On Wednesday 18th June, Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce (TVCC) proudly welcomed a distinguished delegation of Indian technology companies in partnership with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The visit was made possible with the valued support of the Chambers’ inward investment partners James Cowper Kreston and Knights.
The delegation explored why the Thames Valley is the fastest-growing region outside London, a premier destination for international business, and widely recognised as the UK’s ‘turbo economy.’
The visiting business delegation were offered a unique opportunity to engage directly with TVCC’s inward investment partners and members who have successfully invested and scaled operations in the Thames Valley and across the UK. These conversations provided valuable insights into the region’s key sectors and thriving digital technology ecosystem and the extensive support available to international investors who are looking to invest in the region.
The morning session, co-chaired by Andy Cowie of James Cowper Kreston and Chamber colleagues, was hosted at The Quad Workspace in One Station Hill, an £850 million development that stands as a testament to Reading’s nation-leading growth and investment potential. The roundtable discussion featured Ali Bird, Egnyte, Dr Mona Ashok, Henley Business School, and Siddharth Mukne, India Partnership Forum.
The group also heard directly from representatives of TVCC’s soft-landing service, including James Cowper Kreston and Knights Law, as well as Vail Williams, outlining the support available to foreign owned companies looking to invest and grow their business in the Thames Valley.
In the afternoon, the delegation visited Green Park, where they met with representatives from Mastek and Akoni Technologies, a well-established and an early start up Indian-owned company and Mapletree, the owners of the 195-acre, 1.5 million sq. ft. The tour highlighted the scale and quality of business facilities available in the region.
Gareth Ralphs, Head of Business Representation and Policy, TVCC, commented:
“We were delighted, once again, to work with our colleagues from DBT to host the delegation of Indian digital technology firms and stakeholders. The Thames Valley continues to attract global interest thanks to our exceptional connectivity, innovation hubs, and collaborative business environment. We look forward to supporting these, and other, companies as they explore opportunities in the UK. This visit underlines the TVCC’s ongoing commitment to promoting the Thames Valley and supporting the delivery of inward investment into the region.
Our long-term involvement in delivering inward investment services and recognition of the importance of fostering such international partnerships, has proven a key driver of regional economic growth and sustained flows of FDI into the region.”
Andy Cowie, Partner, James Cowper Kreston, said:
“It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to address the delegation in order to showcase what the Thames Valley has to offer to overseas businesses looking to set up in the UK. Access to top class talent, transport links both nationally and internationally, an existing ecosystem of successful tech businesses and first-class business support were some of the key criteria the delegation were interested in to help make their decision on where to locate and, with our partners on the day, we were able to demonstrate and promote the Thames Valley as the ideal location for them.”
To learn more about the TVCC’s inward investment service, broader initiatives and how your business can get involved, visit Inward Investment, the dedicated Linkedin page or contact garethralphs@tvchamber.co.uk.
