Exporting to the US: One market or fifty?

Explore how to successfully enter the US market by understanding regional differences, routes to market, and key commercial and tax considerations. Hosted by the Diplomatic Advisory Hub, a joint initiative between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and British Chambers of Commerce.

What you’ll learn

• Learn about the current state of the US/UK relationship.
• Learn about differences between states in the US.
• Learn practical tips for doing business in the US.

Description
Is the United States a single, unified market - or a collection of fifty distinct opportunities? This webinar will explore how UK businesses should approach exporting to the US in today’s evolving trade landscape.

Featuring insights from the UK’s Trade Commissioner for North America, Oliver Christian, the UK’s Consul General in Chicago, Richard Hyde, and Deloitte Partner Peter Badenhuizen, the session will provide an overview of the UK–US trading relationship and translate what it means for exporters.

Through a facilitated discussion, speakers will examine the realities of entering the US market, including regional differences, routes to market, and key commercial and tax considerations. All attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions.

This session is ideal for UK companies considering or actively pursuing growth in the US market.

Speakers
Peter Badenhuizen
Senior Partner - US Business Tax group, Deloitte

Peter Badenhuizen is a senior partner in Deloitte’s London-based US Business Tax group with three decades practicing in the US and the UK. He is qualified as a US certified public accountant, and his experience spans an array of US tax advisory and compliance issues across an international client base. Peter is also a member of the Board of Directors of British American Business. He has served for over two decades as an active member of BAB, including formerly as Chair of the BAB Tax Forum, contributing to the promulgation of BAB’s views on various areas of UK and US tax legislation of interest to its transatlantic membership and helping to promote London as a business centre of excellence.

Oliver Christian
His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America, UK Government

Oliver Christian serves as His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for North America and His Majesty’s Consul General to New York. Appointed in April 2025, he joined from 10 Downing Street. Previously, Oliver served as His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner to the Middle East and Pakistan and His Majesty’s Consul General to Dubai and the Northern Emirates. Across his 14-year government career, Oliver has gained extensive expertise in trade, investment, business, regulation, and security, representing the United Kingdom.

Richard Hyde
His Majesty’s Consul General in Chicago, UK Government

Richard is His Majesty’s Consul General in Chicago. As Consul General, he leads the UK’s engagement across the 14 states of Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. As a career diplomat, Richard has served in a range of diplomatic and commercial positions around the world, including Deputy High Commissioner in Hyderabad and Bangalore, India.

Richard Oppenheim
Director, Diplomatic Advisory Hub

Richard Oppenheim is Director of the Diplomatic Advisory Hub, a joint initiative between the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC). Housed at the BCC Headquarters in London, the Hub provides trusted, actionable FCDO geopolitical insight to businesses across the UK in support of the UK government’s growth mission.

Richard brings with him a wealth of diplomatic experience across some of the world’s most complex and strategically important markets in the Middle East, and Japan. Richard has served as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen, as Deputy Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, and held diplomatic appointments in Iraq, Oman, New York and Japan.

Terrand Smith
Founder & CEO, 37 Oaks | Commerce Development Strategist

Terrand Smith brings close to 20 years of corporate retail experience at the headquarters of some of the United States' largest retailers, where she oversaw nearly $1 billion in revenue across categories spanning thousands of products, hundreds of vendor relationships, and more than 15,000 retail outlets. Her expertise spans assortment optimization, pricing strategy, vendor negotiation, and P&L management — giving her a practitioner's understanding of how the US retail and wholesale landscape operates at scale.

She is now the Founder and CEO of 37 Oaks, a Chicago-based commerce development company that educates and prepares scaling businesses to enter and grow across US storefront, e-commerce, wholesale, and distribution channels. She is also the author of Prepare to Shift: The Workbook, a practical guide for business owners navigating commercial growth and market entry.