New Wave of Florida Executives: CEOs Moving HQs to Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade Counties

[Para 1: The Lead] Mike Simas, president of The Florida Council of 100, is leading a rebranding effort to lure Fortune 500 headquarters from New York and California to Florida’s Gold Coast—Palm Beach, Broward (Fort Lauderdale), and Miami-Dade counties. Partnering with billionaires Ken Griffin and Stephen Ross, the group is challenging the “Florida Man” meme by showcasing a new demographic: high-achieving finance and tech executives seeking a business-friendly, low-tax environment. [Para 2: Supporting Details & Context] McKinsey research highlights Florida’s resilience: consumption-driven sectors accounted for 38.4% of real GDP in 2024, while the state’s GDP declined less than 10% during past recessions in those industries. The Council of 100 reports higher productivity, wages, and personal income in the Gold Coast since 2022, and projects a lower cost of government per capita compared to New York’s $260B budget for 20 million people versus Florida’s $115B for 23 million. Key advantages include clear, stable regulations, a constitution barring a billionaire wealth tax, and a business climate perceived as less volatile than major Northeast and West Coast metros. Challenges include rising real-estate prices and concerns about consumption-driven growth in a downturn.