Committees

Promoting Wales for inward investment

Inquiry

Inward investment, a term often used interchangeably with Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), refers to cross-border investment from one country to another and which aims to establish a lasting interest and effective voice in an enterprise. In FDI statistics, an effective voice means owning 10% or more of the equity share capital in an enterprise.

The UK ranks among the most successful countries in Europe for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects and the UK Government has signalled its intention to strengthen the UK’s offer for businesses and investors. However, Wales has struggled to attract the same level of inward investment as other nations and regions in the UK - in 2023 to 2024, it attracted roughly 3.5% of the UK's total FDI projects, less than Scotland (8.35%) and the North East of England (4.48%). 

This inquiry is looking at how ‘Brand Wales’ is promoted internationally to market Wales as a competitive destination for inward investment, and what lessons can be learnt from success stories in the creative industries and sports sectors.

  • How can Wales build on the success of its creative industries and sports sectors to attract inward investment?
  • How effectively is the ‘Welsh brand’ articulated and marketed to international audiences?
  • What barriers exist to promote Wales internationally as a destination for inward investment?
  • How well supported are Welsh businesses to attract inward investment?
  • How can inward investment be leveraged so that it delivers and supports sustainable, local benefit and prosperity?
  • Are there international examples of effective investment promotion campaigns that can inform Wales’s approach to attracting inward investment?

This inquiry is no longer accepting evidence

The deadline for submissions was Monday 27 January 2025.

Upcoming events

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Past events

Wednesday 14 May 2025
2:00pm Private
2:30pm Public
Promoting Wales for inward investment - Oral evidence 14 May 2025
2:30pm
  • Mark Hallan (Director of Global Investment at Scottish Development International)
  • Joe Manning (Managing Director at MIDAS)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 26 March 2025
2:30pm Public
Promoting Wales for inward investment - Oral evidence 26 March 2025
2:30pm
  • James Gardiner (Senior Economist at Ernst & Young)
  • Ken Poole MBE (Head of Economic Development at Cardiff Council and Invest in Cardiff)
  • Professor Riccardo Crescenzi (Professor of Economic Geography; Deputy Head of Department of Geography and Environment (Research) at London School of Economics and Political Science)
  • Nan Williams (Chair, GlobalWelsh, and CEO at Four Communications)
Room 6, Palace of Westminster
Wednesday 19 March 2025
2:30pm Public
Promoting Wales for inward investment - Oral evidence 19 March 2025
2:30pm
  • James Gardiner (Senior Economist at Ernst & Young)
  • Professor Riccardo Crescenzi (Professor of Economic Geography; Deputy Head of Department of Geography and Environment (Research) at London School of Economics and Political Science)
  • Ken Poole MBE (Head of Economic Development at Cardiff Council and Invest in Cardiff)
  • Nan Williams (Chair at GlobalWelsh, and CEO at Four Communications)
Room 16, Palace of Westminster

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  • Email: welshcom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 1424 (general enquiries) | 020 7219 8969 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Welsh Affairs Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA