By Irish Echo Staff
New York City Comptroller John Liu, who is mulling over investment opportunities in the North of Ireland, may signal his next move when he addresses the New York-New Belfast conference in the city next week.
Comptroller Liu, who took over the comptroller's seat in January of this year, has taken up the reins from previous incumbent and peace process stalwart William Thompson whose attempts to invest $150 of New York pension funds in the North ultimately stalled.
The Belfast-based Emerald Fund, set up to disburse New York investment funds in local projects, was wound up last year after it failed to make a single investment in its two-year existence.
But now Comptroller Liu, who oversees pension funds holding almost $100 billion, is expected to spell out his next steps at the New York-New Belfast summit on Thursday 10 June in the Ritz-Carlton Battery Park.
Hopes are high that he will re-commit the money for investments in communities in the North which have benefited least from the peace process.
Also speaking at the New York-New Belfast conference, which kicks off at Fordham's Lincoln Center campus on the evening of June 9 with an address by Fordham University president, Fr. Joseph McShane, is New York Small Business Services Commissioner Rob Walsh.
Sponsors of the conference include Tourism Ireland, KPMG, Invest NI, Kalikow and Mutual of America.
Highlight of the two-day gathering, organized by the Irish Echo, will be the annual Index 30 luncheon honoring 30 companies with operations in Ireland and the U.S.
Among the companies who will be recognized at the luncheon - where U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland Declan Kelly will be guest speaker - are Cybersource, Citi, BNY Mellon, Allstate, Navinet and Consilium Technologies.
