Clinton opens her door for showcase of North's talent

BELFAST BRIEFING:JOBS, JOBS, jobs – that is what Northern Ireland is hoping for today when Hillary Clinton throws open her State Department building to host its first regional economic conference.

The event is designed to showcase Northern Ireland’s talents, opportunities that exist and to put potential investors face to face with existing US investors and the North’s political elite.

It is going to be a very different affair from the high-profile US:NI investment conferences which have taken place in the past few years, chiefly on Northernsoil. This time around will be more intimate, cards-on-the-table affair.

For a start, instead of the cast of thousands which normally characterises these events, this conference will have a guest list of less than 100. There will be 16 high-ranking US business people who will explain in detail their experiences of investing in Northern Ireland. The likes of Thomas Wilson, the chief executive of Allstate, a leading financial institution, will discuss how it became one of the biggest IT companies in the North with more than 1,550 employees.

Duncan L Niederauer, the chief executive officer of NYSE Euronext, a global operator of financial markets, will be talking about his “very positive” experiences when it comes to its Belfast operation.

Armagh native and Fortune 500 heavyweight Ted Kelly, chairman, chief executive and president of Liberty Mutual, will also be on hand to talk up his homeland’s attractions.

It is hoped the 16 “honest to goodness” testimonies about what makes Northern Ireland stand out from its global competitors could seal the deal on securing new investment dollars. Northern Ireland’s political leaders are out in force in Washington, with First Minister Peter Robinson, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, Minster for Enterprise Arlene Foster and Minister for Employment Reg Empey all in attendance for a golden opportunity to sell Northern Ireland. It is an opportunity they had better make the most of because, back home, there is an air of trepidation that the Conservative-Lib Dem coalition will take away billions in financial support to the North.

American companies employ 14,000 people in the North. As McGuinness recognises, they not only play a vital role in the North’s economy today but they are the “key to our economic future and the creation of prosperity for all”.

Clinton’s generous offer to host the economic conference gives Northern Ireland an opportunity to bring the proverbial mountain to Muhammad. According to Declan Kelly, the Clinton- appointed special economic envoy to the North, it gives the North’s politicians and business leaders the chance to meet influential executives on their home soil.

“The fact this event is taking place in the State Department sends a very important message; it’s the first time this type of regional economic conference has taken place, it is a unique moment . . . The fact the conference is in the US makes it easier to get busy people to come to it,” Kelly said.

He admits there is an air of expectation surrounding the conference as there has been around past events of this nature. The fact that there was not a deluge of jobs immediately from previous conferences is an issue he is keen to address.

“This conference is about delivering jobs and investment. I have spent every day of the last six months making sure we get the ready people at this conference. I am confident there will be positive outcomes, but this is also not about the short term.”

Kelly believes the special relationship between the North the US, and on a more personal level with the Clintons, is not something money can buy. It may help balance out one of the issues he believes the North needs to overcome: “Northern Ireland has a philosophy of talking itself down, there are some who believe that nothing good can come of efforts like this and that is just not the case. It has everything going for it – people, location, operating costs,” said Kelly.