Samarkand is a cross-border eCommerce company focused on connecting Western brands with China, the world’s largest eCommerce market.As Client Services Director I was a key member of the management team for Samarkand Group's large cross-border distribution and incubator business for beauty brands in China.

Leading CBBC's work in the Retail and E-Commerce Space, delivering specialist support to UK brands on trading with China and accessing the Chinese consumer. Highlights include:- Delivering successful market visits for client groups, including to major trade shows in market- More than doubling the membership of the sector, and increasing income across all revenue streams- Launching and overseeing new service offerings for consumer sector clients- Planning and delivering a busy content programme- Advising 100s of clients- Developing strong relationships with strategic partners

- International Trade Advisor on the fashion team- China specialist - Advising and supporting brands on overseas sales strategies and routes to market - Connecting companies to a range of UKTI services and grant-funded programmes to assist in international business - Signposting business support organisations for start-up and young UK brands- Jan 2016 - led a Mobile Apps & Videogames Trade Mission to China (Beijing and Shenzhen)

Covering the Overseas Business Network Adviser role in addition to other jobs. Role included:- Managing a portfolio of relationships with UKTI's Overseas Business Network (OBN)- Creating lasting partnerships between UKTI London's regional team and the OBN teams, identifying commonality and cross-promoting activities of mutual benefit- Organising two large regional roadshow events' London legs - one for Africa, and one for Eastern Europe.- Organising and running a programme of 'Meet the Expert' days for exporters- Organising and delivering training for colleagues- Advising colleagues across the OBN partner organisations on how to access potential UK Exporters.

The role of the UKTI Language and Culture Adviser was created in 2014 to help the SME community address language and culture barriers to export. This is through the promotion of awareness of language and cultural issues in business, and through the provision of solutions ranging from one-to-one advice to advising on student placements, and the provision of training either in-house in organisations or through one-to-many events. In this client-facing, strategic advisory role I have consistently exceeded challenging targets.Other achievements include: start-to-end project management including delivery of an on-going service; provision of advice on a variety of business issues; building wide and useful networks to benefit both UKTI and my clients; acting as an expert on a national newspaper's online live Q&A; working internally across departments to help deliver UKTI's wider aims.