rooms with a guided tour of the East Wing

or Palace gardens. Find out more below. 

Foreign travel advice

Get advice and warnings about travel abroad, including entry requirements, safety and security, health risks and legal differences. Details

Heathrow ends 100ml liquid rules

Passengers free to leave bottles and laptops in their bags as airport completes £1bn rollout of new security scanning technology

The Telegraph, January 23, 2026, Telegraph Reporters

Heathrow Airport has ended its 100ml liquid rules for hand luggage. The airport has completed the £1bn rollout of new scanners, which means passengers can keep liquids and large electronic devices in their hand luggage when going through security. Each liquid container can be up to two litres.

Read more here

Heathrow Airport: https://www.heathrow.com/at-the-airport/security-and-baggage

Hand luggage restrictions at UK airports

Call all British duel citizens!

✈️ 📅 From 25 February 2026, dual British citizens will need a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement when travelling to the UK.

Further information for dual British citizens can be found here

BABCNE SOCIAL MEDIA

We invite you to follow us, post on our pages and build your network among our community.

 LinkedIn | Facebook