We’ve been appointed by South Carolina to establish its first UK and Republic of Ireland office - and run a long-term programme to attract British and Irish investment into the US state.
The initiative for the state’s Department of Commerce builds upon the December 2022 memorandum of understanding between South Carolina and the UK, designed to strengthen trade relations. The new operation will develop opportunities for investment in the state by British and Irish companies - particularly in the life sciences, automotive and advanced energy sectors - as well as for the state’s exports to the UK and Ireland.
In 2023, the UK was South Carolina’s fifth largest trading partner globally, representing $2.9 billion in imports and exports. And, since 2017, the UK and Ireland have accounted for around $362 million in investment and 2,000 jobs in the state.
The programme is being led by our experienced trade and economic development specialist, Roxana Gonzalez, who was previously the head of UK and Ireland investment for the state of Florida.
You can see a short video message from Roxana on her new role here:
Roxana and her team will be helping British and Irish companies do business in South Carolina, enabling them to identify suitable locations and sites in the state, providing information on US industry sectors and access to workforce training programmes and government support.
South Carolina Secretary of Commerce, Harry M. Lightsey III, said: "South Carolina's new office in the UK and Republic of Ireland builds upon decades of successful trade and investment relations, and we’re excited to continue our partnership with Intralink to further this legacy.
“We’ve worked with Intralink in other markets for years and, with their support, are confident our new office will bolster South Carolina's international presence in the years ahead."
This assignment is the latest in our long-established work for economic development organisations (EDOs) and other government bodies in the trade and investment field. Our clients include several US states, the Canadian province of Ontario, Switzerland Global Enterprise, Innovation Norway, Enterprise Ireland, the UK’s Department for Business & Trade, and government agencies in the Middle East.
It’s also our latest programme for South Carolina. As Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey indicates, we’ve been working with the state since 2017 and already have teams in South Korea, Japan and Taiwan seeking foreign direct investment (FDI) on its behalf.
To discuss how we could help you run an international trade or investment programme, contact Micah Hostetter at micah.hostetter@intralinkgroup.com.