THE organisation that helps businesses to export to China has appointed a new adviser to cover Worcestershire.

James Westwood, a 34-year-old Birmingham entrepreneur who set up three businesses in Shanghai over 10 years, joins the China-Britain Business Council as China business adviser for the West Midlands region. Born in Birmingham, Mr Westwood headed for Shanghai at the age of 23 to work and learn the language and culture. After 12 months in employment, he set up Gusto Fine Foods, which supplied organic Western fruit, vegetables and herbs to the majority of five star hotels in Shanghai. He then went on to follow a career in sustainability, working in the carbon consulting industry, on sustainable urban regeneration projects, and in environmental due diligence for major institutional investors. In 2013, Mr Westwood also launched a craft beer company with his brother David, which sells to 20 bars and clubs in three Chinese cities. Now back in Birmingham, he will use his extensive knowledge of trading in China to help West Midlands SMEs to start exporting there as part of a UKTI/CBBC partnership.

He said: "China is a very different market from the UK, and you have to have patience, commitment, resources and good planning skills to succeed. “I am absolutely thrilled to join CBBC back in my home area and am looking forward to offering guidance and advice to businesses across the region that are looking to export to this exciting and dynamic country. There are still many fantastic opportunities and we are still in a very good position to export our goods and services to China because they like UK-made products and brands.”

China is still one of the key export markets for the West Midlands region and is second only behind the USA, with exports worth £2.9 billion.