19 January 2026
- Orkestra’s General Director, James Wilson, held a meeting with His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe, Ceri Morgan
- They addressed the current economic situation in both the Basque Country and the United Kingdom, with a specific focus on industrial policy as a key lever for sustained competitiveness
- This meeting reflects Orkestra’s commitment to fostering international dialogue and to positioning the Basque Country as a reference in competitiveness and wellbeing
Orkestra continues to strengthen its network with key international institutions and policymakers, as part of its ongoing internationalisation strategy. In this context, Orkestra’s General Director, James Wilson, recently held a meeting with Ceri Morgan, from the United Kingdom’s Department for Business at the offices of the British Consulate in Bilbao. Morgan is His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for Europe and leads a team of over 300 staff in 34 countries across the continent, working to encourage a thriving trade and investment relationship between the UK and other European countries.
The meeting provided an opportunity to present Orkestra’s role within the Basque innovation and policy ecosystem, as well as to share insights from the institute’s current research agenda. In particular, Wilson highlighted Orkestra’s work on territorial competitiveness and wellbeing, using the 2025 Basque Country Competitiveness Report as an example of how evidence-based, place-based research can inform strategic policymaking. Indeed, the 2025 report is focused on the international connectedness of Basque industry, where the UK features strongly in trade, investment and knowledge flows.
Discussions addressed the current economic situation in both the Basque Country and the United Kingdom, with a focus how industrial policy is being used in both places as a key lever for sustained competitiveness. The exchange explored similarities and complementarities between the Basque Industry Plan – Euskadi 2030 and the UK Industrial Strategy, and Wilson also shared insights from Orkestra's research on Basque Hidden Champions. These highly specialised companies dominate international niche markets and maintain strong ties with businesses across various sectors in the UK.
Overall, the meeting reflects Orkestra’s commitment to fostering international dialogue and cooperation and to positioning the Basque Country as a reference in global discussions on competitiveness, industrial strategy and regional development.
