July 2024 news, insights and events

From our CEO

Less than a month after their landslide victory at the UK general election, there’s a sense that the new Labour government is keen to hit the ground running and place private sector collaboration at the heart of plans for a “decade of national renewal”. With our latest Pulse Survey showing that investors continue to see political stability as key to increasing the country’s attractiveness, we welcome the government’s ambitious plans to build greater, connections with the private sector. Policy and Public Affairs Manager Nick Elliott provides some great analysis of Labour’s new policy direction in his latest insights piece, which is well worth a read. News of a new £7.3bn National Wealth Fund has also been a welcome step to improve the investment environment in the country, whilst stressing the importance of maintaining the UK Infrastructure Bank's role in fostering private sector relationships. 

Things have also been heating up in the US, with confirmation that the country will soon have a new leader in the Oval Office, whichever way the election goes. As battle lines are drawn and the wheels start moving for both the Harris and Trump campaigns, GIIA members will be seeking continuation for the bipartisan infrastructure bills that have propelled the United States to the top of the list when it comes to investor sentiment.

The re-appointment of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission provides a sense of stability and continuity that bodes well for infrastructure investors and GIIA members. Her leadership promises to maintain momentum on the Green Deal and digital transformation, as well as a more favourable investment climate, with clear policies supporting sustainable and innovative projects expected. Read more in our EU market update below.

ESG continues to be a hugely important topic for our members. We had more than 100 members from 23 countries around the world dial into our biodiversity webinar with Oliver Wyman and WWF, learning important takeaways about biodiversity impacts in infrastructure investment decisions. The recording and report will be available soon on our website - we will be sure to announce it on our Linkedin page, so do look out for it.

Whilst election news on both sides of the pond dominates headlines, the GIIA team have continued to work on behalf of members across the globe. I look forward to visiting Singapore and Australia next month, where we’ll be hosting our first in-person programme in APAC, including networking and panel discussions in Singapore hosted by CMS, a roundtable in Melborne and a drinks reception in Sydney. If you, or your colleagues would like to receive an invite to attend the reception, please let us know.

Finally, I would like to remind members to take just five minutes to provide feedback in our Annual Member Survey – your input allows us to set key priorities for the coming year and is an important opportunity to check in on our progress on behalf of the sector. 

Market spotlights

Take a look at the GIIA Policy and Public Affairs team's summary of our global advocacy work throughout July here.

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