Los Angeles - British American Business Council Los Angeles was honored to host UK Secretary of State for International Trade Dr. Liam Fox at a reception where he discussed his vision for Britain post-Brexit. The breakfast reception was held on Wednesday, July 27th at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica. Secretary Fox spoke about the implications of Brexit and discussed a number of issues including the continued commitment of the UK to strengthen its trade ties with the US, and the need for countries to focus on wealth creation (not just growth) and supporting innovation. “Britain is open for business, and will continue to support free trade. The UK and US are each other’s largest investor and foreign job creator. And here in Southern California, the UK is the second largest global investor, with UK companies employing over 20,300 people,” Dr. Fox commented. In fact, just this week US pharmaceutical firm GlaxoSmithKline announced plans to invest £275m to expand its UK manufacturing sites, saying the country remains "an attractive location" despite Brexit. Minister Fox also announced three new British government offices in the US, one of which will open in San Diego. Secretary Fox noted that “Given San Diego’s importance as a hub of research, life sciences, military and other key industries, it makes sense for the UK to strengthen our ties and work even more closely on trade and investment opportunities.”