International offices: guide

Scotland House London

Established in 2017, Scotland House London is a unique collaboration between the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise (including Scottish Development International), Visit Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise - the four partners.

Scottish businesses and organisations can apply for membership of Scotland House London that gives them access to its facilities, meeting rooms and event space.

The office provides a permanent presence in London where we are:

• pursuing economic and business benefits for companies
• raising the profile of Scottish investment opportunities
• supporting the development of international collaborations and research partnerships
• providing opportunities to secure funding for innovation and research
• strengthening our inter-governmental relations
• helping protect Scotland's place in Europe

• supporting Scottish ministers on official engagements in London

The office provides a platform to allow us to improve the range and depth of engagement with the UK Government, the diplomatic community and other stakeholders based in the city.

Strategic objectives

Priorities for 2024 to 2025

Economy, trade and investment

Economic diplomacy and engagement  

• build durable diplomatic relationships with partner countries’ economic representatives in London, bilaterally, through the EU delegation and through the Association of Economic Representatives in London to: 
  • actively promote Scotland’s distinctive economic offer, including on the Net Zero investment opportunity, wellbeing economy and fair work with investors, policy-makers and partner countries to enhance Scotland’s reputation, gain influence in shaping UK and global regulatory standards and signal our appetite for future investment
  • identify opportunities for purposeful international collaboration and knowledge exchange on shared economic priorities
  • leverage diplomatic and commercial relationships to understand areas of specific interest to partner countries and investor communities, feeding market intelligence and analysis into relevant SG directorates to best realise future economic opportunities and export growth markets

Inward investment 

• oromote Scotland as a location for financial and professional services investment, including through outlining the policy context and explaining the supportive, distinctive Scottish policy landscape to enhance Scotland’s attractiveness and offer
• target inward investment from the rest of the UK (rUK) as a one team Scotland effort involving staff across Scottish Development International (SDI)/ Scottish Enterprise (SE), Scottish Government and other Scottish agency and external partners.  The SDI Inward Investment team based in Scotland House London will continue to provide a focal point for that effort- engaging with targeted, globally headquartered companies based in rUK and Ireland (both existing investors in Scotland and new prospects) across the Opportunity Areas with the SG Inward Investment plan to secure inward investment and create jobs, with a particular focus on Energy Transition and on Scaling, Tech (including Fin Tech) businesses

Financial and professional business services  

• present Scotland’s offer on Green and Sustainable Financial Services on the global platform London provides, demonstrating Scotland’s attractiveness to investors and policy-makers as a hub for Green FS, following the publication of the Green and Sustainable Financial Services Taskforce
• work with Scotland-based colleagues to activate, implement and leverage the Scottish Government’s bilateral partnership agreement with the City of London Corporation, leveraging the City’s significant domestic and international clout, so that Scotland’s interests and distinctive offer are visibly represented across the full spectrum of the Corporation’s policy, representational and influencing work

Capital investment 

• work with the emerging Investment Strategy and Delivery Unit in DITI to support the delivery of the FM’s Investor Panel Recommendations, develop SHL capability and capacity for  strategic engagement  with important London-based investor communities  
• work with DITI and colleagues in the international network to  carry out early scoping work for the development of an engagement strategy  focused on key decisions makers in large-scale public institutional investment organisations represented in London, and their related governments, gathering intelligence on areas of interest and risk profile
• following the DITI-led FMIP Investor School, lead network-wide capability building efforts to support greater understanding of investment landscape, tailored to the international context
• maximise London’s potential as gateway for access to global external capital (Venture Capital funding) for scaling Scottish companies seeking investment in order to create more Scottish jobs, expand their product offering and grow their sales.  In particular, making use of SHL as it allows us to represent Scotland in a credible manner from a professional base to meet with investors, from across the world, in London
• bring more cohorts of Scottish companies to SHL where we will host events with investors and facilitate introductions between the Scottish companies and investors
• as the Capital Investment Team works towards the Energy Transition and Scotland’s Net Zero Strategy, we will continue to use London to tap into large institutional investors to gain investment into Scotland’s Renewable Energy Projects.  This is a mix of London based investors and international investors

Innovation and entrepreneurship  

• support the delivery of Scotland’s Tech Ecosystem Review recommendations to enhance international connections, develop entrepreneurial skills and foster a globally completive tech ecosystem by utilising the Scotland House London platform to showcase Scottish innovators and unlock areas of high potential growth across our new market clusters and emerging technologies
• engage and develop relationships with priority countries to learn lessons on digital ecosystem performance and deployment of innovative technologies

Tourism 

• support Scottish tourism businesses to internationalise, supporting Scottish SMEs in the tourism sector to meet with tour operators and wholesales in London and develop business relationships. SHL will provide an additional platform for us to draw together enterprise investment, allowing destinations, product owners, and sector specialists opportunities to invest in internationalisation
• utilise the SHL platform to showcase the very best of Scotland’s sustainable tourism and events businesses. Tackling climate change is one of the biggest challenges facing Scotland’s tourism and events sector. Opportunities at SHL can help highlight those businesses making progress and provide others with an opportunity to learn from good practice.  This activity can contribute to driving our Destination Net Zero ambitions
• we will raise the profile of tourism and events as a force for economic and social good through engaging with partners and media outlets and increase coverage and interest in Scotland as a holiday destination. This will in turn inspire and engage a London/UK audience to visit Scotland

