Patrik Wermelinger, head of investment promotion at Switzerland Global Enterprise, discusses the country's strengths and the new technologies driving investment decisions

As global business takes stock of Brexit and headline-grabbing US policy decisions, working visas are ripe for reform. Some countries are already benefiting, as Erika Morphy reports.

The US once more has the most valuable country brand while Singapore's is the strongest, according to Brand Finance’s annual National Brands report, with a strong correlation continuing to exist between a strong nation brand and investment attractiveness.

It is often cited that the BRIC economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China – offer the best opportunities for growth. It would therefore follow that outward FDI flows from these countries are also expanding but only one of the so-called 'big four' appears in the top five countries in terms of outward FDI growth.

The rising price of oil coupled with newfound environmental concerns have left many countries looking to source alternative energy supplies and biofuel – long used in households across Africa – has emerged as one potential source of alternative energy. But as investors look to exploit biofuel's potential, questions are already being raised about the sustainability of the sector.

Europe’s brightest business regions are lining up to compete for investment from firms keen to develop their presence in the continent and expand their market share. And as the rankings for fDiMagazine’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2012/2013 reveal, smaller regions have plenty to boast about.