June 23rd 2016 is a day few of us will forget. After 47 years as part of the European Union, the UK chose to leave.
Two years later, at the height of the Brexit Crisis, I became a Senior Policy Advisor in the UK government. Over the next three years, I was Michael Gove’s eyes and ears on all things borders as he led the UK’s planning for departure from the EU.
I founded clearBorder to fix the problems I saw then: the impact of new border processes on ordinary firms, businesses’ need for knowledge about new trade rules, their need for independent, expert advice. And the need for radical new thinking about the border and trade. For the first time in a generation, the performance of the UK border matters to every trading business.
I teamed up with Tony Ball, who brings 40+ years of freight forwarding experience, and Global Counsel, world leaders in international politics and regulation. Since then, we’ve developed a unique product and a powerful network from leading technology players to experts in agrifood (sanitary and phytosanitary) processes, customs and supply chains.
We are determined to make the border better.
clearBorder is founded on three central propositions: that borders are a central part of business decision-making; that most businesses struggle to understand how to manage the border; but that with the right
knowledge and technology businesses can gain advantage.
clearBorder are determined to assist in that – to help our clients innovate, reduce costs, make trade borders invisible and stay ahead of the competition.
Training
Our Border Ready courses offer online, on-demand, affordable training for businesses of any size – from an owner-manager to teams of hundreds. Courses are modular, repeatable, easy to access and affordable. They cover all you need to get ready for international trade, from importing and exporting, to rules of origin, to trade in food and animal products.
Border Ready courses focus on reducing the risks of disruption and increasing resilience. We recognise that people are at the heart of any processes – and that spreading knowledge is the best way to reduce error, improve efficiency, satisfy customers and gain advantage.
Advice
clearBorder’s advice helps businesses react to immediate difficulties or plan for strategic change. Our combination of expertise and independence is unique. Customs and borders are too often opaque and intimidating worlds. We bring independence and clarity. We don’t rely on the complexity of customs or selling additional logistics services: we succeed by helping our clients see through both.
Our partners in freight forwarding, government policy, international trade and technology recognise today’s extraordinary logistical challenges, particularly for EU supply chains. We also see huge opportunities to make better use of what supply chains already have: data, people, infrastructure, technology, to name but a few.
Insight
Finally, I am determined that clearBorder should be about the future. Our insight enables boards, investors and decision-makers to anticipate risk and opportunity.
In the UK, post-Brexit changes continue. Full customs controls begin in January 2022. Agrifood products face full sanitary and phytosanitary controls from July 2022. Border processes are under review with ambitious plans set out in the 2025 Border Strategy. The EU continues to evolve its border, with the Import One-Stop Shop (IOSS) in July 2021 and plans to introduce the Entry/Exit System in 2022.
Borders around the world are in flux, as technology and political pressures drive change. Each change has a direct impact on international supply chains. Company leaders that ignore them will pay the price in unexpected costs, lost competitiveness and damaged reputations.
clearBorder is the go-to place for insight into these changes. Our team and product offer are unique. We are practical, expert, independent and positive about the value of international trade. We have much to do. With our customers and partners I am determined to fulfill our ambition: to make trade borders invisible.
