Gov. Andy Beshear announced that he and a delegation from Team Kentucky will travel to Europe next week for a visit to Finland and Sweden and to attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland to support future investment, job-creation and economic development opportunities in the Commonwealth.
The trip follows the announcement that Kentucky recorded the second-best year on record for new investments within the private sector last year, with $10.5 billion in projects secured.
The strong year of new investment resulted from 185 new-location and expansion announcements that are projected to create nearly 9,600 full-time jobs.
Last year also saw rising wages across the state, as the average incentivized hourly wage was $29.58 in 2025, the highest on record, and topped $26 in four consecutive years for the first time.
“The Commonwealth’s economy is as strong as it has ever been, and that momentum is carrying over into 2026 as we continue to work toward our goal of building a brighter future for all Kentuckians,” said Gov. Beshear. “The World Economic Forum presents a unique opportunity to meet with business leaders from around the world at one location – an opportunity that otherwise would not be possible. I am excited to show the world that our New Kentucky Home is the best place to invest, do business, live and work as we build on our record-breaking success.”
The World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 will center on the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue,” with primary topics focusing on collaboration, economic resilience and competitiveness, ethics and workforce disruption, sustainability, and deployment of transformative technologies. The annual invitation-only event, established in 1973, has grown to become a major international networking opportunity and one of the world’s largest assemblies of global decision-makers, with thousands of government, business and civic leaders representing over 125 countries participating.
Team Kentucky’s participation provides an opportunity to build on Kentucky’s extensive international presence, which currently includes 524 foreign-owned facilities that employ over 110,000 Kentuckians. The Commonwealth ranks third nationally for Foreign Direct Investment employment as a percentage of total employment.
The Governor and his team are currently scheduled to meet with about 260 business leaders, as well as 16 companies with existing Kentucky facilities that employ over 13,600 workers as well as eight prospective companies with projects that include nearly 650 proposed jobs.
Gov. Beshear will also visit with leadership from various overseas companies during the trip, including DHL Group, a global leader in mail, delivery and logistics. In 2024, its company DHL Express announced the groundbreaking of a new state-of-the-art aviation maintenance facility at CVG Airport in Northern Kentucky, a $292 million investment creating 300 new, full-time jobs.
The Governor’s visit to Europe will build on the best six-year period for economic growth in state history.
Office of the Governor