‘Ambassadors’ to promote city in US
Source: Liverpool Daily Post
Liverpool’s two US trade representatives tell Alistair Houghton how they will sell the city.
In the heart of Liverpool One, amid the shiny modernity, a golden eagle reminds shoppers of the city’s historic links with America.
That eagle, shining brightly above the Sony Centre, in Paradise Street, marks the site of the first-ever Consulate established by the fledgling United States of America.
The Consulate may have gone, but those transatlantic trade links are still vital to the city’s economy – though that trade today is less about ocean liners laden with goods and more about digital gurus and building the Liverpool brand.
This year, the city has hosted two major US trade delegations – one from Georgia, led by Governor Nathan Deal, and another from Boston. Just last month, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce led a return delegation to Massachusetts.
Meanwhile, Liverpool and Memphis, Tennessee, are hoping to develop their cultural links into trade links after becoming “Rock’n Soul Mates”.
The project will see cultural attractions, from The Beatles Story to Graceland, work closely together. And, behind the scenes, regeneration agency Liverpool Vision is planning to forge links between businesses in both cities.
The success of these recent initiatives has led Vision to recruit its own Consuls in the US to further its trade agenda.
Kristen Hirst has been appointed to promote Liverpool on the east coast – particularly focusing on the Boston area, New York, and Georgia.
And Gareth Lewis will look after the west coast – particularly Los Angeles, San Francisco and Silicon Valley.
They will be talking to US companies about investing in Liverpool, while helping Liverpool companies that want to break into the American market.
Both Ms Hirst and Mr Lewis have years of experience building transatlantic links, and both worked in senior roles in the US with the North of England Inward Investment Agency.
They may have only just become Liverpool ambassadors, but both know the city well – and are excited about the possibilities for “brand Liverpool” in the US.
Ms Hirst said: “The great thing is there is a name recognition.
“I lived in and represented the North of England for 17 years. When I said the north of England, a lot of people just assumed I meant Scotland. It didn’t have its own identity.
“Being able to talk about a specific city and its specific tangibles has been a pleasure.
“We’ve got name recognition through The Beatles. A lot of people know the football club. A lot of people have heard of Liverpool, though they wouldn’t necessarily know where to pinpoint it on a map.
“We’re not starting with a blank piece of paper. There’s something to build on.”
Ms Hirst was senior vice-president for the North of England Inward Investment Agency, developing its strategy and overseeing offices in Atlanta, Boston, Toronto, Chicago and Los Angeles.
She has worked with many companies looking to set up UK bases, and also spent five years in Leeds overseeing a transatlantic marketing programme.
Ms Hirst says her mission statement is “building links between the countries, focusing on trade and investment – and raising the profile of Liverpool”.
She added: “The bottom line is identifying business opportunities to create wealth for the city of Liverpool and also the companies of Liverpool.
“I’m talking to companies in the US that want to do business in Europe. I want to drive them to Liverpool.
“Equally, our presence out there is something that Liverpool companies can take advantage of.”
Ms Hirst is based in Georgia’s state capital, Atlanta.
Georgia’s higher education institutions, including Georgia Tech and Emory University, are already working with their counterparts in Merseyside in fields from engineering to life sciences. The state’s delegation to Liverpool in May saw discussions in areas from ports to renewable energy.
Ms Hirst says there is a “very keen” appetite in Georgia to grow links with Liverpool.
She said: “What’s happening there with all the links with Liverpool means that brand awareness is increasing.”
And Ms Hirst believes that the week-long Global Entrepreneurship Congress, which will be held in Liverpool in March, will also attract US attention.
The GEC, billed as a global festival of business, is itself organised by an American body – the Kansas City-based Kauffman Foundation.
“Things like the GEC are going to put Liverpool at the forefront of people’s minds,” said Ms Hirst. “We’re now looking at the GEC, Liverpool Sound City and other events that will get a lot of attention so we can bring people over to see them.”
Ms Hirst’s New York mission is in its early days, but she is already convinced that Liverpool’s video games expertise will prove attractive to US investors.
“There’s a similar gaming culture in New York and Liverpool, and a lot of similar quirky companies,” she said.
In Boston, the Liverpool brand has been given a massive boost since the takeover of Liverpool FC by Fenway Sports Group, owner of the Boston Red Sox. That inspired the recent reciprocal trade missions between the two cities – and the Liverpool delegation even got to meet FSG boss John Henry on a visit to Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox.
Those missions were focused on the creative and digital sectors – sectors which are the key focuses for Mr Lewis in California.
He said: “I’m really promoting Liverpool as a city for the digital and creative industries and for technology.
“I’m in California to get the word out about Liverpool, particularly what’s happening in areas like the Baltic Triangle.”
Mr Lewis has worked with Steve Smith, organiser of the Liverpool Software City technological showcase, for several years. Each year, Software City looks to invite growing hi-tech firms from Silicon Valley to Liverpool to see what the city has to offer, and to pitch to potential investors.
Mr Lewis is well-placed to identify budding investors in California’s hi-tech markets. He mentors several early-stage technology businesses, and founded a support programme for young entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley.
He said: “In the past four years, I’ve brought over about 20 companies from Silicon Valley – they’re under- the-radar businesses.
“One big asset of having an operation in California is that I can go under the radar. I can speak to them when they’re looking to expand internationally.
“I work quite closely with the venture capital (VC) community here. Those VCs are really keen to help their start-up companies and SMEs expand their sales growth and revenue growth by simply parachuting into the EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) market.”
Steve Smith, Liverpool Vision’s digital industry director, agrees that having a presence on the ground in California is vital to help identify the right firms for Liverpool.
Because the US is such a big market, companies there do not need to go overseas at an early stage in the same way that companies from small countries such as Finland do.
So, says Mr Smith, Liverpool needs to target firms that have already established themselves in their home market and are just starting to think about overseas expansion. “You’re looking for that sweet spot,” he said.
And for those companies looking to parachute in to the UK, Liverpool is a strong contender, thanks to its clusters of digital, gaming and creative firms.
Mr Lewis said: “When I talk to companies such as Facebook, Google and Twitter, they’re really interested in talented cities. I’m really keen to promote that, and let them know that Liverpool is hugely talented.
“Liverpool has a very strong eco-system. You have the university system, support from organisations such as Liverpool Vision and TMP, and the incubation and support element you get from places such as Liverpool Science Park. The network of opportunities, along with the right people, is a strong concept.
“What’s available in Liverpool is very strong. Brand Liverpool is innovative and entrepreneurial.
“Companies I’ve brought to Liverpool have come back and said ‘I never knew Liverpool had such an entrepreneurial spirit, and that there was so much talent there’. It’s about getting people to experience that.”
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