WILTSHIRE businessman Richard Curtis was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for more than 30 years’ service to international trade and exports, during which time he has organised more than 70 events overseas.

Mr Curtis, 73, of Sambourne Road, Warminster, said: “I am very flattered to be given this award. It’s nice to be recognised.

“I would like to thank all those who helped us organise these events and activities both from the Warminster area and internationally.

“I have made good friends from Europe and around the world in these industries.

Mr Curtis added: “I have enjoyed setting up these events but I’m particularly interested in helping British companies to export their products and services. At the moment, they need all the help they can get.”

Over the past 30 years, Mr Curtis has created and run networking trade conferences and exhibitions for businesses working in the experience economy, such as museums, theme parks and other attractions through TiLE (Trends in Leisure and Entertainment).

He also provides training and simulation consultancy advice and organises conferences and exhibitions for the sector through ITEC, the International Training Equipment Conference.

In the disaster response sector, Mr Curtis works through IDER, which stands for International Disaster & Emergency Resilience.

For ‘experience economy’ companies, he set up an online database, Experience UK, to promote UK companies and he created and initially financed the European Training and Simulation Association (ETSA).

His company, Andrich International Ltd of Warminster, has worked closely with the Department for International Trade (DIT) and has organised more than 70 international events around Europe and in India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau and the United States of America.

Mr Curtis, who is married to Georgina and has three adult daughters, launched his business career after leaving the Royal Artillery Regiment in 1978.

He served 12 years in the British Army following initial training at Sandhurst, the Royal Military Academy for army officers.

Mr Curtis started Andrich after working for GEC-Marconi and then Schlumberger.