McCaffery brings with her 18 years of experience in national membership organisations in her previous roles as Director General of the Institute of Export and prior to that Director of the International Division at British Chambers of Commerce. These have brought her into regular and close contact with various Government departments, from DTI and Defra to Transport and Education. She has also served on a succession of government advisory groups for many years, including an ongoing role at the Board of UK Trade & Investment advising on the development and delivery of business support programmes, and was awarded an MBE for services to British exporters in 1999.