Last week Jessie Dodwell (Deputy Consul General) and Tim Cork (Director of Trade) from the British Consulate in Houston travelled to London to mark the opening of Texas’ new trade office in London. The new office represents the culmination of sustained cooperation between the State of Texas and the British Government.
The launch event took place at Berry Bros. & Rudd, a venue with a unique historical connection as the location of the Republic of Texas’ London legation from 1842-1845. Hosted by the First Lady of Texas and the Secretary of State Jane Nelson, the reception brought together senior stakeholders from government and industry, Stephen Doughty MP (Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) provided welcoming remarks on behalf of the British Government.
This milestone builds on several years of targeted engagement between the Consulate and partners across Texas. That work has included the signing of a Statement of Mutual Co-operation with the State (signed by Governor Greg Abbott and then Secretary of State for Business Kemi Badenoch, and a programme of inward visits for State Legislators. Notably the first of these delegations included Senator Tan Parker who has become a driving force behind strengthening ties with the UK, founding the Friends of the UK Caucus in the Texas State House and playing a central role in securing the funding required to establish the London office.
The significance of this new office is underpinned by the scale and dynamism of the Texas economy and the strong UK presence in the State. With a GDP of around $2.4 trillion, Texas ranks among the largest economies globally and is responsible for a substantial share of US exports. The UK is already the state’s leading foreign investor, and over 120,000 Texans are employed by UK subsidiaries.
The opening of the office received coverage in the UK media, including from The Guardian in advance and the Financial Times is expected to produce an article shortly, highlighting the growing profile of the UK–Texas partnership