Business Ireland Yearbook 2014 by Ashville Media Group

BUSINESS IRELAND CONNECTING | INFLUENCING

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY & YEARBOOK 2014

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 Contents

CONTENTS

05 President’s Address 06 Chief Executive’s LETTER 09 Past Presidents 11 Chamber Council AND EXECUTIVE 2014 12 Chamber Staff

22 No Fair Weather Friend Business Ireland speaks with Tom Browne, CEO of

Friends First, about the challenges Friends First faced in 2013, and the more positive outlook for 2014.

26 Growing Tourism Together Keith McCormack of Fáilte Ireland considers the state

of play for tourism in Dublin and asks what more can be done to attract visitors.

A Work in Progress Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin outlines the progress achieved to date on the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016.

28 Property outlook John McCartney of Savills Ireland reflects on the

Moving in the Right Direction 2014 could be a good year for the economy once we are not unrealistic in our expectations, writes Austin Hughes, Chief Economist, KBC Bank Ireland.

31 Luck of the Irish or Tenacious Hard Work? Tiffany Burk of Western Union Business Solutions

performance of the property market in 2013 and looks at what can be expected in the year ahead.

provides Business Ireland with a euro zone currency outlook for the year ahead.

19 Post-Troika - what next for Ireland? Barbara Nolan, Head of the European Commission

32 Activating Dublin ONLINE Getting SMEs trading online remains a priority of Dublin Chamber and results of a pilot programme show how companies can benefit from an online presence.

20 OPEN FOR BUSINESS Gerry Prizeman of Bank of Ireland Business Banking

97 DIRECTORY OF MEMBERS

Representation in Ireland, outlines the issues to be considered at a conference on Ireland’s future.

explains how entrepreneurial Ireland is alive and well.

177 Buyer’s Guide

Business Ireland Yearbook is published by Ashville Media Group, on behalf of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce / Ashville Media Group, Old Stone Building, Blackhall Green, Dublin 7. Tel: (01) 432 2200, Fax: (01) 676 7100; Email: info@ashville.com; Web: www.ashville.com / Dublin Chamber of Commerce, 7 Clare Street, Dublin 2. Tel: (01) 644 7200; Fax: (01) 676 6043; Email: info@dublinchamber.ie; Web: www.dublinchamber.ie. Material printed in this journal is not necessarily endorsed by the Dublin Chamber of Commerce or by Ashville Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © 2014 Editor: Joseph O’Connor Commercial Editor: Valerie Jordan Managing Editor: Mary Connaughton Contributors: Tiffany Burk, Brendan Howlin TD, Austin Hughes, John McCartney, Keith McCormack, Barbara Nolan, Gerry Prizeman Design: Leon Hayden Advert Design: Alan McArthur Sales Director: Paul Clemenson Production Manager: Mary Connaughton Production Executive: Nicole Ennis image: © IStockPhoto/

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BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 president ’s Address

President’s Address

Dear Dublin Chamber member, It is a good time to be in business and I’m delighted to be leading the Dublin Chamber in 2014. We’re coming out of years of austerity, but while major advances have been made, the challenge now is to manage the recovery so that every citizen and every business feels they have a part to play in an economy which is growing. Our first priority must be the economy. Businesses need confidence that the Government is being ruthless and relentless about

competitiveness. In the coming year, I will be working hard and leading with the Chamber to drive a pro-business agenda that will deliver growth and jobs. Cities are the driving force of economies. We have entered the era of city regions and it is time that we embraced the potential that they offer to our nation and our society. I believe that this Chamber, and this region, can and will play its part in leading the national economic recovery. As the voice of Dublin business, the Dublin Chamber is working to ensure that your needs and those of the entire Dublin City Region are being heard and acted upon by Government, both locally and nationally. Some of the important policy priorities that the Chamber will focus on during the coming year include; • Seeking to influence government policy on a number of issues including the pricing of water charges to business, the retention of the proceeds of the local property tax at a local level and Budget 2015. • Generating support around the Chamber’s Dublin manifesto for the upcoming local and European elections. • Inputting into the Government’s new national spatial strategy planning and ensuring that the contribution of the Dublin City Region to the national economy is recognised and supported by public policy. Recently, Dublin was ranked the 20th most reputable city in the world by City RepTrak and it remains the only Irish city to be ranked by the OECD among the largest city region economies. Having a strong reputation helps with attracting

