Trip Recap: Team Illinois Embarks to Mexico

Governor Pritzker and a delegation of Illinois leaders traveled to Mexico City to reinforce longstanding economic ties between the State of Illinois and Mexico

Intersect Illinois joined Gov. Pritzker, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), the Illinois Department of Agriculture, and private sector and civic leaders across the state on a trade mission to Mexico City to strengthen the State of Illinois’ longstanding partnership with Mexico and pave the way for future investment and shared success.

Illinois and Mexico are top trading partners, as last year saw more than $32 billion in traded goods. The trip focused on the importance of nurturing bilateral relationships and exploring enhanced areas of collaboration of investment, especially in high-growth industries such as next-agriculture, finance, and advanced manufacturing.

“We have a huge import and export relationship, and the success of Illinois depends on relationships like these,” said Christy George, Intersect Illinois president and CEO on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight: Latino Voices during a joint appearance with Illinois Sen. Cristina Castro about the mission. “It’s incredibly important for us to be able to strengthen these relationships, which is one of the key reasons we went.”

The Team Illinois delegation met with at least 50 major Mexican companies about bringing operations to the state, including more than eight executive-level conversations with site selectors and Mexican companies considering expansion.

Take a look at our day-to-day recap of the trip’s key moments and successes:

Opening Reception, March 30

Illinois governor chief of staff Anne Caprara, Intersect Illinois president and CEO Christy George, First Assistant Deputy Gov. Claire Lindberg, and Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Kristin Richards pose at the opening reception.

The Team Illinois delegates met for a welcome reception and dinner to kick off their packed and productive trip. Sponsored by Ameren Illinois and Nicor Gas, the reception featured remarks from Christy George; John Atkinson, chairman of Intersect Illinois; Gov. Pritzker; Lt. Governor Julianna Stratton; Lenny Singh, chairman and president of Ameren Illinois and Intersect Illinois board member; and Wendell Dallas, president and CEO of Nicor Gas and Intersect Illinois board member.

“From the mariachi band to the gorgeous rooftop venue overlooking Mexico City, the opening reception was the perfect tone-setter for the trip. The energy was palpable — we were so excited to meet with our Mexican peers and get started on this trip that had taken months of planning,” said Cathriona Fey, Intersect Illinois vice president of clean energy production and manufacturing.

Day 1, March 31

Gov. Pritzker displays a newly-signed update to Illinois’ Sister-State Memorandum of Understanding with Mexico, alongside Mexico Governor Delfina Gómez Álvarez.

Gov. Pritzker and Mexico Governor Delfina Gómez Álvarez signed an Addendum to the Illinois-Mexico Sister-State Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), affirming continued commitment to collaboration in key industries in celebration of the 35^th anniversary of the signing of the first MOU between Illinois and Mexico in 1990.

The first day also featured a trio of roundtables on industries with immense potential for shared growth and opportunities: financial services and fintech, advanced manufacturing, and venture capital and startups. Throughout the roundtables, the Team Illinois delegates stressed Illinois’ global business advantages, such as its unmatched connectivity, robust infrastructure, world-class workforce, and engaged and collaborative ecosystems of support.

The featured speakers at the reception with the U.S. Embassy pose (left to right): Anne Caprara, chief of staff for Gov. Pritzker; Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, Mexican Ambassador Reyna Torres Mendivil, and Silvio Gonzalez, acting deputy chief of mission.

Hosted by Intersect Illinois, the first full day capped off with a reception with the U.S. Embassy celebrating Illinois and Mexico’s growing partnership. Gov. Pritzker, Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton, the governor’s chief of staff Anne Caprara, and Ambassador Torres Mendivil.

“When the roots are deep, there is no reason to fear the wind,” said Lt. Governor during her speech at the reception. A common African proverb, the quote captures the essence of Mexico and Illinois’ rich and longstanding partnership of collaboration.

Day 2, April 1

The day began with an event hosted by the Mexican Business Council for Foreign Trade, Investment, and Technology (COMCE), an organization dedicated to promoting foreign trade, investment, and the development of technology. Gov. Pritzker delivered remarks to over 100 business executives, emphasizing the state’s supportive business environment.

Following the COMCE event, the delegation participated in an agriculture-focused roundtable. The roundtable highlighted Illinois and Mexico’s shared tradition, resiliency to challenges such as climate change and fluctuating commodity prices, and commitment to innovation. Oilseeds and grains were a top category of Illinois’ $13 billion export portfolio to Mexico in 2024, underscoring the global strength of the state’s agriculture industry.

A photo of the agriculture roundtable.

Later that day, Team Illinois hosted a reception with site selectors about opportunities for growth and expansion in Illinois.

Read Gov. Pritzker’s recap for more insights about the day.

Day 3, April 2

In celebration of Mexico’s rich cultural heritage and influence, Team Illinois marked the end of the trade mission with an outing to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia.

On a call with reporters, Gov. Pritzker and Martin Cabrera, CEO and founder of Cabrera Capital Markets and Intersect Illinois board member, reflected on the trip’s successes —from updating the Illinois-Mexico MOU to meeting with a variety of companies, such as key players in the energy supply chain interested in building production facilities and venture capitalists looking to invest in high-growth tech ecosystem.

Governor Pritzker noted Illinois’ talented workforce stood out to Mexican companies, as well as the state’s robust infrastructure and central U.S. location, which provides convenient and reliable access to the rest of the continent.

Cabrera discussed the longstanding cultural and economic ties between the regions. For example, Illinois has the third-largest population of Mexican origin in the U.S., and there are nearly 3,000 Mexican companies in Illinois.

Ultimately, the trade mission to Mexico was another prime example of Team Illinois’ ongoing efforts to foster collaboration, amplify Illinois’ global standing as a business powerhouse, and ultimately attract international companies to grow in the state.

Watch the video below for additional photos and insights!