“Brexit is naturally a focus of attention for prospective investors in the UK. Yet it is one of many factors that will shape the business environment in the UK over the long term. The scale of the type of foreign investments means payback periods for investors often span decades. Such investors seem likely to take a long-term view when considering a nation’s competitiveness.”

Ian Stewart, Chief Economist, Deloitte UK

In order to understand what the UK can do to continue and build upon its success in attracting investment, we conducted in-depth interviews with senior executives at a range of multinational organisations with investments in the UK. 

In terms of what the UK has been so successful historically, a number of key themes emerged from the discussions, set out below.

Gateway to Europe 

The English language and the UK’s position in a time zone between the Americas and Asia were cited as key reasons as to why international investors had set up business operations here. The UK is perceived as a good entry point for businesses looking to expand into Europe.

The scale of the UK’s domestic market is also seen as a big attraction in its own right. Firms that are successful enough to expand overseas clearly have ambitions to grow, and the UK is seen as an avenue to do that. 

“No other country in the world has made their market as open to investors”