InBUSINESS Spring 2019 by Ashville Media Group

CLIMATE CHANGE ADVISORY COUNCIL’S MENTORS SERIES THE PROF JOHN FITZGERALD ON INFLUENCING CHANGE

InBUSINESS USINESS CONNECTING IRISH BUSINESS

SPRING

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GAINING EXPERIENCE

STORY

UX DESIGN AS AN EMERGING FORCE

KINZEN PERSONALISING NEWS CONSUMPTION

InBUSINESS SPRING 2019

AHEAD

EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND IRELAND MANAGING PARTNER

ALAN MURPHY

ON KEY TRENDS FOR BUSINESS

AUTONOMOUS ACCELERATION

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Editor: Sorcha Corcoran Deputy Editor: Sinéad Moore Art Director: Alan McArthur Editorial Assistant: Leona Murphy (Chambers Ireland) Editorial Contributors: Grainne Rothery Saffron O’Sullivan

COVER STORY Winner of the Company of the Year at the InBUSINESS Special Recognition Awards 2018, Eversheds Sutherland is a premium full-service international law firm offering an all-Ireland and global presence. Managing Partner Alan Murphy reflects on its success and shares key insights into trends affecting business here.

Designers: Jane Matthews James Moore

AHEAD

Front Cover Photography: Paul McCarthy

How are things going at Eversheds Sutherland in Ireland?

Across Eversheds Sutherland Europe, our Dublin and Belfast offices are star performers. In the past year, we have had very strong growth across multiple practice areas such as in our corporate division, including M&A, data protection, cyber security, litigation and real estate. We see continued growth in these areas across the island of Ireland and are also anticipating very significant growth in the areas of taxation and employment law. The firm was established in Ireland by Rory O’Donnell in 1967. By 2004 we had grown into a leading commercial firm and were asked to join forces with the Eversheds network as O’Donnell Sweeney Eversheds. In 2011, we rebranded as Eversheds and in 2017, we combined with US firm Sutherland to become Eversheds Sutherland. In Ireland, we have grown to 285 colleagues and 36 partners in Dublin and Belfast. On average, we have achieved revenue growth of 10% each year for the past five years. Today we are a premium full-service international law firm offering an all-Ireland and global presence with 67 offices in 34 jurisdictions. In the US, we have 400 lawyers providing world-class legal excellence to a global client base across six key US locations. With 2,400 lawyers worldwide representing 72 of the Fortune 100 and 61 of the FTSE 100, no other law firm in Ireland can offer a business access to this level of support on both sides of the Atlantic.

Photography: Paul McCarthy Photography iStock Photo

Production Executive: Claire Kiernan Sales Director: Diarmaid Lennon Managing Director: Gerry Tynan Chairman: Diarmaid Lennon

Published by: Ashville Media Group, Unit 55 Park West Road, Park West Industrial Park, D12 X9F9 Tel: +353 1 432 2200 Email: info@ashville.com Web: www.ashville.com On behalf of: Chambers Ireland, 11 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, D02 FY84 Tel: +353 1 400 4300 Email: info@chambers.ie Web: www.chambers.ie All articles © Ashville Media Group 2019. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher. Opinion and comments expressed herein are not necessarily those of Ashville Media or Chambers Ireland. ISSN 20093934

Brexit-related uncertainty is probably the biggest headache currently facing many of our clients. The ability to attract and retain key people is also a major concern in an economy at almost full employment. And the housing crisis continues to cause problems for businesses, particularly in Dublin. 18

Alan Murphy, Managing Partner, Eversheds Sutherland @ The Stella Cocktail Club

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

COVER STORY:

A Firm Foothold

InBUSINESS speaks with Managing Partner of Eversheds Sutherland in Ireland Alan Murphy on Brexit and economic trends

Entrepreneur

Director of EDPAC International Ciaran Coughlan on diversifying to drive growth

INNOVATION AND TECH

Words: Sorcha Corcoran

Ian McKenna, Managing Director, eLight

Likewise, he believes we will soon see the creation of environments where people, organisations and service providers – such as parking bays and charging points – will all support a user-centric system to service these technologies. Fully autonomous vehicles, meanwhile, will be driverless, with no steering wheel or driving controls, and capable of making decisions without any human intervention.

FUTURE-TYPE, Jaguar Land Rover’s concept vision for an on-demand autonomous vehicle in 2040

Ireland

is keen to position itself as a hub for connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies and to share in a global market predicted to be worth a70bn by 2035. According to John McCarthy, Leader, Intelligent Mobility at Arup, around 100,000 new jobs could be created in Ireland in direct and indirect services for CAVs by 2030. Arup is an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s built environment.

Industry

How user experience design has gone from being unheard of to a hot topic in Ireland

TECH

Driverless cars are widely seen as the future of the automotive industry and traditional manufacturers – as well as some not-so traditional players – are racing to get a piece of the action, writes GRAINNE ROTHERY.

AUTONOMOUS

Snapchat

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InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

25 InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

Paul McCarthy

What are the most pressing challenges facing businesses in Ireland at the moment?

INNOVATION

Infographics: www.flaticon.com

INCREASINGLY, IRISH-BASED CLIENTS ARE DEMANDING AN INTERNATIONAL OFFERING AND AS A GLOBAL LAW FIRM WE ARE VERY WELL PLACED TO DELIVER ON THAT.”

First up, McCarthy points out that connected and autonomous vehicles are not one and the same thing. “They’re two completely different markets that touch upon each other quite strongly,” he says. Connected vehicles use various communications technologies to communicate with the driver and share information with other vehicles and the external environment. For example, McCarthy expects infrastructure providers to shortly be able to share information with moving vehicles using technology linked to the vehicle dashboard or integrated mobile phone services.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

CAV IRELAND To focus on the opportunities presented by these changes, Enterprise Ireland (EI), Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), ITS Ireland and the Department of Transport established a connected and autonomous vehicle forum – CAV Ireland – in early 2017. “Over the past two years there has been much activity with the group in terms of understanding Ireland’s value proposition and capability as well as identifying opportunities,” says Ita Lynn, Project Manager in IDA Ireland’s engineering and industrial division. “We have invited thought leaders and representatives from academia, industry and government to really understand where we currently are but, more importantly, what our strategy is going forward.” Lynn notes that the technology-intensive aspect of autonomous vehicles has attracted many tech companies that see a role for their own core competencies. These include Alphabet/Google self-driving car spin-off Waymo, as well as Apple, Microsoft, Intel, NVIDIA and Qualcomm. All of these players are investing in developing powerful microprocessors to allow them to meet artificial intelligence (AI) and data requirements.

ARRALIS AND TYNDALL JOIN FORCES In February 2019 Irish technology company Arralis announced a a400,000 R&D agreement with Cork-based Tyndall National Institute to develop next-generation mmWave fabrication technology for use in a range of applications, including autonomous vehicles. “Our data-hungry society demands constant, uninterrupted access to more and more information, and this demand will only increase in the future,” said Arralis Business Process Manager and Technical Programme Manager Marie Bourke. “New cost-effective, high-volume and geometryscaled mmWave manufacturing is needed to meet future internet of things demands.” “Tomorrow’s cars will be computers on wheels and will require Ka band mmWave technology to simplify and support the communication protocol between the car and its environment,” said Carlo Webster, senior strategic business development executive at Tyndall National Institute.

FUTURE-TYPE will feature Sayer, the first voice-activated Artificial Intelligence (AI) steering wheel

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

INNOVATION & TECH:

Autonomous Acceleration Latest developments on the road to driverless vehicles Words: Grainne Rothery

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THE CLIMATE CHANGE ADVISORY COUNCIL’S MENTORS SERIES PROF JOHN FITZGERALD ON INFLUENCING CHANGE

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ALAN AHEAD MURPHY EVERSHEDS SUTHERLAND IRELAND MANAGING PARTNER

ON KEY TRENDS FOR BUSINESS

AUTONOMOUS ACCELERATION

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Go to chambers.ie for the online edition [ART DECO ELEGANCE] The spring shoot with Eversheds Sutherlands’ Alan Murphy took place in the Stella Cocktail Club in Rathmines, courtesy of Press Up Entertainment Group. With the luxurious decor, vibe and feel of an upmarket Art Deco establishment, it reflects the ever-more discerning tastes of the Irish consumer during a surge in commercial property development.

MENTORS:

Professor John FitzGerald

Currently chairing the Climate Change Advisory Council, Professor John FitzGerald has always been interested in energy and the environment

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Words: Sorcha Corcoran

Media & Marketing

Susta first i

SMALL BUSINESS FEATURE

ility nab

Áine Kerr, co-founder of Kinzen, wants to help people to take back control of their news feeds

SMALL BUSINESS FEATURE

Q: What steps does Verifish take to ensure its operations and services are as sustainable as possible? FF: We have always used a bootstrapping model to fund our development costs. When I first began working in the sustainability arena I offered consultancy services to fishing vessels and processors. When establishing Verifish I utilised the revenue generated from these services to fund our initial development work. This also ensured we had existing consultancy clients which we were able to convert to software clients and generate revenue from our software products at an early stage. We have always adopted a ‘lean’ approach to our business by ensuring our growth is on the basis of realisable revenue generated. Cash flow is essential to any SME and we have been fortunate in that we have successfully tendered for commercial contracts that enable us to fund research and development from sales revenues.

Words: Sinéad Moore

[LIFESTYLE] 104 INNOVATION The latest and greatest in autonomous vehicles 106 TRAVEL A guide to the colourful and charming Cinque Terre

Book Extract

An extract from Win: Proven Strategies for Success in Sport Life and Mental Health by Brent Pope and Jason Brennan

[REGULARS]

Q: How many people are on the team? FF: I worked by myself initially but after six months a junior developer

9 Opportunity Ireland

Q: Why do you think it’s so important to source seafood in a way that protects fish stocks and the environment? FF: Protecting the longterm future of fish stocks and the environment ensures that our natural resources support jobs in the catching, processing and retail sectors while providing a vital food source for consumers.

FF: Verifish assists our clients in maintaining access to valuable retail markets which often deliver a premium price. Verifish also helps our retailer clients to develop and implement their sustainability and food safety programmes and provides them with a means of verifying their own and their suppliers’ compliance with these sourcing policies.

Q. Describe your typical day?

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

Q. What have your ‘key wins’ been since launching Verifish? FF: Verifish has completed two contracts for the European Space Agency and is in the middle of our third. Currently, fishermen are either using paper-based manuals to satisfy current demands of the various national and international standards, or are not conforming to any standard whatsoever. The objectives of this European Space Agency project are to provide opportunities to capture and input real-time data while vessels are fishing and to introduce more vessels to these standards. Another win for us has been launching into the international retail market 18 months ago. We are currently gaining traction with international retailers. Q. What are the biggest challenges you face running a small business? FF: Verifish needs to carefully manage both its financial and human resources to ensure the quality of service our existing and new clients receive is maintained at a high level. Q. What are the biggest industry challenges you currently face? FF: Brexit will have a significant impact on some of our customers (fishing vessels and processing companies) and we need to be positioned to help offset these challenges.

Frank Fleming, founder and CEO, Verifish

Q: How do you deal with competition? FF: I view competition as key to ensuring Verifish stays focused on innovation and delivering value to our client base. As a result of our deep knowledge and expertise right through the supply chain, Verifish is in a unique position to ensure our product offering works in the “real world” for our diverse client base. Q: You expanded to a US office in 2018. How is your US division going? FF: Our US division is still relatively small but has shown continued growth in the past 12 months. We

have always focussed on using Ireland (and Europe) to bed down our product offering before expanding to other markets to ensure that we continue to deliver quality products to our clients regardless of their location. We have plans to further develop both the US and other markets over the next 12 months. Q. Any other news or expansion plans you can share with us? FF: Since the start of 2019 we have taken on two additional staff members and additional office space in the Rubicon Centre, on the Cork Institute of Technology Campus in Cork.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

SMALL BUSINESS:

Sustainability First

Verifish ensures that the seafood we eat is produced in a manner that protects fish stocks and the environment while being of high quality for consumers Words: Sinéad Moore

Our Local Government Bray InBUSINESS Centre 02 Town Supplement continues to look at the important role played by local authorities in Irish enterprise Page

5 Business News

Q. Why do you think the service provided by Verifish is so important?

Two home energy saving kits available to borrow from Kilkenny library thanks to Kilkenny County Council.

Page

Skibereeen retailers awarded funding as part of online retail scheme.

Page

Sligo IT to receive a13.4m investment as part of Project Ireland 2040.

ULSTER

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began working with me (who still works with us today). When we were awarded our first European Space Agency contract we took on a project manager and the team has continued to grow from there. Today we are a team of 10 people and this will increase during 2019.

CONNAUGHT

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

Why employer branding matters when attracting and retaining talent

certifications. Verifish is an SaaS company providing software services to fishing vessels, processors and retailers. Our goal is to continue our international growth over the next number of years.

MUNSTER

111 PODCASTS Gearóid Farrelly on how his childhood influenced his podcast Fascinated

Skills & Talent

Q. Can you give me some background on Verifish? FF: We first started working on sustainability and food safety projects in the seafood sector in 2009 on a consultancy basis. In 2016 Verifish was awarded a European Space Agency contract to develop a cloud-based system to assist vessels and seafood companies to achieve and maintain sustainability

LEINSTER

109 BOOKS Advice on being a manager, understanding tax and the power of small

Founded by Frank Fleming, a former commercial fisherman, Verifish, is a key provider of SaaS and advisory services to the seafood sector helping clients demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and food safety. Based in Cork City, Verifish endeavours to fulfill its proud mission statement, ‘Sustainability through transparency’.

FF: There isn’t one. The seafood industry is an interesting, dynamic and vibrant industry to work in and no two days are alike.

IDA Ireland chooses Monaghan as base for new Advanced Technology Building.

In Association with

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New 25,000 square metre town centre expected to open in spring 2020.

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INNOVATION AWARD

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YEARBOOK

CHAMBERS IRELAND: A Year in Review

CHAMBER DIRECTORY: Full Network Listing

InBUSINESS YEARBOOK 2019

CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP: Why Your Business Should Join

THE

PEOPLE-FIRST APPROACH RBK MANAGING PARTNER

David Gleeson ON EXPANSION, FOSTERING EXCELLENCE AND PROVIDING TAILORED SOLUTIONS

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FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF ESB MENTORS SERIES BRÍD HORAN ON WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

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MICHAEL MURPHY ON LASTING 100 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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NE WS YEAR OF SUSTAINABLE

FINANCE 2019 LAUNCHED A a500,000 programme of over 30 domestic and international events to showcase Ireland’s development into an international centre of sustainable finance was launched in February. Ireland’s Year of Sustainable Finance will showcase Ireland’s sustainable finance activities locally and internationally. Objectives include: the roll out of a capital markets sustainable finance skills programme; supporting international climate finance initiatives; cohosting the European Climate Finance Innovation Summit; and organising Climate Finance Week. This is in addition to the publication of a sectoral analysis charting the growing demands of this new sector in financial services and the publication by Sustainable Investment Forum Ireland of its annual Responsible Investment State of Play Ireland Report.

Louise O’Mahony, Head of Sustainable Banking, Banking & Payments Federation Ireland; Stephen Nolan, CEO, Sustainable Nation; Pat Cox, Chairman, Finance Green Ireland Committee; Minister Michael D’Arcy, Department of Finance; Maurice Crowley, Director, Banking & Payments Federation Ireland; Laura Farrell, Insurance Ireland and Pat Lardner, Chief Executive, Irish Funds

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Louise Phelan

LOUISE PHELAN STEPPING DOWN

AS VP OF PAYPAL

ouise Phelan is stepping down from her role as vice-president of PayPal, after 13 years at the tech giant. Phelan joined PayPal in 2006 and became the company’s Vice President of Global Operations Europe, Middle East and Africa in 2016. Confirming her decision to move on, Phelan said: “After 13 incredible years at PayPal it’s time for a new adventure. I’m very fortunate to have made so many lifelong friends at PayPal. Working with such talented people has been the highlight of my career so far.” In a statement, PayPal said: “We want to thank Louise for her significant contribution during her time at PayPal. She has been a valued leader and partner during her long tenure. We wish her all the best in her next endeavour.” Phelan’s replacement had not yet been confirmed at the time of going to print.

DUBLIN ECONOMY THRIVING The latest Dublin Economic Monitor, a report by EY-DKM Economic Advisory on behalf of Dublin City Council, has revealed strong growth for the capital. According to the report, 33,000 people have been added to the Dublin workforce since Q3 2017, bringing employment to the highest rate recorded in 20 years at 696,200. Tourism spending has risen by 14.2% and both retail and entertainment sales have increased by 6.9% and 12.5% respectively compared with Q4 2017. Dublin’s residential housing prices have been steadily declining, with the price index falling for the first time since April 2017. Residential rents have been a strong upward trend and office vacancy rates in Dublin’s suburbs and Dublin 2/4 now stand at their lowest levels in over 10 years at 6.7% and 4.3% respectively. Ciara Morley, Senior Consultant at EY-DKM Economic Advisory, commented: “Over the past four years the story of the Dublin economy has been one of strong recovery.”

30/04/2019 16:32

BUSINESS NEWS

S&P GLOBAL RATINGS OPENS NEW EUROPEAN HQ IN DUBLIN S&P Global Ratings recently opened its new European headquarters in Dublin. The Irish headquarters will be the main point of operations for S&P’s EMEA network, which currently spans over 13 offices, and will be made up of a combination of relocated and newly hired employees. John Berisford, President of S&P Global Ratings commented: “We are thrilled to be in Ireland. This country has a vibrant financial services ecosystem and we look forward to playing our part in developing it further.”

GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES REPORT ON CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ‘Build’, the first annual report on construction sector performance and prospects, was recently published as part of Project Ireland 2040. The report revealed investment in building and construction is set to grow to a30bn in 2019. In addition, there has been a rise in employment in the construction sector, with increased housing completions in 2018 and public spending on infrastructure set to top 3.5% of national income this year. However, it also highlighted the tender price index grew by 7.4% last year and productivity growth was below the European average, with skill shortages a concern. The Construction Sector Group is currently working alongside the Government to address these challenges.

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PICTURE

THIS

Minister for Communications, Climate Action & Environment Richard Bruton TD with Prof Tony Day, Executive Director, International Energy Research Centre, at the IERC Annual Conference, which aims to accelerate climate change solutions.

Business

BITES

PLASTIC BAN The European parliament has voted to ban single-use plastic cutlery, cotton buds, straws and stirrers. The law will come into force by 2021 across the EU.

DELIVEROO REVEALS AMBITIOUS EXPANSION PLANS Deliveroo recently announced plans for European expansion, expecting to reach 100 million customers in the EU by the end of 2019. This year Deliveroo is set to work with over 85,000 restaurants and develop 1,700 new virtual brands across Europe, as well as hiring an additional 170,000 riders in order to accommodate this immense growth. The food delivery company is planning on growing Irish operations also, recruiting more than 1,000 riders to service the 1,000 additional restaurants it plans to take on over the course of the year. The most recent Irish location to benefit from the service is Swords, Co Dublin, after winning a public competition to select Deliveroo’s next delivery area in Ireland.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:32

BUSINESS NEWS

EBAY PARTNERS WITH ENTERPRISE IRELAND TO HELP IRISH SMES eBay has launched a national Retail Expansion Programme, in order to help 50 Irish SMEs reach new markets and attract customers from virtually anywhere in the world, using its online platform eBay.ie as a medium. The online marketplace has partnered with Enterprise Ireland and the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland to roll out the initiative to help SMEs expand their domestic and global reach. The pilot, launched at the beginning of March, will allow participating businesses to reach an audience of 179 million prospective buyers across 190 markets worldwide. Over the 12-month period, the programme will provide exclusive support to the selected businesses which are aiming to start up or expand their online presence. This includes on-boarding assistance, training, store subscriptions, promotional support and customer service support. Connemara’s Rí Na Mara, an organic beauty product company, is one of the first businesses to join the Irish pilot.

Hazel Mitchell, eBay; Deirdre Uí Chathmhaoil, founder of Rí Na Mara and Stephen Hughes, Head of Consumer at Enterprise Ireland

WOW AIR SHUT DOWN

STRIPE EXPANSION

€139M SURPLUS

Icelandic low-cost carrier Wow Air has ceased operation. All Wow Air flights have been cancelled and passengers have been advised to check available flights with other airlines.

Stripe has secured an e-money license from the Central Bank of Ireland. The online payments company plans to grow its engineering hub in Dublin following the news.

The Exchequer surplus for February came in lower than expected at 139m. This was down from a217m for the same period last year.

STRENCOM SIGNS 2M IN DEALS WITH CREDIT UNIONS Strencom, the Irish connectivity and cloud computing provider, has signed a number of connectivity deals, totalling a2m, with 140 credit unions across the country. Strencom will host the credit unions’ valuable financial data, in addition to connecting them to multiple branches and supporting M&A activity. Specifically designed for the financial services sector, Strencom’s bespoke connectivity and secure cloud hosting platform will provide secure and reliable service to the credit unions, which have total assets in excess of a8bn. All information will be stored in Strencom’s Irish-based security centre and backed up in a second centre also based in the country.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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“With Ireland as a hub for many multinationals and now with Brexit on the horizon, we anticipate more international firms will establish a presence here. ” Alan Murphy, Managing Partner, Eversheds Sutherland

COVER STORY

P18

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THE LAST WORD Insight and advice from four interviewees.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE DOWN

CIARAN COUGHLAN

0.1%

Director of EDPAC International “In order to win significant international business, you need to be technically very good and commercially lean as you are competing with products from all over the world. Nobody cares about the price you would like to win the business; the price is dictated in the local market.” Entrepreneur - Page 14

PROFESSOR JOHN FITZGERALD “As the problems of climate change will steadily grow over the coming century they are likely to be more serious for our children, and even more serious for our grandchildren, than they are for us. Thus it is really important to listen to the views of the younger generation who will be most affected.”

Carl Jackson (SensL), Tyndall’s Entrepreneur in Residence Declan O’Mahoney (Firecomms) and Joe O’Keeffe (InfiniLED) pictured at the launch of Deep Dive

DEEP DIVE Tyndall National Institute has launched a new programme to support entrepreneurs and deep tech start-ups. The Deep Dive programme offers access to seed funding and a portfolio of spin-out ready innovations, such as radiation detectors used in the International Space Station. Through Deep Dive, entrepreneurs will have access to initial funding, state-of-the-art facilities and expertise from the researchers involved in developing the core IP in the spin-out. Deep Dive is partfunded by Bank of Ireland under its technology commercialisation programme with Tyndall National Institute.

Mentors - Page 26

FRANK FLEMING Founder and CEO, Verifish “I view competition as key to ensuring Verifish stays focussed on innovation and delivering value to our client base. As a result of our deep knowledge and expertise right through the supply chain, Verifish is in a unique position to ensure our product offering works in the ‘real world’ for our diverse client base.” Small Business - Page 28

ÁINE KERR Co-founder and COO, Kinzen “There’s this mantra in platforms of ‘move fast and break things’ and we very much have taken the opposite which is ‘let’s move slow and build things’. We’re in this for the long run. We’ve a global ambition to really help people take back control.” Media & Marketing - Page 30

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Barry O’Donovan, ABP Sustainability Manager; representative from the Green Awards and Collette Carter, ABP Cahir

ABP TRIUMPHS AT ANNUAL GREEN AWARDS ABP has won The Green Food & Beverage Award at the Annual Green Awards, highlighting the company’s commitment, innovation and action in evolving Irish food production towards sustainability. ABP cites sustainability as one of its main objectives and recently, along with other agricompanies, formed the Plastics Action Alliance, to make plastic packaging in their supply chains more sustainable. ABP was also the first company in Europe to achieve all of the Carbon Trust Standards.

According to figures from the Central Statistics Office, the unemployment rate for February was 5.6%, down from 5.7% in January 2019 and 5.8% in February 2018. The seasonally adjusted number of persons unemployed was 135,100 in February 2019, down from 136,800 when compared to the January 2019 figure and a decrease of 1,600 when compared to February 2018. This is a decrease of 0.1% month-onmonth, with youth unemployment rates also decreasing, from 13.9% in January to 13.8% in February 2019. Unemployment rates for both males and females were on par at 5.6% for February. The unemployment rate for males was unchanged since January 2019 and down 0.1% for females. The seasonally adjusted number of males unemployed in February 2019 was 72,600, down from 73,300 in January 2019. In February 2019 the seasonally adjusted number of females unemployed was 62,500, a decrease of 1,000 when compared to January 2019. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

01/05/2019 11:18

JOB CREATION COMPANY: AMI

LOCATION: Dublin and Belfast ANNOUNCEMENT: AMI is set to create 30 new jobs bringing its total workforce to 90 by 2021, having more than doubled staff from 25 to 60 in the past three years. The new roles will be shared across AMI’s Dublin and Belfast locations, whose premises will also be expanded, as part of a strategic 4m investment.

COMPANY: Workhuman SECTOR: Technology LOCATION: Dublin ANNOUNCEMENT: Workhuman has announced a major expansion with the creation of 150 new jobs and the opening of its newly expanded 4m headquarters in Dublin. The new roles, to be filled over three years, will be in the fields of technology, finance, HR, product, eCommerce, and operations.

SECTOR: IT Recycling

COMPANY: GW Plastics SECTOR: Manufacturing LOCATION: Sligo ANNOUNCEMENT: GW Plastics plans to create 200 jobs and invest 6m to grow its product development, precision tooling, thermoplastic and silicone injection molding, and contract assembly capabilities in Europe as well as plans to expand its molding operations with a new site located in Sligo.

OpportunityIRELAND InBUSINESS highlights some of the companies that are expanding operations and generating new employment opportunities across the country.

COMPANY: Prepaid Financial Services SECTOR: Financial Technology LOCATION: Meath ANNOUNCEMENT: Prepaid Financial Services, is looking to hire 50 “key staff” as part of its planned expansion, including software developers, data centre support staff, a head of technical infrastructure and a technical project manager.

COMPANY: Trúata

SECTOR: Data Analytics

LOCATION: Dublin

ANNOUNCEMENT: Trúata recently opened its new headquarters in Sandyford, Dublin and announced plans to ramp up recruitment. The firm is aiming to double its workforce with the addition of new data scientists, data privacy experts, data analysts and software engineers.

COMPANY: IQVIA SECTOR: Clinical Research LOCATION: Dublin ANNOUNCEMENT: IQVIA is creating 100 jobs in the areas of clinical project management, data management, drug safety and biostatistics and recruiting pharmacovigilance specialists, across safety services spanning clinical trials and medicines safety.

Future Jobs Ireland – Preparing now for tomorrow’s economy

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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See gov.ie/futurejobsireland for more information.

Tran Low C sitioning to arbon a Econo my

Future Jobs Ireland 2019 establishes 26 ambitions under these pillars that will enhance the resilience of our economy and ensure we are well placed to exploit future economic opportunities.

Future Jobs Ireland focusses on five pillars:

Inc re in t asing he Pa Lab rtic our ipa For tion ce

ME ving S Impro uctivity Prod

A new government initiative has been launched to ensure Ireland’s economy is well positioned to adapt and prosper in the future. Future Jobs Ireland aims to drive our development as a resilient, innovative, and globally connected economy, capable of coping with technological and other transformational changes ahead.

Embracing Innovation and Technological Change

ls Skil cing ing and n a Enh Develop Talent and tracting At

30/04/2019 16:35

MOVERS & SHAKERS

M vers

NEW APPOINTMENTS IN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY NATIONWIDE

SHAKERS

JOHN PEARSON

CHARLOTTE JONES

COLIN HUNT

HARRY GODDARD

NEW TITLE: Global CEO EMPLOYER: DHL Express PREVIOUS ROLE: CEO DHL Express Europe

NEW TITLE: Chief Financial Officer EMPLOYER: RSA Insurance Group PREVIOUS ROLE: CFO of Jupiter Asset Management

NEW TITLE: CEO and Executive Director EMPLOYER: AIB

NEW TITLE: Chief Executive Officer EMPLOYER: Deloitte PREVIOUS ROLE: Head of Consulting

John Pearson has been named the Global CEO of DHL Express and was appointed to the Board of Management of Deutsche Post AG, responsible for the Express division. He succeeds Ken Allen who is now CEO of the newly established DHL eCommerce Solutions division. Pearson joined DHL in the Middle East in 1986 and held a number of roles. Alberto Nobis replaces Pearson as CEO of DHL Express Europe.

Charlotte Jones has been appointed as CFO of RSA Group, replacing Scott Egan, who is now CEO of RSA’s UK & International Division. She will serve on the Board as an executive director. Jones is currently a non-executive director of RSA and member of the group audit and board risk committees. She will leave her executive role as CFO of Jupiter Fund Management plc.

TOP CAREER TIPS 10

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PREVIOUS ROLE: Managing Director of Wholesale and Institutional Banking

Dr Colin Hunt has been appointed as CEO and Executive Director of AIB. He succeeds Bernard Byrne who is set to join Davy Group as head of its Capital Markets division. Dr Hunt joined AIB in August 2016 as Managing Director of the Wholesale and Institutional Banking Division.

Deloitte Ireland has named Harry Goddard as its CEO, following his election by the firm’s partners. He succeeds Brendan Jennings (who has served the maximum period as CEO) on 1 June 2019. Goddard is currently head of the Consulting practice at Deloitte. In addition to leading over 750 professionals in the Consulting practice in Ireland, Goddard currently heads up Deloitte’s technology practice across the EMEA region, which spans over 25 countries.

