Gov. Phil Murphy likes to call himself the “head of sales” in the state for a reason: He’s very good at it. Especially when he’s traveling to international destinations.
He’ll soon get another chance to prove it.
Later Thursday, Choose New Jersey will announce that Murphy will lead a delegation of industry leaders and state representatives on a four-day, three-city economic mission trip to Canada from Sept. 7-10, ROI-NJ has learned.
Organized by Choose New Jersey, the delegation is set to visit Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal. The trip will focus on strengthening New Jersey’s ties with Canada while cultivating partnerships and international investment opportunities in sectors such as film and technology.
Murphy, who has made the film industry and fintech sector key priorities, said the trip will offer another chance to show an international audience the benefits of doing business in New Jersey.
“Our efforts to bolster New Jersey’s thriving film and fintech industries must extend beyond both state lines and national borders,” he said. “It is only fitting that we deepen our economic ties with Canada while exploring new opportunities to solidify our status as a global leader in these fields.
“I look forward to engaging with Canadian officials and industry leaders to showcase the opportunity that is ripe within our state.”
Murphy has had great success on international trade missions throughout his administration, including visits to Germany, Israel, India and Ireland early in his administration. Last fall, he made a 10-day trip to East Asia, visiting Japan, Korea and Taiwan. (Read ROI-NJ’s exclusive coverage here.)
Choose New Jersey CEO Wes Mathews said the trip to Canada shows the commitment of the state to increase its global ties.
“We are excited to embark on this economic mission to Canada to highlight New Jersey’s value proposition as the best place for businesses and families,” he said. “This mission underscores our commitment to fostering international partnerships and attracting global businesses to our state.”
The economic mission will include meetings with government officials and networking opportunities with industry leaders across a number of sectors, including film and television and technology.
The governor and first lady Tammy Murphy will head the delegation, joined by Mathews, New Jersey Economic Development Authority CEO Tim Sullivan and a host of business and higher education leaders as well as elected officials.
