Karen Pierce

The United Kingdom was the second-largest export market for New Jersey in 2019, according to statistics provided by the British consulate in New York. The value of those exports totaled $4.5 billion and supported more than 20,000 jobs here. In addition, nearly 41,000 state residents were employed by U.K. subsidiaries in 2018. The numbers paint a picture of an important economic relationship, one both sides seek to maintain.

When the great and good gather in Washington DC to mark Joe Biden’s socially distanced inauguration as 46th President of the United States, they will number among them a former grammar school girl from Preston who carries with her the hopes of a nation. Dame Karen Pierce, Britain’s ambassador to the United States, has the formidable task of building bridges with a wary incoming Biden administration. Her prize could be a precious trade deal, but it won't be easy.