Rebecca Lewis is the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) Deputy Regional Director, East and US DIT COP26 Lead. Rebecca supports the leadership of a team of 30 trade and investment professionals, who focus on transatlantic opportunities for jobs and growth between the UK, and Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. In addition, she leads DIT’s business engagement on Climate. Currently, Rebecca is working with her Embassy and London colleagues to accelerate the race to net zero climate commitments.
Rebecca has been an active member of the BABCPHL since 2013. She has served multiple years on the board and works closely with the organization to collaborate on events. The British Consulate and DIT work closely with the BABCPHL because it makes sense! DIT’s and the BABCPHL’s objectives align for strong regional engagement with industry for trade and investment growth between the UK and Philadelphia. Rebecca’s favorite BABCPHL memory is taking the City’s trade delegation to the Houses of Parliament and visiting the Elizabeth Tower and Big Ben. She also thoroughly enjoyed visiting Philadelphia before the pandemic when Mayor Kenney signed the Powering Past Coal Alliance for the City of Philadelphia.
Throughout the pandemic, Rebecca has most missed seeing people, such as her regular coffee cart man outside the office. Rebecca has remained optimistic during the pandemic and has welcomed the new level of digital engagement between the US and UK, which has created “a whole new accessible and truly global world of opportunities.” She has also been grateful to be narrowing her carbon footprint by not traveling quite as much for work during the pandemic. However, she cannot wait to jump on a plane and go home to the UK once the restrictions are lifted. This is the longest Rebecca has ever had to be away from her home and family.