Haynes and Boone, LLP Partner George Y. Gonzalez in his capacity as Chair of the Greater Houston Partnership’s International Investment and Trade Committee was interviewed by the Partnership in connection with the Partnership’s International Business Month programming highlighting the positioning and growth of the Houston region as a Great Global City.
A partner in the Energy, M&A and International Practice Groups in the Houston office of Haynes and Boone, Gonzalez counsels U.S. and international businesses in general corporate law with an emphasis on M&A, joint ventures, corporate control matters, corporate finance, and international legal issues.
Here is an excerpt of the interview:
In May, the Greater Houston Partnership celebrated International Business Month with a series of events, as well as new data and analysis on the region's trade ties abroad. We sat down with George Y. Gonzalez, Partner at Haynes and Boone and Chair of the Partnership's International Investment and Trade Steering Committee, to discuss how Houston is positioned for continued growth on a global stage.
How is Houston well positioned for continued growth on the global stage?
There are at least two enduring significant advantages in Houston that should serve us both currently and in the future for continued global growth. The first is the energy transition and the second is the growth of logistics, distribution and supply chain advantaged manufacturing businesses arising from our geography.
First, no matter what other cities or regions throughout the world may try to claim, Houston has the largest concentration of engineers, science specialists, capital and companies in every sector of the energy value chain, upstream, midstream, downstream and power, that are each now focused on planning for the energy transition. Already the State of Texas leads the country with respect to aspects of renewables, wind and solar. As the energy transition continues to accelerate and mature, Houston has the ingredients necessary to lead the world in the transition and, concomitantly, generate growth both in employment in the region and also in research and development for the pioneering strategies to provide competitive solutions in the transition. For instance, my view is that the challenge presented to removing carbon through direct air capture on an efficient basis is, ultimately, a scientific challenge, a science puzzle. We have the engineers, scientists and universities here in our city to address and develop the science required to lead in the energy transition.
Second, we are lucky to have developed as a city where we are in the Gulf Coast. The fact that Houston extended and developed a world-class Port of Houston right up to the 610 loop from the Gulf is an example of the historic creative thinking and practical solution-oriented game-changing projects initiated by our business leadership. This is a serious business legacy that is apparent everywhere we look in the city, from the Port of Houston, the Texas Medical Center, NASA, all of the performing arts, the Museum District, the development and contributions to the city generally of places like Sugar Land, the Woodlands, Katy and other vibrant places where people live, work and play.
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