Leaders from Greater Manchester, England, embarked on a U.K.-first mission to North Carolina to boost trade, tourism, and investment.
Last week, the delegation met with leaders across the state including Governor Roy Cooper, Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, and business executives who participated in trade and investment sessions.
Greater Manchester and Charlotte have similar footprints and strong sector alignment. During the visit, the delegation from the U.K. heard about opportunities for potential partnerships in health care, life sciences, advanced manufacturing, and financial services.
“This mission is a fantastic opportunity,” Bev Craig, Manchester city council leader and Greater Manchester’s economy lead, said. “More trade and investment from places like the U.S. helps grow the city-region’s economy, in turn creating jobs and increasing prosperity and opportunity for our people.”
The visit was coordinated by the U.K. Government Office in Raleigh and supported by the two North Carolina chapters of the British-American Business Council – the largest transatlantic business network with more than 2,000 member companies based throughout North America and the U.K., including many of the world’s largest multinationals. The visit is the first of its kind since the U.K. agreed to a new economic pact with North Carolina.
In July 2022, the U.K. government signed a trade and economic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with North Carolina. The MoU aims to streamline trade and investment between U.K. and North Carolinian businesses, and lay a framework for increased cooperation in areas including clean tech and energy infrastructure.
Trade between the U.K. and North Carolina is worth around $2.5 billion. U.S. businesses have created thousands of jobs in Greater Manchester, among them North Carolina-based companies including digital studio Epic Games, manufacturer SPX Corporation, and life sciences firm d-Wise.
“Greater Manchester has an important role to play on the world stage,” Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said. “We are the fastest-growing digital and tech hub in Europe. We’re the home of industrial innovation, and we’re energizing a fair transition to carbon neutrality by 2038, boosting skills and creating good, green jobs. Our culture, our music, and our sporting heritage are second to none, and their reputation precedes us wherever we go. All of these things mean we are in an ideal position to lead the charge for greater collaboration with like-minded partners around the globe.”
