Laurence Robertson is the Chief Executive and Deputy Chairman of the Westminster Africa Business Association (WABA), where he leads strategic engagement with African governments, UK policymakers, investors, and private-sector leaders.

Parliamentary & Diplomatic Career

He served as a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2024, bringing nearly three decades of parliamentary, trade, and public policy experience to his current work.

During his distinguished parliamentary career, he held several key diplomatic positions:

• Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Ethiopia, Zambia, and Angola.

• Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) on Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Zambia.

Trade Missions & Bilateral Engagement

Laurence has led high-level trade missions to numerous African nations, including:

• Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Ghana

• Rwanda, Uganda, and Kenya

• Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Angola

He has worked closely with African embassies, high commissions, heads of state, ministers, and the UK business community to strengthen bilateral ties and open practical routes for trade and investment.

Recent Milestones: February 2026 Uganda Mission

In February 2026, Laurence was part of the successful trade mission to Uganda delivered by WABA, SACCI, and UKAIS, in partnership with the British High Commission in Uganda.

This mission helped strengthen the practical corridor between:

• UK institutions

• Ugandan government stakeholders

• Private-sector operators

This initiative created a stronger foundation for the 2026 UKAIS agenda on trade, investment, industrialisation, and capital deployment.

Consultancy & Advisory Roles

In addition to his leadership role at WABA, Laurence is the Director of Theoc Consultancy, a strategic public affairs and advisory firm that serves as the official Secretariat for WABA. Through Theoc Consultancy, he supports businesses, governments, and NGOs in:

• Navigating the UK policy landscape.

• Building strong stakeholder relationships.

• Expanding their presence in African markets.

He is also a Board Member of the British Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce, to which Theoc Consultancy provides Secretariat support.

Core Responsibilities at WABA

At WABA, Laurence drives international outreach, policy direction, and high-level stakeholder engagement. His work brings together policymakers, diplomats, investors, and businesses around commercially relevant partnerships across vital sectors, including:

• Infrastructure and energy

• Financial services

• Trade and market entry

Participation at UKAIS 2026

At UKAIS 2026, Laurence will contribute to the Summit’s strategic discussions on UK–Africa trade, investment partnerships, and the wider UK–Africa–India corridor.

His perspective will be valuable in examining how Westminster engagement, African market access, trade missions, business associations, and private-sector partnerships can support corridor execution and capital deployment.

His participation aligns strongly with the Summit theme, Trade Corridors and Industrial Platforms: From Access to Production. He brings a practical bridge between policy, diplomacy, and commercial execution, supporting UKAIS 2026’s focus on turning relationships into bankable partnerships, trade channels, and investment outcomes across Africa.