Aisling Hassell, VP of Community Support and Head of Airbnb in Ireland, is responsible for Airbnb’s Community Support team globally. She leads a team focussed on supporting every element of the guest and host experience on Airbnb. She also heads Airbnb’s Dublin office - its largest base outside of the US. Prior to joining Airbnb, Hassell was director of global customer experience and web strategy at Sage.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:36

MOVERS & SHAKERS

PETER ROEBBEN

CHARLES DIEBEL

MARK REYNOLDS

JOHN MERCER

NEW TITLE: Chief Executive Officer EMPLOYER: KBC PREVIOUS ROLE: Senior General Manager Group Credit Risk

NEW TITLE: Head of Fixed Income Strategy EMPLOYER: Mediolanum Asset Management PREVIOUS ROLE: Global Head of Rates at Aviva Investors

NEW TITLE: Managing Director EMPLOYER: Savills Ireland PREVIOUS ROLE: Head of Development & Consultancy

NEW TITLE: Chief Executive EMPLOYER: Mercer Ireland PREVIOUS ROLE: Mercer Health and Career Leader

Peter Roebben has been appointed as CEO of KBC Bank Ireland, succeeding Wim Verbraeken. Roebben is currently Senior General Manager Group Credit Risk at KBC Group’s Head Office in Brussels. Roebben’s nomination received approval from the Central Bank of Ireland and the European Central Bank. Verbraeken will return to the group as Senior General Manager at KBC’s Head Office in Brussels.

Charles Diebel has moved to Mediolanum Asset Management, the Irish asset management company of the Mediolanum Banking Group, as Head of Fixed Income Strategy, replacing Gareth Henson. Based in Dublin, Diebel reports to Brian O’Reilly, Head of Market Strategy and together they will work closely with Christophe Jaubert, Head of Investments. Diebel was most recently Global Head of Rates at Aviva Investors based in London.

Put your hand up for opportunities - in your current area, international assignments or company initiatives.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Mark Reynolds has been appointed Deputy Managing Director at Savills Ireland, succeeding Angus Potterton, who has gone on to assume a greater role with the Savills European Board and wider business throughout Europe. Reynolds has spent 12 years as Head of the Development & Consultancy Division, which he will continue to lead as well as supporting Potterton.

Admit when you get it wrong and learn from that - nothing is gained from hiding mistakes.

John Mercer has been appointed as CEO of Mercer (Ireland) Limited. He succeeds Tom Geraghty, who was recently appointed as the Mercer CEO for Europe. Prior to his appointment, Mercer led Mercer’s Health and Career consulting businesses in Ireland, advising clients on strategies to improve employee engagement, well-being, recruitment and retention. He has been a member of Mercer Ireland’s leadership team for the past five years.

Who you work for matters – take the time to understand your boss and build rapport.

30/04/2019 16:37

START-UPS

Start-Up Central

NEWS,VIEWS AND PROFILES ON THE LATEST START-UPS IN IRELAND The amount invested by Enterprise Ireland in 132 Irish start-ups in 2018.

HOW IT ALL STARTED

IRELAND RANKED THIRD BEST COUNTRY IN EUROPE FOR START-UPS Ireland was named the third best country in Europe for start-ups in a study conducted by NimbleFins. Ireland stands out as one of the best business climates for new start-ups in Europe due to the lowest corporate tax rates (12.5%) and highlyeducated workforce (over 34% have completed tertiary education). In addition, Ireland had the highest GDP growth in Europe (more than 7% in 2018). However, it can be an expensive place to start a business and ranked the worst in the top 12 for access to venture capital. Germany ranked first overall and the UK came in at second.

MARK MURPHY

Managing Director, Juvo How did you fund your business initially? We started out as a group of four directors. We each brought cash flow and clients to help start the company. What’s the best advice you were given? Keep overheads tight and don’t be afraid to make mistakes, once you learn from them. It’s something that’s been very helpful to keep in mind over the years, as you will always question yourself.

Mark Murphy

What’s the most important lesson you learned starting out? There can only be one person in control. As I mentioned, we started out as a group of four directors. While it was very helpful to have that to build on, it became a case of too many cooks in the kitchen. No matter how talented or intelligent a group of people are, you need to have somebody who’ll have the final say, especially for a small business that needs to react and respond quickly to situations as they arise. Your biggest make or break moment? Cash flow became very tight in year two. We had to scale back and lost 60% of the team and one of our directors. I had to ask whether it was something I wanted to stick with myself. In the end, I decided to shoulder the loss and rebuild things from scratch – there was always the makings of a good business, we just had to see it through. Would you change anything in hindsight? I possibly wouldn’t have started with as many partners – although I did learn a lot from that. So would I change anything? Probably not! Company: Location: Product: Staff: Website:

Juvo The Digital Hub, Dublin 8 Web design and digital marketing 12 www.juvo.ie

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THREE IRISH START-UPS SELECTED FOR BARCLAYS/ TECHSTARS ACCELERATOR Trezeo, Block Aviation and UrbanFox are among 10 companies chosen for the 2019 Barclays Accelerator powered by Techstars in London. Trezeo offers financial services solutions to the gig economy, UrbanFox provides fraud detection and prevention software to enterprise scale merchants and Block Aviation’s aircraft asset management software is creating a shared information platform to be used across the aviation ecosystem. Currently in its sixth year, the Barclays Accelerator powered by Techstars is a 13week fintech programme that offers young companies the acceleration they need to set them on the path to success.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:38

START-UPS

Donnchadh Cullinan, Growth Capital, Enterprise Ireland, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD and Kevin Sherry, Executive Director, Global Business Development, Enterprise Ireland

FIRST CALL FOR 175M SEED & VENTURE CAPITAL SCHEME

FINCH CAPITAL TO INVEST 20M IN IRISH FINTECH COMPANIES Finch Capital is dedicating up to 20m to Irish start-ups in the fintech sector, following a 10m investment from Enterprise Ireland. The fund will focus on early stage companies in the financial technology and deep-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence (AI), security and Internet of Things (IoT). With offices in Amsterdam, London and Singapore, this will be the first time the venture capital firm will have a targeted Irish strategy. Finch Capital recognises the fintech sector as one of the most dynamic areas of venture capital and has made over 25 investments in leading financial technology businesses including start-up funding for Irish company Supply Finance in 2018.

Michael D’Arcy TD, Minister of State at the Department of Finance, Radboud Vlaar, Managing Partner, Finch Capital, Heather Humphreys TD, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation and Kevin Sherry, Executive Director, Global Business Development, Enterprise Ireland

NE TO WATCH: BUYMIE

Enterprise Ireland has called for expressions of interest from seed and venture fund managers under its new Seed & Venture Capital Scheme (2019-2024). The scheme is aimed at providing substantial funding for high-growth Irish companies with the potential to start and scale their businesses from Ireland and thereby drive a significant increase in export sales and jobs. Enterprise Ireland plans to allocate up to 100m to funds focussed on three specific areas. Up to 50m will be available to funds focussed on pre-seed and seed investments, a further 30m to funds making investments at Series A and beyond in companies seeking to scale, and up to 20m will be made available to funds focussed on the food and foodtech sectors.

Buymie is a mobile app for on-demand groceries. Users can order groceries from a selection of local stores, including Lidl which joined the list of retailers in early 2019, and have them delivered by a personal shopper in as little as one hour. You can save your preferences and your payment details, which makes shopping for the things you want quick and easy. The delivery fee is 6.99 for one-hour delivery, with two- and three-hour delivery options costing 4.99 and 3.99 respectively, and the order is subject to a platform fee to cover the personal shopping service. Buymie launched in 2016, and after a rocky start, has since gone from strength to strength with investors including Unilever Plc and Eamonn Quinn as its chairman along with Scott Weavers-Wright, the ex CEO of UK retailer Morrisons, as a board member and investor. In early 2018, Buymie raised over 1m in funding and was approached by Schwarz Group, to bring Lidl online and ondemand for the first time. With over 1,000% growth in the past 12 months, Buymie is now expanding outside of Ireland for the first time and with that, has raised a large round of funding to support its rapid growth trajectory.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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30/04/2019 16:38

KEEPING THEIR

Newmarket, a sub-contract manufacturer, which went into receivership in 2003. Again we engineered a management buyout taking 60% of the equity. The businesses continued to grow over the following five years to around 12m in total sales and more than 100 staff. Q: What challenges did you face and how

did you overcome them? Ciaran: The biggest challenge was trying

Ciaran Coughlan, Director at EDPAC International, talks about how a decision to diversify led to a business which started out as a small local operation winning global clients such as Hamad International Airport in Doha and the BBC.

to grow the business while maintaining profitability and generating the working capital required. The expression “Cash is king” could not be truer for us. In October 2008, we were forced to downsize and downsized again over the following 15 months until our Newmarket business was wound down. Sticking to what we knew, we looked at diversifying within air conditioning, adding large data centre and cinema cooling equipment along with higher efficiency upgrades of our existing products. Q: How significant was that decision to

ENTREPRENEUR: CIARAN COUGHLAN

diversify in terms of driving growth? Ciaran: We were always in the computer Q: How is life and how is business at

present? Ciaran: Fortunately for me life is good right

now and it is helped by the fact that our particular business sector – heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) – is very buoyant with opportunities all over the world. Q: Would you say you always had a

business head on your shoulders? Ciaran: I have always had an interest in both

engineering and business - with trying to get the technical numbers and the business numbers to add up and trying to get a deal over the line.

room and telecom sectors of HVAC. The decision to participate in the data centre and cinema cooling area has been a major factor in our recent growth levels and provides a much bigger market to generate additional revenue from. We apply innovative thinking to current and proven technologies in a manner that reduces risk, meets exacting energy expectations and is engineered, as required, to meet specific site requirements. We are always adding new and improved products to our portfolio. Having returned to modest growth in 2013, EDPAC International has experienced year-on-year growth of over 20% since then. Q: Can you tell us about winning high

Q: Why did you decide to buy out EDPAC

from its Swiss parent in 1999? Ciaran: EDPAC was a client of Noel’s in the nineties while he was working at another firm [Noel Lynch is Managing Director of EDPAC International]. It was a single business in a very diversified group. We engineered the buyout so that we would be able to give the business the necessary direction to grow within the HVAC sector. When we took over we had 12 employees and about 1m in annual sales. During this time, EDPAC continued to grow and we outsourced our sheet metal to Keytech in

014 InBusiness Spring 2019_Entrepreneur_REV.indd 14

profile international business and how you managed to do that? Ciaran: In order to win significant international business, you need to be technically very good and commercially lean as you are competing with products from all over the world. Nobody cares about the price you would like to win the business; the price is dictated in the local market. For the project at Hamad International Airport in Doha, we kept trying and trying until we won the contract over the biggest brand in the world in computer room air conditioning. The end user was very happy with the product supplied. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:41

ENTREPRENEUR

“In order to win significant international business, you need to be technically very good and commercially lean as you are competing with products from all over the world.”

Ciaran Coughlan, Marketing Director and Noel Lynch, Managing Director, EDPAC International

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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30/04/2019 16:41

ENTREPRENEUR

Noel Lynch, Managing Director and Ciaran Coughlan, Marketing Director, EDPAC International

IRISH COMPANY WITH US ORIGINS EDPAC was founded in the US in 1968 and designed the world’s first electronic data processing air conditioning unit. The Irish arm was set up as licensee operation in 1985. The current management team, led by Noel Lynch and Ciaran Coughlan, acquired the business in 1999 and it is now a private limited company and the last remaining factory with the EDPAC name. Supported by Enterprise Ireland for a number of years, EDPAC International was recently approved for its Operational Excellence Programme. David Byrne, Department Manager – Electronics and Communications, Enterprise Ireland, said: “EDPAC is an excellent example of an innovative, regionally-based company with global ambition. It has expanded its reach in international markets, building upon a strong business foundation to prepare for challenges like Brexit.”

EDPAC International processes multi-million euro orders from all around the world every month. There are EDPAC installations at Qatar’s Al Wakra Stadium, Hong Kong’s Metro, Bolivia’s Itaipu Dam, Copenhagen’s City Link Metro and Odeon Cinemas in the UK. Here in Ireland, our installations can be found in most hospitals as well as Apple’s European headquarters and Páirc Uí Chaoimh in our home county of Cork.

“THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE

Q: Can you share your expansion

AND GENERATING THE WORKING

plans and what they will mean for the business? Ciaran: Our newly extended manufacturing plant in Carrigaline, Co Cork was officially opened in April. Doubling our production capacity, it is now over 5,000 sq m 16

014 InBusiness Spring 2019_Entrepreneur_REV.indd 16

in size and equipped with state-ofthe-art facilities, including a new environmental test laboratory and a dedicated factory test facility. The Newmarket facility supports the Carrigaline factory, providing prefabricated components and manufacturing high quality air handling systems to customer specifications. We’re now actively recruiting a further 50 employees over the next 24 months, particularly design engineers, refrigeration technicians, plumbers, electricians as well as quality engineers and logistics personnel. This will bring our total workforce up to 135 people. We were lucky in that we owned the land beside our existing facility in Carrigaline, and we were badly in need of additional production space. In creating the new facility we have the capacity in place to service some of the upcoming major data centre projects along with our existing business and meeting the programme dates required by our clients. Q: What are your thoughts on

entrepreneurship in Ireland at present and the types of start-ups emerging here in recent years? Ciaran: I think Ireland has a lot of entrepreneurial skill-sets and also the support mechanisms to nurture good business ideas. Enterprise Ireland has a development programme for early-stage start-ups, which grow into long-term businesses. There seems to be a very wide range of start-ups across all sectors, which must be a good thing for the Irish economy.

WAS TRYING TO

Q: Do you have any advice for

MAINTAINING

budding entrepreneurs hoping to get a business off the ground? Ciaran: You need to work really hard and you definitely need a little bit of luck along the way.

GROW THE BUSINESS WHILE PROFITABILITY CAPITAL

REQUIRED. THE EXPRESSION “CASH IS KING” COULD NOT BE TRUER FOR US. ”

Q: Where would you like to be with

EDPAC in five years’ time? Ciaran: Looking for more land! We

have a number of exciting international and national projects in the pipeline, and look forward to continuing to grow and develop from our Cork sites. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:41

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30/04/2019 12:08

AHEAD How are things going at Eversheds Sutherland in Ireland?

Across Eversheds Sutherland Europe, our Dublin and Belfast offices are star performers. In the past year, we have had very strong growth across multiple practice areas such as in our corporate division, including M&A, data protection, cyber security, litigation and real estate. We see continued growth in these areas across the island of Ireland and are also anticipating very significant growth in the areas of taxation and employment law. The firm was established in Ireland by Rory Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell in 1967. By 2004 we had grown into a leading commercial firm and were asked to join forces with the Eversheds network as Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell Sweeney Eversheds. In 2011, we rebranded as Eversheds and in 2017, we combined with US firm Sutherland to become Eversheds Sutherland. In Ireland, we have grown to 285 colleagues and 36 partners in Dublin and Belfast. On average, we have achieved revenue growth of 10% each year for the past five years. Today we are a premium full-service international law firm offering an all-Ireland and global presence with 67 offices in 34 jurisdictions. In the US, we have 400 lawyers providing world-class legal excellence to a global client base across six key US locations. With 2,400 lawyers worldwide representing 72 of the Fortune 100 and 61 of the FTSE 100, no other law firm in Ireland can offer a business access to this level of support on both sides of the Atlantic. What are the most pressing challenges facing businesses in Ireland at the moment?

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InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 17:17

Alan Murphy, Managing Partner, Eversheds Sutherland @ The Stella Cocktail Club

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Paul McCarthy

INCREASINGLY, IRISH-BASED CLIENTS ARE DEMANDING AN INTERNATIONAL OFFERING AND AS A GLOBAL LAW FIRM WE ARE VERY WELL PLACED TO DELIVER ON THAT.”

30/04/2019 17:17

How do you feel the Irish economy generally is going?

As a highly open economy we are particularly exposed to changes in the international market and trade environment. With the possibility of a disruptive Brexit comes additional uncertainty, so it is not surprising that the European Commission recently revised downwards its growth predictions for Ireland in 2019. However, there are a number of positive developments on the horizon. A continued decline in unemployment rates, stronger wage growth and weak inflation are set to further support private consumption. Meanwhile, construction activity is forecast to expand at a brisk pace, with the support of government supply measures. Taking a broad view, Brexit has challenged – and will continue to 20

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Alan Murphy, Managing Partner, Eversheds Sutherland @ The Stella Cocktail Club

IRISH BUSINESSES ARE IN A UNIQUE POSITION DUE TO IRELAND’S POLITICAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE EU AND ECONOMIC ALIGNMENT WITH – AND PROXIMITY TO – THE UK, TO MAINTAIN AND ENHANCE TRADING RELATIONSHIPS WITH BOTH JURISDICTIONS. challenge – traditional thinking and will become a catalyst in opening up new markets. In this context, business owners should remember that for every Irish company concerned about Brexit’s impact on future trading with the UK, there will be a number of UK companies worried about the impact on future trade with the EU. This presents opportunities for Irish business. Indeed, Irish

Paul McCarthy

With Ireland as a hub for many multinationals and now with Brexit on the horizon, we anticipate more international firms will establish a presence here. Increasingly, Irish-based clients are demanding an international offering and as a global law firm we are very well placed to deliver on that. Through our Dublin-based Brexit group we are offering businesses a unique Brexit advisory and support service drawing on the expertise of our international colleagues and our multidisciplinary Belfastbased team. Our clients are very pragmatic and we are working closely with them on how to future-proof their businesses and to anticipate, as best we can in these uncertain times, what’s ahead. The recent deal struck by EU leaders to delay the deadline for Brexit to 31 October will do little to ease the uncertainty that businesses in this country are dealing with. Our all-island Brexit team will be busy over the coming months helping clients to de-risk their businesses as much as they can in these difficult times.

businesses are in a unique position due to Ireland’s political alignment with the EU and economic alignment with – and proximity to – the UK, to maintain and enhance trading relationships with both jurisdictions. The Eversheds Sutherland tax team is growing fast as we meet client demand for expert tax advice across a wide breadth of sectors. A growing economy is driving an exciting period of growth for the firm. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

01/05/2019 11:35

BREXIT: Potential Positives Can you comment on Eversheds Sutherland advising on Ireland's first PPP in the area of social housing?

Eversheds Sutherland was very proud to have recently acted as the legal adviser on Ireland’s first social housing public private partnership (PPP) project. We advised the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA), acting as agent for the Department of Housing Planning and Local Government and Dublin City Council, as lead local authority on the project, which reached financial close in March. Eversheds Sutherland are the legal advisers for the Social Housing PPP Programme, consisting of three bundles that will ultimately deliver 1,500 new homes in the coming years. We are very pleased that construction of the new homes under this programme will now commence in counties Dublin, Louth, Kildare and Wicklow. The current situation with regard to chronic shortage of housing supply nationwide is exceptionally challenging. We are increasingly hearing from clients how it is becoming an impediment to their growth plans. The housing situation is proving to be a very stubborn issue for Government and there is no obvious quick fix on the horizon. How do you feel the commercial property market is going in Ireland?

Our property team advised on some of the largest property transactions in the past 12 months, in particular the Salesforce deal in Spencer Dock and the Facebook letting in Ballsbridge. We are currently seeing a steady flow of investment coming in from outside of Ireland. Many indigenous developers are active once again and are supported by overseas investors. European funds are very keen to acquire Irish real estate, and lease returns in Ireland are seen as very appealing to, InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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for example, German, Swiss and Luxembourg based funds. Over the past 10 years there has been real change in the real estate market. We are currently experiencing intense activity, particularly in Dublin and in the area of office/commercial real estate and private rented sector developments (PRS schemes). Much of this growth is being driven by foreign investors, with technology companies in particular looking to occupy large office space in Dublin. Can you share your insights on M&A activity?

Last year there were robust levels of M&A activity in the country, with sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices and financial services leading the way. We expect activity levels to be good in 2019 as there is an appetite among Irish companies for deal-making. However uncertainty from Brexit emerges as an issue once again. While it may dampen M&A activity in 2019, it will eventually clear and at that point we will likely see a boost to deal flow as companies can assess what they are dealing with. At the heart of our business is innovative, complex M&A. Our M&A team forms part of the wider team of Eversheds Sutherland international M&A lawyers, comprising of more than 350 lawyers in offices in Europe, the Middle East and Asia (EMEA). Through our international offices, we have a reputation for providing our clients with the benefits of global reach combined with local knowledge and delivery. In Ireland, Eversheds Sutherland continues to be involved in the leading international and domestic M&A deals. Our status as adviser of choice for local and global M&A transactions is reinforced by our ranking as second in Ireland by deal volume in the Mergermarket legal adviser league tables for 2018 and our nomination for M&A Legal Adviser of the Year at the Mergermarket Awards.

Managing Partner at Eversheds Sutherland in Ireland Alan Murphy shares what he believes are opportunities for Ireland • It should be possible to secure a greater share of foreign direct investment (FDI). Ireland is about to become the only native Englishspeaking country in the EU. It has a young and highly educated workforce and a strong legal and regulatory landscape. • To continue availing of the EEA “passport” to access the single European market, financial services headquarter operations may be moved from the UK to another jurisdiction within the EU. • An opportunity now exists for Ireland to develop the EU and other markets and to reduce reliance on the UK. • It is a timely opportunity to review our tax regime to ensure that it is competitive and attractive. •M any US companies seeking to navigate access to the European market post-Brexit will see an even greater role for Ireland. It is likely that the numbers of people employed in Ireland by US companies could ultimately increase.

30/04/2019 17:17

INDUSTRY FEATURE

EXPERIENCE EXPE ER The user experience (UX) design industry has matured enormously in the past five to ten years, with the move towards building dedicated in-house teams in tech companies based in Ireland increasing the demand for talent, writes SORCHA CORCORAN.

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iona Murphy, co-founder and Director of Ireland’s first user experience (UX) design agency Frontend, recognised the need for specialist design services for interactive technology back in the 1990s. An industrial design graduate from the National College of Art and Design, Murphy completed a master’s in interactive multimedia from the Royal College of Art in 1996. She had gone to college and was friends with Niall O’Sullivan, founder of web design and content company Nua. He asked her to run a media company for him, O’Sullivan Associates, where she gained further insights. “Very early on I did some research into different methodologies and realised research could be a very important component in terms of informing design for technology,” she says. “This led to a strong user-centric design process, which is fundamentally similar to what we still do today at Frontend.” As an early entrant to the UX design space in 1998, Frontend was quickly able to get clients on a global level. “At that time there were not many agencies focused on UX design globally, and we were one of the first in Europe. We attracted a lot of blue-chip clients, which recognised that UX design really had an impact on their bottom line. Blue-chip clients are really important to us to this day and at least 50% of our work is international, but we always like working with small innovative companies.” From the outset, Frontend has been active in various sectors, including healthcare, finance and software development. “We have always been focused on enabling product and development teams to produce better products. Now, a lot of the solutions we provide are more strategic,” says Murphy. “We are also seeing changes in expectations in terms of user behaviours, which have evolved considerably. Because of this, we have integrated behavioural economics and nudge theory into our design solutions. It’s all about how design can solve business and social issues.” A recent example of this was Frontend’s work with Standard Life in redesigning digital touch points for customers and financial advisors, looking at supporting key tasks and how to help end-customers to save successfully for retirement. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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WHAT IS UX DESIGN?

There has been huge growth in the area of connected health for Frontend, largely driven by pharmaceutical companies’ concerns around medical adherence. “For pharmaceutical companies, digital solutions can help to facilitate higher levels of patient engagement with their treatment as well as providing data to track patients’ progress,” explains Murphy. One of the projects Frontend has worked on in this area was with Merck Serono on a digital solution to encourage children and young adults with growth hormone deficiency to engage more with their treatment over a long period. THE IN-HOUSE TREND Over the past five years UX design has become ubiquitous, in Murphy’s view. Companies large and small are recognising the importance of UX and how it improves sales, brand perception and operations. Increasingly, Frontend is going into organisations and supporting them in building their in-house UX design capability. “We provide them with framework design systems they can work off, help them with research and building internal teams. We are no longer just providers of design and research services, but enablers of UX design within organisations,” says Murphy. There are currently about seven dedicated UX design agencies in Ireland. Each and Other was one of the first to be established in the market after Frontend. John Wood worked there from 2014 and three years ago decided to move to an in-house role. “After 14 years as a consultant, I believe that is where most of the opportunity for personal growth and interesting work currently lies,” he says. Currently managing a team of 40 designers and researchers in a company working on connected vehicle technologies, Wood was self taught in UX design. “I learned a lot of my user research and design skills

Colman Walsh, CEO and founder of the UX Design Institute, and a veteran UX designer himself, uses the following analogy to explain UX design: “The UX profession plays the same role and provides the same value in software and product design that architecture plays in construction. If you were spending a few million euro on an office block, at least 10% of that would likely be spent on architecture and design to bring it to the table. The architects are there at the start and at the bitter end. “Back in 2005 there was no market for UX designers in Ireland and so much software over the years has not been designed appropriately for users. Businesses are now realising that if they design a software product in the same way as an apartment block without an architect it will not be as attractive a proposition. Consumer expectations around the ease of use and design of technology have gone through the roof. As a result, tech companies are investing massively in UX now – not just because they love their customers, but for hard-nosed business reasons. Better usability of products means happier customers.”

INDUSTRY FEATURE

as a consultant working on a wide range of mobile and desktop products in every imaginable sector – banking, public services, telecoms and now connected vehicles,” he says. “As recently as ten years ago, consulting was the only choice for anyone who wanted a career in UX in Ireland. There were few in-house teams and a very poor understanding of UX design among businesses, so all of this work was outsourced to agencies.” The move to in-house UX teams is driven by the recognition that UX is a key differentiator for many products, according to Wood. “If you are one of a half-dozen products that have feature parity and similar pricing, then a better user experience is a competitive advantage,” he notes. “How quickly can your customers get to active use of the product? How well does the product meet the user’s goals? Doing these things well requires a “WE HAVE ALWAYS

BEEN FOCUSED ON ENABLING PRODUCT

AND DEVELOPMENT TEAMS TO PRODUCE BETTER PRODUCTS. NOW, A LOT OF THE SOLUTIONS WE PROVIDE ARE MORE STRATEGIC.”

deep understanding of the customer and the ability to turn those insights into working designs, which is what a good UX team delivers.”

Fiona Murphy, co-founder and Director of, Frontend

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A GROWING NETWORK When Wood got into this space about 20 years ago, he knew everyone working in UX in Ireland at the time, or at least knew of them. “These days every conference or meet-up has hundreds of attendees and there is new talent joining the industry all the time,” he says. “The quality of the talent in Ireland is impressive too – I think there are some truly world-class 23

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INDUSTRY FEATURE

“HOW WELL DOES THE PRODUCT MEET THE USER’S GOALS? DOING THESE THINGS WELL REQUIRES A DEEP UNDERSTANDING OF THE CUSTOMER AND THE ABILITY TO TURN THOSE INSIGHTS INTO WORKING DESIGNS, WHICH IS WHAT A GOOD UX TEAM DELIVERS.” people working in UX in Ireland today. The colleges have started to produce good graduates from new UX-focussed courses and The UX Design Institute is helping people to switch career or up-skill. More importantly, the tech companies in Ireland are honing that talent through real work on some great products.” Galway’s only UX agency, The UX Studio, runs UX Network Galway once a month. It has grown from five or ten people attending last year to about 30 every month and a total of 218 members. “So many people are joining UX Network Galway to see what is happening. A lot of these people are already working as product designers or software developers and want to find out how to convince their employers to invest in UX design,” says Sara Gilligan, Head of Business Development at The UX Studio. “These people are sick of having three to four iterations of their designs because their organisations are not talking to users about functionality and specs.” Founded two years ago by Rachel O’Donnell, The UX Studio specialises in building digital products or digital interfaces by focusing on both user needs and the business objectives of its clients. “We ask our clients what they think their challenges are in relation to their business objectives; then we talk to users directly and tell our clients where the real problems lie. It is a new conversation and a big shift in mindset,” says Gilligan.

Rachel O’Donnell, founder, The UX Studio

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Colman Walsh, CEO and founder, The UX Design Institute

A major coup for this emerging company has been to work on a human-machine interface project for medtech giant Medtronic, which helped to standardise its workflow and processes. In the clean rooms at its Galway facility, there are multiple machines with different interfaces. “Having numerous interfaces from different vendors was not intuitive to the users’ needs. This was getting in the way of Medtronic’s two core goals – that of reducing downtime and maintaining quality,” says O’Donnell. “We spoke to operators, engineers, R&D people as well as maintenance staff actually doing the job on a dayto-day basis and defined a set of requirements.” The team highlighted to Medtronic management that they needed to consider colour blindness, for example, and got around this problem by using icons and words instead of colours. The UX Studio’s proof of concept with Medtronic has led to referrals in the med-tech sector. UX design started on consumer products and applications, but enterprise UX – such as The UX Studio’s work with Medtronic – is now becoming a niche within the industry, according to Colman Walsh, CEO and founder, The UX Design Institute. Established in 2013 as UX Training, The UX Design Institute launched its six-month online professional diploma in UX Design last June. It is a globally recognised qualification. So far 577 students have enrolled, 30% of whom are from Ireland. “Enterprises are realising that employees using B2B software have high expectations and want the applications they use inside the organisation to be as well designed as Google and Facebook,” says Walsh. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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FEATURE

SNAP

CHAT “We work with businesses all over Ireland and the UK, investing 100% of the capital cost associated with the design,

Ian McKenna, Managing Director, eLight

supply, installation, operation and maintenance of energy-efficient lighting projects.”

