Timothy Morano
Feb 19, 2026 15:00
IOTA Foundation forms Expert Advisory Board with customs and logistics leaders to guide TWIN trade infrastructure development, focusing on UK operations.
The IOTA Foundation has assembled a six-member Expert Advisory Board to steer development of its Trade Worldwide Information Network (TWIN), recruiting senior figures from customs, logistics, and trade policy to ensure the blockchain-based infrastructure actually works in real-world shipping environments.
The board brings combined experience exceeding 150 years across international trade operations. Mark Johnson, who advised the UK government during Brexit negotiations and spent decades at logistics giant Kuehne+Nagel, joins alongside John Lucy, founder of John Lucy International and board member at both the Road Haulage Association and World Free Zones Organisation.
Dr. Anna Jerzewska rounds out the policy expertise. She serves as customs rapporteur for EuroCommerce and sits on the Windsor Framework Independent Monitoring Panel—directly relevant given TWIN’s UK focus and post-Brexit trade complexities.
Why This Matters for TWIN
TWIN launched through its own foundation in May 2025 at the AfCFTA Digital Trade Forum in Zambia. The initiative targets a massive inefficiency: the World Economic Forum estimates digital trade facilitation could slash global trade costs by 25%. That’s the prize IOTA is chasing.
The platform already has live implementations. The Trade and Logistics Information Pipeline (TLIP) operates in East Africa, and UK Cabinet Office border trade demonstrations have tested the technology. But scaling from pilots to production requires navigating customs regulations, port systems, and government compliance frameworks—exactly where the new advisors operate daily.
Daniel Shelcot brings 17 years at Maritime Cargo Processing running border compliance systems. Gavin Johnson designed temperature-controlled logistics tracking at Mobius Technology. Sangeeta Khorana has advised governments on free trade agreements for over two decades.
The UK Angle
IOTA specifically noted the board will focus on UK trade operations. Post-Brexit Britain faces unique customs friction with its largest trading partner, making it both a testing ground and potential showcase for digital trade infrastructure. Several board members maintain active UK government relationships that could accelerate regulatory acceptance.
The foundation emphasized all advisors participate in personal capacity—their employers haven’t endorsed TWIN. That’s standard legal language, but it also signals these aren’t corporate partnerships. IOTA is buying expertise, not logos.
A TWIN whitepaper dropped earlier this month alongside new partnership announcements. With advisory infrastructure now in place, the next milestone to watch is whether IOTA can convert pilot projects into sustained commercial deployments before competitors in the blockchain trade space gain ground.
Image source: Shutterstock
