Delegation will focus on SelectUSA Investment Summit, promoting effective apprenticeship models, and innovative R&D
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, and the Director of the National Economic Council, Jeffrey Zients will host a delegation of Swiss business leaders at the White House on January 13th. The delegation, led by Swiss Vice President and Federal Councillor Johann Schneider-Ammann and U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein Suzan LeVine, will include chief executive officers and senior executives from Alevo Group, Bühler, Kudelski Group, Nestlé, Novartis, Pilatus Aircraft, Reha Technology, and Zurich Insurance Group.
Switzerland is the 6th largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United States, with a total of $140 billion invested in 2013. Swiss investors are the top international source of research and development (R&D) investment in the United States, spending nearly $9.4 billion in 2012. U.S. subsidiaries of Swiss firms employed more than 472,200 U.S. workers in 2012.
The delegation’s visit is part of the Obama Administration’s SelectUSA investment-promotion initiative, led by the Commerce Department, and an opportunity for cabinet and senior White House officials to hear firsthand from global business leaders how the United States can maintain and expand its position as the top beneficiary of foreign direct investment worldwide.
The Swiss executives will also get a preview of the 2015 SelectUSA Investment Summit, which will be held March 23-24 in Washington and is expected to attract more than 2,500 participants, almost double last year’s total. Several of the companies are also expected to discuss with senior Administration officials their plans to adapt to the United States the Swiss model of workplace apprenticeships.