Ian McKenna established eLight in 2012 believing that there had to be a way to develop a model that could deliver highly efficient LED fittings that would generate substantial energy savings for businesses in an environment where capital spend was scarce. Lighting bills constitute a substantial cost for businesses. eLight’s Light as a Service model allows companies to reduce costs as well as dramatically reduce their carbon footprint. eLight is leading the revolution in how light is provided to businesses. We work with businesses all over Ireland and the UK, investing 100% of the capital cost associated with the design, supply, installation, operation and maintenance of energyefficient lighting projects. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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To date, eLight has completed over 700 LED lighting upgrade projects, installing over 300,000 LED lighting products. Upgrading to LED is the most environmentally-friendly lighting available. eLight’s upgrade projects have saved 217Gw of energy for businesses across Ireland and the UK. That has the same impact in terms of carbon saving as growing 2.5 million trees for ten years or not driving 32,500 cars for a year.

“Light as a Service is a relatively new concept which we

introduced to the Irish market in 2012.”

eLight has grown into the largest Light as a Service provider in Europe. In 2018, a merger with a similar UK provider created a true leader, capable of driving forward this low carbon business. Our growth in the UK since the merger has been beyond expectations and we are already looking further afield for greater opportunity.

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MENTOR: PROFESSOR JOHN FITZGERALD

TURNING INTEREST

INTO ACTION

During his 40-year career Professor John FitzGerald has never shied away from speaking his mind on social and economic issues. Nowadays, advising the Government on climate change is his top priority, writes Sorcha Corcoran.

art of Professor John FitzGerald’s task as Chair of the Climate Change Advisory Council is to explain the issues around climate change to a wider audience. His scariest audience so far has been 6th class pupils at Harold’s Cross National School, he recalls. “I was there for a photocall and the minister was late so the teacher asked me to talk to the class. Not having anything prepared, I was a bit intimidated at first. The children were so well informed, so engaged and so knowledgeable.” Young people such as Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg who inspired school strikes worldwide against global warming have captured the public’s imagination in recent months. In Ireland, young people took part in the Extinction Rebellion protest in Dublin

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on Good Friday and school children feature regularly on news reports for their efforts to make society more environmentally aware. “As the problems of climate change will steadily grow over the coming century they are likely to be more serious for our children, and even more serious for our grandchildren, than they are for us. Thus it is really important to listen to the views of the younger generation who will be most affected,” says FitzGerald. “Unfortunately, younger people are less likely to vote than the grey electorate, so their voice is muted in the political system in the developed world. For this reason it is very important that they are both encouraged to make their voice heard and that they actually do so by participating actively in political life. “Protests can play an important role in highlighting issues but real change needs the engagement of the political process. It is InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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MENTORS

“PROTESTS CAN PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN

HIGHLIGHTING ISSUES BUT REAL CHANGE NEEDS THE

ENGAGEMENT OF THE

POLITICAL PROCESS.”

PROFESSOR JOHN FITZGERALD ON.... HIS FATHER GARRET FITZGERALD “The main thing I think of when remembering my father was his enthusiasm and his ability to ethuse me on the absurd. When I was ten years old and had chicken pox, he gave me a London Underground map and suggested I design a Metro for Dublin. World War II also affected him a lot. In his personal papers which I recently put into the University College Dublin archives there was a whole box of documents tracing the progress of the war.”

right that children be educated about the science of climate change and also about the civic society in which they are growing up. However, carrying political campaigns into schools is not appropriate.” An independent statutory body established under the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development Act 2015, the Climate Change Advisory Council’s role is to review national climate policy and advise government on how Ireland can move to a low carbon, climate resilient economy and society by 2050. Its latest annual review, published last July, stated that Ireland is not on track to meet its 2020 or 2030 targets, or to decarbonise its economy by 2050. “Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions increased again in 2016, with the projections to 2035 showing that we are completely off course in addressing the challenge of climate change,” FitzGerald said at the launch of the review. Frustrated that there has been very little development of climate change policy since the council started, FitzGerald sees the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Climate Action report published at the end of March as a significant step forward. “The fact that five parties agreed on a carbon tax gives reasonable assurance that this key measure will be implemented in this Dáil and the next,” he says. “The balanced

summary on agriculture was also helpful, emphasising land use issues and diversification. The proposal on a carbon-budget approach to managing our future emissions sounds sensible.” The report calls for new legislation which will set ambitious climate and renewable electricity targets, and which will require five-year carbon budgets to be devised. In reaction to this, FitzGerald says: “I don’t think there is time for this Dáil to legislate and with any new Dáil it can take a year before it is fully up and running with new legislation. Thus I think the issues that require legislative change will be for a future Climate Change Action Council – our remit runs out at the beginning of 2021.” An adjunct professor in Economics at Trinity College Dublin and former research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute, FitzGerald is currently also a member of the Commission of the Central Bank of Ireland. “One of the things I’ve learned after 40 years is that as an economist your research influences outcomes once in every three or four times. One of my disappointments has been that I have published about 20 papers since 1991 on the need for a carbon tax if we want to take climate change seriously. I have been like a broken record on how important it is to get the price of carbon tax right,” he says.

LESSONS LEARNED “It’s important not to always be in an ivory tower. Working with other people, collaborating and going out to meet people is hugely beneficial. You nearly always pick up an interesting idea that two out of three times will turn into something.” TAKING AN INTEREST “I have been fortunate to always have been in jobs that were intellectually interesting with very good colleagues. What I have done has evolved over time and finding interest in what I’m working in makes it more exciting. I have spent a third of my career focussed on energy and the environment because I got excited by this area and am committed now to support the Government in doing the right thing.”

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SRI winners of the ICL Management Game in 1992. From left: Brendan Whelan, Joe Durkan, Terry Baker, CEO of ICL, Jim O’Leary and John FitzGerald

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Susta first i

SMALL BUSINESS FEATURE

ility nab

Founded by Frank Fleming, a former commercial fisherman, Verifish is a key provider of SaaS and advisory services to the seafood sector helping clients demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and food safety. Based in Cork City, Verifish endeavours to fulfill its proud mission statement, ‘Sustainability through transparency’. Q. Can you give me some background on Verifish? FF: We first started working on sustainability and food safety projects in the seafood sector in 2009 on a consultancy basis. In 2016 Verifish was awarded a European Space Agency contract to develop a cloud-based system to assist vessels and seafood companies to achieve and maintain sustainability

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certifications. Verifish is an SaaS company providing software services to fishing vessels, processors and retailers. Our goal is to continue our international growth over the next number of years. Q: How many people are on the team? FF: I worked by myself initially but after six months a junior developer

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SMALL BUSINESS FEATURE

FF: There isn’t one. The seafood industry is an interesting, dynamic and vibrant industry to work in and no two days are alike. Q. What have your ‘key wins’ been since launching Verifish? FF: Verifish has completed two contracts for the European Space Agency and is in the middle of our third. Currently, fishermen are either using paper-based manuals to satisfy current demands of the various national and international standards, or are not conforming to any standard whatsoever. The objectives of this European Space Agency project are to provide opportunities to capture and input real-time data while vessels are fishing and to introduce more vessels to these standards. Another win for us has been launching into the international retail market 18 months ago. We are currently gaining traction with international retailers. Q. What are the biggest challenges you face running a small business? FF: Verifish needs to carefully manage both its financial and human resources to ensure the quality of service our existing and new clients receive is maintained at a high level. Q. What are the biggest industry challenges you currently face? FF: Brexit will have a significant impact on some of our customers (fishing vessels and processing companies) and we need to be positioned to help offset these challenges.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Frank Fleming, founder and CEO, Verifish

Q: How do you deal with competition? FF: I view competition as key to ensuring Verifish stays focussed on innovation and delivering value to our client base. As a result of our deep knowledge and expertise right through the supply chain, Verifish is in a unique position to ensure our product offering works in the “real world” for our diverse client base. Q: You expanded to a US office in 2018. How is your US division going? FF: Our US division is still relatively small but has shown continued growth in the past 12 months. We

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MEDIA & MARKETING

Áine Kerr, co-founder, Kinzen

REAL

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From newspaper to start-up to global media platform and back to start-up once again, but this time with a global ambition for change, Áine Kerr is going places with Kinzen along with her co-founders Paul Watson and Mark Little.

IG: @dexaldesign

ine Kerr started her a career as a political correspondent writing for national papers before becoming head of content and then managing editor at Storyful. Up until 2017 she led global journalism partnerships at Facebook in New York. Kerr’s dedication to improving how we consume news led her organically to her next venture as co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Kinzen, a start-up developing solutions to control

NEWS InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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MEDIA & MARKETING

“THE FUTURE your news experience. Along with her co-founders Paul Watson and Storyful founder and former Twitter Ireland boss Mark Little, Kerr sought to create a news experience that the user can control and tailor to suit their needs and tastes – a personalised, authentic experience amid an era of misinformation, mistrust and fake news. The trio have been in research and development mode since October 2017 and the first version of the Kinzen ios app was released in early February. In building the app, Kerr and her two co-founders looked long and hard at the trends in the market and research surrounding news consumption, recognising that “a correction was coming”. “The future is personal. There is this move away from social and people want to take back that sense of control. That is why we built the ios app experience,” she explains. PERSONALISATION WITH A PURPOSE Kinzen’s community editor, along with a huge group of curators, built a source directory of trustworthy, authentic sources on the internet. The app pulls content based on your interests, your location and your profession, all chosen and specified by you the user. You can set up channels that are personalised to you, with the power to exclude or promote particular sources and topics. You are also able to tailor your experience based on the time of the day you open the app, because as Kerr so accurately puts it, “what you’re interested in in the morning is very different to what you’re interested in in the evening.” “In the morning I can say, I’ve got a 20 minute walk to work, just give me enough content for that 20 minute window,” Kerr explains. This function provides users with a daily routine that is “personalised, meaningful and localised.” The Kinzen app is available on a free basic membership or on a premium membership, costing InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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IS PERSONAL. THERE IS THIS MOVE AWAY FROM SOCIAL AND PEOPLE WANT TO TAKE BACK THAT SENSE OF CONTROL. THAT IS WHY WE BUILT THE IOS APP EXPERIENCE.”

4.99 a month. “An important principle for us from the get-go, at a time when so much content is disappearing behind pay walls, was to make sure that there was a free experience at Kinzen,” Kerr explains. That said, according to Kerr, there is a Netflix generation who have become sensitised to paying for news and are willing to pay for a service that will stop “the endless scroll” and provide some routine. “Some will make comparisons to other news apps but we very much consider ourselves, first and foremost, a technology company that’s helping citizens engage with publishers who produce quality content,” says Kerr. “We absolutely believe that our differentiator is personalisation with a purpose.” COMMUNITY SPIRIT To keep things interesting and allow users to feel they are “being challenged, being empowered to see other content, and becoming more informed about the world around them”, Kinzen has created a community, with dozens of channels ready for users to explore – the idea being that you can subscribe to other users’ channels. “On the one hand you are personalising according to you, but on the other hand you’re going to broaden your mind, you’re going to be challenged and you’re going to see new sources.” Kerr believes this function sets Kinzen apart from others in the market. PLUG AND PLAY While the ios app will continue to evolve every month, Kinzen’s second product, a personalised newsletter for publishers, is due to launch at the end of April. Reluctant to give too much away, Kerr says: “We are talking to a lot of international, national and local players in

the market and this is definitely something that is resonating with publishers at the moment.” The newsletter will offer a “plug and play” service to publishers. “We build them a beautiful personalised newsletter according to their particular needs, and their logos and how they want it to look and feel, then they plug it in and off they go,” Kerr explains. “Publishers gave up a lot of control to other platforms and distributors over the years. I see this as a way for them to build a personalised experience – oneto-one with their users – and hopefully build deeper engagement and loyalty. And, if the publisher wants to convert them to a member or a subscriber, this will be a good gateway to do it,” Kerr highlights. Coming from journalism backgrounds, this is an exciting service for both Kerr and her co-founder Little. “We want to do something that is going to help the industry at a time of massive losses in revenue. We hope in the months to come as people check back on our website, you will start to see some big name partners that we’re working with,” she teases. GOING THE DISTANCE Kerr is proud of having “built a community from the ground up”. She describes the Kinzen community as “incentivised”. “There’s a recognition with the people who have come to us so far of, ‘this is broken’, and they want to play a part in fixing it. “There’s this mantra in platforms of ‘move fast and break things’ and we very much have taken the opposite which is ‘let’s move slow and build things’,” she adds. “We’re in this for the long run. We’ve a global ambition to really help people take back control.” 31

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INNOVATION

TECH

AUTONOMOUS Ireland

is keen to position itself as a hub for connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) technologies and to share in a global market predicted to be worth 70bn by 2035. According to John McCarthy, Leader, Intelligent Mobility at Arup, around 100,000 new jobs could be created in Ireland in direct and indirect services for CAVs by 2030. Arup is an independent firm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists, working across every aspect of today’s built environment.

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INNOVATION AND TECH

FUTURE-TYPE, Jaguar Land Rover’s concept vision for an on-demand autonomous vehicle in 2040

ARRALIS AND TYNDALL JOIN FORCES In February 2019 Irish technology company Arralis announced a 400,000 R&D agreement with Cork-based Tyndall National Institute to develop next-generation mmWave fabrication technology for use in a range of applications, including autonomous vehicles. “Our data-hungry society demands constant, uninterrupted access to more and more information, and this demand will only increase in the future,” said Arralis Business Process Manager and Technical Programme Manager Marie Bourke. “New cost-effective, high-volume and geometryscaled mmWave manufacturing is needed to meet future internet of things demands.” “Tomorrow’s cars will be computers on wheels and will require Ka band mmWave technology to simplify and support the communication protocol between the car and its environment,” said Carlo Webster, senior strategic business development executive at Tyndall National Institute.

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FUTURE-TYPE will feature Sayer, the first voice-activated Artificial Intelligence (AI) steering wheel

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INNOVATION AND TECH

SHANNON SELECTED BY JAGUAR LAND ROVER Last year, Jaguar Land Rover announced the establishment of a new software engineering centre in Shannon, which it said would have an important role in realising the company’s vision for electric and automated vehicles. According to Jaguar Land Rover, Shannon is the hub of its autonomous and next generation vehicle projects and at the cutting edge of its vision for the future. The company said Shannon was selected as it is globally recognised as a centre of excellence for current and future software engineering talent. The state-of-the art campus includes The Garage, an advanced R&D workshop, with 25 vehicle bays and full test facilities. As a part of this development, Jaguar Land Rover has agreed a partnership with online education provider Udacity, which specialises in courses such as automated driving, AI, robotics and data analytics. These courses will provide the skills to support Jaguar Land Rover’s engineering capabilities and ongoing technological innovation.

“OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS THERE HAS BEEN MUCH ACTIVITY WITH THE GROUP IN TERMS OF

UNDERSTANDING IRELAND’S VALUE PROPOSITION AND CAPABILITY AS WELL AS IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES” Meanwhile, fleet operators, including rideshare and logistics companies such as Uber, Lyft and Didi, are also investing huge amounts in self-driving car operations. Lynn believes that Ireland is well positioned to capture a share of this investment given its leading position in software, engineering and ICT research. She also points out that while Ireland has been a well established location for automotive suppliers, it is now also attracting leading car manufacturing companies such as Jaguar Land Rover and General Motors, both of which have recently set up software operations here. Last year, Jaguar Land Rover announced plans to establish a new software engineering centre in Shannon (see panel). General Motors, which opened a logistics and tech support division in

A Jaguar Land Rover vehicle at the latest Vehicle of the Future meeting, demonstrating the sensorisation required to research and develop the autonomous vehicle

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Limerick in 2013, has gone on to add an IT centre there responsible for developing its next generation of connected solutions for vehicle programmes including OnStar and Urban Active. While other large FDI companies including IBM, Analog Devices, Cisco and Dell EMC are also investing in this space in Ireland, indigenous players are also making their mark. These include camera sensor developer Movidius, bought by Intel in 2016 for a reported 300m; internet-ofthings company Cubic Telecom, which provides location-based services to automotive OEMs; Arralis, a leader in radar and wireless communications; hightech antenna developer Taoglas; and Mergon International, which custom designs and manufactures automotive components. THIRD-LEVEL RESPONSE Irish research facilities – including national software centre Lero in the University of Limerick and data analytics centre Insight – are helping to advance the sector through innovative work in ICT, internet of things, AI and software development. At the same time, the academic sector is responding to a growing need for skills in AI and deep learning. For example, an online/ part-time MEng in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles was launched by Institute of Technology (IT) Sligo in September 2018 with an initial cohort of 21 students. According to Shane Gilroy, Programme Chair and Lecturer in Connected and Autonomous Vehicles at IT Sligo, the curriculum for the master’s was originally developed by a group of German automotive manufacturers and suppliers led by BMW, Continental AG and Kempten University of Applied Sciences. Its objective was to improve the competitiveness of the German automotive industry in the design of driver assistance systems. “IT Sligo has expanded this curriculum with the help of a InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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INNOVATION AND TECH

steering group of the automotive industry in Ireland such as Valeo, Jaguar Land Rover, Analog Devices and Xperi to develop the skills necessary for the design of connected and autonomous vehicles,” he says. CLUSTER GROUP Sharing of information also plays an important role in driving the sector. For example, Vehicle of the Future (VOTF) is a cluster group co-ordinated by EI that aims to encourage collaboration in connected, autonomous, shared and electric technologies. “A number of SMEs and smaller indigenous companies saw the need to connect with each other to find out what each of them does,” says Ann O’Connell, Senior EU Programme Manager at Irish Manufacturing Research. When the group held its first meeting two years ago at Mergon’s facility in Castlepollard, Co Westmeath, 25 companies were in attendance. Over 90 companies attended the fourth meeting in February. “This clearly demonstrates the interest and industry engagement in the connected mobility sector,” says O’Connell. Gilroy also sees the growing attendance at CAV Ireland and VOFT meetings as a sign of the rapid rate of growth in the industry in Ireland over the past few years. “These networking groups have provided a catalyst for all companies and research partners in Ireland to form mutually beneficial partnerships to overcome new challenges in the field,” he says. TESTING ON IRISH ROADS Last October, Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport Shane Ross announced that his department was working with industry stakeholders, other government departments and State agencies on guidelines for testing autonomous vehicles on public roads. “These will be supported by a National Connected and InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Left to right: Lewis Clarke and Damien Dooley, Jaguar Land Rover, Barry Dever, Valeo Vision Systems, James McGinley, Analog Devices, Shane Gilroy, Eva Murphy and Sean Mullery, IT Sligo

VALEO INVESTING IN IRELAND Autonomous Vehicle roadmap and plan as well as a national strategy for Intelligent Transport Systems generally,” he said. “Public confidence in autonomous vehicles must be fostered.” “The facilities that Ireland has to offer in terms of education, research, climate and a highly skilled workforce have the potential for the country to become a significant player worldwide in the development of connected and autonomous vehicles,” says Gilroy. “The final piece of securing Ireland’s place in this new automotive revolution will come with the passing of government legislation to allow the full testing of connected and autonomous vehicles on specially designated sections of Ireland’s road network.” For more on Autonomous vehicles, see Innovation Nation of page 104

In March, French automotive supplier Valeo announced a 44m investment in autonomous vehicle research, development and innovation at its Tuam, Co Galway site. The aim of the investment is to build on the company’s advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) capability. The Tuam facility is Valeo’s automated parking and computer vision research hub. It specialises in the design and manufacture of ADAS systems, including rear-view cameras, surround view and camera monitoring systems. Applications include pedestrian detection, cross traffic alert and automated parking. According to the company, its next generation products will launch it into the realm of autonomous driving applications. Last year, Valeo signed an autonomous vehicles R&D partnership with researchers from the Lero SFI research centre at NUI Galway. The focus of the research is to help autonomous vehicles better navigate complex, real-world conditions using sensor signal processing technology. “In many ways perception of the current state of autonomous vehicle technology is more advanced than reality,” said Dr Edward Jones, one of the leads on the Lero project team, speaking at the announcement. “While autonomous vehicles are currently operating successfully in several locations, particularly in the US, this is often under road landscape and weather conditions very different to the more complex city and rural environments that would commonly be found in locations such as Ireland or elsewhere in Europe.”

30/04/2019 16:47

SKILLS& TALENT

SI T H E IN

Employers can attract top talent, cut recruitment costs and reduce staff turnover by developing a strong employer brand, writes Gillian Horan, Chief Executive of The Pudding Brand.

036 InBusiness Spring 2019_Skills and Talent.indd 36

STORY

d ran gB n i d Pud , The Gillian Horan, Chief Executive

he availability of talent is one of the biggest challenges facing businesses in Ireland and internationally. To attract the best, you need a strong employer brand. If they don’t know what it’s like to work for your company, you risk losing valuable candidates to other employers. Companies such as Workday know this. It has featured on the Great Place to Work list for the past five years and this year was the second time it achieved the top spot. Last year’s winner, AbbVie, was ranked second, followed by Salesforce, Version 1 and HubSpot. All of these organisations have strong employer brands. It is vital for businesses to invest in employer branding, particularly if they are growing globally or hiring from a younger demographic. Professionals under the age of 40 are 61% more likely to consider employer brand when it comes to job opportunities. Research shows that half of candidates won’t consider working for a company with a bad employer brand, regardless of salary. With millennials due to make up 75% of the workforce by 2025, investment in employer branding is now more important than ever before. So, what do brands need to do to attract the right talent? You must be relevant to your candidates before they even consider working for you. To do this, you will need an employer brand strategy and an employer value proposition (EVP) to take top talent off the market. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:48

SKILLS AND TALENT

BOLD AMBITION

Simply put, your EVP should address the following: • Why should someone come and work for your company? • Why should they choose your company over any other? • Apart from financial benefits, what can you offer? Look at ways to differentiate the employee experience you offer and get your current employees on board to establish if and why your business is such a great place to work. They can also validate your EVP to ensure it’s realistic. Your employer brand strategy must be implemented internally by: • introducing career development initiatives; • creating a training and coaching culture;

Currently employing over 500 people, and heading towards 600 this year, Linesight has placed attraction and retention of staff at the top of its agenda. Half of its workforce is based in Dublin, where Managing Director Ireland Richard Joyce started as a graduate 30 years ago. The provider of professional services to the construction industry takes on eight full-time graduates and three or four parttime students each year. Joyce makes a point of meeting each one himself. Over the years, most of these graduates have stayed with the company and a lot have gone to international locations to work on projects. “We did a lot of research internally and externally to identify what it is that makes our cultural identity different and credible,” says Joyce. One of the things that emerged from this process was the belief that Linesight can be described as having “bold ambition”. “The way we approach work is proactive and client focused. We are often up against competitors ten or 20 times our size. We challenge thinking with our clients, something which sometimes larger companies are afraid to do,” explains Joyce. “Our culture is very team-based. People work on projects from start to finish so they get ownership and a sense of achievement from each one.” Linesight invests heavily in training and development. With a dedicated learning and development manager, it has formalised its performance appraisal approach to make it more employee-focussed and is currently

Richard Joyce, Managing Director Ireland, Linesight

rolling out leadership programmes. On a regular basis, Linesight holds “brown bag meetings” where a cross-section of 10 or 12 staff members come together to talk with no formal agenda. The need to have more employee engagement in corporate social responsibility came out of this process. It led to the company rolling out the Irish Youth Foundation’s MathsWhizz programme in three locations last year. Aimed at improving the numerical ability of school children, it involves Linesight staff being trained to go into classrooms and help with this afterschool programme. “We have to keep investing in our people to maintain company growth. The length of time people stay with us is significantly longer than the norm in the industry and the amount of people who come back to us after leaving is also high,” notes Joyce.

• communicating your employer brand internally and externally; • introducing a careers website to tell everyone about why your company is the place to work.

“PROFESSIONALS

UNDER THE AGE OF 40 ARE 61% MORE LIKELY TO CONSIDER

EMPLOYER BRAND

The mistake companies sometimes make with regard to their employer brand is failing to define a clear value proposition that is genuinely attractive for talent. It needs to be authentic. You need to be able to live and breathe it, so it is not just about values written on a wall. And it needs to be on the agenda at board level. Attracting, recruiting and retaining talent is costly and if it is not centred around InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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WHEN IT COMES TO JOB

OPPORTUNITIES. RESEARCH SHOWS

THAT HALF OF CANDIDATES WON’T

CONSIDER WORKING FOR A COMPANY WITH A BAD EMPLOYER BRAND, REGARDLESS OF SALARY.”

the EVP, the process can become even more costly. If you have a strong, clear message, you will be more likely to attract the right audience quickly. Your recruitment costs will drop, because you are not sifting through hundreds of CVs or interviewing the wrong type of candidate. Best of all, your new hires will already have started to onboard long before they accept a new position. It is critical to involve your executive team in defining your EVP and don’t be afraid to go companywide. Profile your team on the online career page; video them. Give potential candidates an insight into your employer brand, before they ever set foot in your office. 37

30/04/2019 16:48

BOOK EXTRACT

“WINNING IS CONTINUALLY IMPROVING What does winning mean to you? In Win: Proven Strategies for Success in Sport, Life and Mental Health, mental skills coach and psychotherapist Jason Brennan along with sports commentator and mental health advocate Brent Pope outline the mental skills key to achieving success, illustrated by fascinating interviews with highprofile athletes, and explore how we can implement these winning strategies in our own lives.

WHATEVER WE ARE DOING, TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITIES.”

inning is not just what the scoreboard says at the end of the game, this is too narrow a definition. Winning is actually about successful behaviours being repeated over time – succeeding through planning, through intent and through action execution. This new narrative sounds like: ‘Winning is about succeeding. I am successful when I do what I set out to do. I am winning when I use my energy to achieve what I planned to achieve, through my own actions.’ ‘I can feel satisfied, because I did all that I could do to execute my plan in achieving my goals.’ ‘I am a winner because I am trying my utmost to do what I can to complete my goals to the best of my ability.’ ‘I want to succeed. To do this, I need to know what I have to do to succeed. Once I know this, I need to do all I can in taking those steps to success. When I have done this, I will know that I can feel satisfied.’ ‘Winning feels good. I like winning because it is about having successfully achieved something. Success is good. It is healthy for me to want to be successful in what I do.’ These are all examples of winning mindsets. These new narratives put success in our hands and within our reach. We determine what we focus on. We choose to potentialise any situation, and 38

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InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:49

BOOK EXTRACT

“I WANT TO SUCCEED. TO DO THIS, I NEED TO KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO DO TO SUCCEED. ONCE I KNOW THIS, I NEED TO DO ALL I CAN IN TAKING THOSE STEPS TO SUCCESS. WHEN I HAVE DONE THIS, I WILL KNOW THAT I CAN FEEL SATISFIED.” • know what the successful behaviours we need to bring are • are familiar with our strengths and potentialise them often • approach what we do with passion, a sense of fun and an open curiosity • proactively look for areas we can improve on • know who the support people in our lives are and connect with them often.

This is an extract from ‘Win: Proven Strategies for Success in Sport, Life and Mental Health’ by Brent Pope and Jason Brennan, published in paperback by Hachette Ireland, 10.40

to square up to our challenges head-on. Faced with the decision to do something or not to do it, the easy, ‘fixed mindset’ approach is not to act on it; to simply opt out. An open, ‘growth’ mindset is to enjoy the participation, regardless of the outcome, because the experience was real. The knowledge that we have given something our very best shot has an intrinsic value of its own, which we can take pleasure in. BRINGING OUR BEST Winning in sports, and in life, is about consistently bringing our best selves to our role, and about working continuously to improve our competence and our contribution. Winning is continually improving whatever we are doing, to the best of our abilities. In sports, the word ‘best’ is used a lot – we talk about best practices, personal bests, what is best for the team, what makes for the best teammate and so on – all of which is common currency in a business context too. We bring our best selves when we: InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

038 InBusiness Spring 2019_Book Extract.indd 39

WORKING OUT WHAT WINNING MEANS FOR YOU “Winning isn’t everything, but wanting to is!” - Vince Lombardi, legendary US football player, coach and National Football League executive. We can now see that winning is actually a highly subjective concept, and that it can be much more than, for example, getting the highest score in a competition, or more than simply ‘not losing’. Yes, it is true that winning a game or a tournament is never guaranteed. This is not new. What might be new, however, is the mindset that winning might be much more than the simplistic, black-and-white understanding of it we grew up with. Success for someone might involve having the ambition to think big, to want more, and going about trying to make this happen with a willingness to learn and grow at every opportunity. Winning could also be the intrinsic satisfaction you get in setting a target and working very hard to reach it; being willing to take risks and make mistakes and learn from them: the journey as a goal in itself. Winning is a far more powerful and useful concept when it is opened up to greater possibilities. As well as being highly competitive and supremely driven to win, the most successful high performers also carry within them a recognition of the innate value of the continuous effort to get there. 39

30/04/2019 16:49

Chambers

CatchUp

70 years of Kilkenny Chamber Kilkenny Chamber’s President’s Lunch took place in the Newpark Hotel on 20 February 2019 to celebrate the Chamber’s 70 years with Bobby Kerr as the guest speaker. Special guests who attended were H.E. the British Ambassador Robin Barnett and H.E. the German Ambassador Deike Potzel, who participated in a panel discussion with Marion Acreman, President of Kilkenny Chamber and John Hurley, the Chamber’s CEO. Kerr’s father, Robert Kerr, had sponsored the design and production of the Chamber’s Chain of Office in the 1960s. It had been designed and produced by Master Jeweller Rudolf Heltzel, who also attended the lunch.

