South East Sponsored by South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)
Why Us
The South East of England is the powerhouse of the UK economy, contributing more in net tax to the Exchequer than any other UK region, including London. It is a prosperous, dynamic and innovative region with a highly skilled workforce and the largest population of any region in the UK, approximately eight million.
South East England encompasses Hampshire, Isle of Wight, East and West Sussex and Milton Keynes as well as counties which border London - Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Surrey and Kent. The region has a £166 billion (GVA) economy and has grown at an average annual growth rate of 3.66 per cent during 1996-2006 (Source: Experian Business Strategies). Across the region there are 682,380 enterprises, 16% of the UK total. Businesses – both local and internationally owned - regard the South East as an attractive and dynamic location to operate. It is an ideal springboard for global growth.
So what are the advantages of locating in the region? South East England is the preferred choice of location for over 6,500 overseas investors and these companies benefit from:
• An international transportation hub with excellent links to European and global marketplaces, which includes London Heathrow and Gatwick Airports and the Channel Tunnel rail link to Europe.
• The highest rate for exporting in the UK, £28 billion per year.
• Easy access to London, Europe’s financial capital.
• The largest population of any UK region.
• A highly-skilled and flexible workforce, with 74,000 new graduates per year.
• Home to 25 universities and higher education institutes, including the University of Oxford
• Significant clusters of businesses in all high technology industries.
• A high technology, research intensive economy.
Electronics companies in the region include LG Electronics, Siemens, Samsung, Nokia, Ericsson, Sun Microsystems and Philips Semiconductors. Boeing, Thales, BMW and Ford all have operations in the South East. Five formula one teams are based in the region – Williams, Mclaren, Renault, Red Bull and Super Aguri.
Electronics companies in the region include LG Electronics, Siemens, Samsung, Nokia, Ericsson, Sun Microsystems and Philips Semiconductors Boeing, Thales, BMW and Ford all have operations in the South East. Five formula one teams are based in the region – Williams, Mclaren, Renault, Red Bull and Super Aguri.
Vodafone, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell, Huawei and IBM are located in or near the Thames Valley.
GE Medical Systems, GlaxoSmithKline Takeda, Murex Biotech, and Astellas are based in the region as well as Pfizer, Genzyme and Allergan. UK or European HQs based here include Boeing, EADS Astrium, GKN, Thales, Virgin Atlantic and BAE systems. The region is also home to QinetiQ, Europe's largest science and technology solutions company.
American Express, HSBC, Lloyds TSB, and Merril Lynch are just some of the key players that can be found in the South East.
