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The JAXUSA Partnership Luncheon on April 8th will feature three distinguished speakers from the United Kingdom as we explore the growing transatlantic partnership between the Jacksonville region, state of Florida and the UK business community.

Our guests will share firsthand insight into global expansion, why companies choose Jacksonville for their North American operations and how continued collaboration will strengthen economic opportunity on both sides of the Atlantic.

Learn more about our featured speakers:

Jason Cowley

Jason Cowley is an award-winning journalist, magazine editor and writer. He is a commentator for The Sunday Times, writing on politics, world affairs and cultural issues.

From 2008 to 2024, he was Editor-in-Chief of the New Statesman, the UK’s leading liberal weekly political magazine founded in 1913. Under his leadership, the magazine experienced substantial growth in readership, digital profile and cultural impact, earning him multiple Editor of the Year awards in the politics and current affairs category from the British Society of Magazine Editors. He broadened its politics, championing sceptical, independent journalism beholden to no party or faction.

From 2003 to 2007, he worked for the Observer, the oldest Sunday newspaper in the world, as a magazine editor (The Observer Sport Monthly) and essayist. He then served as Editor of Granta, the influential literary periodical, from 2007 to 2008, before his move to the New Statesman.

As an author, Jason has published several books, including The Last Game: Love, Death and Football (2009), Reaching for Utopia: Essays and Profiles (2018), and Who Are We Now? Stories of Modern England (2022). He wrote the introduction to the Macmillan Collector’s Library edition of George Orwell’s Animal Farm.

As well as writing for the Sunday Times, he works as a media and policy strategist, public speaker and broadcaster.

Marco Forgione MCIE

Marco Forgione MCIEx is Director General of the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade (CIOE&IT), a position he has held since January 2020. He is widely recognised as one of the leading authorities on global trade, geopolitics, and international supply chains.

Marco serves as a key intermediary between government and business on trade policy matters in the UK and internationally. Post UK exit from the EU, Marco established a training and advisory service for UK officials, giving business focused guidance on new trade rules and regulations. CIOE&IT provides analysis and assessment of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) to government and help promote opportunities created by FTAs to business. Marco has established a customs and trade centre of excellence supporting politicians, policy makers, regulators and business on complex issues including Rules of Origin, Cumulation, regulatory alignment and compliance.

CIOE&IT is at the forefront of the digitalization of global trade, advising on the UK’s Electronic Trade Documents Act and establishing the UK’s first digital trade corridor pilot. In addition to support for trade in goods under Marco’s leadership CIOE&IT also addresses behind the border issues of trade facilitation, market access barriers and issues.

Justin Doherty

Justin Doherty is an international communications and reputation adviser specialising in economic relations, trade, investment promotion and geopolitical risk.

Justin has worked extensively across the UK, United States, Middle East, and Africa, advising senior political leaders and heads of state, including the Presidents of Sri Lanka and South Sudan, Prime Minister of Uganda, and the leadership of Abu Dhabi.

He has supported multiple aspects of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation, advising the Minister of Economy and Planning, Ministers of Culture, King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) and Qiddiya.  For the past four years he has served as senior adviser to the Riyadh-based Future Investment Initiative (FII), the world’s leading investor summit, which has been attended by global investors, business leaders, President Trump. President Macron, the Prime Minister of Japan, and President Lula da Silva of Brazil.

He is retained by the Brunei Investment Authority, has advised companies including Beazley plc and Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, and supports globally oriented cities including Jacksonville, Florida. He has coached Ministers and CEOs for global media appearances, most recently advising the heads of Christian Churches in Jerusalem. Earlier, he served as Senior Communications Adviser to Lord Crisp, then CEO of England’s National Health Service.

Justin writes for The Spectator, the London Magazine, Aspects of History, Arabian Gulf Business Insight, and The Oldie and appears on television and radio commentating on economic relations, soft power, and international affairs.  Justin is a military veteran who served in the British Army for 12 years.