LIVE WEBINAR | Big Picture: Year Ahead 2021

Chamber Members - Complimentary

Non-Members & Guests - £10

Join us for our first event of the new year and get a grip on what to expect as the dust settles in 2021, with our expert panel’s insights on the economic, political and public sentiment outlook for the year ahead. 

The complex challenges arising from COVID-19, Brexit and broader geopolitical and economic shifts make the operating environment for businesses tougher than ever. For businesses that remain agile and informed, however, there are emerging opportunities that will build momentum in the year ahead alongside the UK's new trade agenda and the roll-out of vaccines. 

To understand what it all means for you, our experts will share their insights and forward outlook on the economy, policy and sentiment in a discussion on the big changes of 2020 and their long-term effects for business, government and the bilateral community in 2021.  

With Speakers:

The Honourable Alexander Downer AC, Chairman, Policy Exchange

Catherine Douglas, Managing Director, C|T RSR

Ian Stewart, Partner and Chief Economist, Deloitte

About our speakers:

The Honourable Alexander Downer AC, Chairman, Policy Exchange

Mr Downer is Executive Chair of the International School for Government at King’s College London. 

From 2014 to 2018, Mr Downer was Australian High Commissioner to the UK. Prior to that, he was Australia’s longest-serving Minister for Foreign Affairs, a role he held from 1996 to 2007.

Mr Downer also served as Opposition Leader and leader of the Liberal Party of Australia from 1994 to 1995 and was Member of the Australian Parliament for Mayo for over 20 years. 

In addition to a range of other political and diplomatic roles, he was Executive Director of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advisor on Cyprus, in which he worked on peace talks between Greek and Turkish Cypriots. 

He is currently Chairman of the UK think tank Policy Exchange, the Chairman of the Royal Overseas League and is a trustee of the International Crisis Group. He is a non-executive director of Yellowcake PLC.

Catherine Douglas, Managing Director, C|T RSR

Catherine is Managing Director of C|T Group’s Australian research and campaigns business, RSR, where she was formerly a researcher and consultant.

Prior to joining C|T Group, Catherine was based in New York where she was Senior Vice President at Teneo Strategy. She also worked with Ketchum in the firm’s corporate practice. Earlier in her career, Catherine worked in corporate affairs for FOXTEL, and for Andersen as a business consultant.

Catherine has a Masters of Public Policy from the University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Adelaide.

Ian Stewart, Partner and Chief Economist, Deloitte

Ian Stewart is a Partner and Chief Economist at Deloitte where he advises Boards and companies on macroeconomics. Ian devised the Deloitte Survey of Chief Financial Officers and writes a popular weekly economics blog, the Monday Briefing, in addition to hosting the fortnightly COVID-19 webinar: health, economics and business.

His previous roles include Chief Economist for Europe at Merrill Lynch, Head of Economics in the Conservative Research Department and Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. Ian was educated at the London School of Economics.