Ex New Zealand minister will lead Brexit trade talks

Falconer will also assist in landing deals for specific sectors and products

UK Prime Minister Theresa May named a former New Zealand minister, Crawford Falconer, to be the government’s chief trade negotiations adviser, charging him with helping to broker new trade deals with the rest of the world as Britain prepares to leave the European Union.

Falconer and his team will develop and negotiate free trade agreements and market access accords with nations outside of the EU, the Department for International Trade said on Friday in an statement. He’ll also assist in landing deals for specific sectors and products.

“Britain is a great global trading nation and, as we leave the EU, we will embrace the world and seek to build an outward-looking Britain that is confident on the world stage,” International Trade Secretary Liam Fox said.