The UK's largest-ever trade delegation to the United States lands in Los Angeles this week, bringing together hundreds of British business leaders, ministers, investors and cultural figures for three days of high-level programming, cross-sector deal-making and transatlantic relationship-building.
Here is what is happening, who is involved, and why it matters.
What Is "Greater Together LA"?
Greater Together LA is the UK Government's flagship business event of 2026, running from Tuesday 19 to Thursday 21 May across multiple venues in Los Angeles. Described by British Consul General Paul Rennie as "the largest ever trade delegation from the UK to the US," the event marks both a deepening of the UK–US economic relationship and a celebration of 250 years of American independence.
The mission spans an exclusive business breakfast, a thought leadership summit, a formal opening reception, satellite events and cultural showcases — bringing together UK and US business leaders, policymakers and creatives in a format explicitly designed to forge unexpected connections across sectors.
The Programme
The three-day agenda opens with an invitation-only Business Breakfast at the California Club, hosted in partnership with the British American Business Council Los Angeles, featuring Blair McDougall MP (UK Minister for Small Business and Economic Transformation) in conversation with BABC LA President Andrew Lewis MBE. A broader Business Briefing at the US Bank Tower follows, bringing together senior California and LA city officials, investors and UK-US business figures for panel discussions on market entry, taxation, talent and commercial opportunity.
The evening opens formally at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, with Lisa Nandy (UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport) and Blair McDougall MP joined by co-hosts Sir Lucian Grainge (CEO, Universal Music Group) and Sir Jony Ive (Founder, LoveFrom).
The heart of the programme is the "Unexpected Connections" Thought Leadership Summit, held over Wednesday and Thursday at NYA West Studios in Hollywood, in association with PwC UK. Confirmed speakers include:
- Sir Gareth Southgate — on leadership under pressure
- Dame Donna Langley DBE — Chairman, NBC Universal Entertainment
- Simon Cowell — Chairman, Syco Entertainment (moderated by Leona Lewis OBE)
- Robert Thomson — CEO, News Corp
- Mira Murati — CEO, Thinking Machines Lab, and Dr James Manyika — Senior VP, Google AI, in conversation on the age of AI
- Alastair Borthwick — CFO, Bank of America, on transatlantic markets and investment
- Major Tim Peake CMG — Astronaut and STEM Ambassador
- Sir Paul Smith — Founder, Paul Smith Limited
- Thomas Heatherwick CBE — Founder, Heatherwick Studio
- Sean Doyle (CEO, British Airways) and Robert Isom (CEO, American Airlines) on transatlantic aviation
- Professor Deborah Prentice — Vice-Chancellor, University of Cambridge
- HM Ambassador Sir Christian Turner KCMG — representing the UK government at the summit
Breakout tracks span fintech, quantum computing, AI infrastructure, digital trust, the creative industries, philanthropy, youth content, sports and fashion.
Why Los Angeles?
British Consul General Paul Rennie frames the choice directly: Los Angeles is "one of the world's great economic powerhouses and a key anchor in the $4 trillion California economy" — a global hub for technology, advanced manufacturing, space, research and the creative sector. The timing is equally deliberate, launching ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and two years before the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The UK–US economic relationship underpins the mission's scale. The two countries hold approximately £1.2 trillion (~$1.5 trillion) in mutual investment stock, support more than 2.6 million jobs across both economies, and maintain a trading relationship valued at roughly $437 billion.
The Broader UK–California Context
Greater Together LA arrives against a backdrop of strengthening UK–California ties across investment, clean energy and trade policy.
Investment and trade: The United Kingdom is currently the number one foreign direct investor in California, ahead of all other countries. British-owned enterprises in the state employ over 130,000 people across more than 2,200 firms, paying approximately $12.79 billion in annual wages. California exported about $4.99 billion in goods to the UK in 2024, led by computer and electronic products, transportation equipment and chemicals.
Climate and clean energy: In February 2026, California Governor Gavin Newsom and UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband signed a Memorandum of Understanding on climate, clean energy and environmental cooperation, formalising the UK–California Climate and Energy Agreement. As a direct outcome, UK clean-tech company Octopus Energy pledged nearly $1 billion in investments into California clean energy, carbon removal and nature-based solutions — describing California as "the best place in America to invest in a clean economy."
Federal trade: In May 2025, President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced a new U.S.–UK trade deal, opening an estimated $5 billion in new export opportunities for U.S. producers. The agreement sits alongside a 10% across-the-board U.S. tariff on imports announced in April 2025 and ongoing metals tariff negotiations — creating a complex but active environment for transatlantic commerce. UK trade surveys from Q4 2025 indicated some British manufacturers began diversifying toward Europe and Asia in response, with only 24% reporting increased U.S. sales, making direct engagement through missions like GTLA all the more strategically relevant.
Cultural Programming
Alongside the business agenda, Greater Together LA includes a significant cultural dimension. The British Music Embassy will stage its first-ever Los Angeles show at the iconic Roxy Theatre on Wednesday 20 May, featuring Red Rum Club, The Molotovs, Coach Party and MT Jones. Musical performances are also woven throughout the thought leadership summit, including sets by Nathan Evans and Sekou, introduced by Sir Lucian Grainge.
References
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Greater Together LA — Official Delegate Pack — UK Department for Business and Trade (May 2026)
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'Greater Together LA', the largest ever UK trade mission to the US, attracts major corporate sponsors — GOV.UK (April 2026) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/greater-together-la-the-largest-ever-uk-trade-mission-to-the-us-attracts-major-corporate-sponsors
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All eyes on LA ahead of largest ever UK trade mission to the US — GOV.UK (May 2026) https://www.gov.uk/government/news/all-eyes-on-la-ahead-of-largest-ever-uk-trade-mission-to-the-us
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Greater Together — USA & UK — GREAT Campaign https://greatcampaign.com/greater-together/
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Governor Newsom launches UK climate partnership, welcomes nearly $1 billion Octopus Energy clean tech commitment — Office of the Governor of California (February 2026) https://www.gov.ca.gov/2026/02/16/governor-newsom-launches-uk-climate-partnership-welcomes-nearly-1-billion-octopus-energy-clean-tech-commitment/
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UK–California Climate and Energy Agreement — GOV.UK (February 2026) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-california-climate-and-energy-agreement
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Trading Partner Portal: United Kingdom — California Chamber of Commerce https://advocacy.calchamber.com/international/portals/united-kingdom/
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Fact Sheet: U.S.–UK Reach Historic Trade Deal — The White House (May 2025) https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/05/fact-sheet-u-s-uk-reach-historic-trade-deal/
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Tariffs Turned UK Manufacturers Away From the US Market in 2025 — Yahoo Finance (March 2026) https://finance.yahoo.com/news/tariffs-turned-uk-manufacturers-away-182000999.html
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Trans-Atlantic Trade Relations — California Chamber of Commerce https://advocacy.calchamber.com/policy/issues/trans-atlantic-trade-relations/
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UK Ready to Do Business with California — CalChamber Alert (May 2025) https://calchamberalert.com/2025/05/23/uk-ready-to-do-business-with-california/
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2026 Trade Policy Agenda / 2025 Annual Report — Office of the U.S. Trade Representative