Lauren Swartz’s goal is to position Philadelphia as a global destination for business, talent and investment. As the senior director of International Business for the City of Philadelphia at the Department of Commerce, Swartz heads the effort to craft a global strategy for Philadelphia and hosts business leaders and investors from abroad, while also supporting local companies interested in international export or expansion.
With a focus on global business attraction, foreign direct investment and promoting exports, Swartz’s work creates jobs and strengthens the local economy. She talks passionately about Philadelphia’s business advantages, highlighting aspects such as our prime location and strong talent pipeline. “Our educational, medical and technology sectors lead employment figures and innovation across the city.”
Swartz values every chance “to put Philadelphia on the map as a city of big opportunities,” noting that we have the third-largest return on investment for VC-backed firms in the U.S. While Swartz’s role does involve some travel, meeting with Citizen Diplomacy delegations expands her reach by connecting her to government and business leaders from over 140 countries each year.
When Citizen Diplomacy International hosts delegations exploring U.S. trade and business, we enable city officials like Lauren Swartz to highlight Philadelphia’s advantages to key international audiences. In August, Swartz met with a delegation of economic officials from seven countries and four continents, with a combined population of over 250 million people, to discuss trade policy. She offered numerous strategies for how cities can support companies, both inbound and outbound, all the while emphasizing Philadelphia’s major strengths.
“Our educational, medical and technology sectors lead employment figures and innovation across the city.” – Lauren Swartz
