Derby's industrial excellence has never quite been reflected in its city centre's offering. However, a flurry of new office developments – as well as a resurgence of the city's residential market – look set to change all of that.

Though Derby may appear small when compared with other business hubs in the UK and Europe, this works to the city's advantage, as its business community is welcoming, interlinked and possesses a real zeal to move the city forward.

Free zones are often seen as a cure-all remedy to the problems developing economies encounter when trying to attract FDI. However, the reality is that such projects need careful planning and long-term support if they are to fulfil such wishes, as Barbara Njau discovers.

Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone covers three sites along the M1 motorway, with each site catering  for different business types. This, the chairman of Sheffield City Region’s LEP tells fDi, gives the zone an edge over its UK counterparts

With global demand for new aircraft estimated to be 20,000 over the next 20 years, it is unsurprising that destinations the world over are queuing up to show off their credentials in the aerospace sector. But how many of them can provide the holy trinity of incentive programmes, close proximity to suppliers and customers, and a skilled employee base?

Wallonia’s reputation as a destination for avionics innovation is gathering pace, as infrastructure develops around its aerospace cluster and links are forged between research and business.

Frontier developing countries are nothing new to express logistics company DHL Express, which has been operating in such markets for decades. Now, with growth in Europe and North America stunted, its CEO tells fDi that the company is reaping the benefits of its early endeavours in what are some of the fastest growing economies in the world.

If Italy is to recover from its economic doldrums, the country’s business capital of Milan will need to lead by example. Hopes are being hinged on Expo 2015 to help the city do just that. 

The US city of Houston has a lot to offer as a business destination, as its strong record in FDI proves. Its only problem, says the city's mayor, Annise Parker, is in trying to shake off outdated negative perceptions.