US PRESIDENT George Bush's special envoy to Northern Ireland is leading a business delegation to Belfast to help prepare for the special investment conference planned for next May.
Paula Dobriansky said she was pleased to lead what she called the "US government's ongoing efforts to showcase the region".
She added: "I am joined by Robert J Mossbacher jnr, president and chief executive of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation; and Barbara Matthews, treasury attaché at the US mission to the EU.
"Collectively, we will be listening to local business leaders and learning more about the economic opportunities that exist in high value employment sectors, such as research and development and innovation."
Ms Dobriansky, who is also US undersecretary of state for democracy and global affairs, will meet a range of people from both public and private sectors in advance of the May conference, which will also mark the anniversary of devolution at Stormont.
Meeting the delegation at Queen's University yesterday, Industry Minister Nigel Dodds said: "I was able to secure this visit during my last trip to the United States.
"Visits such as this are key elements in marketing the May conference and in raising awareness, interest and likely participation in the event from corporate America."
The scale of the delegation underlined the importance attached to the investment conference by the Bush administration, he said.
"With a clear focus on research and development opportunities, the delegates will see the strength of our innovation infrastructure, including the centres of excellence at both Queen's and the University of Ulster, and the innovation centre at the Northern Ireland Science Park," said Mr Dodds.
"The targeted programmes which Invest NI have put in place for this visit will give potential investors first-hand experience of the growing investment which our local companies are making in innovation."