Taking flight- UK opportunities for US companies in a Trumpian world

Not for the first time, global markets have been left reeling as a result of President Trump’s implementation, and subsequent flip flopping, of so-called reciprocal tariffs.

It’s created an uncertain operating environment for American companies, small and large, as they attempt to navigate a new normal in which markets either surge or plummet, sometimes multiple times a day. Tariffs, public bickering with the head of the US central bank, and an anti-DEI stance, have upended both US domestic markets and the international norms which have dominated the past century.

Many, in search of political and economic stability, will be looking further afield to understand what alternatives there are. The UK for one is seen as a natural haven for US companies, with a shared language, economies, and approach to work. As one American put it to the Sunday Times, “We all thought Brexit was terrible and destructive but now the UK looks wonderful by comparison.” CEO of the neobank Zopa Jaidev Janardana has said the company will think twice about listing in New York, and that companies will have a newfound appreciation for political stability.

If President Trump does press on with reciprocal tariffs as originally set out in early April, the UK will also be less adversely affected than its neighbours in the EU. Indeed the UK could become something of a sanctuary destination for companies looking to circumvent the worst affected countries, particularly if a UK-US Free Trade Agreement materialises.

In the UK Government, US companies will find a partner eager to accommodate. One only has to look at the recent announcement of Universal’s plan to build its first UK attraction, which will be built not using British steel, to see how far they will go to support investment in the UK – all in hope of much-heralded ‘growth’.

That being said, US boards looking to set up shop in the UK will understand that they can’t merely transpose US operations into a UK context, which can all too often jar with British sensibilities. It’s not all Downton Abbey, but communicating with British audiences – including its media, politicians and the general public – requires a different approach.

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