Meet the experts

Q1. Please introduce yourself and explain what you do?

My name is João Sebastião. I am the Spain Country Director for DBT, working out of the British Embassy in Madrid. I lead a highly experienced and professional team of 26 advisers, based in Madrid, Barcelona and Bilbao and I invite you to follow me on Linkedin:

João Sebastião, MSc, PhDopens es.linkedin.com in a new tab

Q2. How can your team help?

My expert trade teams manage key relationships that drive the UK-Spain commercial relationship – from companies like Iberdrola, owners of Scottish Power, with a £30bn investment in the UK, to the Spanish trade ministry and top UK exporters and investors in Spain like GSK, BP, Diageo and Burberry.

Q3. What are some of the key things businesses should know about selling to Spain?

If their product sells well in the UK, it’s worth looking at the Spanish market! Spain is a vibrant and diverse economy, leading the Eurozone with GDP growth of 2.7% in 2023.

The Spanish like to do business based on trust and personal relationships – which are easy to build with more flights between our two countries than anywhere else in the world. Be willing to put the work in to find the right partner or distributor for your product.

Q4. What’s the best thing about Spain?

Where to start? The weather, the food, the people, the history, the cities, the beaches, the culture, the fiestas... no wonder that in 2023, Spain was the 2nd most visited country in the world. The UK and Spain are close friends and allies. Our people-to-people links are strong, with more Brits living in Spain than anywhere else in Europe, over 18m tourists a year and more British schools in Spain than the rest of Europe put together.

Q5. What opportunities or trends do you see coming in Spain?

Spain is a large, diverse and fast-growing economy, so with a high-quality product your chances are good across a wide range of sectors, including retail, healthcare, tech, education and security. Spain is also one of the largest recipients of EU regeneration funding, boosting growth in areas such as renewable energy and digital innovation and infrastructure.

Want to know more about doing business in Spain?

Q1. Please introduce yourself and explain what you do?

My name is Jo Hawley, I am Deputy Trade Commissioner for Europe with particular responsibility for France.

Q2. How can your team help?

My team supports UK companies to export into France, as well as working with large French companies who invest into the UK.

Q3. What are some of the key things businesses should know about selling to France?

For companies new to exporting, France is often an excellent choice, as it is one of the closest markets and trade is enabled by the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between the UK and the EU. Some categories are highly competitive, however, so it's important to research your sector to see if your product or service will stand out.

Q4. What’s the best thing about France?

France has a strong and developing industrial base, which is now focused on decarbonisation and innovation. Working with large French companies presents significant opportunities for UK companies.

Q5. What opportunities or trends do you see coming in your country?

Large French companies are actively seeking to work with innovative companies that will help them meet future challenges, so products and services that can help them improve their performance are particularly attractive.

Want to know more about doing business in France?

Q1. Please introduce yourself and explain what you do?

I’m Kat Boyd, Deputy Trade Commissioner for Europe and Country Director for Germany, supporting our traditionally strong bilateral trade and investment relationship.

Q2. How can your team help?

My team helps UK businesses export to Germany or partner with German corporates, whilst also supporting German companies to invest in the UK. We offer expert knowledge of the local market, can help with finding suitable business partners, buyers and investment opportunities, and we support with removing trade or regulatory barriers, where possible.

Q3. What are some of the key things businesses should know about selling to Germany?

Germany is not only Europe’s largest economy, but also the UK’s second largest trading partner. It’s a competitive market, particularly in manufacturing, with a strong focus on innovative future technologies, a commitment to rapid decarbonisation and digitisation, and a dynamic SME sector (the ‘Mittelstand’ with its ‘hidden champions’).

Q4. What’s the best thing about Germany?

Germany has a long tradition of innovation and is very pro-trade, so it’s a welcoming environment for British suppliers of both goods and services - and there’s a great cultural fit between Brits and Germans too!

Q5. What opportunities or trends do you see coming in your country?

87% of German companies are convinced that the use of digital technologies is essential to future competitiveness, but 76% believe they use digital tech too little, making them eager for innovative digital solutions. The demand for clean energy solutions, like offshore wind and hydrogen, and for increased energy efficiency, is also growing rapidly.

Want to know more about doing business in Germany?