Global foreign direct investment is recovering, but the competition for international projects remains intense. Rising tariffs, shifting geopolitics and the rapid adoption of AI are changing how companies approach international expansion and evaluate potential destinations.
For cities, regions and countries competing for investment, understanding how executives make these decisions is increasingly important. What gets a location on the initial list? Who influences the process? And what ultimately separates the winning location from the rest?
Why There, Not Here? takes a closer look at the corporate investment journey, offering fresh insight into the behaviours, priorities and information sources shaping international location decisions.
Survey snapshot: Who we asked
In October 2026, C Studios surveyed 351 corporate executives across eight European markets who had been directly or substantially involved in an international location decision within the previous three years.
While many demographic patterns held steady from previous years, the 2025 report included new angles—such as how talent structures job searches, the role of family in relocation, and growing interest in reskilling and political fit.
Key questions we explore
What triggers international relocation in 2025?
Which job and career factors carry the most weight when moving abroad?
How does talent specifically search for new job openings?
How are partners and children influencing mobility decisions?
What barriers are getting in the way of smooth relocations?
Is the promise of training enough to convince people to move?
What quality-of-life concerns are front and centre today?
How does talent gather information and form perceptions about new places?
Who’s likely to move again and why might that be?
The report offers practical direction for place marketers, investment promotion agencies and economic development organisations seeking to build stronger international reputations, reach investors earlier and support companies more effectively throughout the location decision process.
Discover what shapes international location decisions. Download your copy of Why There, Not Here? Inside the Location Decisions of European Executives.
Discover how 351 European executives choose international investment locations, from initial consideration and AI research to final location decisions.
