Marking a year since we signed our Memorandum of Understanding with the Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the group again visited North Carolina, this time with a business delegation led by Northern Ireland’s First Minister and deputy First Minister.

The joint mission was designed to open new trading opportunities and research alliances between Northern Ireland and North Carolina, and we were pleased to collaborate with our NC Chamber members and elected officials to show off just a small piece of all the opportunity our state has to offer.

Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly were accompanied by a cohort of NI Chamber members including Queen’s University, Belfast, Artemis, B-Secur, and Axial 3D, as well as NI businesses with hubs in the U.S.

Before traveling to Washington, D.C. for continued engagement, the delegation spent two days in Raleigh, including the following highlights.

An Emphasis on Research

NC Chamber board member Calvin Crosslin; VP, chief diversity officer at Lenovo and president of The Lenovo Foundation; welcomed the delegation to Lenovo’s headquarters in RTP where the NI delegation enjoyed a roundtable discussion that touched on AI and the ways Lenovo is innovating, adapting to massive technology shifts, and helping to transform organizations.

The group visited Hub RTP for an engaging overview of the Research Triangle Park, how it has evolved, what it has done for the economy and innovation, and how it operates today.

International Women’s Day

The international holiday was top of mind throughout the day as the Northern Ireland delegation was led by four women, the First Minister and deputy First Minister, as well as NI Chamber President Caitroina McCusker of PwC and Suzanne Wylie, CEO of the NI Chamber.

They were welcomed by N.C. Lieutenant Governor Rachel Hunt and Secretary of State Elaine F. Marshall for a private meeting at the N.C. Executive Mansion.

Showcasing Innovation at NC State

The remainder of the day was spent on Centennial Campus at NC State. At the Poulton Innovation Center, guests heard from Associate Vice Chancellor Mark Schmidt, Ph.D. who led a discussion on topics including knowledge transfer partnerships and the role universities play in our global economy.

A reception at the Plant Sciences Building included welcome remarks from Lieutenant Governor Hunt, Secretary Marshall, Secretary of Commerce Lee Lilley, Senator Dan Blue, and NC State’s Director of Operations for the Plant Sciences Building Geoff Bock.

International Buzz

The BBC reported Wylie as saying that while there’s uncertainty across the globe right now, “businesses really just want to create the relationships and get on with doing business with each other and continue to look for further investment in some of our innovative companies.” Hear more of their coverage in the following clip.

The Belfast Telegraph and The Irish Times reported on the visit as well and the deputy First Minister shared a number of videos you can see here.

Continued Collaboration

Wylie summed up our relationship with the NI Chamber well saying, “Over the last year, NI Chamber has been working intensively with business, academics, and potential investors in North Carolina, a state which we identified as having many synergies with our own economy. Now, we are seeing that translate into game-changing opportunities for joint investments and expanding business footprints, research partnerships and alliances. This mission is about expanding those new relationships further and together, showcasing Northern Ireland and North Carolina as regions of joint business opportunity.”

We look forward to returning to Northern Ireland with a delegation of North Carolina business leaders soon. To join us, or learn more about our MOU with the NI Chamber, contact NC Chamber VP of Government Affairs Jake Cashion.