ESTONIAN TRADE MISSION DELIVERS RESULTS FOR GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S

£1BN CYBER AMBITIONS

Gloucestershire’s £1bn Golden Valley cyber development is now attracting international attention

Building on the increasingly vocal support of government, the CBI and the wider national cyber and digital community, Gloucestershire’s landmark Golden Valley cyber project is now commanding the attention of the large digital community in Estonia following a successful trade mission to the Baltic State.

The mission was organised by John Workman, Senior Partner and Sarah Kenshall, Head of Technology at Cheltenham-based BPE Solicitors. John is also Estonian Honorary Consul for the West of England.

One of three strategically located Baltic States, Estonia has become one of the fastest-growing, most digitally enabled economies in Europe, if not the world. But because of its small population, Estonian companies must look outward for growth.

Delegates from across Cheltenham took part in the Estonia trade mission just before Christmas.

They met with some of Europe’s most successful cyber companies, including Cybernetica, the company which successfully developed Estonia's remarkable and world-leading digital IT infrastructure which includes e-voting and tax systems, and Guardtime, which has developed blockchain protocols and applications used by governments and businesses since 2008.

Also on the UK trade mission was Jeremy Bamburg, representing HBD Factory X, the company delivering Cheltenham’s cyber tech campus which will sit at the heart of the county’s £1 billion development.

The trade mission, organised to encourage collaboration between Estonia and Gloucestershire, provided unique access to senior government o cials and international representatives based at NATO’s Co-operative Cyber Defence Council, based in Tallinn.

For BPE, the trip represented an opportunity to showcase its work supporting the delivery of digital infrastructure, and the visit reaped rewards for one delegate company which has been invited to set up a satellite operation in the country.

New dialogues were opened between other UK delegates on the trip and the Estonian government.

Estonian Honorary Consul for the West of England, John Workman, explained the background. “We got involved in Estonia in the immediate aftermath of ‘reindependence’ in 1990. One of our former colleagues, John Beevor, met the new Estonian leadership on a Rotary mission to Tallinn – resulting in high-profile work for the Estonia Defence and Foreign Ministries.

“We concluded the contract for the sale of four Royal Navy mine hunters to the Estonian Navy. We also assisted in the preparation of the tender for a new air defence missile system – thankfully they were never tested.

“I first went to Estonia with John in 1997 and fell in love with the country and its people. I have seen Estonia change massively over 25 years, driven by the energy, optimism and skills of its population to be a true Baltic Tiger and centre of excellence in technology.

“John was appointed as an Honorary Counsel in the first wave of the republic’s diplomatic expansion. When he retired in 2013, I was invited to succeed him. It has been one of the greatest honours of my career. I am proud to represent the business, arts and energies of the Estonian people.”

Sarah Kenshall added: “The visit delivered some incredible insights (thank you, Guardtime) and very useful Estonian contacts, but the stand-out for us was my fellow delegates, who managed to get out to Tallin in December, despite unexpectedly heavy snowfall in the UK as we left for Heathrow airport and six foot snowdrifts when we arrived in Tallin.

“We look forward to working with this team to continue promoting Cheltenham’s cyber opportunities and to deepen links with Estonia.”