I am delighted to be writing from New York, where at this time of year the city’s cultural and commercial calendars are humming. It is the latter that brings me here on this particular visit.  The US is by far the largest investor in the UK  (and vice versa) and thus a pivotal partner in [...]

I write this from Mexico. This is a vibrant country . A real land of opportunity and an important and growing market for the UK. I have this week been talking to some exciting Mexican companies interested in investing in the UK, and I accompanied the Lord Mayor during part of his busy programme here.
But [...]

I visited Ghana on 29 and 30 June.
Ghana is a beacon of stable democracy, and we have always had a good relationship with this West African nation.
There was no greater time to be here; with the country alight with the excitement of having got through to the quarter finals of the World Cup - I [...]

I visited Kenya on 1 and 2 February.  Although Nairobi is often referred to as the safari capital of the world, I didn’t see any tropical animals. In fact, the closest I got to wildlife were the frogs around the hotel - I couldn’t believe how much noise they made. I looked for them expecting to [...]

I’m in Israel, meeting UK based companies investing there and talking to a number of actual and potential inward investors. Israel is an important trade and investment partner for the UK. Bilateral trade is worth some £2 billion a year and over 250 Israeli companies have set up in the UK.
I spoke at a seminar [...]

I visited Caracas on 23 and 24 November. While Venezuela is a challenging market, as you will no doubt be aware, there are good business opportunities here in a range of sectors, including energy, education, security, healthcare and food and drink.  The UK-based companies I met were all enthusiastic about the scope for doing more [...]

On my second day in Panama, I called on the Minister of Commerce and Industry to discuss the opportunities for increasing trade. I also visited JCB, which is doing great business in Panama and in the region more generally.
I visited the Panama Canal and discussed the canal expansion project; this should offer a number of [...]

I am here in Panama on a two-day visit to promote the UK as a key international business partner for Panama.
The economy here is still growing, and I believe the country offers a lot of opportunities for British companies. Many already export here and the UK is a major source of inward investment.
This morning, I [...]