International
The Atlantic recently released the World’s 25 Most Economically Powerful Cities and Chicago came in at #4.
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Last week World Business Chicago hosted a delegation of visiting journalists from the United Nations Press Corps. The global contingent of reporters came from Chinese newspapers, Japanese magazines, Swedish public radio and more. We took them on a behind-the-scenes tour into the exciting world of Chicago’s innovation ecosystem, including Tribeca Flashpoint Media Arts Academy, 600 West Chicago (home of Groupon & Lightbank) and the startup incubator, Excelerate Labs.
With all the attention on Chinese President Hu’s visit to Chicago in January, and the recent China business mission led by Mayor Daley, we get questions on China and Chinese investment, and our strategy in bringing Chinese job-creating investment to Chicago. Here, then, is a little background on China and Chicago’s efforts.
Since the President of China’s visit, several stories have emerged on the impact that the visit had, and will have on future relations between Chicago and China. After actively participating in the visit, I believe the future will bring more business linkages and a continuation of a strong working relationship between our region and China.
fDi (foreign direct investment) magazine will once again announce the best cities in North America for FDI next year. World Business Chicago has participated in these surveys three times and was named #1 twice and #2 once overall, and captured the flag for best foreign investment strategy every time. We await the results of the latest survey next spring. So, why are such surveys important? And, aren’t there a lot of these lists out there?
I recently received a forwarded letter addressed to Mayor Daley from a foreign business leader who had recently visited Chicago for the first time. I thought this letter was a great representation of what we consistently hear from visitors who experience Chicago for the first time, and wanted to share an excerpt from it.
As a marketer at World Business Chicago, I wake up in the morning and go to sleep at night thinking about the ways we increase the awareness of Chicago as a global business destination. Yet, given our organization’s limited size and budget, I’m continuously reminded about how fortunate we are to be marketing a city whose business leaders are so engaged in our endeavors, and so generous.
