In the first quarter of 2025, British companies invested over 1.6 billion Euros in Spain. The UK is the nation that has the third largest financial contribution to this country after the US and France.

The British Chamber of Commerce presented its 10th annual Barometer of Climate and Outlook of British Investment in Spain at a presentation in Malaga’s Carmen Thyssen Museum on Wednesday.

Over the last three decades UK firms have invested 107 billion euros in this country, explained María Romero, managing partner of AFI, the consultancy that compiles the extensive annual report for the British Chamber of Commerce in Spain (BCC).

Romero said, “This shows the size and strategic importance of British firms.”

In the last 30 years, the UK has been consistently among the top three foreign investors in Spain. This is due to the good bilateral relationship and familiarity of the Spanish market, as well as the strong corporate presence.

Prior to the presentation of the new barometer, Elena Gallego, head of foreign investment at Andalucía Trade, spoke of the advantages of investing in this region for foreign businesses and how help was available from the service at the Junta de Andalucía.

According to the barometer, in Andalucía British investment in the region was 87.4 million euros during the first nine months of 2025. This region is responsible for 2,5% of all investment from the UK in Spain and is third after Madrid and Barcelona.

“While the region doesn’t receive the figures of Madrid and Barcelona, where the majority of UK investment in Spain is concentrated, British investment in Andalucía has demonstrated remarkable resilience,” said María Romero.

In fact, while foreign investment in general in Spain was down by 27.5 per cent in the first nine months of 2025, in Andalucía, figures were up by 76 per cent on the previous year.

As far as employment is concerned, in 2023 some 22,800 jobs in Andalucía were with British companies, 0.7 per cent of the total in the region.

British investment is mostly concentrated in four sectors in Spain: telecommunications (including telephony), energy supply (including electricity), metallurgy (including metallurgy) and construction.

In Andalucía British companies have invested 2.7 billion euros over the last three decades in five sectors: financial services; construction; wholesale and retail (showing Andalucía’s strategic position logistically); real estate and insurance; and accommodation services.

“Companies see Andalucía not just as a market but as a strategic platform with economic opportunities and they are building a long-term presence here,” summed up Romero.

Members and guests of the BCC in Spain were welcomed by Derek A. Langley, regional vice-president for Andalucía and by Francisco Salas, managing director of Pro-Málaga.

The presentation of the new barometer was followed by a business roundtable with UK firms located here in Malaga; taking part were Daniel Tovar, Director General of Bunzl Distribution, and Sergio Sanz González, Director of Capital Markets at Savills, España. In a discussion moderated by Miriem Diouri García, Partner-Director of MDG Advisors, both speakers looked at the advantages and disadvantages of locating a business in Andalucía, and in Malaga province.

The presentation event ended with a video message from the British Ambassador to Spain, Alex Ellis, who stressed the attractiveness of Spain and Andalucía for British investors.