International offices: guide

USA

Based in the British Embassy in Washington, DC, our USA office was established in 2001 and promotes Scotland’s interests through political, cultural and economic diplomacy. 

The USA is Scotland’s single most important overseas trade and investment partner, so we work closely with our partners in Scottish Development International (SDI) throughout the year. Our office comprises two Scottish civil servants, and two country-based staff. SDI currently employs 29 staff in North America covering a range of trade and investment priorities, with offices located in Chicago, Houston, Boston and San Jose.

The office works on:

• building government to government relationships at all levels
• supporting cultural relationships and exchange opportunities
• working with Scotland’s higher education institutions to showcase excellence in the sector
• working with Scottish Development International to support the implementation of the US aspects of the Export Growth Strategy and positioning Scotland as a leading business location and trade partner
• promoting Scotland’s reputation by deepening links with the USA-Scottish diaspora and delivering on commitments in the Scottish Connections Framework

We will foster relationships with a range of political, cultural and economic stakeholders working with partners both in Scotland and the US to develop mutually beneficial partnerships. 

Strategic objectives

Priorities for 2024 to 2025

Economy, Trade and Investment

Export growth

• the US is a priority market for exports, as identified in “A Trading Nation”. We will continue to promote Scotland’s top exports to the US, including engineering and advanced manufacturing, food and drink, and financial and business services
• we will look to enhance and widen, wherever possible, Scotland’s broader exports to the US in:
  • energy transition: including offshore/onshore wind, hydrogen/CCUS, low carbon heat (inc. geothermal) and marine/tidal
  • life sciences: including pharmaceutical services, MedTech, animal health, agri-tech and green chemistry
  • technology: including space, fintech, software and sustainable construction
  • consumer lifestyle:  home and lifestyle goods, sustainable fashion and textiles
• communicate Scotland’s strengths in the space sector and seek new partnerships in the US
• we will work to leverage, wherever possible, alumni, trade envoy and GlobalScot networks to support export growth opportunities
• all of this work will be undertaken with the core theme of supporting a wellbeing economy in Scotland and our approaches will be informed by a desire to see investment which support inclusive growth, sustainability, net zero and good governance

Inward investment

• Scotland is a top FDI location within the UK, and much of this comes from the US. As with exports, we will continue to take a values-based approach to attracting FDI
• we will promote Scotland as an inward investment destination, including by promoting the idea of inward missions to Scotland, both directly and indirectly (e.g. via UKG, congressional contacts, trade associations)
• we recognise that FDI can also have a positive impact on exports, so our efforts to promote investment from one of our largest investment partners will also support export growth
• we will work to leverage, wherever possible, alumni, Trade Envoy and GlobalScot networks to support inward investment opportunities

Capital investment

• we will work with SDI North America to attract capital to priority sectors in Scotland including space and green energy

Tourism

• we will continue to work positively with Visit Scotland to promote tourism in Scotland throughout the year, but with specific focuses around winter festivals and Tartan Week
• we will continue to look for opportunities to promote tourism in Scotland throughout the year, including through supporting touring Scottish arts and culture performers during their time in the US
• we will use our relationships with key diaspora influencers and organisations to disseminate visit-focussed messaging to the ancestral tourism market

Additional

• we will work with Scotland’s further and higher education sectors, both directly and through the Connected Scotland partnership, to support their efforts to engage with alumni and donors in the USA and thereby support the sustainability and growth of these institutions

Climate change, biodiversity and renewable energy

Climate change

• we will promote Scotland’s climate leadership and renewable energy offer– and these will be themes throughout our work, including ministerial visits, over the year

Blue economy

• with seafood as a major export to the US, we will continue to promote the high quality and sustainability of Scotland’s blue economy, as well as offering US interlocutors access to policy and practice expertise in Scotland

Hydrogen

• we will continue to promote Scotland as a potential investment partner for green hydrogen for US investors

Offshore wind

• there are significant US investments in  Scotland’s offshore wind ecosystem already,; we will continue to promote investment opportunities, as well as the expertise of offshore wind services companies who have gained unmatched experience in Scotland’s world-leading sector
• we will work with State Department and UKG counterparts to support congressional and state level interest in Scotland’s offshore wind expertise, including through assisting in designing inward missions and connecting to domestic policy teams

Relationships and influence

Scottish connections

• with the single largest diaspora group, Scottish Connections is extremely important to the US office. US individuals and organisations make up the bulk of the Scottish Connections online directory, and early Scottish Connections activity has focused on the US, including working on the relationship with African-American diaspora
• we will look to support diaspora contacts in the US to engage with Scottish Connections, including following up on existing work with African-American diaspora

Cultural cooperation

• many Scottish arts and culture organisations come to the US each year. We will continue to provide support and connections to those coming to the US, seek to promote them where possible, and look at opportunities to promote visits to Scotland – particularly as part of events such as the Edinburgh festivals

Higher education and research

• we will continue to grow and leverage our alumni network to promote trade and investment as well as wider reputational influence in the US
• we will support individual HE/FE partners where they seek to develop relationships in the US through hosting and attending events, and – in some cases – providing resource support, and will more generally promote the Scottish offer in academia. Knowledge Exchange and Partnerships
• we will continue and develop our suite of newsletters, providing information about Scotland to our diaspora, our State Department connections, and our caucus – ensuring that key messaging is delivered to those who might be able to influence or support on our behalf 

See previous strategic objectives in our website archive.

Contact

Head of USA office: Colin Gray

Email: Scottish.GovernmentUSA@fcdo.gov.uk

Twitter/X: @ScotGovUSA

LinkedIn: ScotGovInTheUSA

Post:

Scottish Government Washington DC Office
British Embassy
3100 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington
DC 20008
United States