Food and drink

• reinforce Scotland’s food and drink sector’s reputation in London as a powerhouse of the Scottish economy, while staying firmly ahead of our competitors - to be world leader in sustainable food production, to build our reputation as a world-class producer and, above all, to grow - profitably and responsibly
• help Scottish food and drink businesses be better placed to think big and thrive on the global stage by focusing efforts on making progress on issues such as Net Zero and the Environment, Policy and Regulation, Supply Chain security, People and skills, Technology and Digital, Access to Capital and Infrastructure

Climate change, biodiversity and renewable energy

Climate change 

• enhance Scotland’s reputation as a climate leader by engaging key stakeholder groups in the lead up to international opportunities and events (e.g. LCAW, COP, NYCW) in order to strengthen understanding of Scotland’s climate ambitions and policies,  and identify international partnerships which increase our influence and inform SG policy-making
• influence action to address loss and damage and broader climate justice with partner governments, the private sector, civil society and philanthropic organisations to secure recognition of the need to commit funding and deepen policy engagement

Renewable energy  

• play a lead role in developing and agreeing a collective, coherent offer from the SG overseas network which sets out how our international work programme can support the delivery of Scotland’s energy ambitions. This will include setting the framework and mechanisms for coordinating our international priorities on energy with partner directorates for future years 
• working in partnership with SDI through a one Team Scotland approach to building relationships and influence with international priority countries, energy industry bodies and the UKG to encourage collective agreement to establish the international market conditions and infrastructure required to support Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions. Enhance Scotland’s credibility through demonstrating a coherent and executable plan to deliver and export renewable energy at scale
• support the delivery of the Scottish Enterprise Mission for Energy Transition by targeting and securing strategic inward investment which is additive to Scotland’s existing areas of expertise, and which grows energy transition jobs in Scotland and exports, with particular focus on offshore wind as well as exploring opportunities in hydrogen, green heat and sustainable transport
• engage the London based investor community on Scotland’s energy proposition in order to secure international capital for renewable energy projects in Scotland. Demonstrate how the policy commitments and action taken by SG and partners can incentivise investment

Reputation, influence and relationships 

International relationships 

• cultivate and maintain senior level diplomatic relations with European and RofW partner countries through which we can articulate and promote Scottish Government's international priorities as set out within the new SG International Strategy. Secure senior and ministerial engagement with international stakeholders which enhances our reputation and influence internationally and ensures Scotland’s distinct interests are well understood following both UK and European elections

Knowledge exchange and partnerships 

• building on our strong foundations, further strengthen our relations with innovative and creative thinkers based in London, including but not limited to academics and think tanks, to support Scottish Government policy development. Facilitate meaningful engagement across ministerial portfolios and identify high value platforms for Ministers to promote the refreshed Scottish Government policy agenda to key audiences 

Scottish connections

• strengthen and broaden links across a range of existing and emerging Scottish diaspora networks operating in London, coordinating where possible to enhance our collective reach, visibility and profile. Deliver a programme of engagement which enables high value Scottish diaspora to contribute to Scotland’s economic growth and transformation

Cultural cooperation 

• create opportunities for Scotland’s creative talent, businesses and institutions to develop partnerships and increase activity in London and internationally, as well as influencing international partners to showcase their creative talent in Scotland to support cultural exchange
• tell Scotland’s story and enhance our reputation through effective use of Brand Scotland and our vibrant and diverse cultural sector and soft power assets
• inform SG priorities for cultural engagement to deliver on the SG International Culture Strategy and contribute to the DG change agenda by sharing best practice and intelligence on enhancing the internationalisation of Scotland’s cultural sector

Higher education and research 

• position SHL as the home of Scottish Universities in London. Increase the number of institutions who utilise the facility to strengthen their global outreach and international partnerships. Enhance Scotland’s reputation as a world-class destination to study and support the sector’s aspirations to attract new international talent
• identify and promote opportunities for Scottish institutions to engage new markets in order to secure investment. Bring together Scottish university spinouts with incubators and angel investors across our new market clusters and emerging technologies, and promote a more dynamic and entrepreneurial Scottish universities alumni
• harness Scotland House alumni office and network connections to build and grow an entrepreneurial community in London comprising early and mid-career alumni of Scotland’s institutions to support Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, talent pipeline and attraction

Operational delivery

Public service improvement

• deliver a high class professional suite of services to a range of clients - both private and public sector - to efficiently utilise Scotland House London as a platform from which to showcase the best of Scotland, influence key decision makers within the city and attract new trade, investment and partnership opportunities
• carry out regular monitoring and evaluation using varied evaluation methods to gauge interest in trade and investment, including biannual surveys, interviews and reviews from networking events

 Visits, events and membership services 

• utilise the SHL platform as a base for ministers and senior officials to conduct high-impact visits aimed at delivering on strategic objectives and fostering meaningful engagements with key stakeholders
• maximise use of SHL event platform to deliver high quality, meaningful events for colleagues, partners, and members that further our strategic objectives by ensuring that staff resources are allocated effectively, the event planning process is refined, and we evaluate attendee experience and outcomes from events, ensuring consistent excellence and maximum impact
• capture and track data from events to evaluate impact including engagement levels, lead generation, partnership development, investment deals and long-term impact

Deliver and grow the SHL membership service though providing access to a high-quality, cost-effective space in London to support the trade and growth ambitions of Scottish companies, public bodies and universities.  

See previous strategic objectives in our website archive.

Contact

Deputy Head of London Office: Conal O'Hare

Email: Scotland.House.London@gov.scot

Twitter/X: @ScotGovLondon

LinkedIn: Scotland House London

Telephone (reception): +44 (0)131 244 0404

Post: 

Scotland House London
58 Victoria Embankment
Temple
London
EC4Y 0DS