inward investment, tourism and talent from abroad and this year the Chamber will work to further improve our city’s reputation. Over the course of 2013, the Chamber helped bring about a number of positive changes, with many Chamber policy recommendations implemented in Budget 2013, including a substantial increase in the threshold for the cash payment of VAT. The Chamber also successfully pushed for a plebiscite that will allow the people of Dublin to vote on the introduction of a directly elected mayor, and for the reintroduction of a direct flight between Dublin and San Francisco. In 2014, we will continue to work with local government to ensure it continues to support business growth and keep Dublin competitive. One of the most powerful and effective ways for individuals and organisations to play their part is to network. Dublin Chamber is the premier networking organisation in the city, with a programme of events running year round that will enable you to promote your business and network with other members. I would therefore strongly encourage you to get involved during 2014 and to make the most of your membership. Finally, I would like to thank you for your ongoing support. Sincerely,

Martin Murphy President 5

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 Chief Executive’s Let ter

Chief Executive’s Letter growth through sales, marketing and business strategy. Other events you should be considering: • Annual Dinner (October, 1,600+ delegates) • Christmas Lunch (December, 500+ delegates) • Business Mission to San Jose, California (March) • Business Mission to London (May) • Policy Mission to Brussels (October) • International Briefings on Key Markets • The Business Owners Network • Breakfast/Lunchtime/After Hours Networking Dear member, What will 2014 mean for your company? Are you using the Dublin Chamber’s exciting programme of over 130 events to make contacts, build business intelligence and raise the profile of your business? Dublin Chamber is first when it comes to providing networking platforms and in response to your feedback we are expanding our 2014 offering. We are continuing our popular Technology Forum, piloted last year, offering insights from some of the leading minds within the technology sector, big data, mobile communications and digital media. And we are starting a Business Growth Series providing SMEs with the skills for 6

• Smart Series IT and Business Intelligence

interactive Map of Membership (launched last year in collaboration with ESRI Ireland) which allows you to search by location and nature of business, and target your business development with other members? We want to help you generate business and reduce expenses! The Member Advantage Club allows you to reach out to fellow members with special offers and exclusive discounts. Your special offer will be advertised on our website, included in our monthly ezine and spread virally across social media platforms. Business Resolution #1 for 2014: Come along to a Chamber event. Come along to many! Remember, people do business with people they know and trust. Use our network to expand yours! The Chamber team looks forward to welcoming you and your colleagues in 2014. Happy Business 2014.

• International Women’s Day (March) • Green Economy Forum • Sustainable Business Awards (November) • The Leaders Breakfast Series • The Dinner in Camera Series Are you an exporter, existing or aspiring? Are you using our Business Visa and Export Documentation service? Have you used our

Gina Quin Chief Executive PS. It’s your company that is the member; let your colleagues know about the great services available!

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 past presidents

©iStockphoto.com/christobolo

Past Presidents

Liam Kavanagh 2013 Patrick Coveney 2012 Imelda Reynolds 2011 Peter Brennan 2010 PJ Timmins 2009 Margaret Sweeney 2008 Ronan King 2007 Eugene McCague 2006 Áine Maria Mizzoni 2005 David Pierce 2004 Clive Brownlee 2003 Peter Webster 2002 Alfie Kane 2001 David Manley 2000 Hugh Governey 1999 Jim Ruane 1998 John McNally 1997 Mary Finan 1996 John Donnelly 1995 John F Daly 1994 George McCullagh 1993 Brian Duncan 1992 Dr Patrick Loughrey 1991 Vincent O’Doherty 1990 Tony Prendergast 1989 T P Hardiman 1988 Denis Shelly 1987 Roy Donovan 1986 John A Vaughan 1985

Desmond Miller Niall Crowley D L Lennon H Hannon H C Tierney J A Lenehan E J Kelliher Ald. P F Belton F F Carthy H J Bambrick A C Crichton James Gallagher Michael W O’Reilly James A Walmsley Edward W Beck Gerald L M Wheeler R E M Clarke James Boylan J R Dick E C G Mulhern Thomas F Laurie Thomas C Lenehan Phillip R Walker John O’Brien Vincent Crowley Lt. Col. J E Armstrong J Harold Douglas J W Gallagher Alex O’D Shiel Stephen MacKenzie Thomas F Laurie Patrick J Loughrey G H C Crampton Michael P Rowan Sen. F M Summerfield George Watson S V Kirkpatrick A J Broughton John Hawkins G Brock Ald. Ernest E Benson David Coyle J Harold Aylward Joseph Walker A A Brunker W Woods Hill Thomas F Laurie Frank A Lowe