A ROUND UP OF ALL THE NEWS AND EVENTS FROM THE CHAMBER NETWORK NATIONWIDE

CHAMBER COMMENT “In these uncertain times, it is crucial that Ireland continues to be outwardlooking and actively seeks to build upon the work of previous Governments in promoting Ireland abroad, both as a place to invest in and do business with.” Chambers Ireland Chief Executive Ian Talbot on ministers’ St Patrick’s Day missions

Famous explorer speaks at Kildare event

ir Ranulph Fiennes, the world’s most famous living explorer, gave a keynote address at a health and wellbeing conference hosted by County Kildare Chamber in association with LEO Kildare in March. The adventurer recalled attempting to climb onto the roof of the Dáil during a family visit to Dublin as a teenager. “I was detained by a garda and kept overnight – it wasn’t the first time I was arrested for climbing up drainpipes. I think they thought I was trying to take the copper or lead from the roof,” he said. Fiennes visited the Athy Heritage Museum after the event as he is writing a book on Earnest Shackleton.

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Peter Carey, CEO Kildare County Council, Aine Mangan, CEO Into Kildare, Fiona O’Loughlin TD, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Allan Shine, CEO County Kildare Chamber, Maureen Bergin, President County Kildare Chamber, Martin Heydon TD and Peanut the Husky

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:50

CHAMBERS NEWS

Major urban development event in Galway

CHAMBER CAPTION Addressing cancer in the workplace

Siobhan Kinsella, Chambers Ireland President and Liz Yeates, CEO Marie Keating Foundation, launching ‘Back to Work After Cancer’ with Anne Mooney (centre), one of the survivors featured in the booklet

The Sanofi team celebrating at the Waterford Business Awards on 8 March with WLR presenter Teresanne O’Reilly. Sanofi was named Overall Waterford Business of the Year

hambers Ireland is supporting The Marie Keating Foundation’s ‘Back to Work after Cancer’ booklet and training seminar, which were launched at the end of February. The booklet, also supported by Novartis, details advice and tips for survivors on how to plan their return to work and how to speak to their employer about the kind of supports they may need during this time. It also provides information for employers. President of Chambers Ireland Siobhan Kinsella said: “I hope that this initiative will foster a more widespread conversation amongst businesses nationally, particularly SMEs, around the importance of ready-to-use workplace supports that will help their staff in managing a cancer diagnosis, or indeed any illness.”

CHAMBER COMMENT “Building MetroLink will address a critical missing link in Dublin’s transport network. It will send a message to the world that Dublin is serious about solving its congestion issues and about improving quality of life in the city. Dublin has already been waiting far too long for this project.” Dublin Chamber’s Head of Communications Graeme McQueen following the decision to drop the southside element of the MetroLink project on 26 March

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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The ‘Ireland’s Cities – Powerhouses of Regional Growth’ conference in Galway

A conference on urban development entitled ‘Ireland’s Cities – Powerhouses of Regional Growth’ was held by Galway Chamber on 28 March. It explored how Ireland’s five cities can fulfil the goals of economic development for their regions set out in the National Planning Framework and Project Ireland 2040. Aebhric McGibney, City Regions Ireland spokesperson and Dublin Chamber Director of Public and International Affairs, said: “Each of the city regions faces common challenges such as increasing housing supply, improving transport and city-centre regeneration. However, the specific obstacles for each city are different, so the conference not only looked at the national issues facing our cities, but also how solutions can then be applied on an individual basis for an urban region.”

30/04/2019 16:50

M1 Corridor Project launched

CHAMBERS NEWS

Left to right: Bernadette Ginnell, Westmeath County Council, Bill Collentine, Mullingar Mayor and Tidy Towns, Nuala-Anne Curley, Mullingar Chamber, Mark Brindley, Mullingar Chamber, Murty Hanley, Westmeath County Council

Gum bin initiative in Mullingar

CHAMBER COMMENT “Chambers Ireland has been at the fore in calling on Government to introduce measures that will narrow the gender pay gap. Amongst our recommendations to Government, we have called for sustained investment in affordable childcare provision.” Chambers Ireland Chief Executive Ian Talbot welcoming new actions on women’s equality at the highest levels

040 InBusiness Spring 2019_CS_Chamber News.indd 42

ullingar Chamber has launched a gum bin initiative within the Purple Flag Evening and Night Time Economy strategy under its service level agreement with Westmeath County Council. The Gumdrop bin is the first bin in the world designed specifically for the disposal of waste chewing gum and also made with waste chewing gum. There will be 10 of them positioned throughout the town. Mullingar Chamber Office Manager Nuala-Anne Curley said: “We hope with the introduction of these Purple Flag gum bins, people will make a conscious effort to keep our streets gum free. The fact the units are made from recycled gum is also adding to Mullingar’s sustainability journey, with three bins made from one full one.”

A new cross-border initiative to attract investment from multinational companies into the Drogheda-Dundalk-Newry region was launched in February. Led by Dundalk Chamber, Drogheda & District Chamber, The Mill Enterprise Hub and Oriel Hub Enterprise Centre, the M1 Corridor Project aims to highlight the advantages of the region in comparison to Dublin or Belfast as a location for investment. President of Drogheda & District Chamber Shona McManus said: “The M1 Corridor has enormous potential and offers unrivalled advantages to FDI, second-site and startup companies. These include a growing and educated population, easy access to three airports and four deep water ports and faster broadband speeds than the IFSC.”

Paddy Malone, President, Dundalk Chamber, Minister Eoghan Murphy and Shona McManus, President of Drogheda & District Chamber

Cold calling no longer an option, seminar told Smaller companies wishing to become a preferred supplier to larger SMEs and multinational companies should avail of every possible opportunity to make themselves known to potential customers, a procurement event organised by Shannon Chamber was told. “The traditional method of ‘cold calling’ for making contact is now redundant so companies need to be innovative and use different approaches,” said Marie Clifford, Managing Director of Advanced Technical Solutions, one of five keynote speakers at the seminar organised in conjunction with Clare LEO to coincide with Local Enterprise Week 2019. “A customer experiencing a crisis in either supply or quality will remember a supplier that can come to the rescue in that situation,” said Gerry Murphy, Purchasing Manager with EI Electronics. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:50

CHAMBER CEO Q&A

Doing the right things InBUSINESS caught up with Anthony Cooney, CEO of Fingal Dublin Chamber, to hear about progress and skills development in the region. Anthony Cooney, CEO, Fingal Dublin Chamber

Q: You have been head of Fingal Dublin Chamber since September 2017. How is Chamber life? A: Chamber life has

been different from what I have historically done in the past. I have had to adapt to a completely different working environment. I came from the operating part of a private equity backed organisation where I was at the cutting edge of daily operational issues surrounding busy trading businesses. Fingal Dublin Chamber has certainly been busy since I became CEO as in that time we have re-launched our website, commissioned a new cloud-based customer relationship management system (ChamberMaster); replaced our billing system (to Growthzone); secured funding to operate a Skillnet Network in the greater Fingal region and moved all of our event management to an online platform.

Q: What are the burning issues currently facing businesses in Fingal? A: Staff recruitment and

retention are proving to be difficult for all businesses in Fingal as the country approaches full employment. Brexit and all of the uncertainty that has caused is another issue and there is, as I write, no confirmed conclusion in sight! Q: For any business considering locating in Fingal, what would you say the region has to offer? A: Fingal has lots to

offer businesses – an excellent road and air transportation network, a progressive and efficient local authority which will make things happen for them, good quality of life for staff with a number of excellent parks and heritage properties and almost 90km of coastline. Q: What is the most valuable advice you have been given?

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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A: There is never a

wrong time to do the right thing! If you stick to that core principle in business I don’t believe you can go far wrong. Q: Can you comment on key developments in Fingal in the past year? A: In my opinion

the launch of the Fingal Skills Strategy

Q: Can you comment on the types of businesses that are located in Fingal? A: Fingal is arguably

the most diverse business region in the entire country with the high-tech, fintech, distribution, tourism and hospitality sectors all well represented. On top of all of these we have agriculture as the

THERE IS NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING! IF YOU STICK TO THAT CORE PRINCIPLE IN BUSINESS I DON’T BELIEVE YOU CAN GO FAR WRONG.

document was the key initiative over the past year. Fingal County Council is the only local authority in Ireland to carry out such a strategy. In conjunction with that we at Fingal Dublin Chamber have just launched our Fingal Dublin Chamber Skillnet network. We expect to play a vital role for all businesses in the greater Fingal region by providing first-class training programmes.

staple sector. Fingal is the proverbial breadbasket of Ireland. Q: What are the key objectives of the Chamber in 2019? A: Fingal Dublin

Chamber aims to expand our offering to our members throughout 2019 by rolling out our threestrand approach, which incorporates networking, advocacy, business services and of course our Skillnet offering.

30/04/2019 16:51

CHAMBERS FEATURE

Brussels trip and EU Election Manifesto

Chambers Ireland and Chamber Network delegates together with Irish MEPs in the European Parliament launching the Chambers EU Elections Manifesto

As Europe gears up for the European Parliament elections in May, Chambers Ireland and Chamber Network representatives went to Brussels to have key meetings and also launch the Chambers Ireland European Manifesto.

s part of the annual Chamber Network working visit to Brussels on 19 and 20 February, Chambers Ireland and a delegation of Chamber Network representatives participated in a series of policy discussions in Brussels with key officials from across the EU institutions. This visit also coincided with the launch of the Chambers Ireland European Manifesto. Across the two days, Chamber delegates held meetings with officials from the EU Commission, including Patrice Pillet from DG (Directorate General) Taxation and Customs on the topical issue

044 InBusiness Spring 2019_CS_Brussels.indd 44

of QMV (Qualified Majority Voting) among EU member countries for tax; a Brexit update from Nina Obermaier of the Article 50 taskforce, the EU’s Brexit negotiating team; Adeline Hinderer of DG Trade, who highlighted the benefits of EU free trade agreements (FTAs) for Irish businesses and Paulo Da Silva

CHAMBER DELEGATES MET COMMISSIONER PHIL HOGAN, WHO SPOKE TO THE GROUP ABOUT THE FUTURE OF EUROPE AND IRELAND’S ROLE IN IT BEYOND BREXIT.

Lemos of DG Environment who provided a comprehensive seminar on the EU’s sustainability agenda. Chamber delegates met Commissioner Phil Hogan, who spoke to the group about the future of Europe and Ireland’s role in it beyond Brexit. Further meetings included an audience with Irish ambassador Joe Hackett and presentations from the Irish Regions European Office in Brussels as well as presentations from representatives from DG Regio of the European Commission. Day Two opened with the keynote event of the trip, the launch of the ‘Chambers for Europe’ manifesto at a breakfast meeting at the European Parliament with Irish MEPs Mairead McGuinness, Deirdre Clune, Marian Harkin, Brian Hayes, Matt Carthy and Seán Kelly. The Chambers Manifesto is a call to action for candidates in the upcoming European Parliament elections to prioritise issues that support Irish economic competitiveness. Within the manifesto Chambers Ireland prioritises five key issues: infrastructure investment, an ambitious global trade agenda, a competitive and co-operative approach to taxation, delivering a connected Digital Single Market and establishing a framework for a sustainable circular economy. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:52

A competitive approach to taxation

Irish MEP and Deputy President of the European Parliament Mairead McGuinness speaking at the launch of the Chambers EU Elections Manifesto

Within our manifesto, see below a section of the policy recommendations we have made:

Ireland’s competitive tax system, along with its highly skilled workforce, is one of the reasons why multinationals choose to locate their operations in Ireland. This is why the manifesto calls for a competitive, global approach when it comes to reforming international taxation, particularly for digital companies. Our manifesto also calls on all MEPs and appointed Commissioners to prioritise the ‘Think Small First’ principle across all new regulation so that red tape for SMEs is minimised, particularly when it comes to the transition to a low-carbon, circular economy. Low voter turnout is a concern across the EU more prominently than in the past, due to their

popular perception as ‘secondorder’ elections with lower voter participation. Boosting engagement is even more critical when we consider the turning point the EU finds itself at, with growing populism, anti-EU sentiment and greater political polarisation apparent across other EU member countries. Chambers Ireland and Eurochambres are also supporting the European Parliament campaign, entitled ‘This Time I’m Voting’, which aims to encourage civil society, businesses and citizens to engage with the European elections. Visit www.thistimeimvoting.eu for more information on the campaign and also visit chambers.ie to download the Chambers EU Elections Manifesto.

THE CHAMBERS MANIFESTO IS A CALL TO ACTION FOR CANDIDATES IN THE UPCOMING EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTIONS TO PRIORITISE ISSUES THAT SUPPORT IRISH ECONOMIC COMPETITIVENESS.

Supporting investment in cities and regions Brexit may mean that we require greater investment for Irish ports, airports and road networks to avoid trade disruption with the UK. As part of our manifesto, we call on continued financial supports to be available to support business post Brexit and to support the delivery of the National Development Plan.

An ambitious global trade agenda Chambers call for continued expansion of SME-friendly trade agreements, particularly in Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific and continued support by DG Grow for the Enterprise Europe Network, one of the principle channels that support Irish SMEs to trade globally. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Irish MEPs Seán Kelly (left) and Deirdre Clune (right) meet with Shannon Chamber CEO Helen Downes (centre) for the launch of the Chambers EU Elections Manifesto

30/04/2019 16:52

CHAMBER POLICY

Making the Transition Pauline Lowe, Policy and Research Executive, Chambers Ireland outlines why transitioning to a low-carbon sustainable economy is a top priority for the network this year.

ransitioning to a low-carbon sustainable economy has been identified by the Chamber Network as one of our top three priorities for 2019. Matters such as energy security, energy efficiency, climate adaptation and how businesses can incorporate a more “circular” approach to their operations are amongst the issues that are coming up for discussion within our network. Over the course of the coming months and years, Chambers Ireland plans to be at the centre of how this conversation evolves and how solutions to the challenges we face are put into policies. We want to support our network in getting a better understanding of what a transition to a low-carbon economy will entail and how it will impact business. Our main objective is to ensure that businesses are prepared for this transition, as well as to ensure that national and European policymakers base any decisions concerning targets, regulation and investment on the principle of ‘think small first’. To kick-start this process, this year we have established a new Low Carbon Economy Taskforce, where we will have regional representation drafting positions and recommendations relating to the business transition. Part of its remit will be to review how business and Government can work together to ensure that policies supporting energy security and the decarbonisation of the economy is introduced.

046 InBusiness Spring 2019_CS_Chamber policy.indd 46

Affordable and secure energy is essential for the functioning of all businesses. Expanding and improving Ireland’s grid infrastructure through increased investment must be a priority to ensure long-term energy security and to address the sustainable delivery of future energy needs. Furthermore, we must ensure that progress is made in decarbonising our economy, particularly in heat and transport. If we do not advance efforts in addressing these challenges, we face the prospect of missing targets in 2020 and 2030 and being subject to large fines. Over the past few years, there has been a legislative push from the EU to drive the establishment of the circular economy. The current linear business models in which enterprises operate can act as a major barrier to transitioning to a low-carbon economy. Amongst others, major up-front investment costs and the lack of available expertise pose as additional hurdles for SMEs to move from a linear structure towards a circular business model. We believe that while there are many opportunities for businesses to adopt circular practices, the challenges preventing this change must be addressed first. We welcome the recently published report of the Joint Committee on Climate Action which incorporates the Citizens’ Assembly recommendations on climate change. The cross-party report recommendations to retrofit public buildings, introduce immediate steps to support the transition to electric vehicles and increase supports to incentivise carbon friendly enterprise are necessary adjustments that Ireland must make in order to reduce emissions. We hope that Minister Richard Bruton’s All of Government Plan reflects the committee’s report and produces a coherent SME-friendly strategy to help Irish businesses to transition to a low-carbon economy. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 16:53

CHAMBER UPDATE

Speakers in Session 5, ‘Rules-based decision makers - what sport can teach us’. Left to right: Susan Ahern BL, Bar of Ireland, Donal Courtney, former international rugby referee, Ray O’Connor, former international hockey umpire and Emily Beatty, World Cup Hockey finalist 2018

Patrick Leonard SC, Bar of Ireland speaking during Session 3 “Choice of law in commercial contracts: the perspective of corporate counsel”

Dublin International Arbitration Day 2018 I

CC Ireland, the Irish operation of the International Chamber of Commerce, and Chambers Ireland were delighted to sponsor the sixth annual Dublin International Arbitration Day which took place in November 2018. Over 100 delegates made up of leading practitioners in the international arbitration community gathered at the Dublin International Arbitration Centre. The conference boasted a record number of attendees and welcomed leading arbitration lawyers to discuss a variety of topical issues in the field of international arbitration. Arbitration Ireland is a unique association comprising members from bodies, firms and people actively involved in the practice of international arbitration in Ireland. This cross-sector initiative counts some of the foremost barristers, solicitors, architects and engineers in the country as members.

• Dublin International Arbitration Day 2019 is scheduled to take place on Friday, 15 November in the Distillery Building, 145/151 Church Street, Dublin 7. • The Young Practitioners Seminar 2019 will take place on Thursday, 14 November. www.arbitrationireland.com InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

047 InBusiness Spring 2019_CS_Arbitration.indd 47

Speakers in Session 2, ‘Conduct within the arbitration process’. Left to right: Mr Justice David Barniville, High Court of Ireland, Colleen Hanley, 20 Essex Street and Paula Hodges QC, Herbert Smith Freehills

Speakers in Session 4, ‘Arbitral Awards: The good, the bad and the ugly’. Left to right: Louis Flannery QC, Stephenson Harwood, Paul Gardiner SC, Bar of Ireland and Matthew H. Adler, Pepper Hamilton

Mr Justice David Barniville, High Court of Ireland speaking at the event

30/04/2019 16:53

CHAMBER FEATURE

Up in the air Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Chambers Ireland Emma Kerrins highlights the key developments in the Brexit saga in recent weeks.

n the 29 March 2017, Prime Minister Theresa May triggered Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, setting in motion the 24-month countdown until the UK’s departure. These past two years have been characterised by much uncertainty. For both citizens and the business community, it has remained unclear and uncertain as to what the UK’s exit from the EU would look like, whether there would be a transition, and what kind of future trading relationship could be expected. The 29 March deadline has come and gone and the UK requested and received an extension until 12 April. The European Council meeting on 22 March, 2019 decided that if the agreement was not approved by the

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House of Commons by 29 March, 2019 at the latest, the scheduled exit date would be extended until 12 April, 2019. In that event, the UK would be obliged to indicate a way forward before 12 April, 2019, for consideration by the European Council. At the time of writing, the British Government had asked for a further extension until June. This was met by the EU Council voting to extend until the 31 October, requiring the UK to run candidates in the EU elections. If the UK chooses not to engage, the exit date becomes the 1 June. The background to these repeated requests for an extension is the British Parliament’s refusal to ratify the negotiated Withdrawal Agreement. Since the start of 2019,

the House of Commons has voted down the Withdrawal Agreement on three occasions, leaving a confused and precarious situation where it is becoming increasingly likely that the UK would depart the EU without any kind of deal and without any transition arrangement. Serious divisions exist in the Conservative Party, within the Cabinet and across the House of Commons as to what the next step should be. While the option is available to the Prime Minister to withdraw Article 50 and essentially cancel Brexit, at the time of writing, this option also has not secured a majority in the House of Commons. This leaves the Prime Minister seeking a path to gather enough support to bring the Withdrawal Agreement back to the Commons for a fourth time and ratify the deal. At this point, it is not yet clear whether it is possible for her Government to win over this support. Meanwhile, a petition to revoke the Article 50 notification and cancel Brexit has reached six million signatures and is to be discussed under the Westminster Hall chamber. Amongst all this uncertainty, the business community is left in the situation whereby it must actively plan and prepare for no deal. Chambers across the country have been actively engaging with both government and their members in circulating guidance and resources on what steps are required to maintain trade links. These steps include reviewing supply chains, applying for an EORI number from Revenue and examining cash flow. The coming weeks and days will hopefully provide businesses with more clarity on what comes next. In the meantime, for more information on Brexit and preparing your business, please visit www.chambers.ie. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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CHAMBER FEATURE

Employment Law Shake-up

exception is if your business faces an emergency demand for casual or short-term relief workers. However, the ban raises the prospect of restricting the work practices of Chambers Ireland members who currently rely on zero-hour contracts. 3. B anded hours: This provision is likely to impact you if you have staff on parttime or variable-hour contracts. Say you have an employee whose contracted hours are much lower than the actual hours they work. Your employee will now be entitled to request that you put them on a ‘banded-hour contract’ to reflect the actual hours worked over the previous year. You may suffer payroll consequences as employees will be entitled to be paid for the minimum number of hours in the band of hours they fall into.

Chambers Ireland members must prepare now for the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, writes Moira Grassick, Associate Director, Peninsula Ireland.

new Act containing major employment law reforms came into force on 4th March 2019. It’s so significant that the Minister for Employment Affairs Regina Doherty has labelled it a “once-in-a-generation reform of our labour market.” And for good reason: it has the potential to put every single employer in Ireland at greater risk of prosecution. But the penalties aren’t just a slap on the wrist. You could face criminal punishment.

WHAT IS THE ACT FOR? The Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018 aims to protect people who are in precarious work conditions. For example, that could be people on zero-hour or short-term contracts — which no doubt includes a large portion of employees working for organisations within the current Chambers Ireland member base. But while the Act’s primary goal is to protect those in precarious work, it applies to all employees and has a major impact on employers, too. That’s because failure to comply with this piece of legislation could lead to a a5,000 fine and 12 months in prison. With such draconian penalties, it is vital InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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that Chambers Ireland members are familiar with the key changes being introduced.

THE FOUR NEW PROVISIONS Within the Employment (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2018, there are four new provisions that are the most important. Understand each one and assess its impact on your company’s current work practices. 1. E arly issuing of the ‘Day 5’ Statement: From the date new employees join your business, you have five days to give them five core terms of employment in writing. If you fail to provide your employees with their written statement of core terms within one month, you will be guilty of a criminal offence, which is punishable by both a financial penalty and a custodial sentence. Existing employees should also receive the Day 5 Statement. 2. Zero-hour contracts abolished: As giving greater security to those in precarious work is the Act’s primary goal, it’s no surprise to see zero hour contracts banned. The only

BUT WHILE THE ACT’S PRIMARY GOAL IS TO PROTECT THOSE IN PRECARIOUS WORK, IT APPLIES TO ALL EMPLOYEES AND HAS A MAJOR IMPACT ON EMPLOYERS, TOO.

4. M inimum payments if there’s no work: If you can’t offer someone any work on a certain week or you can only offer them less than 25% of their weekly contracted hours, the minimum payment affected employees receive must be no less than three times the national minimum wage/employment regulation order hourly rate.

HOW TO TAKE ACTION Assess whether the four new provisions put you and your senior staff at risk of prosecution, and consider the steps you need to take to comply with the new laws. As you’re a Chambers Ireland member, the employment law specialists here at Peninsula Ireland will be happy to discuss your situation and offer insights into the best options available to you. Please call us today on 1890 252 923 or visit our website at peninsulagrouplimited.com/ie/.

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CHAMBER AWARDS 2019

CHAMBER AWARDS 2019 WINNERS

OVERALL CHAMBER OF THE YEAR County Kildare Chamber

EVENT OF THE YEAR Waterford Chamber Toys4Engineers Conference & Expo

MOST INNOVATIVE PROJECT Northern Ireland Chamber – Learn Grow Excel – Business Support Initiative

MOST SUCCESSFUL POLICY CAMPAIGN Cork Chamber & Limerick Chamber – Gearing up for the M20 Cork – Limerick Motorway

LOCAL AUTHORITY COLLABORATION South Dublin Chamber – Sustainable Business Partnership Programme with South Dublin County Council, South Dublin LEO & South Dublin Chamber

BEST CHAMBER MARKETING CAMPAIGN Mullingar Chamber – Winterfest Mullingar 2018

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Siobhan Kinsella, President, Chambers Ireland, Allan Shine, CEO, County Kildare Chamber, Maureen Bergin, President, County Kildare Chamber, Colm Blake, Marketing Manager, Zurich Ireland

County Kildare Chamber wins top accolade The Chamber Awards are an opportunity to recognise best practice and to showcase the diverse activity taking place across the country led by Chambers.

ounty Kildare Chamber was named Chamber of the Year at the Chambers Ireland Annual Chamber Awards, sponsored by Zurich, on 10 April. There were five awards presented on the night in addition to the overall ‘Chamber of the Year’ award. “The winning projects, as well as all of the shortlisted projects, are a reminder of what opportunities, knowledge and skills are available of a national standard which continue to be accessible through local Chambers,” said Siobhan Kinsella, President of Chambers Ireland. “I would also like to congratulate County Kildare Chamber as the winner of the overall Chamber of the Year award. It has consistently proven itself in supporting member businesses and raising the economic profile of the region both nationally and internationally.” InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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CHAMBER AWARDS 2019

THE WINNING PROJECTS, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE SHORTLISTED PROJECTS, ARE A REMINDER OF WHAT OPPORTUNITIES, KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS ARE AVAILABLE OF A NATIONAL STANDARD WHICH CONTINUE TO BE ACCESSIBLE THROUGH LOCAL CHAMBERS. EVENT OF THE YEAR - WATERFORD CHAMBER Left to right: Siobhan Kinsella, President, Chambers Ireland, Gerald Hurley, Chief Executive, Waterford Chamber, Kathryn Kiely, President, Waterford Chamber and Colm Blake, Marketing Manager, Zurich Ireland

BEST CHAMBER MARKETING CAMPAIGN - MULLINGAR CHAMBER Left to right: Siobhan Kinsella, President, Chambers Ireland, John Geoghegan, Honorary Treasurer, Mullingar Chamber and Colm Blake, Marketing Manager, Zurich Ireland

MOST SUCCESSFUL POLICY CAMPAIGN - CORK CHAMBER AND LIMERICK CHAMBER Left to right: Conor Healy, Chief Executive, Cork Chamber, Siobhan Kinsella, President, Chambers Ireland, Dee Ryan, Chief Executive Officer, Limerick Chamber and Colm Blake, Marketing Manager, Zurich Ireland

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LOCAL AUTHORITY COLLABORATION - SOUTH DUBLIN CHAMBER Left to right: Siobhan Kinsella, President, Chambers Ireland, Margaret Considine, President, South Dublin Chamber and Colm Blake, Marketing Manager, Zurich Ireland

MOST INNOVATIVE PROJECT - NORTHERN IRELAND CHAMBER Left to right: Siobhan Kinsella, President, Chambers Ireland, Tanya Anderson, Head of International Trade and SME, Northern Ireland Chamber and Colm Blake, Marketing Manager, Zurich Ireland

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CHAMBER PARTNER PROFILE

Zurich Tackling the Cyber Threat Cyber and Data Protection Insurance is now no longer a ‘nice to have’ but a ‘must have’ as businesses face the real risk of data breaches post-GDPR, writes Nicola Duffy, Financial Lines Underwriter, Zurich Insurance plc.

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lmost one year since the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) passed into EU law, stories of data regulation and compliance continue to dominate media headlines. At the heart of Zurich’s proposition is a deep understanding of our customers’ needs. We see the threat represented by cyber and data protection risks now being as tangible as the threat of damage to property by an extreme weather event. Cyber risks, in particular, are evolving and

becoming more complex as technology and criminals increase in sophistication, making the risk of a data breach all the more real, likely and potentially catastrophic to individuals and organisations.

GUARDING AGAINST CYBER BREACHES Only a few months into 2019 and there have already been several media headlines on data breaches, large and small, ranging across diverse sectors. While corporate cyber security infrastructure continues to improve, so does the apparent skill and sophistication of cyber hackers around the world. Countless news headlines over the past year reported tales of significant corporate reputation damage following a cyber-attack. The consequences of a data breach are farreaching – loss of customer trust, shareholder confidence and market assurance – and recovery tactics are costly, time-consuming and often prove unsuccessful in terms of repairing the damage. While it may not be possible to anticipate every attempted breach and the consequences that will follow, it is possible to safeguard businesses’ reputation and InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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manage the financial costs that can arise from a cyber attack.

