The United Kingdom – comprised of England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland – is one of the most globalised economies in the world. The country is the world’s 5th-largest exporter and importer, with its primary export commodities being manufactured goods, fuel, chemicals, food and beverages.
The country’s economic growth is fuelled by its banking, insurance and business services and allows it to continue to be the second-largest financial centre in the world. The UK is also leading in its commitment to climate change by recently, introducing a ban on the sales of new cars and vans wholly powered by petrol and diesel from 2030.
The currency of the UK is the pound sterling, which is the world’s fourth-largest reserve currency and is one of the 10 most valued currencies in the world
In 2020, the Advisory Board Centre mapped professionals currently serving on advisory boards. This assessment identified over 82,000 professionals on advisory boards in the UK or 4% of the global advisory board market. There is also a projected growth of 130% for the sector in the UK.
Research has identified that the advisory board sector is emerging, and advisors exist as a profession in the United Kingdom. As an emerging sector, advisory board professionals may have opportunities in key sectors including – banking and finance, information technology, and education – and are encouraged to stay open-minded to start-up and emerging industries.
There is a growing opportunity for professionals to increase participation in the United Kingdom, by formalising advisory board structures and collaborating on a global scale. As this sector grows, it is important to note that best practice credentials will shift the market from informal to formal advisory boards over time.
| Population | 66.65m |
| GDP | 2.829tn (USD) |
| Agriculture | 1.3% |
| Industry | 15.2% |
| Services | 83.5% |
| Agriculture | 0.7% |
| Industry | 20.2% |
| Services | 79.2% |
| Import | 980.081bn (USD) |
| Export | 901.882bn (USD) |
| Global ease of doing business rank | 8th |
| Global ease of doing business score | 93.8/100 |
