David Slatter

Scholar background

David is the Regional Manager of the Asia-Pacific Export Support Services, Department for Business and Trade at the UK's Department for International Trade (DIT). He is responsible for promoting UK trade worldwide and encouraging foreign investment. Based in Ho Chi Minh City, David leads the 20-member regional export services team in Asia-Pacific, which provides UK companies with market intelligence and practical guidance regarding business opportunities in the region.

Before moving to Vietnam, David worked for DIT in Korea as the Head of Marketing & Digital Campaigns at DIT Korea, and as the Regional Marketing Campaigns Manager at DIT Singapore where he oversaw strategy, budget, and marketing activities across Southeast Asia.

David received a bachelor’s degree in International History and Politics from the University of the West of England in 2009, and completed his Master of Global Trade at RMIT University Vietnam through the Hinrich Global Trade Leader Scholarship Program in 2023.

Personal statement

I have been working in the field of global trade for eight years for the UK Government’s Department for International Trade to support the UK’s importing and exporting relationships in Asia with my background in trade promotion, market entry support, and economic policy analysis. I am the Asia-Pacific Trade Operations and Partnership Manager based in Vietnam. I worked previously worked for the department in trade promotion and marketing roles in Singapore and South Korea.

My experience until now, however, has been mostly from the governmental view, and I feel the Hinrich Foundation’s Global Trade Leader Scholarship and the Master of Global Trade program, with its curriculum developed by industry leaders, will provide me with a fuller understanding of considerations companies face when making decisions on when, where, and with whom they trade. It is important that government policy makers listen to the needs of business and the support services we offer are optimized for the real-world business requirements. I trust this course will allow to further develop my expertise and improve my own understanding and support of global trade.

The principles of free trade are facing increased political scrutiny in many countries, as well as facing logistical challenges due to COVID. It is more important than ever that we have leaders who understand and can navigate these complexities. I am personally passionate about the role international trade plays in global development, peace and security, and hope the skills offered by the Hinrich Foundation will allow me to be a leader for free and fair trade in both the UK and Asia-Pacific.