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Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Part of UK in Turkey

4th October 2012

Britain in Turkey

$56 billion of infrastructural investment opportunities. New airports, bridges, motorways, ports and healthcare opportunities running up to 2023. Top-level political support from the British and Turkish Governments.

All this is the background to this week’s visit to Turkey by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business and Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon, accompanied by a top-level delegation of companies keen to do business in Turkey. There’s a focus on developing further the excellent political relationship between Turkey and the UK, based on close personal ties and on the UK’s strong support for Turkey’s EU membership aspirations.

The two days see a series of business events and important announcements, including the establishment of a new £7 million manufacturing facility in Cardiff by Turkish company HDM Steel Pipe; an export deal for West Midlands company Concept Steels to export £5 million of alloys, exotic metals and components for the oil, gas and petrochemical industries; the establishment of Turkish hospital group Florence Nightingale of their European HQ in London; and the opening by construction consulting services company Hill International of a new Turkey and Central Asia regional office in November 2012.

Highlights of the visit include the Deputy Prime Minister’s meetings with President Gul, Prime Minister Erdogan and Deputy Prime Minister Babacan in Ankara; a series of commercial events in Istanbul culminating with a ‘GREAT British Brands’ media event and networking reception in the Consulate General; and a keynote address by Nick Clegg at an entrepreneurship event at Bogazici University.

The intense two days are a reflection of the power and depth of Turkey-UK political relations, underpinning an increasingly important commercial, financial and business relationship.  Turkey is a huge market growing fast in its own right, as well as being a crucial hub for the region.  Top British companies are here right now and more are coming.  If you are interested in doing business in Turkey and the wider region, come and talk to us.

You can read more about the visit of the Deputy Prime Minister, including his condemnation of the incident in the Turkish town of Akcakale, at the UKinTurkey website.

About Leigh Turner

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of…

I hope you find this blog interesting and, where appropriate, entertaining. My role in Vienna covers the relationship between Austria and the UK as well as the diverse work of the UN and other organisations; stories here will reflect that.

About me: I arrived in Vienna in August 2016 for my second posting in this wonderful city, having first served here in the mid-1980s. My previous job was as HM Consul-General and Director-General for Trade and Investment for Turkey, Central Asia and South Caucasus based in Istanbul.

Further back: I grew up in Nigeria, Exeter, Lesotho, Swaziland and Manchester before attending Cambridge University 1976-79. I worked in several government departments before joining the Foreign Office in 1983.

Keen to go to Africa and South America, I’ve had postings in Vienna (twice), Moscow, Bonn, Berlin, Kyiv and Istanbul, plus jobs in London ranging from the EU Budget to the British Overseas Territories.

2002-6 I was lucky enough to spend four years in Berlin running the house, looking after the children (born 1992 and 1994) and doing some writing and journalism.

To return to Vienna as ambassador is a privilege and a pleasure. I hope this blog reflects that.

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business Exports investment Michael Fallon Nick Clegg trade Turkey uk ukti

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