Governor Scott Walker Arrives in London Today for Trade Mission

Press Release

Governor Scott Walker arrived in London this morning to kick off a four-day trade mission focused on promoting Wisconsin as a destination for European investors, as well as establishing relationships to help develop of a pipeline of business attraction and expansion for the state.

"This week, I look forward to meeting with business and government leaders to tout the many benefits of doing business in Wisconsin, including our strong economic climate and outstanding workforce," Governor Walker said. "There are many reasons why companies in the UK should consider establishing or expanding their operations in Wisconsin, and we are going to make that case directly to the key decision-makers."

The trade mission will include meetings with United Kingdom companies, private meetings with high-level government officials, several factory tours, and a speech before one of the world's most-renowned think tanks, Chatham House.

The trip, which will conclude on Friday, will focus primarily on attracting foreign investment to the state. Governor Walker and other members of the Wisconsin delegation will talk to UK business executives about establishing new operations in Wisconsin and providing additional capital to existing state businesses to expand their Wisconsin operations and create jobs. Those attraction efforts will specifically focus on companies planning to expand in the U.S. in the next 12 to 36 months.

The Governor is joined on the mission by Reed Hall, Secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC); Katy Sinnott, Vice President of International Business Development for WEDC; and two business attraction specialists from the WEDC. The Wisconsin delegation also includes Jim Paetsch, Vice President of Corporate Expansion & Attraction for the Milwaukee 7 regional economic development organization, and Dan Ariens, a WEDC board member and president and CEO of Ariens Co., a Wisconsin company with operations in the UK.

In addition to the ongoing, private one-on-one meetings with business prospects, other highlights of the mission include:

Governor Walker will lead an executive roundtable with UK business leaders on Tuesday at an event hosted by Live Financial Times, the global conferences and events arm of the Financial Times newspaper, and fDi Magazine, a publication that caters to international corporate decision-makers and investment professionals. During the "Investing in Wisconsin" event, Governor Walker and WEDC officials will highlight the opportunities that exist for U.K. companies in Wisconsin's key industries.

Governor Walker and Secretary Hall will host a Wisconsin alumni networking breakfast on Wednesday to reach out to University of Wisconsin and Marquette University graduates who now live and work in the UK. The event is part of WEDC's "You're Welcome in Wisconsin" initiative that reaches out to Wisconsin alumni outside of the state to remind them of the business growth and investment opportunities that exist in Wisconsin.

Governor Walker on Wednesday will speak at Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, an independent policy institute based in London. The Governor will address the importance of forging strong global partnerships and how those relationships can fuel business growth and build prosperous local economies.

Governor Walker and the delegation will tour UK factory locations on Thursday to discuss opportunities in Wisconsin. The governor also will attend a special Wisconsin networking reception on Thursday night with UK business leaders and government officials.

The mission is part of the state's foreign direct investment strategy, which calls for focusing on attracting overseas companies that best fit into Wisconsin's historic and emerging sectors, such as manufacturing, agriculture, energy, water technology, agriculture, biotech and medical devices, and food processing.

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