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View from the Chair

From partnership to progress

8th Sep 2026

Neasa Quigley, President, NI Chamber

Northern Ireland’s long-term economic prosperity will be shaped by our ability to build strong international relationships and connect our businesses to global opportunities. Partnerships like the one between NI Chamber and NC Chamber are helping to do exactly that.

Recently, we welcomed a delegation of more than 20 senior business executives from North Carolina as part of NI Chamber’s strategic partnership with NC Chamber. It marked an important milestone in a relationship that has gathered significant momentum over the last two years and reinforced why business-led international partnerships matter.

For many of our guests, it was their first visit to Northern Ireland. The group included senior leaders from some of North Carolina’s most significant companies, investment organisations and institutions including John Deere, SunTX Capital Partners, PNC Bank, Construction Partners and Azurity Pharmaceuticals. All were people with the ability to influence investment decisions and create new opportunities within their own vast networks.

Over four days, they met Northern Ireland business leaders, academics and policymakers. They visited some of our most exciting centres of innovation and experienced first-hand the talent, ambition and creativity that exists across our economy. From Belfast Harbour and Studio Ulster to Queen’s University and Custom House, the programme was designed to showcase the very best of this place.

What struck me most was how naturally conversations developed. There is now a genuine affinity between Northern Ireland and North Carolina. We are regions that have built success by looking outward, embracing innovation and investing in partnerships. We share common strengths in areas such as advanced manufacturing, life sciences, technology and research. Perhaps most importantly, we share a belief that collaboration creates opportunity.

This partnership is the result of several years of work. Since the signing of our Memorandum of Understanding with NC Chamber in 2024, NI Chamber has worked hard to create opportunities for businesses to connect, learn from one another and explore new commercial possibilities. Last week’s visit demonstrated just how far that work has come.

One of the most rewarding aspects was seeing NI Chamber members step forward as advocates and ambassadors for Northern Ireland. They helped our guests understand not only what Northern Ireland has achieved, but what it is capable of next.

There was also a strong sense of pride in showcasing Northern Ireland. Our guests met companies operating at the forefront of their industries, heard from entrepreneurs building globally competitive businesses and saw the strength of our university research and innovation ecosystem. They experienced our hospitality, our culture and our warm welcome. Above all, they saw a region that is ambitious for the future and confident in its ability to compete on a global stage.

Perhaps the most encouraging sign of all has come since the delegation returned home. Conversations have continued, introductions have been followed up and opportunities identified during the visit are already being explored further.

As our North Carolina friends returned home, they left with a deeper understanding of Northern Ireland and a stronger appreciation of the opportunities that exist here. Equally, we said farewell to our visitors with a growing pipeline of relationships that have the potential to deliver long-term value for both regions.

For NI Chamber, that is the true measure of success.