New defence exports body launched

The beginning of April 2008 saw UK Trade & Investment Defence & Security Organisation (UKTI DSO) formally receiving its responsibility for the £5 billion-a-year defence exports sector from the Defence Exports Services Organisation (DESO).

Lord Digby Jones, Minister for Trade and Investment, said: "Drawing on UKTI's wider expertise in innovative marketing, UKTI DSO will work with the sectors to promote a UK defence and security brand as much as individual products and services.

He also said that the new arrangement creates a "tremendous opportunity to ensure the UK's continued success" in the highly competitive global defence market.

Drawing on UKTI's wider expertise in innovative marketing, UKTI DSO will work with the sectors to promote a UK defence and security brand as much as individual products and services

Lord Digby Jones

Minister for Trade and Investment

UKTI

John Hutton, Business and Enterprise Secretary, noted that the transfer of responsibility from DESO to UKTI DSO would allow the defence industry to perform more consistently and deliver high ethical standards.

UKTI DSO will support defence and security exports by building relationships with established and emerging markets, developing marketing campaigns and offering advice to overseas customers.