David Briel currently serves as Executive Director, International Investment, Office of International Business Development, Department of Community and Economic Development, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

He oversees a team of five development specialists in Harrisburg and a network of twelve overseas authorized representatives, whose mission is to attract foreign direct investment to Pennsylvania and create employment for Commonwealth residents.  Since 2007, this network has created and retained more than 3,500 jobs and attracted more than $500 million of capital investment.  

Before working for the Commonwealth, David worked for six years in Japan for ITOCHU, a large Japanese trading firm, and the Japanese Ministry of Education.  After returning to the U.S., he worked with the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Embassy in Washington working with US businesses expanding into the Japanese market.  David has passed the top level of the Japanese language proficiency examination. 

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Also, David is the volunteer treasurer for the Catholic Worker House in Harrisburg as well as serves on the board of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia.  David has also volunteered in Haiti and helped raise money for Fonkoze, a Haitian microfinance fund.

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About the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development

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Foreign Direct Investment:  Today, more than 6,500 foreign-owned firms employing over 335,500 workers have business operations in Pennsylvania. Countries leading in foreign investment include the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, France, Japan, and Switzerland. We also have a growing number of Brazilian, Korean, Israeli, and Chinese firms here. It’s a list that’s growing — and for good reason!

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TOP INDUSTRIES FOR FDI INTO PA:
 

•  Life Sciences

•  Industrial

•  Plastics

•  ICT & Electronics

•  Food and Beverage Processing

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KEY FACTS:

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• Ranks 3rd in the Northeast US for FDI projects (2003-2016)

• Ranks in the top 15 for attracting FDI for company headquarters in the U.S. (2003-2016)

• With a GDP of $672 billion, has an economy that rivals most countries

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