1984 1983 1982 1981 1980 1979 1978 1977 1976 1975 1974 1973 1972 1971 1970 1969 1968 1967 1966 1965 1964 1963 1962 1961 1960 1959 1958 1957 1956 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 1946 1945 1944 1943 1942 1941 1940 1939 1938 1937

John O’Neill 1936 Ald. J Hubbard Clark 1935 Edgar Anderson 1934 H M Dockrell 1933 D J Cogan 1932 James J Halpin 1931 W P Sheriff 1930 Sen. Sir Walter Nugent 1929 David Barry 1928 J C M Eason 1927 George N Jacob 1926 William Crowe 1925 W Lombard Murphy 1924 James Shanks 1923 William Hewat 1922 Rt. Hon. Andrew Jameson 1921 John Good 1920 William Wallace 1919 Edward H Andrews 1918 Matthew J Minch 1917 Richard W Booth 1916 Patrick Leonard 1915 Richard K Gamble 1914 William M Murphy 1912-1913 John Mooney 1909-1911 Laurence Malone 1907-1908 Marcus Goodbody 1905-1906 Sir James Murphy 1903-1904 Sir John E Barry 1903-1904 Sir J Malcolm Inglis 1900-1902 John R Wigham 1894-1896 Michael Murphy 1891-1893 John Lloyd Blood 1888-1890 Sir Richard Martin 1885-1887 John Bagot 1882-1884 William Digges LaTouche 1871-1881 Thomas Crosthwait 1857-1870 Arthur Guinness 1827-1856 Lelan Crosthwait 1823-1826 Joshua Pim 1820-1822 George Carleton 1807 Bartholomew Maziere 1806 Randall MacDonnell 1806 William Hone 1806 John Duncan 1805 Alderman Nathaniel Hone 1805 Joseph Wilson 1805 Travers Hartley 1783-1788 9

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BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 council and executive 2014

Chamber Council and Executive 2014 EXECUTIVE

Martin Murphy

President Managing Director Hewlett-Packard Ireland mmurphy@hp.com

Greg Clarke

Vice President Managing Director Digicom greg.clarke@digicom.ie

Derry Gray

Deputy Vice President Managing Partner, BDO dgray@bdo.ie

Colm McDonnell

Hon. Treasurer Partner Enterprise Risk Services Deloitte cmcdonnell@deloitte.ie

Liam Kavanagh

Anne O’Leary

Gerald Farrell ~

Colm Lyon ~

Orlaith Blaney

Julien Gay-De-Montella

Aidan Lynch**

Niamh Boyle

Maree Gallagher

Executive Chief Executive, Vodafone anne.oleary@vodafone.com council

Chief Executive McCannBlue orlaith.blaney@mccannblue.ie Managing Director The Reputations Agency niamh@thereputationsagency.ie

Ray Browne

Chief Financial Officer Fujitsu ray.browne@ie.fujitsu.com

Anne Cleary*

Government Affairs Manager Tesco Ireland anne.cleary@tesco.ie

Imm. Past President Managing Director The Irish Times lkavanagh@irishtimes.com

Michele Connolly

Sharon Daly**

Patrick Coveney

Executive Partner Matheston sharon.daly@matheson.com

Brendan Foster**

Chartered Accountant/Partner KPMG michele.connolly@kpmg.ie CEO Greencore Patrick.Coveney@greencore. com

Executive Partner Grant Thornton brendan.foster@ grantthornton.ie

David Duffy

Ronan Harris

Michael Duffy

Executive VP Large Customer Sales, EMEA Google dgray@bdo.ie

Rickard Mills**

Executive Head of Corporate Affairs KBC Bank Ireland mills@kbc.ie *Elected 2013

Director Prospectus Strategy Consultants dduffy@prospectus.ie Chief Executive RDS michael.duffy@rds.ie

