This week, the largest British trade delegation ever to land on American soil, with leaders representing 230 companies, touches down in Los Angeles for “Greater Together LA,” a summit dedicated to growing trade and investment with America.  

Hot on the heels of Their Majesties The King and Queen’s historic state visit to the East Coast, marking the United States’ 250th anniversary, Greater Together LA celebrates innovation, capital and enterprise as the engine of our two nations’ future prosperity.  

California is the ideal setting. The Golden State invents the future, and Britain is embedded in that story. For the last two years, the UK has been California’s top foreign investor. British businesses created over 130,000 jobs in the state in 2025.   

For American investors, our message is clear: Britain is open for business. In an uncertain world, the UK stands out as a safe harbor for capital and ideas.

We are the world’s sixth‑largest economy, home to $13.5 trillion in capital, and boast the second-biggest financial center after New York. Global CEOs rank us first as Europe’s most attractive investment location, and four of the world’s top 10 universities call Britain home.  

In the first three months of 2026, the UK economy grew faster than that of any other G7 country. Planning reform; regulatory simplification; sustained investment in infrastructure and skills; and a renewed focus on attracting the world’s top talent are turning innovation into productivity, and productivity into growth. 

The UK and US have one of the most integrated economic relationships in the world: $430 billion in annual trade, growing at 4% last year; $1.7 trillion invested in each other’s economies; and millions of jobs supported on both sides of the Atlantic. Britain is the largest foreign investor in 21 US states. The United States, in turn, is the single biggest investor in the UK. 

Our tech ecosystem is now valued at $1.3 trillion. From AI and quantum computing to life sciences and clean energy, British and American talent is combining to push the frontier of what is possible. A new UK–California agreement signed this year strengthens cooperation on clean energy technology. 

But Greater Together LA is not just about investment. It is also about culture and people, the unexpected connections that spark innovation. 

Simon Cowell, Cindy Rose, Mira Murati, Sir Jony Ive, Sir Paul Smith, Sir Lucian Grainge, and astronaut Major Tim Peake will all be in the room alongside the CEOs of British Airways, American Airlines and News Corp. 

Greater Together LA will feature a celebration of the UK’s Film and TV industry; the British Council’s showcase of world-class British universities; and exclusive experiences with the Premier League and British Music Embassy (BME).   

Connectivity between the UK and the US is unmatched. We have the highest transatlantic airline capacity, nearly double that of the next closest country pair, and over 250 flights operating daily between Britain and America. 

Back in 1776, the year of the US Declaration of Independence, a British economist named Adam Smith published another revolutionary work, “The Wealth of Nations.” His insight was simple and enduring: When ideas, goods, and people move freely, we all get richer. 

And that’s why the British are heading West this week, following the King and Queen’s East Coast visit: to strengthen our two countries’ enduring bonds of prosperity, creativity and friendship for decades to come.  

When the UK and US combine our talent, our capital and ambition, we don’t just watch the future unfold. We write the script.  

Starting in California.

Sir Christian Turner is the British ambassador to the United States, following a distinguished career in a variety of diplomatic roles.