Scotland aims to attract global investment with 2025 summit

The Scottish Investor Summit, organised by Scottish Financial Enterprise and supported by The City of London Corporation, is set to take place in Edinburgh in Autumn 2025 and will target capital and foreign direct investors.

The summit will be announced tonight at the Scottish Financial Services Awards, sponsored by EY, which will see more than 700 business and political leaders gather in Glasgow to recognise the contribution of the industry to the Scottish economy. Recent figures showed that contribution having increased over the past year, now worth £14.8 billion in GVA and directly supporting 148,000 jobs.

Tonight’s event will include a keynote speech from first minister John Swinney, who is expected to recognise the importance of the forthcoming investment summit for growing Scotland’s economy.

Scottish financial services leader Alasdair King was recently elected to serve as the 696th Lord Mayor of the City of London, and will serve as a global ambassador for the UK’s financial and professional services industry during his year in office which begins on 8 November.

The summit will be a key part of his vision to unleash growth across the UK and will shine a spotlight on Scotland’s unique investment proposition, focusing on key Scottish sector strengths including financial and professional services, green energy, life sciences and space.

The primary audience for the event will be capital and foreign direct investors and it will provide the opportunity to showcase examples of successful investments across these sectors and the long-term attractiveness of Scotland as a location. It will also demonstrate the strong partnership that exists in Scotland between industry and its world-class university sector.

The summit strategy was announced at the annual Scottish Financial Services Awards, sponsored by EY, which celebrate the contribution of firms and individuals to the Scottish financial services industry.

SFE chief executive, Sandy Begbie CBE FRSE, said: “Attracting investment into our world-class industries is key in delivering the growth our economy and society need.

“Scotland has a global reputation for innovation and expertise but against a backdrop of increasing global competition, we must continue to work hard to demonstrate the appeal of our leading industries as a destination for investment.

“This summit will showcase the very best of Scotland’s leading industries to global investors and provides an opportunity to harness the dynamism and diversity of what Scotland has to offer.”

Lord Mayor elect, Alderman Alastair King DL, said: “The City of London is thrilled to support Scottish Financial Enterprise in delivering this remarkable summit. Scotland is a key pillar of the City of London Corporation’s strategy to boost professional and financial services across the whole of the UK.

“With foundational strengths in banking, wealth management, life assurance and pension services mixed with unique capabilities in data, AI and the energy transition, Scotland is a deeply attractive investment destination. The Investment Summit will be the perfect opportunity to showcase Scotland to investors from around the world.”