Desmond Fahey

Chief Executive Dublin Business Innovation Centre desfahey@dbic.ie

**Re-elected Council Member 2013

Managing Director Eli Lilly and Co (Ireland Limited) farrell_gerald@lilly.com President 2014 JCI (Dublin) julien.montella@jcidublin.com Solicitor MGA maree@mga.ie

Niall Gibbons** Chief Executive Tourism Ireland ngibbons@tourismireland. com

Niall Gleeson

Managing Director Alstom niall.gleeson@crn.alstom.com

Jack Golden**

Org. Development Director CRH plc JGolden@crh.com

Paul Hallam

Director PM Group paul.hallam@pmgroup-global. com

Owen Keegan

Dublin City Manager Dublin City Council manager@dublincity.ie

Mark Kellett

Founder & CEO Realex Payments paula.keating@realexpayments. com VP & General Manager GlaxoSmithKline (Ireland) Limited Aidan.X.Lynch@gsk.com

Tom McAleese

Senior Director Alvarez and Marsal tmcaleese@alvarezandmarsal. com

John McGrane

Head of Product & Service Sales Ulster Bank Ireland Limited John.mcgrane@ulsterbankcm. com

Brian Norton**

President Dublin Institute Of Technology president@dit.ie

Orla Nugent

MBA Programme Director University College Dublin orla.nugent@ucd.ie

David O’Halloran**

Director & Head of Business Dev Willis david.ohalloran@willis.ie

Cllr Oisin Quinn

Lord Mayor of Dublin lordmayor@dublincity.ie

President North Dublin Chamber of Commerce mkellett@magnet.ie

Joe Redmond

Múirne Laffan*

Mick Sweeney

Managing Director, Digital RTÉ Digital muirne.laffan@rte.ie

Group Executive Fexco jredmond@fexco.com Dir, Customer & Wealth Mgnt Bank of Ireland mick.sweeney@boi.com

~ Co-opted 11

12 Eugene Bent Director of Communications & Retention eugene@dublinchamber.ie

Paul Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Neill Member Relations Manager paul@dublinchamber.ie

Sandra Houlihane PA To Chief Executive sandra@dublinchamber.ie

Michelle Berry Finance Manager michelle@dublinchamber.ie

Joanne Doran Finance Assistant joanne@dublinchamber.ie

Kay Gibbons Subscription Assistant kay@dublinchamber.ie

Jean Hoey Director of Member Development Services jean@dublinchamber.ie

Aebhric McGibney Director of Public & International Affairs aebhric@dublinchamber.ie

Gina Quin Chief Executive ginaquin@dublinchamber.ie

Chamber Staff 619u

Cool G

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 chamber staff

Marion Jammet International Projects Executive marion@dublinchamber.ie

Ruth Spain Export Services Assistant Manager ruth@dublinchamber.ie

Patrick King Policy & Communications Manager patrick@dublinchamber.ie

Maria Brosnan Senior Public Affairs & Policy Executive maria@dublinchamber.ie

Ruth Edwards Reception & Room Hire reception@dublinchamber.ie

Ciara Duncan Events Manager ciara@dublinchamber.ie

Linda McNulty International Manager linda@dublinchamber.ie

Donal Milton Membership Development donal@dublinchamber.ie

Graeme McQueen Senior Policy & Communications Executive graeme@dublinchamber.ie Mรกire Walsh Events Executive maire@dublinchamber.ie

Richard Brown Export Services Manager richard@dublinchamber.ie

Maura Walsh Membership Development maura@dublinchamber.ie

Public Service Reform: a work in Progress S

ince this Government took office in 2011, sustainable and far reaching Public Service Reform has been an essential part of our strategy to meet the significant challenges that have faced the country in recent years. Reform of the Public Service was identified in the Programme for Government as a key objective. This commitment was reinforced by the creation of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the early identification of the Department’s three key objectives: achieving the Government’s fiscal targets; delivering Public Service reform; and supporting the Government’s political reform agenda. u Progress

