BExA Young Exporter/Export Financier of the Year Award recognises outstanding contributions to UK trade
Jordan Shorto, Deputy Head of Aerospace at UK Export Finance (UKEF), has been announced as the winner of the prestigious BExA-GTR Young Exporter/Export Financier of the Year Award for 2023. The award recognises outstanding young professionals in the export and export finance sectors, celebrating their contribution to advancing the UK's trade agenda.
Jordan was presented with her award at the BExA annual lunch on 18 October at Merchant Taylors’ Hall.
The judges’ decision to honour Jordan with this year’s award was backed by her exceptional dedication and significant achievements during her five years at UKEF.
According to her nomination form, and as outlined in her interview with the judging panel, Jordan has played a vital role in securing billions of pounds in support for the UK aviation sector, both directly and indirectly benefiting various companies in the industry. Her contributions have solidified her position as an asset within the organisation and as a role model for young professionals in the export finance community.
Among her notable accomplishments, Jordan's instrumental involvement in delivering a substantial sustainability-linked Export Development Guarantee (EDG) to British Airways during the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic stood out. This landmark deal, valued at £2bn, provided critical support to British Airways and marked a significant milestone as the largest EDG delivered by UKEF at the time and the first with sustainability-linked features, setting a new industry standard. Recognising the importance of this transaction, Airline Economics awarded it its Sustainability Editor’s Deal of the Year in 2021.
Furthermore, Jordan’s leadership and involvement in advancing ESG-related initiatives across UKEF, specifically her role in spearheading a new platform to monitor the environmental footprint of the organisation's aircraft portfolio, showcased her commitment to driving forward knowledge and understanding of ESG in aviation. This proactive approach aligns with UKEF’s mandate to support exports and commitment to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
“It is interesting and rewarding to work with the UK’s aerospace industry and to be able to support its export financing requirements. I feel privileged to have had a front-row seat for the developments in the sector over the past five years, and I look forward to continuing to collaborate with respect to the role UKEF can play in its future,” says Jordan. “I am very grateful to BExA and GTR for this prestigious award recognising my contribution to the UK export market. Congratulations to all who were nominated as it truly is a team effort to support UK exports today and in the future.”
Geoffrey de Mowbray, vice-president of BExA and recipient of the BExA-GTR Young Exporter of the Year Award in 2013, lauded Jordan's achievements: “Jordan embodies the key traits of a dynamic export financier: resourcefulness, unwavering dedication and a genuine passion for her field. Personally, it's a moment of immense pride, especially considering it has been a decade since I was honoured with this award myself.”
He commended UK Export Finance for nominating outstanding candidates for the award, demonstrating the organisation's exceptional talent pool and dedication to the industry.
The quality of award nominees this year was remarkably high. Alongside acknowledging the winner, BExA also extends its congratulations to the shortlisted group of highly impressive candidates who met with the judging panel.
The BExA-GTR Young Exporter/Export Financier of the Year Award, now in its 17th year, aims to recognise and celebrate exceptional young professionals making significant contributions to the UK's export endeavours. Shortlisted candidates are assessed by a judging panel comprised of representatives from the BExA Council and GTR magazine. The award, presented at the prestigious BExA Annual Lunch, not only signifies professional achievement but also includes a cash prize of £1,000 and a one-year subscription to GTR, further acknowledging the winner's outstanding contributions to the field of international trade and finance.
Posted 27 October 2023