The British Consulate General in Los Angeles has launched a new
network to support UK companies in greater Los Angeles.
The initiative comes as the third annual UK Foreign
Direct Investment in California report, published by the
Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation in
partnership with the British Consulate General in Los Angeles,
confirms that more than 2,300 UK enterprises have set up in
California, sustaining nearly 100,000 jobs. More than half of
these jobs (approximately 52,500) are located in the five-county
greater Los Angeles area.
The mission of the new UK Investor
Network Southern California (UK IN SoCal) is to help UK
companies navigate their business growth in greater Los Angeles,
as well as unlock new business opportunities for member companies
by:
- Enabling introductions, networking, referrals and
partnerships
- Providing soft landing and mentorship for new-to-market
companies
- Facilitating knowledge transfer on doing business in the US
- Building British business profile in greater Los Angeles
UK IN SoCal and its sponsors will host and organise events
throughout the year to encourage networking; provide insights on
specific issues and relevant topics; and nurture business
opportunities for its members. UK IN SoCal also offers a network
of mentors and advisors across a range of industries to counsel
UK companies new to investing in the greater Los Angeles region.
The network includes respected industry leaders like Pearson CEO
Andy Bird, as well as services firms that specialise in
international expansions, like Wilson Sonsini Goodrich &
Rosati, HSBC and RSM.
UK IN SoCal will provide access to special offers and
introductions to service partners and local entities, such as
governments and Chambers of Commerce, who are eager to work with
UK companies to create more jobs and support further investment
in the greater Los Angeles region. UK IN SoCal is partnering with
global flexible workspace provider WeWork for a special
offer to members.
“The US is the UK’s top destination in the world for outward
investment, creating a positive impact for both countries”
according to Emma Wade-Smith, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner
for North America. “It’s great to see the importance of this
investment flow – including in sustaining thousands of jobs in
Southern California - corroborated in the latest report. Existing
British investors in Southern California have a wealth of
experience navigating the differences in business environments,
between the UK and California. The creation of the UK IN SoCal
network taps into this as an important way to help newcomers
succeed in the greater Los Angeles region and will be a valuable
addition to the wider support that the UK Government offers to
our companies.”
-
Emily Cloke, HM Consul General, Los Angeles: “By creating UK
IN SoCal, we want to build on the UK’s position as the 2nd
largest foreign direct investor in California and help bring
more UK companies to this wonderful region. UK IN SoCal will
enable companies to share expertise and learn from each
other, helping those new to California succeed and
strengthening the ties that bind our people together”.
-
Andy Bird, CEO, Pearson (business mentor): “Southern
California is an amazing and dynamic region to live, work and
invest. SoCal’s diversity and scale is a real benefit, but it
can be hard to “navigate”, both personally and
professionally, when you first arrive. I’m delighted to have
been asked to act as a mentor for UK IN SoCal to help others
follow the same journey I started two decades ago.”
-
WeWork: “WeWork is thrilled to partner with the British
Consulate to support the business growth of UK companies in
Southern California,” said Elton Kwok, Territory Vice
President at WeWork. “Our fully furnished, move-in ready
workspaces provide turnkey solutions for companies entering
the US market, and we’re excited to help UK IN SoCal members
come together to do their best work.”
For more information about UK IN SoCal please visit www.ukinsocal.com.
Click here to download UK
FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN CALIFORNIA please visit or
visit www.wtcla.org.
About the British Consulate General Los Angeles
The British Consulate in Los Angeles represents the interests of
the United Kingdom in Southern California, Arizona, Hawaii,
Nevada, and Utah, as well as the US Pacific Territories. As part
of our commitment to building deeper relationships with the
United States, we work within communities to strengthen the bonds
between our people and act as a force for good along with our
shared values.
About the UK’s Department for Business and Trade
The Department for Business and Trade supports growth by backing
businesses in the UK and globally, promoting investment and
championing free trade. Learn more.
For further information please contact the British Consulate
General Los Angeles at bcg.losangeles@fcdo.gov.uk
