First Minister to attend Tartan Week events in New York

Visit is ‘Opportunity to promote strong business links with US’

First Minister John Swinney will undertake a series of engagements in New York as part of Tartan Week, the annual celebration of Scottish heritage and culture in the United States.

In recognition of the important role of the US as a key investment and trading partner, the First Minister will meet a number of high profile current and potential investors to promote the economic opportunities on offer in Scotland.

Speaking ahead of his visit, the First Minister said: “Scotland enjoys deep and enduring links with the US, which is both our largest inward investor, and second largest export market after the European Union.

“In 2023, exports of Scottish goods to the US were worth £4 billion. And here in Scotland, more than 700 US-owned enterprises provide employment to more than 115,000 people.

“Scotland is open for business and is one of the best places in the world to invest. We have a reputation as a world-class entrepreneurial nation, with the number of start-ups, spinouts, and scale up companies growing at pace.

“We also have the potential to become a strategic hub for future renewable energy investments, specifically by developing and scaling projects in offshore wind, green hydrogen, and energy storage.

“Tartan Week in April is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate Scottish culture, and promote economic opportunities on both sides of the Atlantic.

“I am looking forward to attending this week’s Tartan Week events, meeting our dynamic diaspora, and engaging with some of our biggest current and potential investors. I want to showcase Scotland’s progressive international outlook, and our focus on innovation, sustainability and growth.”

Alan Cumming is Grand Marshal of the 2025 NYC Tartan Day Parade.