SDI welcomes latest findings on inward investment

Scottish Development International today welcomed the findings of the 2013 Ernst & Young Attractiveness survey published today, which highlighted that Scotland was the top region in the UK outside London for foreign direct investment (FDI).

The number of FDI projects to Scotland in 2012 increased by 49%. This compares to a 3% increase for the UK as a whole, indicating that Scotland continues to punch above its weight and outperform other regions of the UK.

The report also underlined the vital role that Scottish Development International, as Scottish Enterprise's international arm, plays in maintaining Scotland’s competitive advantage. It states that “Scotland’s voice – as promoted by the proactive efforts of SDI…is being heard all the more clearly by investors all over the world.”

Anne MacColl, chief executive of Scottish Development International says: “Today’s report shows that Scotland is once again the top performing region in the UK outside London for FDI projects last year, with the number hitting a 15 year high. It also underlines the message that our teams are giving to investors across the world – that Scotland is open and ready for business.

“We are far from complacent though – we continue to increase our resources around the world to ensure we capitalise on new global opportunities in established markets like the US as well as new and emerging economies.

“Over the past 12 months, we’ve opened up six new offices in key locations such as Hyderabad, Calgary, Shenzhen and Rio de Janeiro and we’ll soon be establishing a presence in West Africa. This will ensure that we continue our recent successes in attracting new jobs and investment for Scotland.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

The full report from Ernst & Young will be available on Wednesday 5th June. Please visit ww.ey.com for more information.