Lesley Batchelor CBE, CEO, Export Boot Camps; former Director General of the Institute of Export and International Trade

Drawing on her experience at Export Boot Camps and the Institute of Export and International Trade, Lesley argued that while ESG was initially driven by regulation, many firms are now seeing clear commercial benefits, including stronger governance, improved investor confidence and better internal decision-making.

The conversation explored how data, digitalisation and AI are changing the way lenders and funders assess risk, meet regulatory expectations and identify growth opportunities in international markets. Lesley challenged the idea that Europe is over-regulated, stressing the importance of understanding different global regulatory environments and encouraging UK firms to look beyond the US when developing export strategies. Used intelligently, she suggested, ESG and regulation can actively support growth in the invoice finance sector, even in a complex geopolitical landscape.