Horizon Europe: Maximising 2027 and outlook for the future

Aimée Allsopp is a Senior Policy Manager at UKRI Brussels, part of UKRI International. Her work focuses on monitoring developments in European research and innovation policy, supporting UK engagement with EU programmes, and strengthening collaboration between UK and European research and innovation communities. Prior to joining UKRI Brussels, she worked in the Global Affairs and Responsible Internationalisation team at UKRI International, where she managed UKRI's engagement with multilateral forums. Before joining UKRI, she worked on several EU-funded projects at international development consultancies. Aimée holds a Master's degree in International Relations.

Emily Clarke is Associate Director EU, at UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Emily leads UKRI's Horizon Europe functions, including a dedicated expert advisory service (National Contact Points), the Horizon Europe Guarantee Programme, and UKRI's European policy office (UKRI Brussels), with the ambition to maximise the impact of the UK’s participation in Horizon Europe. Emily works closely and collaboratively with the UK government, national funding agencies and a broad range of research and innovation experts, learned societies and organisations in pursuit of this ambition. 

With over 20 years' experience in the higher education and research sector, Emily has extensive experience in strategic planning, organisational performance, building international partnerships, and a proficiency for strategic advice informed by evidence and insights.

Georgina Drury is Head of UKRI Brussels, part of UKRI International.  She leads the team in monitoring European policies in research and innovation and works closely with colleagues in UKRI International and Councils to deliver support for Horizon Europe across the organisation.  UKRI Brussels is working closely with the UK Mission to the EU and Dept. for Business, Innovation, Science and Technology to advocate for the UK as an associated country in Horizon. 

Georgina joined International in 2023, having previously worked in the UKRI Talent team, in MRC and BBSRC, and at the University of Birmingham in research support. 

I head up the Head of Global Research and Innovation Policy at UUKi, where I am responsible for foresight activities related to international research funding including work on boosting participation in Horizon Europe and engagement with International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF). I am particularly interested in areas where policy meets practice and works collaboratively across UUKi and externally to maximise opportunities for the UK HEI sector.

Perry Guess is the UK National Contact Point for Horizon Europe (Cross-Cutting), supporting organisations new to Horizon Europe navigate and access the opportunities available. He has over 30 years’ experience of national and international R&D and innovation funding, having worked in research technology organisations, universities (Oxford and Exeter) and UKRI’s funding bodies (NERC and Innovate UK). 

For ten years, he co-created and co-ran the government backed Environmental Sustainability Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), drawing together key academics and business to inform and exploit research to the benefit of the UK; was Head of Knowledge Exchange and Commercialisation at the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) for six years; and spent seven years, prior to joining Innovate UK in 2025, in an innovation consultancy, supporting, in particular, businesses from multiple sectors to secure significant grant funding.

Louis leads UUKi's policy and engagement work with Europe, supporting UK institutions to achieve their international aims. His work spans international research funding (UK engagement with Horizon Europe and FP10) alongside outward student mobility (exchange programmes such as Erasmus+). Before joining UUKi, Louis worked in the Cabinet Office and FCDO, focusing on the UK’s relationship with the EU. Louis holds a BA in Modern Languages and an MA in European Politics.