ZURICH’S CYBER AND DATA PROTECTION INSURANCE Increasingly, Cyber and Data Protection Insurance is being viewed as a necessity. Zurich recently launched its Cyber and Data Protection Insurance offering in Ireland. The policy combines comprehensive coverage together with marketleading claims handling to safeguard a business from the financial and reputational costs arising from a broad range of incidents. The protection will help customers meet the expense of managing and correcting a data breach, enabling them to quickly communicate with their customers and, most importantly, safeguard their reputation. The Zurich priority is to support our customers when they need it most, allowing them to quickly get back to business and do what they do best. Through our comprehensive blend of thirdparty liability, first-party coverage, privacy breach costs coverage, media liability protection and more, Zurich policyholders can rest assured they’re protecting their business, their customer data and their critical networks – all the while knowing their post-breach requirements under GDPR are being met. Informing and protecting our customers and our brokers is of utmost importance to Zurich. At an event on 20 March held in the Zurich Blueroom, we invited brokers to learn more about our Zurich Cyber and Data Protection Insurance product and how best to provide cover and reassurance to customers in this area.

DIGITAL RESOLVE – WORKING TOGETHER TO MANAGE CYBER RISKS Digital Resolve is a crisis management cover, provided InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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under the Zurich Cyber and Data Protection Insurance policy that harnesses and manages the resources policyholders need to recover from a cyber event or data breach. For example, under Digital Resolve, Zurich policyholders have 24/7 access to experts across a range of cyber protection areas. Each expert is carefully selected from a global panel of trusted providers in the following disciplines: • IT forensic experts and consultants • Legal experts in data protection, cyber breaches, fraud and security • PR consultants • Direct mailing companies • Credit monitoring • Forensic accountants • Ransom negotiators

Nicola Duffy, Financial Lines Underwriter, Zurich Insurance plc

WHY ZURICH? As one of Ireland’s most trusted global insurers, with a Standard & Poor’s AA-rating*, Zurich policyholders can expect expertise, professionalism and consistent delivery. Committed to customercentricity at every point, Zurich has a team of experienced local underwriters, specialist inhouse local financial lines claims professionals and a global team of cyber experts. As a result, Zurich customers benefit from global cyber strength coupled with local expertise.

CYBER AND DATA PROTECTION INSURANCE COVERAGE HIGHLIGHTS • Privacy breach costs: covers costs resulting from responding to a breach, such as employing forensic, PR, and legal experts. • Security and privacy liability: covers damages resulting from network security and privacy breaches. • Emergency costs: covers costs incurred before you

We see the threat represented by cyber and data protection risks now being as tangible as the threat of damage to property by an extreme weather event.

can reasonably obtain our written consent. • Privacy breach business income loss: covers income lost following a privacy breach event and any mitigation costs. • Regulatory proceeding defence costs: covers defence costs incurred due to regulatory proceedings. • Digital asset replacement expenses: covers costs to restore data that is corrupted or destroyed by a security event. • PCI DSS payments: covers PCI DSS payments resulting from a privacy event. • Cyber extortion and reward payments: covers costs to reimburse you for extortion payments and expenses. • Cyber terrorism: covers against cyberterrorist attacks. • Internet media liability: covers wrongful acts arising out of electronic publishing. *as at April 2019

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CHAMBER PARTNER PROFILE

Kerry Central Regional Water Treatment Plant

Transformation in action Ervia has a significant role to play in the delivery of the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2040, and has proven itself more than up for the challenge, writes Karen Ferris, Ervia’s Public Affairs Manager.

reland’s second largest semi-State body, Ervia is focussed on safeguarding and upgrading key national infrastructure to meet the challenges of a growing population and support Ireland’s transition to a low-carbon economy. Responsible for operating the nation’s vital water and gas networks through its regulated businesses Irish Water and Gas Networks Ireland, it also provides dark fibre broadband infrastructure through Aurora Telecom. Ervia is overseeing one of the most significant programmes of capital delivery in the State as it continues to invest significantly in a number of large-scale infrastructure projects across the country. By 2021, Ervia is predicted to represent about 20% of all construction activity in the State. Based on a recent report compiled by EY-DKM, the company spent a1.45bn in the Irish economy, supported 26,000 jobs and added a2bn to Ireland’s GDP in 2017 alone.

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The scale of Ervia is clear when you consider that Irish Water provides water and wastewater treatment to over 1.5 million households and 200,000 businesses daily, with demand expected to increase to a further 555,000 households between now and 2040. Gas Networks Ireland equally supplies around 700,000 customers with natural gas and is also an important component of our electricity system. Gas-fired power stations provide a secure and flexible low-carbon back-up to the high levels of renewable energy integrated on the National Grid. This has included keeping the system going during a 10-day period in June 2018 when wind produced less than 5% of electricity demand. The gas network also has tremendous potential to play a pivotal and game-changing role in transforming Ireland to a lowcarbon economy by 2050. Ervia is investing in a series of grid injection points to increase the level InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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of renewable gas in the network with a target of 20% by 2030.

MOMENTUM IN DELIVERY The positive impact of Irish Water’s investment in water and wastewater systems is already being felt by communities right across the country. Over a800m was spent in 2018 on new and upgraded water infrastructure to support economic growth and development through a number of critical projects to protect health and quality of life and directly improve the environment. This was highlighted by the completion of a new link pipeline in Co Wicklow earlier this year, on time and on budget, which was part of a a200m investment in the Vartry Water Supply Scheme Project. The supply area stretches through North Wicklow to Dublin, and serves more than 200,000 people. The tunnel was at critical risk of collapse since the mid1990s. The investment removes this risk and provides a safer, more secure water supply to the people of Wicklow and Dublin. Other key projects included the commencement of works on an a80m upgrade to the Ringsend plant and the rehabilitation of 135km of water pipes and the

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repair of over 5,700 leaks as part of a a500m spend on Irish Water’s ‘Leakage Reduction Programme’. While there are significant challenges ahead, it’s important to reflect on the progress achieved and the momentum in delivery, particularly with critical projects ahead including the Greater Dublin Drainage scheme and the Water Supply Project.

TRANSFORMING OUR ENERGY LANDSCAPE Looking ahead, Ervia is actively progressing a number of ambitious, innovative solutions to facilitate the significant transformation required to our energy network. Ervia has a key role to play in decarbonising Ireland, in particular the electricity, domestic heating and transport sectors. Imperative to achieving these CO2 reductions for Ireland are solutions such as carbon-free biomethane for heat and transport, compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles and hydrogen. Ervia is committed to supporting geo-engineering projects that can significantly reduce Ireland’s carbon emissions including assessing the potential for large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) at the near-depleted

Over a800m was spent in 2018 for new and upgraded water infrastructure to support economic growth and development through a number of critical projects to protect health and quality of life and directly improve the environment.

Kinsale gas field off the coast of Cork. Ervia has highlighted the potential for the gas network to reduce Ireland’s emissions by at least 15 million tonnes of CO2 per annum by 2050 as part of its submission to Ireland’s Draft National Energy & Climate Plan (NECP) 2021-2030. In terms of security of supply in 2018, Gas Networks Ireland successfully completed commissioning the Cluden to Brighouse Bay pipeline in Scotland, resulting in full twinning of our two gas interconnectors between Ireland and the UK. This is crucial for Ireland in reinforcing security of energy supply for the island and supporting decarbonisation. It involved constructing a new 50km high pressure gas pipeline, which feeds two subsea pipelines between Ireland and the UK.

PROJECT IRELAND 2040 A key partner to Government in the rollout of Project Ireland 2040 and the transition to a low-carbon economy, Ervia is making significant progress in its investment plans for critical infrastructure to support Ireland’s ongoing economic development. As well as being committed to the transformation necessary to ensure safe and reliable water infrastructure supporting development as the population grows, it is investing in its national dark fibre network to establish a return path between Cork and Dublin. In addition, it is actively supporting a combination of ambitious actions across a range of sectors to enable Ireland to significantly reduce its emissions targets and meet its climate targets. Our national gas and water networks support the social and economic development of Ireland and are playing strategic roles in the transition of Ireland to a low-carbon, climate-resilient and sustainable economy by 2050.

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CHAMBER PARTNER PROFILE Glowing balls of crystal are transformed into perfectly exquisite shapes

of visitors from overseas. The team at the House of Waterford are delighted and honoured to have received this prestigious award.

TAKE A TOUR Why not visit the home of Waterford Crystal? Our factory is located in the heart of the Viking Triangle in Ireland’s Ancient East. Visitors can take the opportunity to witness the manufacture of our Waterford crystal products. The guided factory tour, which welcomes over 200,000 visitors a year, is a unique and captivating experience that enthrals visitors of all ages, both national and international. The tour – which takes about an hour – allows visitors to understand each stage of production. The skills of perfection They witness how are learnt during an Waterford Crystal pieces eight-year apprenticeship are crafted from initial design right up to the final engraving of the piece. Every year the House of Waterford Crystal melts more than 750 tonnes of crystal, using traditional and cutting-edge manufacturing techniques. On completion of the tour, visitors can experience over 12,000 sq ft of crystal heaven in the largest he ‘crème de la crème’ of the Irish tourism retail and brand showcase of industry gathered on 5 March for the Irish Waterford Crystal in the world. The Tourism Industry Awards, which are organised retail store represents everything by Irish Tourism Industry Confederation, Fáilte we make in crystal, including a Ireland and Tourism Ireland. At the event, 15 winning showcase on golf and sport, which companies were revealed as best in their category is a major part of our international from 75 shortlisted finalists. business. The main feature in TV presenter Kathryn Thomas hosted the gala the retail store is a centre dining evening, which was attended by Minister for table, with 12 Waterford Crystal Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross TD, who chandeliers on display. presented the awards. The awards give recognition to companies and For further details on the tours organisations – both overseas and at home – that available all year round visit have made significant contributions to developing, www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com marketing, selling and delivering improved visitor or call 051 317000. experiences in Ireland and to increasing the number

House of Waterford Crystal scoops tourism award The House of Waterford Crystal was named the ‘Best Ireland’s Ancient East Tourism Experience (Large)’ at the Irish Tourism Industry Awards recently.

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Already thriving and vibrant with innovation, Cork is expected to be the fastest growing region in Ireland to 2040 and there are numerous initiatives underway to drive that trajectory.

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CORK 2040 OVER

GROWTH A510m A80m 1,200 IN CORK COMMERCIAL DEVELOPMENTS UNDERWAY OR RECENTLY COMPLETED

PORT REDEVELOPMENT UNDERWAY AND OPERATIONAL BY 2020

NEW HOTEL ROOMS UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR IN PLANNING

Children from St Maries of the Isle School in Cork at the launch of the ‘We are Cork’ initiative

any of Cork’s landmark buildings including City Hall, County Hall, The Capitol and One Albert Quay turned red last September to mark the launch of a new umbrella brand to promote all that is great about Cork. Spearheaded by Cork City Council and Cork County Council, the ‘We are Cork’ initiative is backed by all the main stakeholders in the region, including Cork Airport, Port of Cork, University College Cork (UCC), Cork Institute of Technology, Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Fáilte Ireland and Visit Cork. It is the first initiative of its kind in Ireland. Cork County Council Chief Executive and Chair of the ‘We are Cork’ steering committee Ann Doherty said at the launch: “Collaboration is the cornerstone of the ‘We are Cork’ brand. It has unilateral support from all major players in Cork, unifying Cork’s positioning and messaging to help us to tell the Cork story cohesively overseas as well as at home. The initiative is vital to our strategy to help

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realise the ambitious growth targets for our region set by Government in the Project Ireland 2040 plan.” The population of Cork City and County currently stands at over half a million people. It is anticipated that population numbers in the city alone will treble to between 320,000 and 360,000 by 2040. With €510m in commercial development underway or recently completed in Cork, the region is home to the world’s largest technology company Apple. There are currently over 300 ICT-related companies employing more than 29,000 people in the region. Seven out of the top ten pharmaceutical companies in the world have operations there. Cork has previously topped the Financial Times ‘European League for Foreign Direct Investment’ table. There are currently 158 FDI companies located in the region. Cork has also been voted the top small city for business friendliness and the third friendliest location in the world.

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CORK 2040

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CRUISE LINERS WITH 200,000 PASSENGERS AND CREW STOPPING AT CORK IN 2019

A214m 10,000 BEING SPENT ON ROADS IN CORK OVER NEXT THREE YEARS

NEW JOBS IN THE CITY CENTRE REGION OVER NEXT FIVE YEARS

80%

A350m

THE INCREASE IN NEW BEING INVESTED BY UCC TO AIRLINES AT CORK AIRPORT SUPPORT STUDENT ACCOMMODATION SINCE 2017, COUPLED WITH A AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE 40% EXPANSION OF ROUTES CAMPUS AND NEW SCHOOLS

NATIONAL OCEAN TEST FACILITY

UCC student Fayza Baslaim with UCC Deputy President and Registrar Prof John O’Halloran, UCC Students Union VP for Education Aaron Frahill, Dr Jennifer Murphy, Director of Academic Strategy at UCC and Niamh Connery, UCC Students Union Welfare Officer

Dr Jimmy Murphy, Lir Manager with UCC President Dr Patrick O’Shea and An Tanaiste Simon Coveney TD touring the wave tanks at the official opening of Lir Ireland’s ocean energy test facility, Lir, was officially opened in January in Ringaskiddy, Co Cork. Located in University College Cork’s (UCC) a20m Environmental Research Institute Beaufort building, Lir provides world-class laboratory testing for offshore wind, wave and tidal energy devices. The state-of-the-art facilities at Lir include four wave tanks that can replicate real ocean conditions and enable testing of various marine innovations, technologies and structures at different scales. Lir also offers a highly experienced team of researchers and operators. “The diversity of activities at Lir reflects the numerous commercial opportunities that offshore renewable energy presents,” says UCC’s Dr Jimmy Murphy, Lead at Lir. “We are supporting companies by de-risking their technologies through our extensive testing capability, including towing, installation, performance and survivability testing. The Lir facility will accelerate Ireland’s marine sector development.”

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“Cork is increasingly being seen as a great alternative to Dublin due to more reasonable rents and a great quality of life. Up to 85% of professionals who relocated to Cork are satisfied or very satisfied with their move according a survey of 27 different nationalities working in Cork, carried out by Collins McNicholas,” notes Doherty. In the coming years, the region will see a €200m investment in public transport and €214m being spent on roads in the next three years. New flights continue to bolster the region’s accessibility, with a number of direct flights to the US and almost 15 flights daily to and from the UK. “Cork is unique in terms of its offering, balancing significant urban growth with a quality of life across our rural, coastal and island communities that is second to none,” says Tim Lucey, Chief Executive, Cork County Council. “Our highly talented workforce and low cost of doing business is a proven attraction, but it is the quality of how we live that secures retention. ‘We are Cork’ has incredible potential. We just need to live it now and into the future.”

VISION FOR A CONNECTED UNIVERSITY University College Cork (UCC) launched a transformational academic strategy last December focused on championing the capacity for independent thinking and enquiry. It involves the introduction of the ‘Connected Curriculum’, which links teaching and research to a core set of values – global citizenship; sustainability; research-based curriculum; creative knowledge and social responsibility – underpinned by the UN sustainability goals. “With education and talent comes responsibility, so people must be able to change and create a different world,” says UCC’s Deputy President and Registrar, Professor John O’Halloran. “The Connected Curriculum puts vital skills and values at the heart of our students’ learning experience to equip them to do just that.” Ranked among Europe’s top 50 universities for learning and teaching, UCC has doubled its student numbers over the past decade to 21,000. The current employment rate of UCC graduates is 94%. A new UCC Centre for Executive Education was opened in November at 1 Lapp’s Quay in Cork City Centre.

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CORK 2040

Digital in its DNA

A rooted and proud Cork company, Zenith Technologies was ideally placed to serve the booming life sciences sector when it started over 20 years ago and now is ready for what Industry 4.0 will bring.

xecutive chair, owner and founder of Zenith Technologies Brendan O’Regan was one of a generation of people in Cork who got into the life sciences space when batch automation for manufacturing was in its infancy. Having lived in Cork all his life, O’Regan started the business in 1998 developing digital and automation software for the manufacture of life saving medicines. It has grown to employing a total of close to 900 people at 16 different offices around the world, 300 of whom are based in Cork. The catalyst for Zenith Technologies’ international growth was the desire of its multinational clients to continue to work with the company as they expanded at other sites in their global network. “There had been huge capital investment in the life sciences sector in Cork when Brendan set up

the company. He was a pioneer in batch automation and the software supplied by Zenith Technologies has been used since in the manufacture of some of the largest treatments around the world,” explains Zenith Technologies CEO Joe Haugh. “Industry 4.0 has got the entire manufacturing industry around the globe focussed on the potential impact of digital and automation in manufacturing. We have been talking about this for over 20 years. A huge part of what we do is to try to produce the full digital interface right throughout the supply chain.” As the company’s global headquarters, the Cork operation is one of Zenith Technologies’ centres of excellence for software development. All of the solutions it provides are bespoke to its customer base. “We work with scientists and engineers to create the awardwinning software solutions. In the

Brendan O’Regan, executive chairman and founder and Joe Haugh, CEO, Zenith Technologies

early days, most of the software we created was for pharmaceuticals [small molecule] whereas now most is for biologics [large molecule],” says Haugh. “In addition to developing software, we also help clients to run their facilities. Zenith Technologies provides managed services on the sites of nearly every big pharmaceutical plant in Cork. Future growth will come from expansion into new regions such as Asia which is seeing significant growth.” The Cork HQ hosts many of the company’s core corporate functions including human resources and finance. The regional director for Europe Sean O’Connor is also based out of the Cork office. “The leadership team has all grown up together and we find Cork a great place to do business. A lot of our staff members went to college in Cork, left and then came back,” says Haugh. Zenith Technologies was named Cork Company of the Year by Cork Chamber in February and Pharma Supplier of the Year at the 2018 Pharma Industry Awards last October. Zenith was awarded the latter prize in recognition of its partnership with Janssen Sciences Ireland UC to which it has been providing extensive managed services support at two of its manufacturing facilities in Ireland since 2012.

300 60

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THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE EMPLOYED BY ZENITH TECHNOLOGIES AT ITS CORK HQ

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Wishing Cork Chamber continued success for the next 200 years

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CORK 2040

Continuous commitment in Cork With over 20 years’ experience of innovating within the IT industry, Viatel’s business is thriving in Cork where it has a significant enterprise customer base.

hile it continues to win new business in Cork, one of the drivers of cloud and connectivity company Viatel’s success in the region has been its ‘customer first’ approach, which essentially involves growing with its customers. For example, multilingual customer experience and technical support solutions provider Voxpro has expanded from one location in Cork to numerous locations in Ireland and globally. “Viatel supports Voxpro’s business today, providing high-speed gigabit connectivity across multiple sites, as well as voice and data centre services,” says Eimear Nealon, Enterprise Account Director at Viatel. “Cork is a hugely important region to Viatel.” Over the past two years, Viatel has invested significantly in its network in Cork to serve the growing demands of its customers there. With an extensive fibre network in Cork and the largest licensed radio network across the country, it also provides international connectivity out of Cork as well as data centre services. “Viatel was also the first member of the Cork Internet eXchange, ensuring that the Internet traffic in Cork stays local and delivers low latency, super-fast speeds for our customers,” notes Nealon. Viatel spent over €1m recently in its Cork infrastructure, upgrading the network to deliver speeds of up to 10Gbps (10,000Mbps) available to businesses in and around Cork City. With a direct link to London, this significantly reduces transit time for traffic.

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“We are also seeing many of our customers adopting a cloud strategy. As a result of this, Viatel has extended its product portfolio to deliver cloud solutions including back-up and disaster recovery services from our Irish data centre as well as software defined networks, which are disrupting the market.” In Nealon’s view, Cork has

the ever-changing digital world,” notes Nealon. Headquartered in Dublin, Viatel employs a total of 80 people based out of this location. Its sales reps travel all around the country and generate business in Cork. In March, Viatel was named as one of Ireland’s Best Managed companies for the sixth year running in the

Eimear Nealon, Enterprise Account Director, Viatel

cemented itself as a key European tech hub with over 300 ICT-related companies employing more than 29,000 people, making it the largest source of foreign direct investment in the region. “Our continued investment underpins our commitment to Cork. Viatel will continue to invest in Cork and support our customers in taking advantage of

Deloitte Best Managed Companies Awards programme, in association with Bank of Ireland. Commenting on the award, Paul Rellis, CEO, Viatel, said: “We are convinced that our success comes from having great people in our business with a very strong customer care focus. Our mantra is ‘we are big enough to be credible, and small enough to care’.”

€1m

VIATEL’S RECENT INVESTMENT IN UPGRADING ITS CORK INFRASTRUCTURE

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Viatel are proud to be delivering Connectivity, Cloud and Security to Cork. C

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29/04/2019 05/03/2019 09:37 16:10

CORK 2040

A city for the future Ann Doherty, Chief Executive of Cork City Council, provides an overview of the expansion journey Cork is on to becoming a sustainable city of scale.

n 31 May this year, Cork City will grow to nearly five times its size, taking in parts of Cork County that include Douglas, Rochestown, Ballincollig, Donnybrook, Blarney, Tower and Glanmire. As part of this planned expansion, the population of the city will grow by 85,000 to 210,000. “This expanded city, coupled with the Government’s pledge under the National Planning Framework that Cork will be the fastest growing city in the county in the next 20 years, means that Cork now has the means to become a city of scale and develop as a true counterbalance to Dublin,” says Cork City Council’s Chief Executive Ann Doherty. Cork City Council has a body of work to undertake in the coming years as it helps create the conditions that allow a city of this scale to develop – without it sprawling into fields and farms, which would lead to more traffic congestion and patchy unreliable services. “Our vision is focussed on creating a city of sustainable urban growth – a city that is built for the future where families can live close to work, schools, green spaces and public transport,” says Doherty. “We want a city of neighbourhoods where our residents feel part of vibrant communities with a rich cultural offering: communities where they can walk and cycle easily and rely on their bus service.” Key to this is the relocation of the Port of Cork to Ringaskiddy and the regeneration of the docklands, a game-changing project for the city. “At 180 hectares in size, this will be the largest brownfield development site in the country. It will herald a new style of urban living in our city, a kind of urban living that will justify a public transport corridor from Ballincollig to Wilton to the docklands and on to Mahon,” notes Doherty. “The Government has pledged €200m in BusConnects funding to Cork so we can fuel our ambition.”

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Cork City Docklands

JOBS GROWTH Cork City is experiencing a major economic resurgence with a 10% increase in employment in the past five years. There is 1 million sq ft of office space in development or planning within the city centre which will bring significant employment. Developments currently underway and planned have the capacity to accommodate up to 10,000 additional jobs. It is expected that there will be 5,000 new jobs in the city centre within the next 36 months. A Cork City Centre Strategy was established five years ago with the aim of revitalising the city centre after the economic downturn. It includes the improvement of the public realm and services as well as the development of sites and buildings for new enterprises and activities. Recent projects include the opening of a Placemaking Fund, which will provide financial support to projects which enhance, improve, and enliven people’s experience of Cork City Centre. These could be creative murals or cultural/artistic attractions, greening/environmental improvement projects, atmospheric lighting or unique events which improve the city’s liveability. Another project which captured the public’s imagination was the launch of a Cork City Customer Service Charter to coincide with Local Enterprise Week 2019. The charter, which is the first of its kind in Europe, was developed to create a city of superior customer service and assist Cork’s journey to becoming one of the friendliest, most liveable and sustainable cities globally. This Cork City Centre Forum project is a collaboration between various business and public sector groups in the city.

SQ FT OF OFFICE SPACE IN DEVELOPMENT OR PLANNING WITHIN CORK CITY CENTRE WHICH WILL BRING SIGNIFICANT EMPLOYMENT

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CORK 2040

A county worth investing in Towns, rural areas and coastlines are going to be significantly improved in the coming years thanks to Cork County Council’s ambitious capital development programme supported by funds from two European banks.

ork County Council is planning to borrow up to €130m from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Council of Europe Development Bank, which will go towards up to 60 major projects over the next ten years across the county. The council has been in discussion with the two banks since mid-2018 and Chief Executive Tim Lucey expects all approvals to be finalised within six months. “This is a highly strategic move by Cork County Council, which will allow us to respond to Ireland 2040 and our County Development Plan,” he says. “This is the first time this type of strategic approach

Tim Lucey, Chief Executive, Cork County Council

777,000

POPULATION OF CORK CITY AND COUNTY EXPECTED IN 2040

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has been taken by a council. It will enable us to be progressive and responsive to the needs of towns and villages.” This borrowing, together with funding provided by the National Urban and Rural Regeneration Funds and Development Funds will facilitate progress across all of the council’s eight municipal districts. Projects set to benefit include several major public realm upgrades, town inner relief roads, the development of parks and amenities,

tourism-related infrastructure, energy efficiency projects and economic development. “There is a significant focus on growing urban areas across our exceptionally strong network of towns, while the entire Cork Harbour area is primed to be probably the greatest economic driver of the Cork and Southern Region over the next 20 years,” says Lucey. “Another important goal is to continue to develop digital hubs around the county by securing properties and creating space for co-working. Our entire coastline and tourism product is superb, but we know we can advance facilities at sea-sides, piers and harbours.” The population of Cork City and County is expected to grow from about 550,000 people to 777,000 by 2040. One of the biggest challenges in relation to this is the delivery of housing to support that growth. Under the provisions of the National Planning Framework, around 3,000 housing units will need to be built per year up to 2040. “In an effort to respond to the housing supply challenges, I put a range of measures in place three years ago so that Cork County Council could respond effectively. These included the introduction of an Active Land Management approach,” says Lucey. Among the initiatives involved is the development of three sites – at Shannon Park Carrigaline, Ballinglanna Glanmire and Water Rock Midleton – which have the potential to deliver 4,500 to 5,000 housing units. Cork County Council has also entered into a commercial joint venture with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund aimed at providing a ‘design-build-finance’ service for developers of strategic housing sites of scale. According to Lucey, the Cork region really stands out in a number of areas. “It is becoming an exemplar in terms of cyber security and the agritech sector is a potential game changer over the next few years. There is a really high quality marine energy research hub in Ringakiddy. While in its infancy, renewable and marine energy is a really important emerging area,” he says.

30/04/2019 17:11

CORK 2040

Building on a track record BAM Ireland has a long and established presence in the Cork region and its growth there looks set to continue.

MAJOR AGRIFOOD PROJECTS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY FOR BAM CONTRACTORS IN CORK

significant proportion of BAM Ireland’s turnover has historically been derived from the Cork market, and many of the past and present senior management are from Cork, including current CEO Theo Cullinane. In his view, Cork has huge potential for development given the expected population increase over the next number of years. BAM was originally set up as a civil engineering company, Ascon, to build Wexford Bridge in 1956. In the 1980s BAM’s expertise led the firm to working on large industrial projects in the Cork region, such as with Irish Steel in Haulbowline and with the ESB on a new power plant in Aghada. “Given the level of work that BAM was doing in Cork, we decided to set up a small office in Cork City in the early 1980s, and moved to our current offices in Little Island in 2001,” says Cullinane. “Originally BAM was purely a civil engineering company but commenced building projects in the late 1980s. Since then BAM has been involved in some significant building and civil engineering projects in Cork.”

MORE THAN ANY OTHER CONTRACTOR, BAM HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT BUILDING AND CIVIL ENGINEERING PROJECTS IN THE CORK AREA.

Cork Courthouse Building

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These projects have included the Cork Airport New Terminal Development, the iconic Cork County Hall, the One Albert Quay office block complex, Cork Courthouse Building, Kinsale Road Interchange, and the Bloomfield Estuary Interchange. Currently BAM is working on a new office block for O’Callaghans at Navigation Square, a new hotel at Horgan’s Quay and student accommodation and a new office building on the Beamish & Crawford site. In the agrifood sector, BAM is involved in three projects in Co Cork – a new evaporator and dryer at the Dairygold milk processing facility in Mallow, the redevelopment and expansion of the Dairygold food ingredients facility in Mogeely and, adjacent to this, works are underway on a new Jarlsberg cheese plant for the Norwegian Company TINE. Works are also almost complete on the new oncology building for the HSE at Cork University Hospital. In addition, works are also well underway on a new container terminal in Ringaskiddy for the Port of Cork Company.

“More than any other contractor, BAM has been involved in some of the most significant building and civil engineering projects in the Cork area,” says Cullinane. “With many of our team from the local area we pride ourselves in being able to provide the full range of construction services including finance, development, design and construction in both civil and building, and facilities management.” In terms of exciting future developments, BAM expects the first phase of a new office building on Horgan’s Quay to begin to take shape in the next couple of months as part of its joint venture with property development company Clarendon. It also has planning permission for a hotel and office block on Sullivan’s Quay which it hopes to commence in 2020.

