The following press release was originally posted on May 1, 2018 via Site Selection Magazine.

Atlanta, May 1, 2018: Site Selection magazine has released its annual rankings of Global Best to Invest locations and Top Investment Promotion Agencies, which will appear in the May 2018 issue. These features recognize the nations and national/regional economic development offices that were the most successful in attracting capital investment projects in 2017. The rankings’ methodology is based on an index of data from the proprietary Conway Projects Database (which tracks private-sector facility projects worldwide) and several other global economic data sources.

Despite global political turmoil, “We’re not here to prognosticate on politics or populism,” writes Site Selection President and Publisher Adam Jones-Kelley. “This magazine, and this section in particular, look only at corporate investment facts and figures, at economic growth and job creation, and at those corners of the world that enjoyed the most success on those metrics alone. For the global economy, 2017 was a very good year indeed. We congratulate the countries recognized by these awards, the companies whose growth fueled this success, and the hard-working women and men whose lives are so directly and positively impacted by all this economic activity.”

The May 2018 issue also features awards recognizing the most successful local and regional US economic development agencies. The North Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina for the second year in a row have won the Prosperity Cup, awarded to the most competitive state-level economic development groups.

The Mac Conway Awards for Excellence in Economic Development, named in honor of Site Selection founding publisher H. McKinley “Mac” Conway, are awarded to the top local and regional US economic development groups of 2017.

“Locations throughout the US and in every region of the world compete aggressively for direct investment at home and from abroad,” says Site Selection Editor in Chief Mark Arend. “Those appearing on these rankings have demonstrated with actual project numbers and other measures that they have the location attributes most in demand by capital investors.”

Also featured in the May 2018 issue: Top Deals of 2017; the San Joaquin County Intelligence Report; industry reports on global life sciences centers and the North American automotive sector; and spotlights on Asia, South America, Florida, Kentucky, Arizona, Iowa, Ohio, Utah, New England and the Great Lakes region, among other coverage.

Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 45,000 executives of fast-growing firms. The senior publication in the development field, Site Selection is also available via Site Selection Online.

Prosperity Cup

2017 2018 State
1 1 North Carolina
2 2 Tennessee
3 3 Georgia
4 4 Texas
5 5 Michigan
T6 T6 Virginia
T6 T6 Ohio
9 8 Kentucky
8 9 Iowa
11 10 South Carolina

Top IPAs

Asia-Pacific – National
EDB Singapore
KOTRA

Asia-Pacific – Regional
Invest HK
Invest Shanghai

Western Europe – National
Germany Trade & Invest
IDA Ireland

Western Europe – Regional
Business Birmingham
Berlin Partner

Eastern Europe & Central Asia – National
HIPA Hungary
Estonian Investment Agency

Eastern Europe & Central Asia – Regional
ESBAS (Turkey)
Izmir Development Agency

Africa & Middle East – National
Bahrain EDB
Invest in Israel

Africa & Middle East – Regional
Dubai FDI
Invest in Sharjah

Latin America & Caribbean – National
CINDE
Pro Mexico

Latin America & Caribbean – Regional
Invest in Bogota
Invest Pacific


Mac Conway Awards (in alphabetical order by organization name)

Charleston (S.C.) Regional Development Alliance
Charlotte Regional Partnership
Columbus 2020
Commerce Lexington
Dallas Regional Chamber/Fort Worth Chamber
Detroit Regional Chamber
Greater Des Moines Partnership
Greater Houston Partnership
Greater Louisville, Inc./Louisville Forward
Greater Phoenix Economic Council
Kansas City Area Development Council
Metro Atlanta Chamber
REDI Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky TRI-Ed
Regional Growth Partnership (Northwest Ohio)
World Business Chicago

Global corporate expansion experts Conway, Inc., publisher of Site Selection magazine, the Conway Analytics Report and a family of online industry newsletters, has been a trusted advisor to corporations, government economic development and investment promotion agencies around the world since 1954. Conway owns and manages Conway Events, organizer of worldwide FDI events; Berlin-based FDI advisory firm Conway Advisory; and New York-based Conway PR & Marketing, a leading PR and lead-generation firm. Conway also manages the Industrial Asset Management Council. Conway partners with EY and Oxford Economics to produce The World’s Most Competitive Cities report. Conway maintains offices and representation in 23 cities around the world, giving us a presence in every major market.
(Note: All circulation information is publisher’s own data unless otherwise specified).

Read the press release at siteselection.com