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19/11/18 - The Northwest as a gateway to UK and EU markets - - key selling point with potential US investors

 

Philadelphia 4 379x269

Signing of MoU between North West Regional College and

Philadelphia Community College and picture includes

Samantha Traynor Vice Prinicipal of NWRC, Mayor of Derry

City and Strabane District Council Cllr. John Boyle, Cathaoirleach

of Donegal County Council Seamus O'Domhnaill, John Kelpie,

Chief Executive Derry City and Strabane District Council and

Seamus Neely, Chief Executive Donegal County Council,

Stephen Gillespie, Derry City and Strabane District Council,

Paul Hannigan, President of Letterkenny Institute of

Technology and John Andy Bonner, Letterkenny Institute

of Technology along with representatives from Philadelphia

Community College

 

 

‘Ireland North West is exceptionally well placed as an investment hub for business and global companies seeking to establish a gateway to both the UK and EU markets’ was the key message shared with potential investors in both Philadelphia and Boston last week.  

 

 

As part of the Trade and Investment mission led jointly by Donegal County Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council a number of focused engagements with industry specialists, FDI executives and venture capitalists took place over the week in both cities presenting the compelling investment proposition that the northwest city region has to offer.

 


Potential investors heard from leading global company DuPont which has a longstanding commitment to the region taking advantage of the unique combination of benefits that the Northwest region has to offer including an accessible, connected and business friendly gateway region with a compelling vision for greater international impact.

 


Investors learned that companies and businesses are attracted by a talented and educated workforce, the value balance, the superb quality of life and the supportive business environment.  

 

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Meeting of industry specialists with the Ireland North

West delegation in Philadelphia last week during the

delegations visit to the US

 


Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Seamus O'Domhnaill who led the delegation along with Cllr John Boyle Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council believes that these types of engagements are essential if we are to raise the profile of the region as an investment location saying “having these key influencers and potential investors in a room focusing on the northwest region and sharing with them our vision and ambition as well as the practical supports and assistance available to businesses in the region is vital.  There is no better way to build meaningful connections and relationships than face to face engagements.”

 


Mayor John Boyle believes that “the strength of the region is underpinned by the strong collaborative approach which sees industry, government at both central and local level and further and higher education institutions from both sides of the border working together to fuel further economic growth and prosperity. This is something that investors value greatly in terms of facilitating ease of access to supports in the region”.  

 


Local businesses from a range of sectors from across both Council areas also participated in the mission meeting with potential clients and business partners with a view to increasing sales and expanding their businesses.  

 


Derry based Bridie Mullin Irish Linen Ltd.  participated in the mission and brought her eponymous label of handcrafted quality Irish line to Boston in an effort to tap into the US market.

 


Bridie explains that the trade visit was an opportunity to build on her own research and to visit stores and meet with potential clients getting a deeper understanding of what exactly the customer is looking for.  It also allowed her to get an insight into the potential costs associated with exporting and logistics assisting in finalising price points for trading.

 

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Breakfast meeting hosted by the Ireland NorthWest delegation

with FDI executives and potential investors in Boston last week

 

 

As well as a number of companies from the North West  the trip also involved third level and further education providers and development organisations from across the North West including Ulster University, Letterkenny Institute of Technology, North West Regional College and Udaras na Gaeltachta. 

 

An important part of the trade and investment mission involved engagement with educational institutions with a memorandum of understanding being signed by the North West Regional College and Philadelphia Community College and the State of Pennsylvania during the mission that sees the consolidation of relationships developed over the last two years.

 


Samantha Traynor, Vice Principal of the North West Regional College who also participated in the Trade and Investment Mission explained “the MoU represents the first step in building and consolidating a partnership through education and training with a specific focus on sharing best practice in Work Based Learning to include Traineeships, Apprenticeships including Higher Level Apprenticeships and also the continued professional development of our respective professionals in our workforce.”

 


The week also saw the announcement by both Councils of an exciting research project with Harvard Graduate School of Design exploring how the cross-border northwest city region can be shaped in light of the economic, political and social realities of Brexit and this project is being led by Assistant Professor Gareth Doherty in Harvard GSD who is originally from Donegal.  

 

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Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr.

John Boyle and Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council

Cllr. Seamus O'Domhnaill meeting with Chancellor of

University of Massachussetts Katherine Newman during

delegations visit to Boston last week.

 

Reaching out to the diaspora was also a key objective of the mission and this manifested in events in both Philadelphia and Boston were members of the diaspora from across the region attended and shared with the delegation the opportunities and challenges faced by the diaspora and their commitment to continue to engage in a way that is meaningful and mutually beneficial.  The Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council also had the honour of accepting on behalf of Donegal Hospice a cheque of $14,000 raised by the Donegal community in Philadelphia.

 


Seamus Neely Chief Executive of Donegal County Council says that “this Trade and Investment Mission is part of the ongoing positive work being done by both Councils.  We are committed to continuing with the positive work we are doing to drive forward our economy and to maximise the opportunities we have as a cross border gateway to both the UK and EU markets.  We have longstanding connections with Philadelphia and Massachusetts and these connections transcend economic, cultural and political linkages. The Golden Bridges conference has provided the Northwest region with an important platform in the Massachusetts region allowing us to reach out, connect with and form meaningful relationships and collaborations with stakeholders in various sectors that have been instrumental in progressing growth and prosperity in the region.”

 


John Kelpie Chief Executive of Derry City and Strabane District Council explains that “it takes time to make connections, develop relationships and build trust.  Our ongoing positive engagement with Massachusetts has to date resulted in a number of exciting developments including the investment and success stories around One Source Virtual and Metaverse.  Results such as these are part of our key objectives and are evidence that our direct approach of travelling to the US, making those connections and building rapport, really works.”

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