NEW York State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli is among the latest high-profile Americans set to visit Belfast to investigate its investment attractiveness.
He'll be part of a delegation which has been assembled by US Special Economic Envoy Joe Kennedy.
The party will arrive on October 24, and over several days they will meet local business leaders to hear first-hand about the north's home-grown talent, world-leading R&D and strong entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Among others in the powerful delegation will beMark Hartney from Breakthrough Energy Ventures, a network working towards net-zero emissions and which was founded by Bill Gates; John Murphy, president and chief financial officer of Coca-Cola globally; and Tim Sweeney, president and chief executive at insurance giant Liberty Mutual, which owns Hughes Insurance in the north.
News of the visit - which follows just weeks after a major investment summit in Belfast - was confirmed by Mr Kennedy in a statement, and has been welcomed by NI Civil Service head Jayne Brady.
She said: “When President Biden came here in April, he spoke of plans for a trade delegation, and this announcement reflects the continued commitment of both President Biden and Special Envoy Kennedy to showcasing this place as an attractive location for US investors.
“This is another significant opportunity for our key economic sectors as well as for our academic, cultural, creative and tourism industries.
“The delegates attending are some of the most innovative, influential, and successful US business leaders to have ever visited us, and I look forward to welcoming them here and showing them everything we have to offer.”
The delegation also meet established US investors, who will share their experiences of success and growth in Northern Ireland, and engage with politicians and well as exploring key tourist attractions.
American-owned companies employ 30,000 people in Northern Ireland and in the past decade US business has generated almost $2 billion in investment here.
They are among 1,200 international companies currently operating in the north, including major US companies like Microsoft, Allstate, Aflac and Seagate, with over 70 per cent of new investors choosing to reinvest further down the line.
