Founders Story

James Buckle

I founded Export Catalyst after years of seeing the same frustration in UK businesses: great products, real international potential — but no dedicated resource to turn that potential into results.

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Too often, export was something companies planned to focus on “when there’s time.” But because no one truly owned it, opportunities slipped, distributors drifted, and overseas growth stalled.

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For more than 20 years I worked in international sales and commercial leadership roles, building channels, opening markets and developing high-performing distributor networks across over 60 countries. I’ve negotiated with partners in Europe, the Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Americas, and experienced first-hand what it takes to build momentum in diverse and challenging markets.

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Across manufacturing, industrial products, security hardware, engineered systems and technical solutions, I learned how to identify the right partners, structure effective commercial agreements, and deliver results in environments where clarity, consistency and trust matter most.

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After two decades of doing this work from inside organisations, one truth became clear:

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Most companies don’t struggle because they lack international opportunity — they struggle because they lack international capacity.

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They don’t need more theory.
They don’t need another strategic report that sits on a shelf.
They need someone who will roll up their sleeves and do the work.

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Export Catalyst exists to provide exactly that:
practical, senior-level international leadership that creates momentum and builds predictable overseas revenue.

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My mission is simple:

To help UK companies succeed globally with clarity, confidence, and consistent action — turning ambition into traction and traction into long-term growth.