June 18, 2017 4:00pm by David Farrar

Kiwi to be UK Chief Trade Adviser

Britain has appointed a former New Zealand trade negotiator, Crawford Falconer, as its chief adviser on trade talks, just days before exit talks with the European Union are due to begin.

Falconer brings 25 years of experience in trade and public service, and will advise international trade minister Liam Fox, Britain’s newly formed department for international trade said on Friday (Saturday NZT).

He will be tasked with developing and negotiating free trade agreements and market access deals with non-EU countries and shaping trade deals on specific sectors or products.

Falconer is very well respected. A good decision for the UK and a useful outcome for New Zealand as we hope to be an early country to negotiate an FTA with the UK.