BABCPHL Board Member and Honorary Consul Neil Boyden Tanner Hosts His Majesty King Charles III at CEO Roundtable in New York

BABCPHL Board Member and former President, Neil Boyden Tanner, who also serves as His Majesty’s Honorary Consul for the United Kingdom to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and as Executive Officer and Global General Counsel at Olympus Corporation, recently played an important role in the four day state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the United States of America.

As part of the King’s visit, on April 29, 2026, Neil had the honor of hosting the King at a roundtable for a high-level CEO gathering at Rockefeller Center in New York City. The event brought together 65 leading CEOs in finance, energy, technology and other industries to meet with the King and discuss matters relevant to their work.

Neil hosted a group of energy sector CEOs. He provided introductions between the King and the CEOs, and facilitated a dialogue among the group, with a particular emphasis on sustainable market initiatives.

Upon the United Kingdom’s Ambassador introducing the King to Neil, the engagement was marked by a personal moment. Neil and His Majesty shared an exchange recalling their previous meeting more than 30 years ago at the 300th anniversary of the College of William & Mary in 1993.

Two of the CEOs at Neil’s table also used the opportunity to announce a new partnership to create the UK Infinity Fusion Consortium to pursue development of the first private-sector-led fusion power plant project in the United Kingdom. They then presented His Majesty with a gift in recognition of the fact that they were brought together by the Sustainable Markets Initiative, a global CEO-led network founded by His Majesty King Charles III with the mandate to lead the private sector in accelerating the transition to a sustainable economy.

Following their interaction with the King, Neil and his table spent time with both Sir Christian Turner KCMG, the British Ambassador to the United States, and Yvette Cooper, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. In conversation among BABCPHL Staff, Neil and Ciaran Pocock (BABCPHL Board Member, Deputy Director, Trade, Department for Business and Trade, British Consulate General New York), Neil and Ciaran noted that the visit proved to be truly extraordinary, highlighting the immense coordination and teamwork required to deliver a state visit of this scale. Both also reflected on the presence of His Majesty, noting his remarkable ability to make even the world’s most recognizable CEOs and celebrities visibly starstruck.

The remainder of the King’s visit to New York included a wreath-laying ceremony at the 9/11 Memorial where he paid tribute to victims and met with first responders and victims’ families. He also went to Harlem where he visited Harlem Grown, a community urban farming initiative, highlighting community impact and education initiatives.

From convening global business leaders to fostering meaningful diplomatic connections, Neil’s leadership and continued dedication to transatlantic collaboration highlights the vital role BABCPHL members play in strengthening transatlantic partnerships and advancing shared economic priorities. We extend our sincere gratitude to the United Kingdom’s Department for Business and Trade and to Neil for their contributions to this hallmarked state visit and their continued work strengthening the U.S.-UK relationship. Their leadership reflects the ongoing commitment our membership brings to advancing transatlantic collaboration.