Rachel Richards

Rachel Richards is a senior civil servant with over a decade of experience shaping UK Government policy, strategy, and supporting international engagement. Working for the Department for Business and Trade, Rachel is currently Deputy Director for the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, an independent, non-statutory, expert committee responsible for advising government on the development and delivery of the Industrial Strategy and monitoring progress on its objectives. Her previous roles include Deputy Director for International Strategy & Delivery, supporting Government’s efforts to address market access barriers, and Deputy CEO of the UK-African Investment Summit, leading Government’s Business Engagement securing commercial partnerships between government and industry. Rachel undertook the University of Oxford and Saïd Business School’s Women’s Leadership Development Programme in 2022 and is committed to mentoring and championing women in public service.