A FOCUS on trade and investment is the objective of a new office opened in San Francisco by Trade and Investment Queensland.
Tourism and innovation minister Kate Jones said the office was ideally located to promote Queensland’s strong trade relationship with North America.
“This new office is well positioned to focus on supporting Queensland knowledge industries businesses to enter the North American market and increase the potential to attract high-value investment into the sector,” she said.
“North America is Queensland’s fifth largest two-way goods trade partner valued at almost $8.7bn, including $7bn with the United States.
“The United States is also the primary source of foreign direct investment into Australia, valued at $214 billion at the end of 2018, a rise of 10.7% on the previous year.”
The office is to be led by recently appointed Queensland Trade and Investment Commissioner for North America Viki Forrest.
Ms Forrest was previously CEO of the US-based ANZA Technology Network and has more than 20 years’ international business experience spanning Australia, New Zealand, Asia and the USA.
Speaking after her appointment, she said she was excited about driving trade and investment for Queensland across the USA, Canada and Mexico.
Ms Forrest joined Ms Jones for the official opening, along with TIQ’s acting chief executive Paul Martyn, Austrade representatives and Queensland mayors.
