North American investment in the UK remains resilient

British businesses are in high demand from North American investors, and are likely to remain so across economic cycles.

US and Canadian investment levels continue to be resilient despite the current challenges faced by the Coronavirus and Brexit, with these creating short-term implications rather than long-term changes. Whether to scale their own business or to achieve financial returns, corporates and fund managers alike are drawn to the UK – it was named the top country for doing business by Forbes last year. This, combined with a large stock of world-beating companies, mean the UK blips brightly on investors’ radars. None more so than in North America, with the US retaining its spot as the most prolific foreign direct investment (FDI) investor in the 2019/2020 financial year, according to the Department for International Trade.

“North American investors see opportunity first and foremost. Their can-do attitude enables them to see the best in businesses, taking something and growing it into something bigger and better,” says Darren Jordan, North America Group Partner at Moore Kingston Smith. “Whatever stage of the business lifecycle they are at they will continue to go after the market and talent opportunities that are so promising in the UK.”