Former Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has announced his imminent retirement as Queensland's Trade and Investment Commissioner for the Americas.
Mr Beattie is leaving the job one year before his three-year contract ends.
"The global financial crisis slowed down my work and hence I have stayed in LA longer than I intended," Mr Beattie said in a statement on Friday.
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"Heather and I will spend time in both Australia and the US and are looking forward to the next chapter in our lives as private citizens."
Mr Beattie said he was proud of the work he had done.
"I took on the role of Trade Commissioner to open doors for Queensland and Queensland companies in the Americas," he said.
"That's just what I've done."
"Queensland remains dominant from Australia's perspective inbiotech and alternative energies in North America. We are the leading Australian state in Latin America so my job is done; it's time to move on."
Latin America is a new mini China and needs to continue to be a Queensland priority, Mr Beattie said.
Mr Beattie said the office's total trade and investment outcome for this financial year will exceed $462 million.
"(It) is the best result ever achieved by the office, and done at a time when the US is still struggling to get out of recession," he said.
He said during his tenure he helped secure seven new agreements for Queensland.
"State agreements were signed with British Columbia and Manitoba in Canada, Antioquia in Colombia and Antofagasta in Chile," he said.
"Three national agreements were negotiated with the governments of Colombia, Peru and Mexico and longstanding agreements with South Carolina and Washington State in the US and Minas Gerais in Brazil have been re-signed."
Mr Beattie will address the media on Friday morning in Brisbane.
