Scotland Office Minister Andrew Dunlop attended the Expo as UK Trade and Investment undertakes a week long programme of events focused around Life Sciences at the UK Government’s pavilion. These include leadership events, meet the buyer events and networking receptions. A number of similar themed events take place over a number of weeks at the Expo, all geared towards an overall target of winning business for UK companies worth £1billion by the end of the event in October.

The UK is the most popular location for European life science headquarters and the number one destination for Foreign Direct Investment. Scotland has a long-established international reputation in world-leading research. It benefits from the platform the UK provides for our life sciences sector, with around 33,000 people employed in over 600 organisations across the country.

Speaking ahead of his visit Andrew Dunlop said:

The UK Government wants to take advantage of the demand for our country’s goods and services that exist overseas. With the Milan Expo bringing the world to our doorstep I want to ensure we seize all the opportunities that are out there for Scottish businesses.

UKTI have already helped create a platform for the Scottish Government to promote our world class food and drink sector to an international audience. I will use my time at the Expo this week to help open new doors for Scotland’s outstanding life sciences industry.

The World Expos take place every five years and this year’s Milan Expo is hosting 140 nations including all of the UK’s major political and trading partners. Since the Expo started in May over £466 million of new business has already been won for the UK with two million visitors have come to the UK Pavilion. The UK Government has set an overall target of winning business worth £1 billion by the end of the event in October.

The UK Government’s theme for Milan Expo is “Grown In Britain” – a reflection of our world class creativity, science, innovation, leadership in international development and our position as a major trading nation.

UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) is the government department that helps UK-based companies succeed globally and assists overseas companies to bring investment to the UK. It leads the whole of government effort to help UK firms win business overseas and rebalance the economy towards export-led sustainable economic growth.