Report

When I published the Government’s 14

first reform plan in November 2011, I also established the Reform and Delivery Office within my Department to coordinate and drive reform across the system. Good progress has been made since then, as set out in the Progress Report that I published on 14 January this year. We have reduced staff numbers in the Public Service by over 30,000 since 2008, at a time of increased demands on public services (for example, numbers in receipt of Jobseeker’s payments, full time enrolments in Education and Medical Card Holders all increased significantly between 2008 and 2013). The cost to the Exchequer of Public Service pay has fallen from €17.5 billion in 2009 to an estimated €13.5 billion for 2014, including the pension related deduction. New

working arrangements have been introduced, including longer working hours, new rosters, and standardised arrangements for annual leave and sick leave. This has been achieved in an environment of industrial relations stability. The Public Service Agreement, and more recently the Haddington Road Agreement, have been key enablers for many of these changes and the role that public servants themselves have played in our ongoing recovery should be recognised. u New

Reform Plan

On 14th January 2014, I published Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016. This next phase in the reform programme maintains the necessary emphasis on increasing efficiency. But, alongside this, there will be a much stronger focus on the delivery of the best possible outcomes for our people, for our economy and for our society. The Reform Plan will be delivered through a focus on service users, on efficiency and on openness, underpinned by a strong emphasis on leadership, capability and delivery. As reforms in areas

©iStockphoto.com/ Varsescu

In early January, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin, T.D., published the Government’s Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016, along with the second progress report on the previous Reform Plan. Here, Minister Howlin outlines the progress achieved to date.

BUSINESS IRELAND BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2013 Yearbook 2014 EEN Public Service Reform

such as shared services, procurement and new models of service delivery continue to deliver efficiencies and greater productivity, some of the savings made will be re-invested in new or improved services. This ‘Reform Dividend’ will serve to sustain the reform agenda in the coming years. u Improving

Services for Business

The efficiency of public services impacts on taxation levels and the State’s funding requirements. It also contributes to Ireland’s competitiveness and the attractiveness of its business environment for investment and employment creation. We will continue our work to remove burdens on businesses, allowing them room to innovate, to be agile and to concentrate on growth and job creation. We are also establishing the new National Oversight and Audit Commission for Local Government, which will provide independent scrutiny of local government performance and drive value for money businesses. u Digitalisation

The Public Service must make better use of digitalisation and open data to deliver services more conveniently and to manage information in more efficient and innovative ways. A new Government ICT Strategy will be published in mid-2014 and will address the use of new and emerging technologies, ensuring that digital services are designed around the needs of service users. As part of that process, we are identifying the ‘Top 20’ service transactions across the Public Service to see how these can be significantly improved through digitalisation to have a real impact on citizens and business customers. u Openness,

Transparency and Accountability

The Government’s political reform programme will continue to focus on delivering greater openness,

transparency and accountability to re-build trust in the State, and to strengthen public governance and decision making. This will include the introduction of lobbying regulation, enactment of a reformed Freedom of Information Act, and enactment of legislation to protect whistleblowers. Better performance and accountability arrangements empower and improve the quality of decision making. The publication by my Department of a consultation paper seeking views on how best to strengthen Civil Service performance and accountability was an important milestone as we seek to balance how Ministers and officials are held to account, while supporting innovation and creativity in public administration. u Haddington

Agreement

Road

The Haddington Road Agreement will act as a key enabler for the delivery of this next phase of the Government’s ambitious reform programme. The Agreement will deliver a €1 billion reduction in the cost of the Public Service pay and pensions bill by 2016. It also provides for a total of 15 million additional working hours annually across all sectors of the Public Service. These additional hours will help to deliver long term and sustainable increases in productivity, while also helping to improve the provision of services. u Civil

Service Renewal

Renewal of the Vision and Strategy for the Civil Service is another core part of our Public Service Reform Programme. As well as providing important public services, the Civil Service is a major enabler of change. It supports other sectors of the Public Service to improve the way services are delivered and to ensure resources are optimised. There is a compelling need to ensure that our Civil Service is a strong and capable organisation. The Renewal Programme will identify a clear vision for the Civil Service of

the future, and set out practical and specific actions to make the vision a reality. We are looking at a range of areas where capacity and capability needs to be strengthened to meet the challenges that we will face in the future. These include leadership, change management, policy development and implementation. Over the coming months, people inside and outside the Civil Service will have an opportunity to engage in the programme and help us to identify what the Civil Service does well and what needs to change as part of the renewal process. By gathering ideas from a range of sources, I am confident that we can build a vision for the Civil Service which is strategic but also motivating, and more importantly that builds on the long and proud tradition of an independent and impartial Civil Service, committed to meeting Ireland’s needs. uconclusion

