Three questions to Mark White, Director USA

The GGBa is comprised of a network of experienced and passionate investment promotion professionals located around the world. We recently caught up with California-based Mark White, Director USA at GGBa, to talk about the impact of the pandemic on his daily business activities, the current trends in FDI, and the challenges he has addressed over the […]

The GGBa is comprised of a network of experienced and passionate investment promotion professionals located around the world. We recently caught up with California-based Mark White, Director USA at GGBa, to talk about the impact of the pandemic on his daily business activities, the current trends in FDI, and the challenges he has addressed over the recent months.

How has the Covid-19 pandemic affected your daily life and job?

Covid has dramatically affected our way of life both at home and on the job. It went from going about our normal lives before the pandemic to trying to adapt, almost overnight, to what would be the new protocol in society. From businesses, our homes, to our children’s schools, everyone had to determine what and how to move forward while staying healthy and engaged with our day-to-day activities. Even though we have all somewhat adjusted, we continue to struggle to turn things around and get back to the way life was before. We remain optimistic that the worst is behind us.

Measures to deal with coronavirus outbreaks are in place across Europe. What is the situation like in California?

It is very similar here in California as it is in the rest of the US and Europe. The pandemic in the US is affecting different areas throughout the country including California in different ways at different times. It is very unpredictable as we all know, especially in densely populated areas which can be found throughout the coasts of California. We hope that communities will begin to reopen as everyone is eager to be able to go out and resume their regular activities, however, we need to stay vigilant in our actions to control and eradicate this virus.

Many companies around the world have postponed their investment plans – or canceled them altogether – under the influence of the economic crisis driven by the pandemic. What trends have you observed in the US?

The pandemic has definitely altered a company’s traditional plans for investment simply due to the unknown and uncertain environment. However, the longer this situation has persisted, I have seen the trend that companies understand they must be prepared with a new plan in place and ready to move forward quickly. So many companies are already adapting and even changing their business models to identify ways that will make them even stronger on the other side when we finally get through these times. It hasn’t been easy for a lot of companies, employees, and families, but I am confident we will ultimately come out of this stronger given the obstacles we have had to overcome.