Global Trade Live: Preparing for a customs audit

Will Barns-Graham is the executive editor and content lead at the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade.

An experienced global trade journalist and event content specialist, he has been the host of the Chartered Institute’s industry-leading Global Trade Live webinar for almost a decade and is the lead editor of its Global Trade Today newsletter. He has also hosted, led agenda design and facilitated panels at various industry events, including the Import Export Show, Multimodal and the International Food and Drink Event.

Will has also been the lead content contributor on several collaborative projects with governments and business organisations in the UK and overseas. This includes the ‘Open to Export International Business Awards’ which resulted in the Chartered Institute being named a Small Business Champion by the World Trade Organization and the International Chamber of Commerce.

He is a NCTJ-qualified journalist, having gained a distinction on the Press Association’s Level 3 Diploma. He has also gained an MA in Social Anthropology from SOAS and a BA in Philosophy and Theology from the University of Oxford.

Dominic has worked in Supply Chain and Logistics for over 42 years and has extensive experience in all aspects of Integrated Supply Chain and related Technologies.

He began his career as a Customs Broker in the Port of Liverpool, then migrated into a mix of Operational and Business Development roles with a global remit.

Dominic has worked in various countries around the Globe, from The United States to Saudi Arabia and from Norway to Belgium, giving him a truly international understanding of the supply chain industry.

Over the last 20 years, he has held senior management and Managing Director level positions within the top 10 Global Freight Audit organisations, playing a part in enabling these organisations to develop their Global service capabilities for Fortune 500 clients.

Tom McGroder is an Associate Director of Global Trade Compliance Excellence (EMEA) with extensive expertise in international trade and customs compliance. They held the position of European Trade Compliance Manager at Sensata Technologies from 2017 to 2021, where they specialized in customs expertise, trade compliance projects, and training. Prior to that, they served as a Supply Chain / Customs Compliance Officer at Andor Technology from 2012 to 2017, focusing on customs compliance and supply chain analysis. Additionally, Tom has contributed to trade compliance controls and continuous improvement initiatives in a brief role at Cargill in 2022. They possess a Bachelor of Science with Honours and are a graduate of the Institute of Export in World Customs Compliance and Regulations.

Charlotte Richardson is a Trade Compliance Specialist at Adtran, with extensive hands‑on experience in UK and EU customs operations, audit readiness, and post‑entry assurance. Based in York, she works closely with stakeholders across the business, as well as freight forwarders and customs authorities, to build clear, defensible compliance frameworks that stand up to scrutiny.

Charlotte’s approach is grounded in the view that audit readiness is built through consistent daily practice and business culture, rather than as a one‑off response to audit activity. She brings a calm, practical perspective shaped by real‑world experience and a focus on proportionate, sustainable compliance.

Caroline is an experienced customs professional with over 15 years in international trade and supply chain. She joined the Chartered Institute of Export & International Trade in October 2025.

Caroline brings a proven track record from working with major global companies in the animal-feed and commodities sector, where she focused on driving cost efficiencies and delivering clear, practical trade compliance solutions that support both operational teams and strategic objectives.

She combines logistics and supply chain expertise with deep experience in interpreting UK, EU, and EEA customs regulations, advising on their impact to businesses and helping organizations navigate complex requirements.