When the 5th & 8th Largest Economies in the World Come Together

A Texan in London and Why It Matters for Everyone Back Home

Last week, I was in London for something that does not happen every day: the State of Texas officially opened a trade and investment office in the United Kingdom. It was a milestone worth pausing on not just as a point of Texas pride, but as a reminder of what is possible when people set aside political noise and focus on building something real.

The Texas-UK office is not a Republican idea or a Democratic idea. It is a Texas idea. The delegation that traveled to London included First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Secretary of State Jane Nelson, State Senators Tan Parker and Joan Huffman, local economic development leaders from across the political spectrum, and business advocates from across the state. Thanks to the vision and leadership of State Senator Tan Parker who championed the establishment of a formal trade office with bipartisan support for the goal of jobs, investment, and opportunity for everyday Texans, the grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony has officially happened.

The numbers make a compelling case for why that focus is worth it.

Texas and the United Kingdom already have a deeper relationship than most people realize. In 2025, trade between the two totaled $17.6 billion. The UK is the single largest source of foreign direct investment projects into Texas, not second, not third, but first. Over the last decade, UK companies launched 322 investment projects in Texas, brought in $10.3 billion in capital, and created more than 18,160 jobs. Those are not abstract statistics. Those are paychecks, careers, and communities across our state.

Texas is no passive partner either. Texas companies have invested $5.2 billion in the UK and supported nearly 16,500 jobs there. This is a two-way relationship built on mutual benefit.

Now consider the economic weight each side brings to the table. Texas, if it were a nation, would rank as the 8th largest economy in the world with a $2.7 trillion GDP. The UK ranks 5th globally. These are peer-level economies, and Texas just opened a permanent front door to deepen that partnership.

One of the most meaningful parts of my trip was a small roundtable with the British Chamber of Commerce. The conversation was direct and energizing. Leaders on both sides are already working through how to connect the global financial center of London with the emerging American financial services center of North Texas. This is not a distant aspiration, these conversations are happening now, at the table, with serious people who are ready to move.

Trade and investment policy is one of those places where the common ground is not hidden at all. It is sitting right on the surface, waiting for people with the courage to act on it.

Texas has topped U.S. exports for 24 consecutive years. That did not happen by accident, and it did not happen because one party made it so. It happened because Texans across generations made deliberate choices to compete, to connect, and to build.

London was a reminder that the work continues and that the best is still ahead.

– Genevieve Collins