Guild Member Profile

Past Chair

Didi Caldwell

President and CEO

Global Location Strategies
Greenville, SC

As President and CEO, Didi sets the strategic direction of the firm. Her focus is ensuring GLS lives up to its mission to match companies and communities for mutual, sustainable prosperity. Under her leadership, GLS has become a world leader in site selection and incentive negotiation services and has been named to the Inc 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies list twice. A true visionary, she has scaled the company from a traditional site selection firm to a location strategy powerhouse through industry-disrupting software and a new insights line.

Didi has dedicated more than two decades to guiding companies on their location strategy, with an expertise in large manufacturing and heavy industrial projects. While working as an intern for Fluor Daniel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, she had a chance encounter that would change the direction of her career forever. Less than a year later, she became a consultant with Global Location Strategies, and the rest is history.

She is a proud member of the prestigious Site Selectors Guild, the only association of the world’s foremost professional site selection consultants. Didi was the first female chairperson of the organization and has served in many other seats since. She was named one of the 50 Most Influential People by Greenville Business Magazine and won the GroundBreaker Award by GroundBreaker Carolinas magazine. She is regularly cited by global publications as a thought leader and is frequently invited to speak at site selection and economic development conferences.

GEOGRAPHIC AREAS SERVED
International North America
Industries
Education Aerospace, Aeronautics and Aviation Forestry, Minerals, Metal
Electronics Paper Real Estate
Logistics, Warehouse and Distribution Food and Beverage R&D
Advanced Manufacturing Chemicals and Plastics Medical and Life Sciences
Pharma Business Services and HQ Automotive
IT Energy Data Centers
PAST CLIENTS
Sabic Hexcel Scoular
Kairos Nuclear Global Foundries JD Irving
First Quality Enterprises Brose North America Caesarstone
Orica BBA Nonwovens Berlex
Kuwait Petroleum Nacero Van Hool
Wanhua Procter & Gamble Knauf Insulation
PERSONAL NOTE

A native of Savannah, Georgia and current resident of Greenville, SC, Didi has also lived in Argentina, Australia, Mexico and Spain, and holds dual citizenship of the United States and Australia. She received her B.A. in Architecture at Clemson University and her International M.B.A. from the Moore School of Business from the University of South Carolina.

INSIGHTS FROM DIDI