Ben Douglass-SmithDeputy Director for Trade in Services at the UK Department for Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade,

Ben is Deputy Director for Trade in Services within the Department for Business & Trade (DBT), where his team focuses on both trade in services policymaking, and securing ambitious and liberal commitments on services with our international partners. Prior to that, he led on developing the UK’s services and digital trade strategies, and on the implementation of our commitments as a result of EU Exit.

He joined DIT in August 2019 – where he founded the departments Policy Coordination and Coherence function and briefly led on tariff operationalisation at the end of the transition period.

Before joining DIT, Ben was in the Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) for several years as head of trade and foreign affairs within the International Agreements Unit – working closely with DIT and other departments to ensure continuity in our formal treaty relationships, and managing the interaction between those and the withdrawal agreement.