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WINNER PROJECT OF THE YEAR AWARD ICE AWARDS 2019

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29/04/2019 05/04/2019 09:43 14:49

CORK 2040

An eye on urban design With a Cork office since 2004, Scott Tallon Walker Architects is focussed on promoting better living through the better design of urban environments.

rish cities are changing for the better and nowhere more so than in Cork with the delivery of the transformative Project 2040 plan. Liveable cities must be attractive places to live in and need far more than a retail offering. City dwellers want quality entertainment venues, first-class education centres and ‘lifestyle areas’ to make centre city the living location of choice. This is according to Director at Scott Tallon Walker Architects (STW) David Flannery. “At STW we promote better living through our better design of urbanism and architecture. STW has had an office in Cork since 2004 but had been designing award-winning architecture for the city for decades before that,” he says. STW opened its Cork office while working on several key higher education projects for Cork, including University College Cork’s Western Gateway Building and the Tyndall National Institute. “We also designed what is probably Cork’s most transformative commercial docklands project at Lapps Quay, as well as Webworks and, of course, the campus design for Apple, masters of design in their own right,” Flannery adds. “STW aims to design respectful contemporary developments within Cork’s historic city, having people at its core. In my opinion, here in the second city, we’ve made a changemaking contribution with the Lapps Quay boardwalk, reestablishing the city’s relationship with its river. I think this STW urban design has yet to be surpassed by

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Sullivans Quay Hotel and Office Block, a Scott Tallon Walker project in Cork

Lapps Quay, a Scott Tallon Walker project in Cork

STW AIMS TO DESIGN RESPECTFUL CONTEMPORARY DEVELOPMENTS WITHIN CORK’S HISTORIC CITY, HAVING PEOPLE AT ITS CORE.

the more recent dockland development public realm.” That commitment to quality is evident in the onsite STWdesigned developments for the property, hotel and office building at Sullivan’s Quay as well as the masterplan for the former Beamish & Crawford Brewery, both under construction by BAM Ireland. “This regeneration of the former 18th century brewery, built on an original medieval HibernoViking settlement, will be a really exciting new precinct for those living in it, and will bring new urban renewal to an area bridging between the university and the city,” notes Flannery. “We incorporated two new pedestrian bridges, a public riverside quay, reinstated medieval laneways and a new public square – all within the main meander of the south channel of the River Lee. Design is not just about visual impact. Good design has a positive impact on our lives. This design delivers for Cork.” STW is currently working on a

design revision to the Cork Event Centre Building in collaboration with Populous Architecture. These two firms previously worked together on Dublin’s Aviva Stadium – already one of Ireland’s favourite buildings. Páirc Uí Chaoimh is another STW project. STW’s Cork office work has shown the urban design and tourism potential of Cork Harbour through its master planning of both Cobh Waterfront and Spike Island – another award winner, recently voted one of Europe’s leading tourist attractions. STW’s appointments to deliver a five-star accommodation masterplan along with a clubhouse renovation for the Old Head Golf Links as well as a new cable car station and discovery centre at Dursey Island Sound are other exciting current projects. “Taoiseach Leo Varadkar recently said Cork should prepare for a 50% increase in population by 2040. STW looks forward to playing its part in that development. Chalk it down,” Flannery concludes.

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CORK 2040

Supporting Cork SMEs’ global success Edward Murphy, Tax Partner at accounting and business advisory firm Crowleys DFK, talks about Cork, the local SME sector and the sector’s success on the domestic and global stage.

Q: What’s it like to do business in Ireland’s fastest growing city region?

organisations, third- level institutions and public and private investors.

A: It’s hard not to be

Q: What are the key challenges facing SMEs looking to expand overseas?

excited by the hive of activity in Cork in recent years - from the myriad of new developments, a growing workforce and a thriving third-level education sector to the region’s continued success in attracting high-value overseas investment. However, it’s the global success of our indigenous SME sector that is, perhaps the most exciting.

Q: Why have indigenous Cork SMEs been so successful locally and globally?

A: While Cork has a well-earned reputation in attracting and retaining foreign direct investment, the support it offers homegrown entrepreneurs and SMEs is second to none. Innovation and the ambition to think globally is nurtured through an excellent support ecosystem of start-up incubators, accelerator programmes and research, development and innovation hubs; backed by local business

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A: The continued uncertainty surrounding Brexit is currently the biggest challenge facing SMEs that trade with the UK. However, a constant challenge relevant to all markets is access to local, trusted and reliable professional connections and advice overseas. This is a key step in any global expansion strategy and is often a major stumbling block for many businesses. Understanding how to do business in a new jurisdiction can be time consuming and expensive when you don’t have a local relationship or know where to go to get the proper advice.

Q: Can you describe how Crowleys DFK can help SMEs with their international growth strategies?

A: At Crowleys DFK, we understand the challenges faced by

our SME and ownermanaged business clients and are proud of the reputation and longterm relationships we have built up with them over the years. They represent a diverse range of today’s most innovative and high-performing industries and sectors, including information and communications technology, life sciences, manufacturing and consumer products. We have been a member of DFK International since 1993. This worldwide association of independent accounting, tax and business advisory firms has over 220 member firms covering 92 countries. We have a long history of working with other DFK firms and it’s through these strong relationships that we can deliver a complete international service to clients. Whether it’s getting advice on taking on two employees in Germany, accessing capital markets in London or New York or helping technology companies expand into San Francisco, we connect our clients with trusted

Edward Murphy, Tax Partner, Crowleys DFK

professionals throughout the world. In many cases our clients prefer to deal with us directly and in these instances, we instruct the other DFK firms. This means clients can concentrate on their business and don’t need to spend time developing new relationships abroad. We have all the right connections to help businesses achieve their ambitions – locally and globally.

220

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30/04/2019 17:12

CORK 2040

Gateway for international trade The Port of Cork Company is ambitious in its plans to future-proof the port by investing in a major redevelopment at Ringaskiddy.

n €80m port redevelopment is currently underway at Ringaskiddy, Co Cork, representing the most significant single investment in marine infrastructure and superstructure in the history of the Port of Cork Company.

10.4M TONNES

On schedule to be opened in the first quarter of 2020, the stateof-the-art facility will replace the existing container terminal at Tivoli, transferring container activity from the River Lee out to the sea. It will initially offer a 360-metre quay with 13-metre depth alongside. The development also includes the construction of a 13.5 hectare terminal and associated buildings as well as a public amenity area at Paddy’s Point. “The rationale for the move is that the world of ports and shipping is changing. Ships are getting bigger

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and we have to respond to that challenge, while equally using this as an opportunity to develop our business and sustain the trading activities in the port into the future,” says Port of Cork Chief Executive Brendan Keating. “The most important aspect of the redevelopment is that it will enable us to avail of deeper waters and thereby attract vessels which are larger in scale. This will bring about significant competitive advantage to the region. It will have a transformational impact in terms of the kind of shipping activity we can handle.” AN ENABLER OF TRADE In 2018, Port of Cork handled approximately 10.4 million tonnes of cargo, which was a 3% increase compared to 2017. Container business increased by about 6% last year to 230,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (exports and imports combined). There was a 39% increase in dry bulk cargo, primarily animal feed, cereals and fertiliser, to 2 million tonnes. Keating estimates The new Cork Container Terminal

that the redevelopment will allow the port to achieve 6% year-on-year growth in overall volumes. Passenger-related business is growing in importance for Port of Cork. Last year it welcomed 95 cruise vessels carrying a total of 158,000 passengers. There are bookings of 104 cruise calls this year, rising to 113 next year. Last May, a new ferry service to Santander in Spain was introduced by Brittany Ferries, in addition to its existing services from Cork to Roscoff. “Port of Cork exists to provide infrastructure and facilities to handle cargo and passengers as an enabler and facilitator of trade,” says Keating. “In my judgement, the success of the region to 2040 is hugely dependent on agriculture and related products going to and from the island of Ireland.” The need for the new container terminal development in Ringaskiddy was identified in Port of Cork’s Strategic Development Plan in 2010. “We eventually got planning permission in 2018, at which stage we had various different funding arrangements in place to allow us to proceed,” says Keating. The development is being mainly funded by an innovative financing structure comprising AIB, the European Investment Bank and the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund. BAM Ireland was awarded the contract and construction is progressing well, according to Keating. “The amenity area at Paddy’s Point is substantially completed, the new entrance to the existing facility is almost complete and the new container compound and birthing facilities are well advanced,” he says.

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CORK 2040

Glandore brings vibrancy to Cork City Centre

Leading the growing trend of coworking, Glandore has opened a new space in Cork City, which is already proving to be the ideal base for individuals and companies to flourish from.

“As our company name suggests, we have always had a love for Cork

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Clare Kelly, Michael Kelly, Rebecca Kelly and Tánaiste Simon Coveney

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amily-owned provider of flexible workspace Glandore has invested €1.5m in a new coworking space in City Quarter, Lapps Quay. Its first venture in Cork City, it brings Glandore’s capacity to almost 3,000 desks across nine locations in Cork, Dublin and Belfast. Having opened its doors last November, Glandore in City Quarter, Lapps Quay adds an additional 18,000 sq ft of office space over two floors to Cork City’s docklands. The new space has capacity for over 300 desks of flexible workspace, coworking and private office space as well as social, meeting and event space to meet the growing demand for flexible workspace in Cork. The €1.5m investment in Cork offers much more than an inspiring, high-quality workspace, according to Glandore founder Michael Kelly. “The Glandore mission is to facilitate the growth and success of each member company and individual it houses,” he says. Members can avail of the complimentary wellness programme, a carefully curated range of onsite events, including business advisory and learning and development seminars as well as workshops, social and networking events.

THE DESK CAPACITY AT GLANDORE’S NEW WORKSPACE IN CITY QUARTER, LAPPS QUAY IN CORK CITY

having spent many family holidays in West Cork. In terms of business, it has been our vision to bring our experience, professionalism, care and hospitality to local and international firms seeking a base outside of Dublin. Cork was the natural location for our expansion, as it is set to become the fastest growing city in Ireland over the next 20 years,” says Kelly. In 2017, an estimated 1.2 million people worldwide were coworking in nearly 14,000 spaces, and this is set to reach 4 million by 2020. This trend is matched in Ireland, with Glandore having seen many member companies grow from a one-person operation to a staff of more than 70 without having to move. Some of Ireland’s most dynamic and

celebrated multinationals began their life in Glandore’s workspaces, including Facebook, Twitter and Dropbox. “Glandore’s aim is to create a dynamic, supportive and friendly community in which every individual and company can grow,” says Kelly. “Our mission is to provide the very best start to a company’s business operations and facilitate its growth by offering flexibility and scalability and accelerating its business network of like-minded peers through the Glandore Network.” In November, Park Place Technologies announced it was setting up its new EMEA operations headquarters in Cork. According to Glandore Cork member, Dillon Burke, Operations Manager, Park Place Technologies, the City Quarter space is the perfect strategic location for its EMEA expansion. “The flexibility Glandore provides means that we have been able to scale as needed and has greatly assisted in building out a fantastic team in Ireland, alongside the terrific talent pool that Cork City has to offer. We couldn’t have wished for a better start in Cork,” he says. Cllr Mick Finn, Lord Mayor of Cork, said the opening of Glandore’s newest office and coworking space was a welcome addition to Cork City’s docklands area, reflecting the growing investment to entice start-ups, SMEs and multinational companies to the area. “Since opening, a number of new businesses have located in the heart of Cork bringing jobs and vibrancy to the city. This expansion is a real, tangible vote of confidence in Cork.”

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

01/05/2019 11:21

CORK 2040

Ned Murphy, Managing Partner and Pearse O’Donovan, Head of Banking at Moore Stephens

Stepping into borrowers’ shoes Ned Murphy, Managing Partner at Moore Stephens, which has an office in Cork, discusses the accounting firm’s corporate finance offering, particularly in terms of debt resolutions and fund-outs from private equity funds.

feature of the Irish banking landscape is the large-scale divestment of distressed loan portfolios that have taken place in the past four years by banks to various hedge funds and investment companies. This trend is likely to continue in the current year and beyond to allow banks to address their non-performing loan issues.

OPPORTUNITIES Our experience of dealing with these funds is that they are commercial and pragmatic. Their model is to extract the best possible value and they are motivated to arrive at decisions quickly and with relatively short-term workouts. While the process can be onerous and represents a nervous time for the borrower, it is a great opportunity for

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them to arrive at a resolution to their debt obligations and move on. It is also an ideal time for alternative funders and investors to become involved in unlocking and creating value. Our team deals with these funds on a daily basis by stepping into the shoes of the borrower. We act on their behalf and negotiate to arrive at the best case position through leveraging long-term banking experience and relationships. We also arrange the funding where required. We are delighted with the near 100% success rate we have achieved in the past two years of this work.

AS A TOP TEN ACCOUNTANCY FIRM WE TAKE A HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PROPOSALS IN THIS AREA AND CAREFULLY CONSIDER WHAT IS BEST.

FACING FUNDING CHALLENGES Since 2008 raising finance poses a significant challenge for both distressed and established borrowers. Dealing with the holders of distressed loan portfolios is a challenge but is made easier by the fact that we are in regular contact with them and have experience with many of the senior people from previous roles. The disintegration of the Irish banking and funding market has seen a re-emergence of the market as a fragmented melange of alternative funders, pension companies, private equity and MiFID-regulated firms providing funds based on defined risk appetites. Often this means working with two or more of these to provide solutions to recovery, restructuring or growth-related requirements. DELIVERY Our team has a proven track record in delivering optimal and sometimes complex funding solutions to meet the requirements of borrowers. Our approach is to work closely with them at a very early stage and develop the solution on a bespoke basis, leveraging the business and assets and introducing risk mitigants. We have experience of the full range of funding solutions in the marketplace from senior debt to equity, mezzanine funding and assetbased lending. Our solutions often encompass in-depth reviews of a business at a strategic level and we prepare comprehensive business plans and financial models. As a top ten accountancy firm we take a holistic approach to proposals in this area and carefully consider what is best also in light of tax, legal and regulatory issues. There is no doubt but that with this type of approach it is possible for most businesses to achieve not just recovery but put in place the foundations to achieve growth going forward. Moore Stephens has offices in Dublin and Cork. Contact ned.murphy@moorestephens.ie or pearse.odonovan@moorestephens.ie for more information.

30/04/2019 17:14

CORK 2040

Taking things to the next level Invesco has grown from a team of four in 2007 in Cork to become a pension consultancy and private wealth management provider which will soon be employing 30 people.

John Lucey, Director, Invesco

stablished in Dublin in 1991 by current Managing Director Des McGarry, Invesco opened its Cork office in 2007 with four staff. In 2009 Invesco acquired Traders Financial Services and since then the business has steadily grown to a point where it now employs 17 staff in its offices at Lapps Quay in the City Centre. In February, Invesco reached agreement to acquire City Life Limited Cork, a leading Irish-owned financial consultancy. Subject to regulatory approval, this transaction is expected to close in the coming weeks. Invesco’s Cork office will then have a total staff of 30 with an annual turnover of over €6m. “As part of our growth ambitions we have been exploring options to bring the business to the next level as a leading independent consultancy. As a result of this process, in August 2018 Irish Life Group acquired a strategic shareholding in Invesco Limited. This is a very exciting development for us, and one which presents great opportunities for the business,” says John Lucey, Director, Invesco in Cork. “In Irish Life we now have a shareholder that understands the value of our independence and that will support our growth through access to resources, technology and expertise on a global scale.”

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As a local player specialising in employee benefit consultancy and private wealth management, Invesco is in a position to provide a proactive, fast service to its Munsterbased clients. “With the acquisition of City Life, our business in Cork is evenly split between pension consultancy and private wealth management. There are ongoing changes to the business in terms of both legislative and client needs and we are constantly reexamining our offering to stay ahead of our competitors in meeting these changing needs,” says Lucey. “Obviously technology will play a big part in how we grow and adapt and significant investment has been allocated to this. Our private wealth management business has become more focussed towards financial life planning. We use technology to prepare and continually adapt a financial plan for clients and advise them on achieving their financial goals as they transition from their working career through retirement and estate planning.” Invesco has a very young, dynamic staff who are very committed to the growth of the business, according to Lucey. “All staff would be in regular contact with our clients and therefore feel part of the business. We have very much a team-based

WITH THE ACQUISITION OF CITY LIFE, OUR BUSINESS IN CORK IS EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN PENSION CONSULTANCY AND PRIVATE WEALTH MANAGEMENT. approach. Our vision is ‘One Advisor For Life’ and everyone has a part to play in achieving this through building personal relationships with our clients and thereby gaining their trust,” he notes. Since Invesco opened its Cork office, Ireland has come through the global financial crisis, which resulted in the bailout and resulting austerity. “Thankfully we have come through this difficult period and in recent years we have seen the number of people in employment rise to record levels in Cork. There are still some challenges in the economy, particularly for retail and indigenous companies where Brexit and lack of available capital is preventing further growth,” says Lucey. “However, we believe that Cork is well placed to continue to grow as the biggest city outside of Dublin over the next 10-20 years. The amount of infrastructure work in progress and in planning will make Cork even more attractive for foreign direct investment in the future.”

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 17:13

CORK 2040

Tailor-made professional services

A Cork-based professional services firm has added an advisory arm in response to the growing needs of its clients and its philosophy of adding value.

ased in Cork for over 15 years, FitzGerald Solicitors changed its name in December 2018 to FitzGerald Legal & Advisory. It is a partnerled boutique professional services firm. The Advisory Practice is led by chartered accountant David Swinburne and the private, corporate and commercial practices are led by the other three partners – Sean O’Riordan, Sinead McNamara and Philip O’Leary – all of whom are solicitors offering bespoke legal advice.

Sean O’Riordan (solicitor), Sinead McNamara (solicitor), David Swinburne (chartered accountant) and Philip O’Leary (solicitor), FitzGerald Legal & Advisory

“The recent addition of the Advisory practice complements our desire to add value to our clients’ businesses. That is the core essence of the firm’s philosophy,” says O’Leary, who is Managing Partner of the firm. “The business world is constantly evolving which places greater focus on professional services firms to provide robust commercial solutions to the challenges and opportunities that businesses and private clients are faced with on a daily basis. Working together as one firm allows us to formulate tailor-made commercial solutions for our clients.” Fitzgerald Legal & Advisory is optimistic about the future of Cork City, County and the entire region. “The needs of our clients have increased over the past year in tandem with the recovering and changing economy,” says Swinburne. “It is incumbent on all of us in both the private and public sectors and across all industries and disciplines to continue to work together. Cork has the core ingredients to allow it to continue to prosper and establish itself as a strong alternative to Dublin in terms of commercial activity and investment.”

A boutique firm providing a broad range of bespoke legal and advisory services 6 Lapps Quay, Cork t: 021 427 9800 w: fitzsols.com

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WHY CLIENTS CHOOSE US Client Aligned We listen, challenge, adapt and only ever act in your best interests OUR LOCAL TEAM

EOIN RYAN Associate Director eoin.ryan@cushwake.ie

SEÁN HEALY Director sean.healy@cushwake.ie

SIOBHÁN YOUNG Surveyor siobhan.young@cushwake.ie

ELIZABETH O’BRIEN Head of Finance elizabeth.obrien@cushwake.ie

PETER O’FLYNN Managing Director peter.oflynn@cushwake.ie

STEVEN DENEHAN Surveyor steven.denehan@cushwake.ie

FRANK RYAN Director frank.ryan@cushwake.ie

SÉAMUS COSTELLO Senior Surveyor seamus.costello@cushwake.ie

PHILIP HORGAN Senior Surveyor philip.horgan@cushwake.ie

PSRA No. 002607

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CORK 2040

Georgian elegance The Montenotte Hotel underwent a major refurbishment in recent years and is ideally placed to serve national and international visitors into the future.

stately Georgian mansion originally home to a merchant prince of Cork, the Montenotte Hotel was entirely refurbished in 2016 to assume its rightful place as a leading boutique hotel in the heart of Cork city. The multi-million euro redevelopment completely transformed Cork’s fourth largest hotel into a superior 4-star, luxury destination for national and international visitors. Set on six acres with ample parking, the Montenotte Hotel is a popular

THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT CORK IS ON THE RISE. WITH THE POPULATION SET TO DOUBLE, A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT AS WELL AS INDIGENOUS GROWTH, THE MONTENOTTE HOTEL IS IDEALLY POSITIONED TO BE A HOME FROM HOME FOR THE CORPORATE GUEST.

choice for corporate meetings and events. The new conference area, complete with private cinema, highspeed broadband, meeting rooms and a number of dining options will provide both indigenous and multinational clients with some of the best facilities in the region. The addition of a magnificent 6-metre outdoor covered terrace provides one of the best views of Cork city and a perfect setting for the hotel’s new bar and restaurant, aptly named ‘Panorama Bistro and Terrace’. “There is no doubt that Cork is on the rise. With the population set to double, a significant increase in foreign direct investment as well as indigenous growth, the Montenotte Hotel is ideally positioned to be a home from home for the corporate guest,” says Brian Bowler, General Manager at the hotel. “As other hotels and chains develop in Cork, the Montenotte Hotel will always stay true to its unique positioning.”

STAY UNIQUE IN CORK CITY FACILITIES • • • • • • • • • • • •

Four star hotel Exquisitely decorated bedrooms Panorama Bistro & Terrace The Cameo In-House Cinema Motion Leisure Centre Free car parking Free Wi-Fi Bellevue Spa Apartments for short or long let Sunken Victorian Garden Roof Top Terrace Dedicated Meeting Rooms

LOCATION Overlooking Cork City with spectacular views of the River Lee and beyond. A ten minute walk from all the major attractions and amenities. A ten minute drive to Cork airport.

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CORK 2040

A team player in business

Legal firm J.W. O’Donovan has a long heritage in Cork City, where it continues to grow and contribute to the wider business landscape.

n 1931, newly-qualified solicitor James W. O’Donovan set up shop at No 53, South Mall, Cork. For the next 60 years he practised from the same address, continuing to come into the office until he was in his eighties. During this time, as well as serving as President of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland and acting as a leading figure in the arts and cultural life of Cork City, James W. saw his one-man operation develop into one of Cork’s leading commercial law firms.

The tradition of combining legal practice with cultural activities was continued by Charlie Hennessy, who was James W.’s apprentice before qualifying as a solicitor in 1954.

While practising law for the next 50 years he also served as Chairman of institutions such as Cork Opera House, Cork International Film Festival and the National College of Art and Design. “Despite these dalliances in the artistic world, the principal focus of J.W. O’Donovan has always been the provision of expert and practical advice to its clients, in particular its business clients. These range from some of Cork’s oldest family firms such as Johnson & Perrott Motor Group to international pharmaceutical companies such as Novartis which have chosen Cork as a base,” says managing partner Jerome O’Sullivan.

IT IS ONE OF THE ADVANTAGES OF A CITY OF CORK’S SIZE THAT CLOSE AND COMPLEMENTARY RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE FOSTERED WITH OTHER PROFESSIONALS SUCH AS ACCOUNTANTS, TAX CONSULTANTS, ENGINEERS AND ESTATE AGENTS. 80

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As Cork has grown as a city, the firm has advised many of its major property developers. When Bradley Brothers built large parts of Ballinlough, Douglas, Wilton and Ballincollig, J.W. O’Donovan were their solicitors. When Clayton Love Junior developed Douglas Village Shopping Centre, then only the second such shopping centre in the country, J.W. O’Donovan acted. Over the next 40 years, it continued to act for the Love family as they went on to develop Wilton, Douglas Court and Blackpool Shopping Centres. “We still act for all of these shopping centres to this day, as well as representing the developers of exciting new schemes in the city such as Horgan’s Quay,” notes O’Sullivan. “Our reputation for providing judicious and constructive advice has been recognised by financial institutions and public bodies and we count among our clients a number of banks, local authorities and Port of Cork Company.” As business has changed over the decades, the nature of legal practice has also changed. J.W O’Donovan recognises that today’s business clients need their lawyers to work with them in a collaborative way to achieve results. “Teamwork is paramount, and very often we work closely with a client’s other professional advisers,” explains O’Sullivan. “It is one of the advantages of a city of Cork’s size that close and complementary relationships can be fostered with other professionals such as accountants, tax consultants, engineers and estate agents. This facilitates a smooth interaction between the different disciplines for the benefit of mutual clients.” The growth of the firm since James W. O’Donovan put up his brass plate in 1931 has resulted in no small measure from the loyal support of the business community of Cork, according to O’Sullivan. “We strive to repay this loyalty by providing a first-class, responsive and solutionfocused service. We are proud to have contributed, together with our clients, to the business life of Cork as it has matured into the vibrant, progressive city that we know today,” he says.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

30/04/2019 17:13

CORK 2040

A front-runner in back office Irish-owned business process management company Abtran started out in Cork 22 years ago and it continues to be its most important location.

mploying nearly 2,000 people across Ireland, business process management company Abtran’s biggest operation is in Cork, where it was established in 1997 with a small team of ten. Over the years, Abtran has grown from its Cork base to have clients in highly-regulated sectors including energy, water, utilities, financial services and Government. It designs, implements and delivers end-toend service solutions, which are flexible, scalable, compliant and focused on delivering a great customer experience. Technology has been the main catalyst to employee roles evolving at Abtran, which has a big focus on developing and creating teams outside of front office roles. It prides itself on being a business process management centre through different back office functions, which use technology such as social media and Webchat to help create an omnichannel service for Abtran customers. Abtran is often approached by companies whose primary driver is to reduce costs within their business. However, it always advises clients that cost reduction shouldn’t be their only focus. The primary driver for outsourcing back office and customer service functions should be the freedom and flexibility this gives the rest of the business, alongside the delivery of operational excellence, according to Abtran. Adapting to changing customer needs, Abtran works with its clients to map the end-to-end customer process from a people, process and technology perspective. This has made it easier to determine if changes need to be applied across the customer journey process as a whole. Then Abtran tests those changes in a secure and controlled way to ensure they’re focused on the customer and are service-ready.

my gift to the world Together, we can continue to create a future that is fair for everyone. And make a world without poverty our legacy. For more information contact OXFAM Ireland Tel: (01) 672 7662 Email: friends@oxfamireland.org Oxfam Ireland is a member of Oxfam International, a world-wide development organisation that mobilises the power of people against poverty. Charitable co. limited by guarantee. Reg. No. 284292, CHY5988

www.oxfamireland.org/legacy

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE

InCONFERENCE

atever impact it is you’re trying to create at your conference, it will be the venue that leaves a lasting impression h – good or bad. There are great venues spread right across Ireland from which you can choose, but make sure you set aside enough time to ensure you have chosen the one that represents you as an host, not to mention the needs of your clients! Read on to find out about some of Ireland’s best conferencing venues and discover tips, tricks, best practice and new innovations and ideas for meetings, events and conferences of all shapes and sizes.

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ABSOLUTE HOTEL LIMERICK OFFERS TOP CLASS CITY CONFERENCE SPACE A finalist of the Limerick Chamber Business Awards 2018 - Best Retail & Hospitality Business Award and overall winner of Best Business Hotel at the 2017 Gold Medal Awards, The Absolute Hotel Limerick is fully equipped to host meetings, conferences and special events in Limerick city. Just a 20 minute drive from Shannon international airport and easily accessible by car or train, from Dublin, Galway or Cork. All meeting, conference or event rooms are fully equipped with built-in audio and visual equipment with free fast Wifi and floor to ceiling windows providing natural daylight. Each meeting will have a dedicated duty manager on the day which will help ensure everything runs seamlessly. Other perks include complimentary limited onsite parking, onsite maintenance and a dedicated breakout area. For more information visit www.absolutehotel.com, contact 061 463610, or email events@absolutehotel.com.

AN EVENT TO REMEMBER AT LOUGH ESKE CASTLE Ranking among the most prestigious hotels in Ireland, Lough Eske Castle Hotel is an impressive setting for your next meeting or conference. The 5-star hotel features custom built conference facilities, an abundance of natural daylight, contemporary comforts, study rooms, and cuttingedge technology. Whether you are hosting a board meeting, executive round-table event, or corporate retreat, we have the facilities and capabilities to provide you with the perfect setting, making this an occasion your clients will never forget. Our professional conference and meeting team will ensure a seamless event throughout and work with you to advise on and implement your room requirements so that everything is in place when your team or delegates arrive. Event organisers also have the option to book exclusive use of Lough Eske Castle Hotel including our 97 guest rooms, swimming pool and fitness centre as well as all meeting facilities. For more information visit www.lougheskecastlehotel.com, contact Sinead McGowan at +353 74 97 43130 or email sinead.mcgowan@lougheskecastlehotel.com.

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE

EFFICIENCY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS AT CASTLEMARTYR RESORT At Castlemartyr Resort, our conference facilities include excellent, equipped meeting spaces fitted with the latest technology and elegance. Our meeting rooms include three executive boardrooms accommodating up to 20 delegates. The Kitha room is suited to private dining for up to 80 persons while the Capel suite is ideal for larger meeting or events with the capacity to accommodate up to 220 delegates. All rooms enjoy natural daylight and feature blackout facilities. Other features and services include, complimentary Wifi throughout the hotel, built-in AV and high-spec facilities, bespoke refreshment breaks, private dining and breakout space, and unique team building activities. For more information visit www.castlemartyresort.ie, contact 021 421 9000, or email sales@castlemartyrresort.ie.

ANNEBROOK HOUSE HOTEL - TAILORED EVENT PACKAGES IN THE HEART OF MULLINGAR The Annebrook House Hotel offers facilities to cater for up to 200 delegates with tailored packages to suit most business requirements. Using the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s state-of-the-art equipment, our dedicated teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s knowledge and assurance of personal service at all times, we can guarantee an efficient and successful meeting or event. All six of our state-of-the-art conference rooms include free Wifi, built-in LCD audio-visual equipment, a flip-chart pad and markers, writing equipment per delegate and a water station. The rooms are individually climate controlled and the majority enjoy natural light. Delegates enjoy complimentary parking and discounted rates. For more information visit www.annebrook.ie, contact 044 935 3300, or email us at sales@annebrook.ie.

