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For Immediate Release
Alan Fogg,
Director of Communications
afogg@fceda.org, 703-790-0600 (o) or 571-213-5065 (m)
William G. Brickley, The British Midlands
BillBrickley@TheBritishMidlands.com, 703-864-1033 (m)
British economic development agency opens outreach office in Fairfax County
Midlands is fifth U.K. area to target expanding Washington-area companies
Fairfax County, Virginia, November 10, 2003 - The British Midlands initiative, an economic development effort created to help North American companies that want to expand to Britain or Europe, formally opens a Washington-area office in Fairfax County this week.
The organization represents central Great Britain around the cities of Birmingham and Nottingham. It will help American companies find partners or customers in that part of the country. British Midlands officials will launch their operations with a Nov. 13 event at the Tower Club in Fairfax County. They will be based in offices at Reston Town Center, close to many of the 4,800 technology companies doing business in Fairfax County.
The organization is the latest economic development group from the United Kingdom to establish American offices in the Fairfax County/Washington area. Invest.UK, London First, the South East England Development Agency and the Welsh Development Agency have offices or representation in the area. These organizations represent areas with 52 percent of the U.K. population and many of the country’s strongest local economies.
“The size and diversity of the technology community in this area is very impressive, and we want the community to know more about the excellent opportunities available to them if they choose to expand to Britain or Europe,” said William G. Brickley, vice president for business development of The British Midlands initiative. He heads the Reston office.
“Businesses from both communities will partner with each other, creating jobs, economic expansion and wealth on both sides,” said Gerald L. Gordon, Ph.D., president and CEO of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (FCEDA). “Virginia companies can use the Midlands as a staging point to European markets in the same way that British companies use Fairfax County as an access point to U.S. markets.”
About the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority (www.FairfaxCountyEDA.org) - The FCEDA promotes Fairfax County as a business and technology center. The FCEDA has an extensive international marketing effort that includes offices in London, Frankfurt and Tokyo. About 30 companies from the U.K. have operations in Fairfax County.
About The British Midlands (www.TheBritishMidlands.com) - The British Midlands initiative is spearheaded by two English regional development agencies, East Midlands Development Agency and Advantage West Midlands. Both were formed in 1999 by the U.K. Government to enhance the economic performance of their regions through strategies including attracting investment from overseas.
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