The U.S. Northern Ireland Investment Conference

Northern Ireland's attractiveness as an investment destination continues to grow, and a high-level conference aims to highlight the benefits to U.S. businesses of locating there.

Northern Ireland is set to become the focus of international attention May 7-9 when it hosts the first major U.S. Northern Ireland Investment Conference.

Organized by the region's economic development organization, Invest Northern Ireland, and supported by the Irish, British and U.S. governments, this landmark event will bring up to 40 high-ranking CEOs from major U.S. corporations to Northern Ireland to experience and explore how the region can provide compelling business solutions to their global operations, while showcasing the area's hi-tech expertise, strong infrastructure, and great lifestyle that make the region an attractive place to do business.

U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Tom Foley, spoke to Irish America about the conference saying, "I don't think there's any reason to believe that the same benefit that came to the Republic as a result of foreign investment can't also happen in the North. All the right things are in place to support rapid economic growth, and all the reasons that people came here [the Republic] fifteen years ago would still attract people to the North and have the same impact, which is first and foremost, creating jobs."

Participants in the conference will sample some of Northern Ireland's famed hospitality at a lunch hosted by Northern Ireland's First Minister, Dr. Ian Paisley, and Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, and a dinner at Hillsborough Castle. In the last 20 years the castle has become a key venue for political events in Northern Ireland, including meetings between the British and Irish governments and local political parties as part of the peace process. Built in the 1700s, Hillsborough has also played a part on the world's political stage, as the venue for talks on Iraq between President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Conference attendees will also be invited to play golf at Royal Portrush. Located on the Causeway Coast, with panoramic views of Donegal and the Scottish Isles, Royal Portrush is the only golf club in Ireland to have hosted The (British) Open Championship.

For more information on the conference, please contact Program Manager [email protected] or call 617 425 5518.