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE

THE HERITAGE LOOKS TO BRIGHT NEW FUTURE FBD Hotels and Resorts is eyeing further growth after acquiring the Heritage Hotel and Spa in Co Laois for approximately a9m earlier this year. “We are delighted with the acquisition of the hotel to the portfolio,” Andrew Kavanagh, the recently appointed Group Sales & Marketing Manager at FBD Hotels and Resorts, told InBUSINESS. “Our CEO, David Kelly, and the board of FBD Hotels & Resorts purchased the hotel based on the huge potential the property has to offer. It was built to a high-spec and the feeling was that the hotel should be achieving much higher levels of revenue and profitability with the right support and structure put in place.” The company said the acquisition is part of its plan to grow its portfolio of luxury four and five star hotels and resorts. “I think the group is always looking at opportunities to grow where they see an appropriate proposition and their recent record supports this,” said Kavanagh. Presently the 98-bedroom Heritage Hotel, under the stewardship of new General Manager, Ger Alley, has approximately 150 full-time and part-time staff. The plan is to transform the hotel into a leading venue for conferences, leisure spa breaks and weddings. “This will require a lot of work in the coming months involving some refurbishment work, but also a change in some of the business processes, and within my sphere of influence developing the sales and marketing function,” admits Kavanagh. “The hotel has had very little marketing support in recent years, so we need to get the name back out there and I’m looking forward to helping implement that in the coming months, working with local business bodies as well as the local people who have a shared ambition for the success of the hotel.” Refurbishment work has already begun with the Slieve Bloom Bar already completed while work has already started on the main function room. “The forward bookings are improving fast and we’re confident that some of the actions taken already will have an impact on booking levels in the coming months, with a dramatic improvement envisaged in the coming three years,” concluded Kavanagh.

Visit www.theheritage.com for more information. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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THE HORSE AND JOCKEY - WHERE CONVENIENCE IS KEY Conveniently located midway between the cities of Cork and Dublin, and just one and a half hoursâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drive from all major cities in Ireland, the Horse & Jockey is ideally suited for businesses that require a central location for hosting conferences, seminars, training days or AGMs. Exceptional service, state-of-the-art technology, 10 dedicated conference rooms and superb facilities create a unique conference and business environment. The hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delegate package caters for 20 delegates or more with meals and refreshments throughout the day and the option of adding overnight accommodation. For more information visit www.horseandjockeyhotel.com, contact 0504 44192 or email our dedicated conference co-ordinator caroline@horseandjockeyhotel.com.

FIRST CLASS FACILITIES AT CASTLE DARGAN ESTATE From private meetings to conferences and fine dining, our experienced team will take care of every single detail. With fully equipped and catered suites and meeting rooms for business events of every size, you can rest assured that we will look after your every need. For a truly special touch, the Castle Dargan House Board Room is a luxurious private meeting room with a beautiful antique table seating up to 12 delegates. Our first class business facilities combined with luxury accommodation, golf resort and wellness retreat will create a lasting impression on your delegates. For more information visit www.castledargan.com, contact 071 911 8080, or email us at info@castledargan.com.

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE

WE TAILOR PACKAGES TO SUIT CLIENTS SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS AND OFFER ADDED VALUE WITH OUR ‘PICK A PERK’ CONFERENCE OFFER.

CORPORATE CLASS AT CASTLEKNOCK HOTEL With this summer expected to be a bumper one for Dublin hotels, the four-star Castleknock Hotel is aiming to stay ahead of the pack with its market-leading conference and corporate offering. The hotel is currently carrying out a 500k refurbishment of all of its meeting room facilities. This will include new décor, lighting and furniture which all enjoy 500mb Wi-Fi. “It is extremely important our facilities are designed to ensure our corporate market is catered for to the highest possible standard,” Anne Marie Hayes, Director of Sales & Marketing, told InBUSINESS. This latest refurbishment follows the hotel’s 7.5m development which opened last year and includes 52 additional bedrooms, increasing capacity from 138 rooms to 190, a lavish spa and two new restaurants. “We can now cater for larger residential conferences with the additional bedrooms” added Ms Hayes. The hotel’s 15 conference rooms all enjoy natural light, air-conditioning and modern AV equipment, with a capacity for up to 450 delegates. “Due to our close proximity to Dublin airport and the city centre, we are seeing substantial growth from overseas delegates,” Ms Hayes added. In what is a highly competitive market, Castleknock Hotel prides itself on giving the guest a unique and memorable experience. “We tailor packages to suit clients specific requirements and offer added value with our ‘pick a perk’ conference offer. We have our ‘Thinking Factory’ (pictured), which is a unique conference concept with state-ofthe-art technology and is designed to take the every day stresses out of client’s typical office routine. It’s perfect for brainstorming groups, product launches and strategic meetings.” Visit www.castleknockhotel.com for more information or email events@castleknockhotel.ie Tel : 01 640 6300.

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE

Event Goodies

Ideas for event goody bags that attendees might actually want!

One of the easiest ways of providing your attendees with lasting mementos of an event is a goody bag. Often these can be relatively standard – branded items like pens, USBs, t-shirts and so on. But, in order to make a lasting impression, you need to get a little more creative. SMARTPHONE ACCESSORIES Most, if not all, of your attendees will own a smart device. So why not take that into account? Given that people will spend quite a bit of time on their phone, taking pictures and videos, tweeting or checking emails etc., provide a portable power bank so they don’t have to compromise on their phone usage! It could also be something that they use on a regular basis rather than simply tossing it in the trash. Just make sure they are pre-charged. You could also consider a smartphone screen magnifier, a nifty little device that projects a smartphone’s display onto a larger screen, making it easier to watch videos. It’s the perfect gift for attendees travelling to your event, particularly over long distances. Screen magnifiers are cheap and can be used with any smartphone.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS • Earphones in a branded case • Umbrellas • Seasonal items • Unique food items • Sturdy coffee mugs/ flasks

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NOSTALGIA TRIPS Part of the attraction behind goody bags is a sense of nostalgia – some of us might remember departing a friend’s birthday party clutching a small plastic bag filled with sweets or small toys. So why not try and rekindle that childhood joy? Adult colouring books might sound a little suspect but they’ve proven a big hit over the last year or two, offering a chance to relax and de-stress. Sweets can also be well-received – make sure you cater the confectionery to your age demographic and consider including retro sweets or locally produced products that won’t expire too soon. GO DIGITAL Sometimes, carrying around a physical bag can be a little awkward. A virtual goody bag eliminates any such issues – you could email each attendee a variety of freebies or gift codes for certain websites, books, apps, etc.

EXPERIENCE LOCAL LIFE Offering an experience rather than an item in your goody bag can make much more of an impression, particularly if you’re in a large city. You could include a voucher for a local attraction like a tourist site, an amusement park or a bus tour. Downtime is important too! THE GREEN ROAD As companies and individuals increasingly endeavour to live more sustainable lives as we recognise the need to become environmentally conscious, taking an environmentally friendly approach to your goody bag can be good for your image. Ensure the bag itself is recyclable and reusable, as well as the items inside. You could also include a miniature grow-your-own plant kit to encourage your environmentally friendly image and ensure your event springs to mind every time they water it.

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ACADEMIC Academic conferences offer an opportunity for researchers to come together to discuss their work and provide an important arena for exchange of information within a particular field.

CONFERENCING BONDING Team bonding exercises and events are a great way of getting colleagues together to boost morale and encourage greater teamwork and collaboration. CORPORATE Corporate events comprise anything from staff functions to product launches to training and development courses to industry networking events. EMERGENCY FUNDS When you’re putting your budget together, it’s always a good idea to allow around 10% for those inevitable last-minute purchases – what can go wrong will go wrong!

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DATE Once you’ve chosen a date for your event, do a quick search to ensure you’re not clashing with other major conferences, music or sporting events, as you may lose potential delegates or face transportation/ accommodation disruption.

FOOD It’s always a good idea to sample the cuisine available at your chosen venue before the event date. If the standard isn’t satisfactory, you can always hire in your own caterers.

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The Premier Meeting Destination People have been meeting at the Horse & Jockey for over 250 years. Much has changed in that time and we at the Horse & Jockey have grown and developed into one of Ireland's leading conference venues. Just 500 metres off the M8 motorway we are accessible to the whole of Ireland and provide the ideal meeting space for everything from small interviews to large AGM's. The in house bakeries, top notch food & Co Tipperary hospitality are the icing on the cake.

Our Conference Rooms

Benefits:

• Located Just 1.5 Hours From All Major Irish Cities

• 500 Metre From M8 Motorway • Complimentary Parking • 11 Dedicated Conference Spaces • Large Flexible Break Out Spaces

• Rooms Equipped With State Of The Art Built In Technology

• Award Winning In-house Bakery & Dining • Dedicated Conference Co-ordinator • In-house Spa, Hair & Leisure Facilities • Derrynaflan Theatre - holds up to 200 delegates in a tiered theatre.

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE HEATING If you are using a venue that is used primarily for events and is not occupied every day, ensure the heating is on in advance of your event so that the temperature on the day is comfortable. Air conditioning is equally important particularly if you are expecting large numbers.

GIFTS We all like freebies – even if it’s just a branded pen or USB memory drive. If your budget allows for it, keep an eye out for something useful for your delegates to bring home and use in future.

INCLUSIVITY It’s important to ensure your guests feel equally represented and included in your event, whether that’s through your choice of speakers or subject matters and activities. When choosing a venue, it’s important to make sure that it is fully accessible to all, including those with physical disabilities.

JOURNEYS Transportation is a key concern for many delegates, particularly those travelling from abroad. Whether it’s buses, taxis or ﬂights, make sure you’ve got everything organised on their behalf.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER The right keynote speaker can set the tone for your event and, if they’re well known, could increase your attendance figures.

MARKETING There’s no point in holding an event if you can’t get the word out! Create an event website and make use of social media pages. Don’t forget to keep in touch with the media, particularly national newspapers, which can be quite useful in promoting your event, both before and after.

LATECOMERS When it comes to timing, make sure the conference is running slightly behind the official schedule in case of any unexpected delays.

ONLINE REGISTRATION If guests can register online, it will give you, as the organiser, a much clearer idea of how many attendees to expect, as well as any specific needs they might have. It will also reduce the amount of queueing time, something everybody appreciates!

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NAME TAGS Particularly when your conference is quite big, it’s likely that most people won’t know everyone in attendance. Providing name tags is a great way around this and allows delegates to introduce themselves and to identify staff members if they have any issues.

PHOTOGRAPHY Having a professional photographer at your event is a must-have. It allows you to provide high-resolution images for members of the media, as well as a great-looking gallery for your website or promotional brochures.

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BLUE SKY THINKING AT SEAFIELD HOTEL WE PROVIDE A NUMBER OF BESPOKE MEETING ROOMS. AN EXPERIENCED TEAM AWAITS, DEDICATED TO ENSURING THAT ALL YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS ARE CATERED FOR, TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS, WHATEVER YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

SET ON 160 ACRES OF LUSH PARKLAND, SEAFIELD IS LOCATED LESS THAN AN HOUR FROM SOUTH DUBLIN ON THE SANDS OF BALLYMONEY SHORE.

T: 0 53 94 24000

SEAFIELD HOTEL & SPA RESORT BALLYMONEY, GOREY, CO. WEXFORD E: SALES@SEAFIELDHOTEL.COM W: WWW.SEAFIELDHOTEL.COM

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE

QUESTIONS Giving guests the opportunity to ask questions at the end of the conference promotes conversation and discussion which will hopefully continue after the event itself. TECHNOLOGY Most event venues will have all necessary equipment and technology on hand, from highspeed WiFi to AV requirements. Be sure to double-check this with your venue as soon as possible. REVIEW If your conference is an annual event, always review how it went and seek feedback through surveys and questionnaires to ensure you are improving every year and meeting attendees needs and expectations.

SOCIAL MEDIA Social media is an important tool for spreading the word about your event and updating delegates on the programme, speaker and other details.

VERIFY Ensure that you have double checked all of your arrangements. It’s a great idea to make lists – and check them twice – to make sure that all of your requirements have been fulfilled.

X MARKS THE SPOT If you’re in a large venue, things can get confusing, especially if there’s a large number of stalls and information stands. Position venue maps at key locations, and ensure recognisable staff members are on hand to answer any navigational queries. YAWN Organising an event can be quite the ordeal, but try not to make it a tiresome occasion for your delegates. Ensure that you have allocated plenty of time to relax between events and talks, and allow yourself a few moments to catch your breath! 94

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USEFUL INFORMATION Distribute a fact sheet to all delegates on the first day of your conference with all essential information. There should also be an information desk.

WELCOME Welcomes always leave lasting impressions, so be sure that all of your delegates are taken care of from the moment they arrive. Have a reliable member of staff on the help desk, and organise a space where coats, bags and luggage can be left.

ZONES If you are hosting a conference or event with multiple different elements (talks, networking opportunities, demonstrations and stalls), split your venue into zones so that attendees know exactly where to go and can therefore navigate the venue easily and make the most of their time.

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MAKE YOUR NEXT BUSINESS MEETING MEMORABLE

CONTACT OUR DEDICATED EVENTS TEAM: T: +353 1 6816563 E: events@dunboynecastlehotel.com 247349_2L_Dunboyne Castle_JM_Chambers 12.01_V3.indd 1

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PRICE PER DELEGATE

¤39

Ireland’s Premier Meeting and Conference Venue Included in your rate is: • Meeting room hire • Writing materials/Mints and Mineral water • Tea Coffee and Mini Danish pastries • Self-service gourmet Buffet Lunch • Tea Coffee and Cookies in the afternoon

At Citywest Hotel we offer: • Dedicated Account Manager

2019 Green Awards Finalist

• Complimentary High speed WIFI

Call Our Sales Team Now

01 401 0578

events@citywesthotel.com

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Day Delegate Packages From €35 per delegate with favourable B&B rates available

4**** Country Village

• High-Quality Audio-visual equipment

citywesthotel.com

BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, Located just 1 hour from Dublin. The perfect location for your conference, management think tank or corporate event

T: 0402 36444 | E: info@brooklodge.com | W: www.brooklodge.com BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, County Wicklow

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InCONFERENCE GUIDE

Spread the Word How to successfully market your conference. In order to develop a successful conference marketing strategy, organisers should begin by looking at the conference objectives. What do you want to achieve? How will you benchmark or measure your achievement? Are you attempting too much? Do you have sufficient resources? What is the timeline for achieving your objective? Ideally, conference organisers need to allocate six months to market a conference. Follow these steps to ensure optimal execution.

IDENTIFY OBJECTIVES Begin drafting your conference marketing plan by refining your objectives. Refer to your initial objective – what did you plan to achieve? A typical conference objective might be to raise awareness among delegates and position the company as a market leader. Working from this, you can develop more specific conference objectives (e.g. gain 50 new members). Conference objectives are essential for guiding the development of the marketing plan. Marketing strategies vary by sector, size and specification and, while there isn’t a specific formula for success, a key rule to remember is to keep all communications personal and relevant and use your marketing plan in order to stay on track.

INCENTIVISE Grab attention by highlighting the benefits of attending your conference. A simple ‘P.S. don’t forget to register in time to receive a discount on your conference registration fee,’ is an effective way to get the call to action across. Bespoke mailing geared towards a specific audience will get your message through effectively. If delegates who have previously attended the conference will be targeted, personalise their email by saying, “We will hope to see you again this year!”

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TARGET AUDIENCE Once you have highlighted your objectives, it’s time to identify your target audience. Once you have established a viable target audience, begin splitting this large group into bite-sized pieces, brainstorming marketing avenues to reach each segment. You may initially establish that you are targeting ‘bankers’, which can be broken down into CEOs, directors, managers, etc. Segmenting by sector makes your audience more specific, i.e. investment bankers, futures traders, venture capitalists and so on. Marketing efforts can then be tailored to fit these smaller audiences. Though it may seem like a daunting task, the return on investment is significantly higher when marketing efforts are communicated in a personal and relevant way as opposed to a generalised mass mailing.

CONNECT WITH ATTENDEES Once attendees have registered to attend your conference, keep in touch via email, mail or telephone with regular updates, including venue information, session topics and speakers’ names as well as a countdown to the event itself. If an email bounces, pick up the phone!

MAKE A PLAN Drawing on your target audience research, develop a marketing strapline to get attention. Build up lists for your marketing efforts. Consider websites, industry publications, internet directories, industryrelated annual reports, trade associations, literature from competing events, press releases and newspapers. Launch an email campaign covering the basics (the conference date, time, location and objectives) and use the event strapline.

REGULAR PROMOTION Regular promotion is key to incite excitement and anticipation amongst attendees. Set up a conference website that is easily navigated with a high level of consistency to attract a high level of readership. Promote your website online through search engine optimisation and ofﬂine in your promotional materials. In the lead up to the event, distribute a conference brochure detailing a full schedule of the event. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Sligo IT to receive 13.4m investment as part of Project Ireland 2040.

ULSTER

Skibereeen retailers awarded funding as part of online retail scheme.

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Two home energy saving kits available to borrow from Kilkenny library thanks to Kilkenny County Council.

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Bray Town Centre

FUNDING FOR TYNDALL

New 25,000 square metre town centre expected to open in spring 2020.

INNOVATION AWARD

DONEGAL CONNECT

In Association with

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[ COUNTY WICKLOW ]

NEW TOWN CENTRE FOR BRAY UNDERWAY Plans have been unveiled for a new 25,000 square metre town centre in Bray which is due to open in spring 2020. Construction has now begun on the new Bray Town Centre on the former Florentine Centre site following several failed attempts at securing planning permission in the past. The three-storey development will comprise space for three anchor tenants – one of which is reserved – in addition to nine individual retail units and restaurant/café space and 250 car parking spaces. The plans also incorporate the development of a new urban street – accessed from Bray Main Street – and a central plaza with pedestrian access from Quinsborough Road. Letting agent Savills has already confirmed a pre-let agreement with Press Up Group. This agreement will see the arrival of a five-screen Stella cinema, an exciting new leisure concept and the Elephant & Castle restaurant. The site is owned by Wicklow County Council, which appointed property company Oakmount to develop it in March 2018. The aim of the project is to provide a town centre for the citizens of Bray, in addition to regenerating the location itself.

920 LAST YEAR, WEXFORD COUNTY COUNCIL DELIVERED 920 HOUSING UNITS UNDER THE 2018 HOUSING CAPITAL PROGRAMME. ACCORDING TO FIGURES BY THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THE COUNCIL EXCEEDED ITS TARGET BY 293 UNITS, ALMOST A 50% INCREASE IN EXPECTED OUTPUT.

Thanks to waste prevention funding, Kilkenny County Council has made two home energy saving kits available to borrow through the Kilkenny Library service. Members can borrow the kits for a maximum of two weeks with the aim of identifying problems across three main areas – space heating, hot water and electricity consumption – in order to save energy in the home.

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN BUSINESS NEWS: MUNSTER

Eleven retailers in Skibbereen, Co Cork have been awarded funding as part of an online retail scheme, launched by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation in 2018. The aim of the scheme is to aid regional Irish SMEs in building up their customer base both on- and ofﬂine, on a regional and international level.

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[ COUNTY CORK ]

Tyndall secures 4m funding for smart heart biosensors Tyndall National Institute has secured e4m in investment funding to develop a new digital heart monitoring patch called ‘SmartVista’, signalling a new era in digital health. The device is designed to monitor and wirelessly record a seamless feed of patients’ cardiovascular data, focusing on heart rhythm, respiration, temperature and oxygen ﬂow. The SmartVista will be powered by body energy using thermoelectric extracting and printable battery systems to source and store energy. Tyndall CEO Prof William Scanlon states: “This is game-changing technology in the digital health sector. Powered by body heat, the ‘SmartVista’ patch will enable patients to live normal lives away from hospital or clinical environments, and yet be fully monitored in real time.” As lead partner, Tyndall National Institute will work with international partners to develop the wearable biosensor technology. SmartVista project lead, Tyndall’s Dr Kafil M Razeeb, adds: “The latest nano and energy research from partners across the EU will combine at Tyndall National Institute. This multimillion euro investment will be strategically deployed to deliver a new digital health patch application which will have global applicability.” Dr Kafil M Razeeb, Tyndall National Institute and Lead for SmartVista, at the announcement of e4m in funding to develop a wearable, wireless biosensor for cardiac monitoring patch.

Colm Cussen from ABS Engineering Control Systems was named Entrepreneur of the Year at the Limerick final of the National Enterprise Awards. Cussen and ABS Engineering will now represent Limerick at the National Enterprise Awards on 29 May, 2019 in the Mansion House in Dublin.

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[ COUNTY GALWAY ]

JOULICA ANNOUNCE 45 NEW JOBS IN GALWAY Joulica has announced plans to create 45 new jobs in Galway over the next three years, increasing its workforce from 25 to 70. The technology start-up was founded in 2016, with expertise in the customer experience domain, real-time analytics and cloud-native software development. The company’s expansion plans form part of Joulica’s growth strategy, which will help to promote Galway’s prominent position as a leading location for Ireland’s ICT sector. These jobs will be aimed at highly skilled workers who can help Joulica to expand. It is seeking experts in software, data analytics and business development in order to help the company with new product development opportunities in the US and Europe. The announcement was made in early February at Joulica’s headquarters at National University of Ireland, Galway by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD, together with Joulica CEO Tony McCormack and Mark Christal, Regional Entrepreneurship Manager at Enterprise Ireland. The development is supported by the Government through Enterprise Ireland’s Research, Development and Innovation Fund.

13.7M

Institute of Technology (IT) Sligo will receive a e13.7m investment as part of Project Ireland 2040. The funding will facilitate the consolidation on campus of the recently established Yeats Academy of Arts, Design and Architecture and form a North-Campus Creative Hub at IT Sligo.

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Mayo man Alan Heaney and his business partner Niall McGauran of Efficient Farm Solutions Ltd recently won the Innovation Award at the Westmeath Enterprise Awards which took place in the Annebrook House Hotel in Mullingar in early March.

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LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN BUSINESS NEWS: ULSTER

Pictured at the launch of Donegal Connect is Mairead Ní Mhaonaigh, Micheál O’Duibhir, Niamh Walsh, Garry Martin, Donegal County Council; Marie McDaid, IDA Ireland, Deirdre McGlone, Harvey’s Point, David Roche, Pramerica and former Ireland goalkeeper Packie Bonner. Donegal Connect is a 10-day celebration taking place this autumn encouraging Donegal people all over the world to return home for the celebration.

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EMCA has announced plans to recruit 42 new team members in Cootehill, Co Cavan over the next three years. The automation company is seeking highly skilled workers in software, design and the electrical field to support its expansion plans.

[ COUNTY MONAGHAN ]

Monaghan selected for new Advanced Technology Building

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A recent announcement by Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation Heather Humphreys TD, revealed that IDA Ireland has chosen Monaghan as the location for its new Advanced Technology Building (ATB). A design team has been selected and a preliminary site at Monaghan Business & Technology Park, Knockaconny has been chosen, subject to planning permission. This development is part of IDA Ireland’s Regional Property Programme (RPP). The government funded programme is part of IDA Ireland’s strategy, Winning FDI 2015-2019, to create property solutions in regional areas. As part of its regional focus IDA Ireland is investing e150m over five years. Advance buildings have so far been constructed, completed and occupied in Athlone, Waterford, Sligo, Tralee and Castlebar, resulting in an estimated 700 new jobs. Currently, the programme is responsible for several buildings under construction in Dundalk, Limerick, Galway and Waterford, which are all due to be completed within the year. The latest phase of the programme, which includes the Monaghan location, will see construction and development in Louth, Carlow, Sligo, Westmeath, Limerick, Waterford and Galway.

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The Social Scene If you have an idea or project that solves a problem in Irish society, Social Innovation Fund Ireland is here to help.

t is hard to deny the enthusiasm that is regularly generated among civic-minded businesses and communities, especially in what seems to be an era of improved corporate social responsibility. The Social Enterprise Development Fund is a €1.6m Government-backed fund being delivered between 2018 and 2020, which was created by Social Innovation Fund Ireland (SIFI) in partnership with Local Authorities Ireland, and funded by IPB Insurance and the Department of Rural and Community Development. The Department of Rural and Community Development provides match funding for all philanthropic funds raised by SIFI, while IPB Insurance is an Irish-owned general insurance

George Jones Chairman IPB Insurance with Helene Hugel, Emma Morgan and Anna McArthy of Helium Arts with Sean Canney T.D, Minister of State for Community Development, Natural Resources and Digital Development and Deirdre Mortell, CEO Social Innovation Fund Ireland

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company which protects and supports its local authority members and their communities across Ireland. This year once again social enterprises have a chance to win cash grant amounts ranging from €10,000 up to €50,000. Sixteen successful applicants will each win a cash investment and a place on Ireland’s only National Accelerator Programme for social enterprises. The Accelerator Programme provides training from best-in-class experts across the private, non-profit and public sectors and is designed to help social enterprises to expand their business skills and deepen their impact within their communities. It will also include an Accelerator Fund, whereby each participant will have an opportunity to pitch for a share of an additional €100,000 in funding on completion of the six-month programme. This year, there were 200 applications for funding, which represented an 81% improvement on 2018. Currently, 30 social enterprises are shortlisted for funding, with interviews ongoing. The 2019 winners will be announced in June. One of the winners of funding from last year was also a winner at the recent All Ireland Community and Council Awards, presented by IPB Insurance and LAMA. That business was MyMind. AFFORDABLE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES MyMind works to ensure that everyone in the country has quick and easy access to affordable mental health services. The team address the issue of unequal access to mental health support by operation through self-referral and ensuring that appointments with accredited councillors occur with 72 hours. Its CEO and founder, Krystian Fikert, set up MyMind in 2006 to provide affordable and accessible mental health services within the community. Since 2006, MyMind has provided more than 100,000 appointments to clients from all

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over the world, and by the end of 2018, had provided 20,500 appointments to those who need this support, and in more than 15 different languages. “I always wanted to bring easy and quick access to mental health for everyone, make the process very easy and short in waiting time,” Fikert (pictured second left) tells InBUSINESS, adding that it is about attracting clients in the early stages of their mental health difficulties. “Clients who present at the early stages of stress, depression and anxiety require a much lower.number of counselling/ psychotherapy sessions to rebuild coping skills.” According to Fikert, everyone in Ireland should be able to afford access to mental health services. “Social enterprises are crucial for every country in the world to take seriously. Social enterprise puts the social mission at the core of the business operation. Revenue generation is important to exist and grow, but should not be compromising quality of the services.” MyMind in Ireland currently has a small team of six professionals managing all aspects of the operations, including the provision of over 2,500 appointments every month, with a clinical team of thee managing all clinical enquiries. Fikert believes that the Social Innovation Fund is extremely important for social enterprises in this country - including his own - as SIFI is the only organisation providing funding for growth and scaling up. “That’s extremely crucial for the sustainability of social enterprises. The Social Innovation Fund offers access to the Accelerator Programme enabling leaders to excel and learn new skills but also build a network of knowledge exchange between other leaders from many sectors in Irish business.” “The Social Innovation Fund in 2018 enabled us to open a new service in Dublin 8 and that new location became self-sustainable within two months.” Fikert concluded that in the next couple of years he hopes to see MyMind growing its networks of members across all counties in Ireland. “Our goal is to have 120 MyMind Members by 2022, which means mental health professionals (counsellors, psychotherapists, psychologists) providing services from their private practice ‘four to five per county by 2022’.

InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Courtney Sheehy of Food Share, Kerry with Krystian Fikert of MyMind, Dublin, Helene Hugel of Helium Arts, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath and Thomas McCabe, Siel Bleu Ireland, Dublin

LIST OF MYMIND'S AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

Deirdre Mortell CEO, Social Innovation Fund Ireland with Dean Kearns aged 7 from Naas Co. Kildare and George Jones Chairman IPB Insurance

Minister of State for Equality, Immigration and Integration, David Stanton, TD, James Lyons with Mary MacSweeney of Dublin City Council, Krystian Fikert of MyMind, Deirdre Mortell CEO Social Innovation Fund of Ireland Georgre Jones, Chairman IPB Insurance

Terence O’Rourke, Social Innovation Fund Ireland chair, Deirdre Mortell, CEO Social Innovation Fund Ireland and Sean Canney T.D, Minister of State for Community Development, Natural Resources and Digital Development

• All Ireland Community & Council Awards – Best Social Enterprise of the Year 2019 • Social Enterprise Development Fund Awardee 2018 • European Business Awards Social Enterprise Category 2017 • Ireland Business Awards Social Enterprise Category 2017 • Eir Elevation Awards Social Enterprise Category 2016 • GSK Ireland IMPACT Awards 2015 • Ireland Funds Flagship Investment Awardee 2015-16 • Social Entrepreneurs Ireland – Impact Award 2013 • Arthur Guinness Award 2012 • Ashoka Fellow 2011 • Social Entrepreneurs Ireland – Elevator Programme Award 2011 • Captain Cathal Ryan Scholarship – 2010 • Social Entrepreneur category of the David Manley Awards – 2009 • Social Entrepreneurs Ireland – Award 2009

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Informing you about the work of local authorities in supporting the business needs of their community... To tell us what your local council is doing for business email sinead.moore@ashvillemediagroup.com

In Association with

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45 MAGAZINE TITLES ▲ 10 EVENTS ▲ 3.6 MILLION REACH

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Pat McDonagh, Owner Supermac’s, Trócaire Supporter.

