Minister's speech - Annual Golden Bridges Conference 2025- 13 November 2025

Note: this publication may not reflect verbatim delivery by Minister Archibald.

Good afternoon, everyone.

Sé bhur mbeatha a dhaoine uaisle. Is breá liom an teacht amach iontach anseo inniu. Táimid uilig thar a bheith buíoch daoibh, muintir Boston is muintir Babson as an fháilte mhór a chuireann sibh roimh an ghrúpa a thagann gach bliain as Contae Dhoire agus as Co. Dhún na nGall. Ar ndóigh, is i nDún na nGall atá an Ghaeltacht is mó in Éirinn ach is fíor fosta go bhfuil gluaiseacht na Gaeilge breá láidir I mBoston fosta.

I’m delighted to be here today at the 17^th Annual Golden Bridges Conference in Boston.

In no small part thanks to the support of the US, the North of Ireland has been transformed from a place of conflict to a place of prosperity. 

Indeed, our economy is now outperforming Britian.

Last year the north’s economy grew by 3.5% compared to 1.5% in Britain.

We are now home to 1,500 international companies who chose us for our competitive operating costs, our innovation, and above all, our talented people.

The US is of course a key market.

Over 280 US-owned companies operate in the North, employing 32,000 people.

Those firms span growing sectors such as advanced engineering, financial services, technology and life and health sciences, and include Allstate, Citi, Rapid7, Terex, Microsoft, Baker McKenzie, Seagate, and Liberty Mutual Insurance.

After experiencing our talent and business-friendly ecosystem for themselves, 62% of investors re-invest in the North.

Most recently Insurance firm Allstate, which employs 1,700 people in the north, announced a £16m skills investment to modernise and enhance its digital capabilities.

Existing investors are often our most passionate and persuasive advocates.

The North consistently ranks among the top destinations worldwide for fintech and software inward investment projects.

Digital and creative technologies investments account for 75% of new jobs supported by our economic development agency, Invest NI, through US investors.

Our region has been chosen by Netflix, HBO, Sony, Universal Pictures and Disney.

Productions like Game of Thrones and the feature film How to Train Your Dragon were filmed in the north.

The North has a digital, fully fibre-optic communications network and was the first region in Europe to achieve 100% broadband coverage.

So in digital terms we are as close to the East Coast of North America as California.

And for manufacturers, the North of Ireland now benefits from a unique trading position known as Dual Market Access.

We have unfettered access to Britain, and all 27 EU member states, for manufactured goods - markets worth £6 trillion.

Over the last couple of years manufacturing exports [to the EU] have decreased for England, Scotland and Wales.

However over that time the North’s exports [to Europe] have increased by 2%.   

Dual Market Access is also particularly beneficial in highly regulated industries, such as life & health sciences, which is growing rapidly across the North.

We have a highly skilled and dedicated workforce, supported by world-class universities – Queen’s University Belfast, Ulster University and the Open University.

Cross border education cluster includes 3rd level education institutes such as Ulster University Magee and Coleraine Campuses, Atlantic Technological University, North West Regional College, Northern Regional College and Donegal Education and Training board.

Ulster University and Babson College have a long-standing partnership focused on entrepreneurship.

This includes joint programs where students and faculty from Ulster participate in entrepreneurial workshops at Babson.

Examples include the "25@25" program, which brings Ulster University participants to Boston for a week of learning and development in entrepreneurial thought and action.

Queen's University Belfast and Boston College have strong connections through student and staff exchanges, particularly in Irish Studies, as well as through collaborative research and academic partnerships.

A formal student exchange program allows QUB undergraduates to study at Boston College, and researchers from both institutions collaborate on projects and participate in scholarly exchanges.

And we have creative, innovative entrepreneurs who, despite the current global challenges, find a way to carve out successful business.

Our companies in the North are becoming more ambitious and finding success overseas.

50 of our own home-grown businesses now operate in cities across the US, including Boston.

Companies such as Alchemy Technology and Foods Connected from Derry, O'Neills from Strabane and Seating Matters from Limavady are great success stories of North West businesses with a very strong presence across the US market.  

So, I welcome using this platform for an open dialogue so we can collaborate in the future.

Within this overall value proposition, the growth potential of Derry and the north west region is huge.

Derry is of course home to Martin McGuiness and John Hume, two pivotal figures in our peace process.

Over just the last few months I’ve been in Derry to announce a number of major investments.

Alchemy Technologies opened its new Headquarters in Ebrington Square, a former British Army barracks.

EY opened up new premises in Ebrington Plaza with 120 jobs.

FinTrU announced a £20 investment creating 300 jobs in the area.

And Seagate’s £115m investment will position its North West facility as a leader in nanophotonics.

This investor confidence is in part underpinned by the expansion of the UU Magee Campus in Derry.

Since 2021, students numbers have increased by 45% and we are driving towards a target of 10,000 students by 2032.

So there is a really positive economic story to tell about the north of Ireland and about the north west in particular.

The US has contributed so much to that story and events like this that allow us to strengthen business relationships are really important.

I want to thank Mairtin and the team at Aisling Events for organizing this conference.

I’m delighted to be here to lend my support and I’m really looking forward to our discussions. 

Thank you.