GlobalWelsh, the non-profit Welsh diaspora organisation, has announced that it has launched a new global hub in the United States of America.

GlobalWelsh USA, the new ‘virtual’ hub, will be led by automotive veteran Jan Griffiths, together with a team of successful Welsh diaspora. It will be focused on growing and connecting the business diaspora network in the USA and facilitating opportunities for mutual growth between members both home and away.

There’s almost two million people in the United States with Welsh ancestry alone. Building new links with business leaders and passionate members of the diaspora across the United States offers huge opportunities for GlobalWelsh members and business members. Having access to a connected community of Welsh business leaders across the USA has the potential to be a real economic asset for Wales.

GlobalWelsh USA host, Jan Griffiths, was born in Bridgend and moved to the USA in 1985 with Borg Warner, a tier one supplier in the automotive industry. Jan has enjoyed a successful career in various roles across the industry including purchasing, supply chain and manufacturing, culminating in her appointment to Automotive News’ Top 100 Leading Women in the automotive industry in 2015. In 2018 Jan started her entrepreneurial journey as founder of Gravitas Detroit, a company committed to preparing leaders for the future in the auto industry. Jan hosts The Automotive Leaders Podcast.

Jan will be supported by a small group of fellow passionate Welsh diaspora and senior business leaders across the USA who will support the hub’s activities virtually and on the ground, as well as building the network across the USA. Initially, the hub will be focusing activity in the following areas:

• Providing guidance for Welsh businesses who are looking to expand into the USA
• Advocating for inward Welsh investment from the USA into Wales
• Creating cultural awareness between Wales and diaspora across the USA

Jan Griffiths commented:

“I’ve spent over 30 years living and working in the USA working in the automotive industry. Over the years I’ve met many Welsh people who, like me, have been searching for a way to reconnect and give back to Wales, GlobalWelsh is the conduit for us to do exactly that.”

GlobalWelsh USA aims to work closely with existing Welsh communities, networks and government organisations across America to collaborate and bring about opportunities for people to reconnect with each other, Wales and other Welsh people globally.

Walter May, founder and CEO of GlobalWelsh, commented:

“The USA-based diaspora presents a big, if not the biggest, opportunity for Wales when it comes to diaspora engagement. We share a unique and rich migrational history with the Americas. There is a tremendous amount of great work being done socially and culturally to bring people together and celebrate their Welsh roots all over the USA but when it comes to business we haven’t even scratched the surface yet. Through GlobalWelsh USA, led by Jan and her talented and well-connected team, we can start tapping into and grabbing the huge potential that awaits us on the other side of the pond.”