The achievements of the Public Service in terms of delivering reform, reducing costs and maintaining services against a backdrop of reduced staff numbers and increased demand for those services, should not be underestimated. The Government’s reform programme has been dynamic and responsive and will continue to be so. For obvious reasons, the Public Service is open to, and subject to, more scrutiny and comment than the private sector. But that should not hold us back; it should spur us on to look at best practice and innovation from a variety of sources. We are now entering a particularly challenging phase of reform. Doing more with limited resources remains as relevant as ever. This will require creativity, innovation and determination. It will require partnership and the exchange of ideas with the private sector as we face the challenge of convincing citizens and businesses that our public services are worth the investment. This is the challenge that we have embraced. g 15

Moving in the Right Direction

Both the global and Irish economies are now showing positive signs of a gradual recovery. 2014 could be a good year once we are not unrealistic in our expectations, writes Austin Hughes, Chief Economist, KBC Bank Ireland.

ach of the past few years has started with an array of hopeful predictions for the global economy that gave way to repeated downward revisions as the year progressed. Most forecasts for the world economy at the beginning of 2014 are again familiarly upbeat. Importantly, they also appear far more consistent with the emerging picture coming from most economic data of late. My sense is that the global economy and the Irish economy, in particular, are now moving in a clearly positive direction. However, the legacy of the crisis of the past few years means that neither businesses, consumers or policymakers are in a mood that might allow ‘animal spirits’ take hold in a manner that would drive a sharp and straight line recovery in Ireland or most other western economies. That said, 2014 could be a very good year once we are not unrealistic in our expectations. 16

u Global

Factors

While the global economy is beginning to move in the right direction, a fragile world still faces significant and varied risks. For the coming year these include a testing rebalancing of the US Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, looming decisions of the German constitutional court as to what the European Central Bank may or may not do and the potential fall-out from the upcoming examination of Europe’s banks. Further afield, but also of considerable importance, persistent worries about China’s ability to avoid a ‘hard landing’ and broader concerns about emerging markets will also command attention. Although there is plenty to keep pessimists braced for further misery, there is also now a greater confidence that conditions in western economies have started to improve. Critically, there is also a belief that international policymakers are able and willing to act to counter any emerging threats.

Probably the most encouraging external development of late is evidence of a notably stronger UK economy. A year ago, the consensus view was that the UK economy would grow by 1 per cent in 2013. It’s now estimated at 1.9 per cent. Over the same period, the outlook for this year has been upgraded from to 1.6 per cent to 2.7 per cent. The scale of these revisions implies the British economy is altogether healthier than previously thought. With the Bank of England committing to alter its very low interest rates carefully and very gradually, the likelihood is that demand in Ireland’s closest export market will remain strong through the next year or two. Demand in the Euro area seems a good deal weaker than in the US and UK but at least it no longer looks to be falling and a tentative upturn appears to be underway. Importantly, the European Central Bank continues to emphasise its concern in regard to downside risks to activity and

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 2013 Economic EEN Outlook

u Domestic

inflation. As a result, it has repeatedly signalled its intention to keep its official interest rates ‘at present or lower levels for an extended period of time’. For an Irish economy still in the very early stages of recovery, the combination of healthier growth in the UK and US, a slowly improving Euro area and interest rates remaining low probably represents as supportive a combination of external circumstances as can reasonably be expected. However, it should be emphasised that international markets remain far from the buoyant demand conditions that might be expected in a more ‘normal’ recovery. One important consequence of the current economic climate is that inflation worldwide is a good deal lower than many had expected. Politically, there is a considerable focus on the associated weakness in incomes. These circumstances have many implications for the economic outlook. One helpful effect is that

