Supporting Export and Trade

Becoming an Export Champion

In 2020, DriveWorks VP and CO-Founder, Maria Sarkar was appointed Northern Powerhouse Export Champion for 2020.

First launched in the North in 2013, The Export Champion programme is a key part of The Department for International Trade’s (DIT) Exporting is GREAT campaign.

The campaign aims to spark a movement around the UK of companies selling their products and services overseas.

Export Champions are appointed to represent a wide range of sectors throughout the region.

Over the past year in her role as Export Champion, Maria has been sharing more about our achievements in export and inspiring other companies in the region to consider exporting as a realistic and successful opportunity for growth.

With a growing demand for British products and access to international markets, there is an increasing opportunity for UK businesses to succeed through export and international trade.

A year on and Maria is maintaining her role as Export Champion and has been attending monthly meetings with other Export Champions.

In the latest meeting, the Export Champions were introduced to the Department for International Trade Director General, Andrew Mitchell.

Maria Sarkar Northern Powerhouse Export Champion

Department of International Trade Director General, Andrew Mitchell.

Andrew Mitchell was appointed a Director General at the Department for International Trade in May 2020.

Andrew was previously Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe, responsible for the Department for International Trade’s work promoting trade and investment with the countries of Europe.

Prior to this, he held senior positions in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCQ). Andrew led the government’s international work on Prosperity and was the FCO’s Director for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Andrew served in Germany and Nepal and was Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Sweden. Andrew’s work in the private sector focused on major international events, including World Expos and Olympic Games.

In his current role as Director General for Exports and UK Trade, Andrew is responsible for the department’s work on exports, UK Regions and the Devolved Administrations, and global supply chains.

Successfully Exporting Overseas

DriveWorks was founded in 2001. Our software is used by businesses of all shapes and sizes from across the world, in a wide range of industries and market sectors. Almost 80% of our revenue now comes from overseas.

We have built a strong channel, with an international network of over 100 Value-Added Resellers across 53 countries, who work with us to sell and support our software.

Companies using DriveWorks software range from SMEs to multi-nationals and globally recognised brands.

On a daily basis, we are supporting this channel with meetings, training and learning materials to ensure consistent quality.

We work hard to ensure our software is easy to use and can be supported no matter where you are in the world

Think Globally – Act Locally 

Through our integrated network, we have successfully built a strong global channel to provide support for our software worldwide.

Our established network of Value-Added Resellers has given us a global presence without having to have offices and employees in every country.

This global network has given us access to a customer base of over 1000 SME’s and multi-nationals across lots of different industries in countries around the world.

This network has proved especially useful to us when trading overseas as it has created a point of contact for each of our DriveWorks customers, providing them with someone who speaks their language and is also on their timezone.

To help our resellers be consistent no matter where they are in the world, we have created lots of resources to train the trainer.

This includes everything a reseller could possibly need to present a class on DriveWorks – whether it is in Germany, Brazil, Australia, or anywhere in the world. 

Ensuring that our customers get a consistent experience whenever they use our software.

Selling Digitally 

COVID-19 has brought about many challenges for businesses across the world.

Most businesses now have fewer opportunities for selling face to face. And while things start to get moving again, it seems the way we work may have changed forever.

Throughout the pandemic, we have seen that companies who are smart, agile, and open to change are more likely to survive. We have already seen many businesses are embracing digital as a result of this.

DriveWorks enables companies anywhere in the world to sell online and sell digitally.

We are huge advocates for anything digital and the ability for UK companies to bring wealth and business back to the UK through export.