“ my business has helped children children go go to to

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Find out what your business can do by partnering with Trócaire: Please contact us on 00 353 1 629 3333 or visit trocaire.org Trócaire Head Office, Maynooth, Co. Kildare, Ireland Irish Charity No. CHY 5883

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ONE TO WATCH

Delivering on their promise DHL Express Sales Director Janet Cox on leadership, teamwork and staying ahead of the competition.

Q. You have 20 + years of experience – can you give us some details on the experience and expertise that has brought you to where you are today?

A. I began my DHL journey in 1996 and in my early years worked in Credit Control and Customer Services before joining the Sales team in 2000. I’m proud of the fact that I have worked my way through the Sales organisation from my ﬁrst role as a Telesales Executive, to Field Sales, before taking on Field Sales Management and then the Sales Director role since the beginning of 2018. Following our restructure in 2009, the sales team played a central role in the successful turnaround of the DHL Express business in Ireland. As a team we emerged stronger and as manager it enabled me to demonstrate that I had the capability to lead the team to success. Q. What are your duties and responsibilities as Sales Director?

A. The top priority for me is to ensure that as a sales team we deliver our revenue target. In order

to achieve this, I need to manage my team in such a way that we maintain, develop and grow our existing customer base while also selling the DHL service to brand new customers. It is essential that we maintain our position as market leader for the Express industry in Ireland. To achieve this, we must maintain a continuous improvement mindset to stay ahead of our competition – as I say to my team, ‘standing still is going backwards’!

Q. How is DHL positioned in the current economic climate, and what is your role in improving it?

A. Brexit aside, Ireland’s economy is in a good place and in DHL we are growing consistent with that. We recognised early the impact that eCommerce would have on the logistics industry and we have embraced the opportunity this brings. Life sciences is another area where we are leading the pack and in collaboration with our sister company DHL Supply Chain, we are able to offer bespoke customer solutions which are highly efﬁcient, with high quality shipping options.

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Q. What are your ambitions for DHL?

A. My aim for DHL is to maintain our position as market leader and to continue to grow our business. In terms of my sales team, my aim is to continue to retain, motivate and develop the best sales team in our industry – and to sell like never before! Q. What are your own business ambitions?

A. As I’m still relatively new to this role, I am not currently looking beyond

Q. What advice would you give women in leadership roles?

A. The most important piece of advice I could give any woman in business is to believe in yourself. If you don’t have conﬁdence in your own abilities, why should anyone else? For me it’s about seeing past gender and judging people on their capabilities. In the last year the number

MY AIM FOR DHL IS TO MAINTAIN OUR POSITION AS MARKET LEADER AND TO CONTINUE TO GROW OUR BUSINESS. IN TERMS OF MY SALES TEAM, MY AIM IS TO CONTINUE TO RETAIN, MOTIVATE AND DEVELOP THE BEST SALES TEAM IN OUR INDUSTRY – AND TO SELL LIKE NEVER BEFORE! the next 12-18 months. My ambition for 2019 is to deliver the best set of sales results DHL Express in Ireland has ever seen. I take great personal pride in seeing the employees I have nurtured and mentored progress within our business, so my personal aim is to continue to develop the talent that we have.

of women on the DHL Board of Directors has increased by 200%. That’s not because there was a decision ‘to bring more women on to the Board’ but was simply because the best candidates for the roles were female. We earned those seats at the table by believing in ourselves and proving that we belonged there.

03/05/2019 11:47

Business Support Funds Sustaining Business in South Dublin County What is the purpose of the Business Support Funds? There are four funds specifically designed to address key issues for businesses in the County. Three of the funds support physical works and are aimed at encouraging occupiers to improve the investment potential of industrial estates or units in which they are resident, in particular those industrial estates experiencing high levels of obsolescence, dereliction, vacancy and abandonment. Two of the funds are specifically aimed at supporting existing small scale businesses and start-up businesses utilising previously vacant units. There are four types of business support funds available.

Individual Unit Supports

Micro-enterprise Start-up Support (Rates) Industrial Area Improvement Schemes

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Micro-enterprise Development Fund

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Supporting local business South Dublin County Council’s business sustainability and development programme, combined with Business Support Funds, aims to address key issues for businesses in the county.

n January 2011 the elected members of South Dublin County Council (SDCC) agreed a strategic report on business support in South Dublin County. One of the key outcomes of the report was: “A business sustainability and development programme has been delivered as part of collaboration with South Dublin Chamber.” The programme was implemented over the following years and was significantly enhanced with the introduction of the Business Support Fund (BSF) in 2014. The Business Support Funds are specifically designed to address key issues for businesses in the county which include: • (Physical) improvement works of individual commercial/ industrial premises; • Encourage occupiers to improve their wider industrial areas and thereby improve the investment potential of their industrial estates; • Address in particular those industrial estates experiencing high levels of obsolescence, dereliction, vacancy and abandonment; • Encourage and support existing small scale businesses and start-up businesses to utilise vacant units and grow the attractiveness of the county as a location for innovative businesses (Microenterprise Development Fund and Microenterprise Start Up Support (Rates)).

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Approximately €1.8m was expended on the Business Support Grant and a total of €1.4m was expended or has been committed on the other measures including; the Industrial Area Improvement Scheme (€400,000), the Microenterprise Development Fund (€400,000), Individual supports (€95,000), Microenterprise Start Up Support (Rates) (€150,000) and initiatives with the South Dublin Chamber. Activity for Q1 2019 is strong and €210,000 has already been committed under Industrial Improvement and Microenterprise Projects. OTHER KEY INITIATIVES SUPPORTED UNDER THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FUND The scope of the BSF is not restricted to the regeneration and improvement of industrial premises or estates. It also extends to the training and development of business founders and their teams to plan and equip them to deal with the challenges they face in their businesses both domestically and internationally. It provides opportunities to build and develop lean and innovative businesses with ambition to grow in the years ahead creating additional employment opportunities in the process. COLLABORATION WITH SOUTH DUBLIN CHAMBER SDCC has procured a number of surveys which have been conducted

by South Dublin Chamber of Commerce on training needs, export development and business sentiment of local businesses. As a consequence training programmes, workshops and seminars have been delivered to 1000+ participants by the Local Enterprise Office in partnership with the South Dublin Chamber over the past couple of years. SDCC also supports the South Dublin Business Awards, Gaelforce Tallaght (run, cycle and kayak event) and membership of Asia Matters. The strength of this collaboration was duly acknowledged with South Dublin Chamber’s Award for Most Collaborative Local Authority/ Chamber working relationship in 2019 by Chambers Ireland. INNOVATION CENTRE FOR SOUTH DUBLIN During 2017 SDCC funded a study on the development of a new enterprise/innovation space with enterprise support services in the county, the findings of which were presented to the members of the County Council, CPG and SPC in April/May 2018. The primary recommendation of the report; that a 3,000 sq. metre enterprise/ innovation space be provided in the county, was greatly welcomed. Following further analysis and discussion a site in the heart of Tallaght Town Centre along the Tallaght Hospital – Technology University Tallaght campus was selected as the preferred location. The addition of this facility in Tallaght will greatly enhance the attractiveness of South Dublin as a leading location for innovative, technology rich firms and complement the offerings that are currently being provided in Dublin city and environs. For further details on our Business Support Funds see: www.localenterprise.ie/ SouthDublin/EnterpriseDevelopment/Local-AuthorityBusiness-Services

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63% of Women Say They Don’t Have A Pension When it comes to financial planning, it seems that pensions are way down the priority list for Irish women, according to a new survey commissioned by Aviva, writes Ann O’Keeffe, Head of Individual Life and Pensions, Aviva Ireland.

he Behaviour & Attitudes Survey of over 1,000 adults nationwide reveals that, despite the Government’s best efforts, and those of others within the pension industry, to encourage more women to consider their long-term financial security, over 63% of women surveyed said they do not have a pension, and 55% of these said they haven’t even thought about putting one in place.

be given due consideration. Of those under 35 without a pension, 58% say they simply have never thought about it. The survey paints a clear picture of a generation who believe that the current Old Age Pension will still be as good in 40 years’ time, or that someone else will be responsible for their financial well-being when they can no longer earn an income.

Having conducted this same survey for the last four years we have found that, rather than increasing as one would hope, pension coverage for women over the last few years has remained largely stagnant – currently standing at just 37%, compared with 47% for their male counterparts. While the participation rates for both genders are far too low, the case for women is particularly concerning. Saving for retirement doesn’t appear to be high on people’s agenda. Some 55% of those women said they haven’t even given it any thought – compared with 45% of men.

OTHER FINDINGS FROM OUR SURVEY INCLUDE: • 78% of people currently without a pension are not confident of having sufficient income in retirement • Generally, men are more confident than women about their future income in retirement – 59%: 40% respectively • 19% feel that starting a pension is something they’ll never do.

MIND THE (AGE) GAP While gender is certainly a factor in retirement provision, unsurprisingly, age too plays a significant role. A pension is not a focus for most people in their 20s and 30s, but this does not mean it shouldn’t

Ann O’Keeffe, Head of Individual Life and Pensions, Aviva Ireland

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The reality is that none among the ‘no pensions’ group, either male or female, are likely to have enough to live on in retirement, particularly if they continue on their path of inaction and if the value of the Old Age Pension is eroded due to affordability in future years, as many have predicted. A LONG AND BRIGHT FUTURE Thankfully, we are all living longer, more active lives and our good fortune in this respect should not become a financial burden. That is why we need to ensure that women - as well as men understand the benefits of financial planning as early as possible in their careers. Aviva’s nationwide ‘Get some good advice’ campaign encourages people to get independent financial advice from their local Financial Broker. If you’re worried about not saving enough into your pension, Aviva’s simple online pensions calculator can help you work out what you need to put away to live comfortably. Find out more at www.mindthepensiongap.ie

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30/04/2019 17:08

EVENTS Pictured (l-r): Alan Mulcahy, Head of Sales at Energia and J. J. O’Connell, Co-Chair and Director of Family Business Ireland

IT’S NOT JUST

family

IT’S

BUSINESS

On 24 May, the Energia Family Business Awards will celebrate the hard work carried out by family-run companies and their efforts to reshape the business landscape.

aunched by renowned business commentator and MC for the event, Matt Cooper, the first ever Energia Family Business Awards – a one of a kind event taking place in the Round Room at Dublin’s Mansion House – is an awards programme that recognises generations of Irish people involved in family-run businesses. Ahead of the event, Energia called on family-run companies of all shapes and sizes across Ireland to apply for the awards programme that highlights the work of Irish family businesses of all sizes with both local and international reach. Judges include J. J. O’Connell, National Director and Co-Chair of Family Business Ireland, Mark Christal, Manager of the Regions and Entrepreneurship division Enterprise Ireland and Glyn Roberts, CEO of Retail NI, among others.

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O’Connell believes Irish family businesses need to be better acknowledged, as they are the “backbone and fabric” of Ireland’s indigenous economy. “Although hugely important to Ireland’s economy, the historical failure to transfer from one generation of ownership to the next generation of ownership is a significant issue for the economy,” he said. “Some 72% of family-owned businesses in Ireland cease to trade after five years. Only 13% make it to the next generation. The successful companies, the ones we will be celebrating, are the families that have both a plan and a process.” Commenting on the importance of recognising generations of Irish people working hard every day, O’Connell says: “To enable far greater numbers of family businesses to continue to trade over many years there needs to be a greater awareness of the importance

of family business succession planning. Hence, the importance of these awards and the formal public recognition of the best of Irish family businesses.” Commenting on the Awards, Alan Mulcahy, Head of Sales at Energia, commented: “At Energia we supply one in three Irish SMEs and support communities all across Ireland. These awards are an invaluable means by which we can show this support and celebrate family businesses that are a cornerstone of our economy. 2019 marks the first year of the Family Business Awards and we look forward to seeing them become a fixture in the business calendar as a recognition of excellence.” Paraic Madigan, Head of Matheson’s Private Client Department, noted: “We are delighted to partner with The Family Business Awards and in particular to sponsor its Family Business Longevity Award. In our practice, we recognise that the day-to-day challenges in running a successful business often overshadow the long-term strategic need to have and implement an orderly succession plan. A clearly documented plan which is understood by all stakeholders is key to that successful transition.” Margaret Hearty, InterTradeIreland’s Director of Business Services and Programmes, added: “We are proud to celebrate the innovation of family businesses in the manufacturing and engineering sector. These awards recognise the hard work and excellence firms in the field deliver and the difference they make to their local economy. InterTradeIreland is committed to helping SMEs grow through funding and support to explore cross-border markets, develop new products and processes, as well as become investor ready. We have also recently enhanced our Brexit support for SMEs to help them mitigate risk and identify opportunities.” For more information, visit www.familybusinessawards.ie.

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LIFESTYLE: innovation

INNOVATION NATION InBUSINESS looks at the latest innovations and technologies that are shaping our future. In this issue: AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES.

AUDI A8 SEDAN The Audi A8, a level 3 autonomous vehicle, is to be released sometime late in 2019. Although not completely autonomous, its AI-piloted driving system Traffic Jam Pilot can steer, turn, break, accelerate, come to a complete stop and start up again when operating under 60 kph. However, it is not yet known if the system will need any kind of physical touch or driver input in order for the piloted system to work. Complete with ultrasonic, long and short-range radars and laser scanners, the new A8 uses top of the range technology in order to give you a relaxed semi-autonomous drive, taking the tedious task of waiting in traffic and making it a much more comfortable experience for the driver. audi.ie

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NISSAN ALTIMA Nissanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Altima is to feature level 2 semi-autonomous driving technology, known as ProPilot Assist. This system is already featured in other models such as the Rogue Crossover and Leaf Electric Car. The new AI technology allows the driver to take on a more relaxed role when driving in heavy traffic or on motorways as the car has control over brakes, acceleration, stopping, starting and steering adjustments, keeping it a safe distance from other vehicles and within its designated lane. nissan.ie

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LIFESTYLE: innovation

CADILLAC CT6 LUXURY SEDAN Cadillac is marketing its new Super Cruise car as the “world’s first true hands-free driving system”. This operation uses a network of cameras, sensors and precision LiDAR mapping in order to allow the driver to relax. In addition, Cadillac has also mapped over 130,000 miles of freeway in America and Canada, within 5cm of accuracy, allowing drivers in these countries to use hands-free travel along selected mapped routes. cadillac.com

MICRO FALCON The Micro Falcon is an electric autonomous vehicle which can get up to a maximum speed of 25km/h. www.micro-scooters.ie

VOLVO XC40 SUV A UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN project called ‘AI for Good’ has been shortlisted for the US-Ireland Research Innovation Award 2019.

Australian company PASSEL is bringing crowd-sourced delivery to Ireland this year after a three-month delay due to administrative difficulties and a banking hiccup.

The Volvo XC40 uses smart technology such as City Safety and Road Mitigation to keep you safe from collisions and stop you veering from your lane. The vehicle is able to access the brakes and input steering suggestions if it feels that a collision is imminent or that the car is potentially encroaching on another lane on the motorway. Using radar and cameras, Pilot Assist allows you to relax as it maintains a set speed while driving. volvocars.com/ie

Irish tech company VRAI has developed an augmented reality app for Samsung UK & Ireland as part of its new Galaxy S10 phone range.

Autonomous vehicle company VALEO is to create 50 new jobs in Tuam, Co Galway.

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LIFESTYLE: travel

The Fabulous

Running from north to south, The Cinque Terre includes the villages are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore

THE CINQUE TERRE (OR ‘FIVE LANDS’ IN ITALIAN) IS A STRING OF FIVE COLOURFUL SEASIDE VILLAGES NESTLED INTO THE RUGGED ITALIAN RIVIERA COASTLINE IN THE REGION OF LIGURIA. SINÉAD MOORE PROVIDES A GUIDE TO THE UNIQUELY PICTURESQUE LOCATION. he picture-perfect towns that comprise the Cinque Terre have to be seen to be believed with cascading vineyards, harbours filled with colourful boats and winding streets lined with pastel buildings. Running from north to south, the villages are Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore. For centuries, the neighboring fishing villages have clung to the sheer cliffs on the northwest coast of Italy overlooking the clear, blue Mediterranean. The region has been recognised by the Unesco World Heritage Centre and is today a National Park and Protected Marine area. With few roads and access primarily granted by rail or water, the villages, although tourist hotspots, still offer a feeling of remote authenticity.

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Like many visiting travelers, we started our trip in La Spezia, a small town south of the Cinque Terre. It is a cheaper alternative to staying in the villages themselves and with both the train and ferry from La Spezia serving all five villages, it couldn’t be easier to visit the region. Although most visitors get the ferry straight to the Cinque Terre, I recommend making a pit stop in Porto Venere, the first stop on the ferry route. From here, we boarded the ferry to Monterosso, the largest of the five villages and the furthest north. Getting the ferry to the furthest point allows you to take in the views and hear about the history of the region. The villages are less than five minutes apart by train so working your way back to the first village by train is the most convenient option if you’re trying to fit them all in on one day.

GETTING THERE

BY AIR: The closest airports are Genoa and Pisa. Ryanair ﬂies from Dublin to Pisa, from which a train is the easiest transfer.

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LIFESTYLE: travel

WHERE TO MEET...

Hotel NH La Spezia The NH La Spezia offers four spacious conference or meeting rooms, ideal for hosting business meetings, conferences, or seminars. Private rooms for business luncheons or dinners are also available upon request, as well as venues for private cocktail parties. nh-hotels.com/hotel/ nh-la-spezia

EAT...

Al Settimo Cielo Not centrally located but definitely worth the uphill climb from La Spezia. Ask for a seat by the window for spectacular views of the twinkling harbour below. pizzeriasettimocielo.com/

SLEEP...

Porto Roco Monterosso Monterosso is less vertical, and therefore less unique, so in my opinion, the least scenic of the five villages but it has two beautiful sandy beaches and a vibrant seaside promenade. Monterosso is the perfect spot for a dip and the crystal clear water is exceedingly inviting. The village is divided into two parts, with the medieval tower of Aurora marking the divide. While you’re here, visit the Church of San Giovanni Battista, located in the main square in the old town. The San Francesco Church, home to major art works, is also worth a visit. In Fegina, the new town, it’s hard to miss Il Gigante, a concrete statue of a giant, representing Neptune, the God of the sea.

Vernazza Vernazza is the next port of call. This one-street village with a church built on the water – the Church of Santa Margherita di Antiochia - has a beautiful harbour with wooden boats bobbing in the waves, a small sandy beach and a great cliffside restaurant with incredible ocean views. The Tower of the Doria Castle was built in the 15th century to protect the village from pirates and is worth the steep climb. Vernazza is considered one of the most beautiful villages in Italy and perhaps the most characteristic of the Cinque Terre, with its sheltered port surrounded by rows of shuttered buildings in a breathtaking palette of pink and terracotta. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

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Located in Montorosso, Porto Roca is one of the only hotels in Cinque Terre with a pool and room service. Many of the 40 rooms have balconies overlooking the sea. portoroca.it/en/

SEE...

Corniglia Although not the most accessible of the five villages, Corniglia should not be overlooked. The views are spectacular and worth the climb from the train station. For 180-degree sea views, make the added climb to the Belvedere di Santa Maria - a stunning cliffside balcony.

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LIFESTYLE: travel

KNOW before you go

TRANSPORT Vehicle traffic is restricted to residents only in the villages. The trains are the easiest way to get to and around the Cinque Terre. There’s also a ferry connecting the villages (except Corniglia which doesn’t have a harbour) with Portovenere, La Spezia and Levanto.

CINQUE TERRE CARD The Cinque Terre card provides access to the coastal hiking trail, occasional guided tours, and free Wi-Fi. You can purchase them in the villages and from huts at the start of each section of the path.

Corniglia Corniglia is the smallest of the five villages and is often ignored as it’s built high up in the cliff, 100 metres above the sea. It is the only town without access from the sea and you have to climb 365 steps to reach the centre of the little village. It’s definitely the quietest of the villages. The views are incredible so if you want to squeeze in some lunch I’d recommend making a pit stop here. Corniglia is also connected to the other villages of the Cinque Terre by well-kept footpaths, maintained by the park staff.

Vernazza

Manarola Manarola will be instantly recognisable if, like me, you have excessively googled images of the Cinque Terre. Some of Cinque Terre’s most recognisable photographs are taken from a spit of land that extends to the north of the town and wraps around the cliff giving beautiful views of the little harbour and the colourful mosaic of houses. This a popular spot for watching the sunset. Manarola is also a popular swimming area despite not having any sand. The tiny harbour also features a boat ramp and boats are pulled onto dry land along the main road every time the sea is rough. If you venture to the top of this steep village make sure to visit the Church of San Lorenzo. It is a truly charming experience.

Riomaggiore

HIKING If you enjoy hiking, the views from the trails connecting the Cinque Terre are unparalleled. Some routes are currently closed for repairs so always check with the park before travelling to see what routes are open.

Corniglia

Riomaggiore is the most southern village of the Cinque Terre and is, in my opinion, the most impressive of the five villages. It is the most vertical and comprises one main street, a harbour, and a rocky beach along with a church, a castle and plenty of bars and restaurants – the perfect location to finish off your day. Monterosso

FOOD The local cuisine features all the old favourites of ravioli, tortelli, focaccia, and sliced meats with an emphasis of course on seafood. If you need a quick snack you’ll find multiple places serving up fried seafood in a cone.

Riomaggiore

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Unsurprisingly, the villages get busy, especially in high season. So it’s best to start your day early. The shoulder seasons, from May to June or September to October, are more relaxed times to visit. Although day trips are possible, I recommend spending some time observing the rhythm of life and experiencing a complete escape from reality. Three to four days will give you enough time to visit all five villages, perhaps making a trip back to your favourite, and ample time to enjoy a couple of hikes. One visit to the Cinque Terre and you will immediately understand that the fuss and hype and endless features in magazines and bucket lists are 100% justified. InBUSINESS | SPRING 2019

03/05/2019 10:27

LIFESTYLE: books

InBUSINESS looks at the latest business books offering great insights for executives, budding entrepreneurs, and other professionals seeking to acquire business skills and knowledge as well as some of the latest lifestyle books on the market, aimed at promoting wellness and personal development.

THE MAKING OF A MANAGER

ulie Zhuo is one of Silicon Valley’s top tech executives. Having learnt the hard way how to go from managed to manager, Zhuo is here to offer fellow managers the short-cut to success. In this guidebook, she offers practical, accessible advice like: Don’t hide thorny problems from your own manager; you’re better off seeking help quickly and honestly. Before you fire someone for failure to collaborate, figure out if the problem is temperamental or just a lack of training or coaching. Don’t offer critical feedback in a ‘compliment sandwich’ – there’s a better way! Whether you’re new to the job, a veteran leader, or looking to be promoted, this is the handbook you need to be the kind of manager you’ve always wanted to have.

YOUR TRAVEL COMPANION

When All is Said AUTHOR: Anne Griffin PUBLISHER: Hodder & Stoughton AVAILABLE: easons.com

In a hotel bar in a small Irish town, 84-year-old Maurice Hannigan lines up a row of five drinks and, one by one, toasts the people who’ve meant the most to him over the course of his life, from his older brother to his troubled sister-in-law.

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AUTHOR: Julie Zhuo PUBLISHER: Penguin RRP: 14.00 AVAILABLE: Amazon

BUSINESS INNOVATION AND GROWTH: Tax Incentives and Sources of Funding

AUTHORS: Andrew Bourg & Derek Henry of BDO Ireland

This comprehensive PUBLISHER: guide aims Chartered to empower Accountants Ireland businesses by RRP: providing clarity 50 about the funding AVAILABLE: supports and Bookshops tax incentives nationwide available at all stages of the business lifecycle in a way that will resonate with both tax experts as well as people in the early stages of their education about the Irish tax system and funding. It explores today’s funding landscape for indigenous SMEs, considers and evaluates equity and debt finance options, government funding and supports, and other, newer sources of funding, such as peer-to-peer lending and crowdfunding. The book also advises on how to get ‘investorready’ by preparing to plan, apply for and secure investment. It is a must-read for business owners, business managers and their advisors.

The Power of Small Feeling overwhelmed? This is the book for you. The Power of Small technique focuses on what is manageable in the now, and teaches us how to prioritise and know what boundaries to keep, and which to gently push away. Psychologists Aisling and Trish Leonard-Curtin share case studies from clinical practice with the latest psychological research alongside personal stories to show you how to take small steps to transform your life.

AUTHOR: Aisling and Trish Leonard-Curtin PUBLISHER: Hachette Ireland AVAILABLE: dubraybooks.ie

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what’s on your

You’re not alone when it ComeS to CopinG www.turn2me.org

Forums, Group Support, 1to1 Counselling, iphone enabled

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LIFESTYLE: podcasts

EAR TO THE

THE IB

What is the message/goal of Fascinated? As a very introverted teenager I spent a lot of my time with my head stuck in music magazines. Fascinated came from an idea to chat to the people responsible for the songs and TV shows that I played to death. The majority of episodes are catch-ups with these people. My goal for the show is that someone who has never heard of the guest will really enjoy it and the guest’s biggest fan learns something new. Who has been your most interesting guest on the podcast so far? They have all been exciting for me because I only interview people I’m genuinely fascinated by. I’ve been lucky to hear some amazing stories. I loved chatting to Paula Lambert the voice and puppeteer of Bosco. Other standouts include Canadian singer songwriter Jann Arden. We had a great chat and have been friends ever since. Mike Stock was very interesting and I loved chatting to Barney Rosenzweig who produced the TV show ‘Cagney and Lacey’.

InBUSINESS SPEAKS TO COMEDIAN AND WRITER GEARÓID FARRELLY ABOUT HIS PODCAST, FASCINATED, IN WHICH HE TALKS TO GUESTS WHO HAVE DONE FASCINATING THINGS IN THEIR LIFETIME.

Is there anyone you would love to get involved? I’d love to get Angela Lansbury and Dina Carroll. I’ve been courting Sonia and Sandi Thom for a long time but no joy. The 80s singer Tiffany cancelled on me three times in a week! What I’ve found is that once I convince them to listen to an episode they always agree. I’m very proud of that. What do you believe are the key ingredients that make a great podcast? The key is storytelling. It’s about painting the picture. The problem with some of the bigger names is they have stories they always tell so you have to try to crack that.

GROUND

InBUSINESS RECOMMENDS THREE PODCASTS TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS QUARTER.

MADE IN IRELAND

THE LAUGHS OF YOUR LIFE New to our podcast airwaves this year, radio host, comedian and social media sensation Doireann Garrihy asks celebrity guests a range of questions that centre around the theme of laughter. From “When was a time you had the last laugh?” and “Who is someone who always makes you laugh?” to “Tell us about a time when if you didn’t laugh you’d cry?”, the show is sure to tickle your funny bone.

NOT TO BE MISSED

THINK: SUSTAINABILITY

What can we expect from Fascinated in 2019? Whenever I finish a season I think that’s the end. It takes so long to get decent guests and I regularly run out of ideas. I’ve a few episodes in the can for season six, including an actor who had a brief pop career with Beyonce as a backing singer.

Gearóid is currently on tour with his show Home Truths. Dates on gearoidfarrelly.com

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Can we expect new podcasts from you in the future? The next thing I do won’t be dependent on guests. I’ve been working on two ideas but they’re not quite right yet. I tend to let things ferment for a while and make a lot of pilot episodes. It’s time consuming but I think quality control is the key to a good podcast.

This podcast is about practical actions for a better planet. From waste to wealth, and grids to growth, the show digs into the impact of consumption across all areas of life — it tracks the movements, discoveries and technologies making way for a sustainable future.

THE BUSINESS PICK

RTÉ’S BREXIT REPUBLIC Hosted by RTÉ Europe Editor Tony Connelly and Deputy Foreign Editor Colm Ó Mongáin, each week Brexit Republic assesses the unfolding developments, explains the complexities, and explores where and how Brexit will have an impact. Essential listening for anyone wishing to understand the Irish dimension of Brexit.

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THE InBUSINESS INDEX

Sustainable

Diets In this issue, InBUSINESS explores the findings of Food in the Anthropocene: The EAT-Lancet Commission on Healthy Diets from Sustainable Food Systems.

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11 m ABOUT THE EAT-LANCET COMMISSION The EAT-Lancet report links nutritional targets with environmental sustainability and outlines a planetary health diet, that is healthy for both people and planet. The report looks at the small changes we can all make, from transforming eating habits, improving food production and reducing food waste, to help achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals and Paris Agreement on climate change.

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An no un ce d Fi na lis ts The inaugural 2019 Energia Family Business Awards Ceremony will take place on the 24th of May, in the Round Room at the Mansion House, Dublin The Energia Family Business Awards showcases the best of Irish family businesses throughout the 32 counties of Ireland

To See the Full List of Finalists Visit www.familybusinessawards.ie For all queries contact Michael Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donoghue, Event Manager e: michael.odonoghue@ashvillemediagroup.com t: 01 432 2224

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take a closer look at the decision. If your business has had credit facilities refused, reduced or withdrawn by your bank*, we’re here to help. If you’re a small business, sole trader or farm owner who has had difficulty getting credit or loan facilities of up to €3,000,000, or has had an unfavourable change to your existing credit terms and conditions, get in touch with us for an independent review. Our process is independent, easy to complete and covers all applicants for new loans or restructured credit facilities. *banks covered are AIB, BOI, PTSB and Ulster

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InBUSINESS Spring 2019

Articles inside

Powering Ahead