Effective contract management skills are crucial when doing business with overseas suppliers and customers to ensure that you and your stakeholders are all fulfilling your obligations! Join the Department for Business & Trade for an essential guide on how you can establish international contracts with confidence.

What you’ll learn

• understand the risks of entering into contracts
• key considerations when establishing a contract
• learn negotiation principles relating to contracts.

Description

Navigating international business contracts from a distance can be challenging, but it's a crucial aspect of a successful export journey. In this session, you will gain essential insights into the art of finding the right suppliers and managing contracts effectively, even when you may be miles apart.

We'll be providing insights to help you manage the whole lifecycle of a contacts, as sometimes there is inadequate attention paid to managing contracts after they have been established. You'll learn the importance of effective contracting and the potential risks of getting it wrong and discover how to set up a solid contract, avoid common pitfalls, and negotiate better terms for you and your business.

There will also be a deep dive into the most commonly-experienced legal risks for businesses selling overseas, and what to be aware of before embarking on export contracts and contractual relationship with another business in a non-UK country.

This event is suitable for both goods and services exporters, however involved you may be in the contract management process within your own business.

Speakers

Colin Linton

Business trainer, consultant, academic and researcher, Gidea Solutions Limited

Colin had a highly successful commercial career in finance working in a range of different functional areas including procurement, sales and marketing. He held several senior positions including Head of Marketing & Product Management in International Trade & Banking Services and Director of Marketing for UK Corporate and Commercial Banking.

He now works as an independent trainer, consultant and academic. He has delivered training assignments for many major organisations around the world. Colin is also the Chief Assessor for the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply, the Association of Corporate treasurers and the Bank Asset & Liability Management Association. Colin works part-time for the University of Southampton, where he is half-way through his PhD. His research focuses on the skills that are required to manage contracts effectively.

Sarah Schütte

Director, Schutte Consulting Limited

Sarah specialises in construction, engineering, technology, supplier and infrastructure contracts.

She has had a tri-partite legal career: private practice, in-house Senior Counsel at both client and supplier and, since 2014, independent consultant based in London. She works in the UK and internationally, and speaks French, Spanish and German.

She has 25 years’ experience advising on, negotiating and designing contracts. She supports businesses on strategy and growth and focusses on putting law in its practical and purposive context to nurture confident contract users.

Sarah volunteers at PMI and APM (nominated for Volunteer of the Year 2021) and recently completed 8 years as a primary school Governor. She now supports local secondary schools and as Alumni on careers, and has judged several university-level Enactus UK and global competitions. She is a popular industry interviewee, conference speaker and panel member.