Scottish Government
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FM hails 1000+ Scotland Week jobs
Alex Salmond reflects on ‘most successful Scotland Week’.
First Minister Alex Salmond has hailed his recent trip to New York as ‘his most successful Scotland Week programme to date’ as he confirmed a total of 1,073 new and secured Scottish jobs.
The First Minister said:
“The US is the largest inward investor into Scotland, therefore it is vital we continue to build on this lucrative business relationship. I was delighted to announce more than 1,000 jobs during Scotland Week 2014 – the most successful programme to date – and I have every confidence we will see further investment this year and in years to come.
“Investment between our two countries is on the rise, which is why it is so important to maximise this successful economic relationship between Scottish and American businesses. It is a key priority for us to make it quicker and easier for business to continue between our two countries.
“Business growth and investment are at the heart of our policies to secure economic growth. While the Scottish Government will continue to do all we can to help our businesses thrive, with the full fiscal and economic powers of independence we could do even more to support companies, strengthen our economy and create jobs.”
Notes To Editors
Highlights of the First Minister’s 2014 programme included:
- Announcing 1,073 new and secured jobs in Glenrothes, Alloa, Renfrew, Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Livingston
- Participating in an audienced interview and Q&A hosted by the Wall Street Journal which was live streamed to 1,190 people, with the top three countries being USA, UK and Canada
- Delivering the inaugural Caledonian Lecture, entitled ‘The Common Weal’, at Glasgow Caledonian University New York campus – the first university in the United Kingdom to open a campus in New York (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/Speeches-Briefings/Alex-Salmond-in-New-York-G lasgow-Caledonian-University-speech-April-7-2014-b45.aspx)
- Delivering a keynote address at the prestigious Bloomberg New Energy Summit declaring Scotland’s green energy ambition. The summit was also addressed by the US Secretary of Energy Dr Ernest Moniz, Jill C Anderson Chief of Staff of the New York Power Authority and Michael Bloomberg (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/Speeches-Briefings/Alex-Salmond-in-New-York-B loomberg-New-Energy-Finance-Summit-April-8-2014-b55.aspx)
- Firing the starting gun for the annual Scotland Run where 10,000 people registered to participate in the 10k in Central Park which was covered by WNBC, WABC, WPIX and BBC
- Notable media engagements involved Reuters, Bloomberg, New York Times, Huffington Post and MSNBC’s Morning Joe programme (averages just over 200,000 viewers a day and its website has approximately 875,000 unique visitors per month.
- Addressing an event marking the 50th Anniversary of Edinburgh Napier University.
- Announcing sales by independent brewer Innis & Gunn increased by 9,000% and welcomed the US Government lifting the meat ban http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Toasting-Scottish-exports-b26.aspx span>
- Opening of renewable technology company Smarter Grid Solutions first overseas office. Smarter Grid Solutions has already won a contract to model and simulate microgrid applications for the New York metro area. The First Minister met with Chairman Robert Armour, CEO Gerry Docherty and CTO Bob Currie (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Smarter-Grid-Solutions-open-in-New-York- b35.aspx)
- Leading a New York Scotland Week Trade Mission of 17 Scottish companies (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/FM-to-announce-hundreds-of-new-jobs-for- Scotland-b21.aspx)
The First Minister undertook the following business meetings:
- Meeting with Ken Donnelly, Director Bank of America, Global Banking and Markets Risk; Suzanne Buchta, MD, Green Debt Capital Markets (Green Bond); John Lynch, MD, EMEA Sector Head, Energy Renewables; Alexandra Liftman, Global Environment Executive, Bank of America
- Meeting with Rupert Murdoch, Executive Chairman of News Corp and Chairman and CEO of 21st Century Fox
- Attended a meeting at Citibank HQ with Bill Mills, CEO North America and Alan S MacDonald, Chief Client Officer (he is also Vice Chairman of Citibank; Chair of Citigroup’s Pension Fund Committee; Chairman of Citigroup’s Private Equity Funds Committee and member of the Business Development and Business Practices Committees)
- Meeting with David M Cote, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell.
- Meeting with Huntington Ingalls Pete Diakun Vice President of Energy Programs (also President of Newport News Industrial Corp. (NNI) and Newport News Energy); Mike Duman Program Director of Newport News Shipbuilding & Vice President, Newport News Energy); Tim Wilkins Founder, Paliria Energy.
- Meeting with PRA UK (400 new jobs announced): Steve Frederickson – Chairman, President and CEO, Donald Redmond – Vice President, Government Relations (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Up-to-400-new-jobs-created-at-PRA-UK-in- Kilmarnock-b3b.aspx)
- Meeting with Arthur J Gallagher & Co. (67 new jobs announced): Alastair Hessett - Chief Accounting Officer Glasgow for Arthur J.Gallagher International/Giles Insurance Brokers and Douglas K. Howell - Chief Financial Officer Arthur J Gallagher & Co, Itasca, Illinois (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Glasgow-Finance-Centre-for-US-insurance- firm-b44.aspx)
- Meeting with National Oilwell Varco (45 new jobs announced): Clay C Williams - Chief Executive Officer (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Glasgow-Finance-Centre-for-US-insurance- firm-b44.aspx)
- Meeting with Ceridian (130 new jobs announced): Stuart Harvey - Chief Executive Officer and President of Ceridian Corporation (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/US-firm-Ceridian-to-create-130-new-jobs- b2b.aspx)
Other Scotland Week ministerial meetings included:
- Kaiam (103 new jobs announced): Met by Humza Yousaf in San Francisco (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/100-jobs-created-by-US-Kaiam-Corporation -b38.aspx)
- Owen Illinois (328 secured jobs announced): Met by Fergus Ewing in Alloa (http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Multi-million-Euro-investment-in-Scots-s pirits-industry-b57.aspx)
Mrs Salmond accompanied the First Minister on his visit to New York for Scotland Week and as such had an official programme of engagements. As well as her role accompanying the First Minister on a number of his official engagements, the programme included meetings with Gino Francesconi, the Carnegie Hall’s Museum Director and Archivist; Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, creator of the hugely popular Kelpies statues; and, a fact-finding visit to High Line Park to see how the community-lead project combines regeneration and conservation.