Drivers

For the past few years, Irish economic activity has been hit by unfavourable conditions abroad but the damage done by domestic employment and income losses has been notably more severe. This is reflected in a peak to trough drop in domestic spending of 23 per cent – twice the fall recorded in Irish GDP. For this reason, the tentative improvement in domestic spending seen since the middle of last year is particularly important as it points to a possible turning point in Ireland’s economic fortunes. The fact that similarly encouraging news is emerging from jobs data as well as a range of surveys and other indicators hints that a turn is underway. Far and away, the most positive development supporting expectations of an improving economic climate in 2014 is a broad array of evidence suggesting numbers at work in the Irish economy will increase in the coming year. Encouragingly, new hiring seems to be occurring across a broad range of companies in the private sector as the turn in the jobs market has come about in spite of a drop in public sector jobs. Improved competitiveness and a

strong pipeline of investment into Ireland are supporting an expansion in the multinational sector. It also appears that some businesses that cut payrolls in the downturn are hiring again in response to even a modest turn in economic conditions. Significantly, in this context, signs of a turn in the property market have prompted a marginal rise in employment in construction after the collapse in employment in this sector in recent years. u modest

growth

With numbers at work increasing, and the drag from the fiscal adjustment somewhat smaller than in previous years, household spending power looks set to rise modestly through 2014. In addition, an easing in fears that the Irish economy is set for some apocalyptic ending together with renewed, if still uneven, signs of life in the housing market are boosting consumer sentiment. A sense that the focus of domestic economic policy is starting to shift from austerity to growth could also push in the same direction. In these circumstances, some of the spending postponed in recent years may start to re-emerge. The likelihood is that any build-up in spending will be gradual. In an Irish economy that grows by just over 2 per cent in 2014, consumer spending is likely to rise by just over 1 per cent. Many households remain under significant pressure and most others will be slow to abandon caution in a still uncertain world. However, even crawling forward will be palpably different from falling backwards for businesses focussed on the Irish consumer and the construction sector. While we remain some distance from the sort of conditions in which a clear ‘feel good’ factor might become established, 2014 could be the year in which ‘feel bad’ disappears. g

“With numbers at work increasing, and the drag from the fiscal adjustment somewhat smaller than in previous years, household spending power looks set to rise modestly through 2014.”

©iStockphoto.com/ RTimages

upward pressure on interest rates is restrained. However, it also means Irish companies have little scope to increase prices if market share is not to be lost. A somewhat stronger global economy, allied to improvements in Ireland’s cost structure, should translate into reasonable growth in Irish exports in the year ahead. Importantly, solid UK demand should provide a platform for many smaller companies to share in this growth. The small size of the Irish economy means that the capacity to sell goods and services in external markets will be pivotal to the success or otherwise of this economy.

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BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 2013 eu conference EEN

Post-Troika what next for Ireland? An upcoming conference will address Ireland’s future after exiting the bailout programme. Here, Barbara Nolan, Head of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, outlines some of the issues to be considered.

hat lies in store for Ireland’s economy? What still needs to be done to make sure that the country’s recovery is sustainable? What is the role of the EU now that Ireland has exited its EU/IMF Programme and what impact will the new EU governance rules have on Irish economic policy? On Friday, 28 March, the European Commission is hosting a conference, in conjunction with Dublin Chamber of Commerce, to address these and other questions. Speakers are set to include senior Irish politicians and officials, business leaders and journalists. Catherine Day, Secretary General of the European Commission, will speak during the Opening Session. While challenges remain, Ireland has made impressive progress under its EU/IMF Programme. The Programme succeeded in its objective of closing the gap between State expenditure and income in a more gradual way than would otherwise have been possible. It helped set important reforms in motion, aimed at repairing the financial sector and improving Ireland’s competitiveness. The Programme also addressed a range of issues in areas as diverse as the tax base and health services. The Government’s Medium Term Strategy, published in December 2013, aims to underpin Ireland’s exit from the Programme and its return to the international markets. The strategy (which covers the period to 2020) reaffirms the Government’s

returning. While key challenges still need to be addressed, Ireland is now emerging from the crisis on a much more sustainable footing. The new EU rules are designed to support the efforts made by Ireland and other member states. They are intended to help each member state rebalance its public finances at a pace that is appropriate to its own economy and is credible to investors. Initial signs of recovery at EU level provide evidence that the comprehensive reforms undertaken over the past number of years are starting to deliver. The challenge is to ensure that this recovery is sustained! If you are interested in attending the conference, please contact Marion: Marion@dublinchamber.ie / Phone: 01 6447235. g

commitment to meeting its fiscal targets under EU rules. With the Programme over, Ireland will now enter a new phase of its relationship with the EU. It will become part of European economic governance arrangements which are common to all Euro Area member states that are not in an EU/IMF Programme. These coordinated arrangements are aimed at the consolidation of fiscal policies in a growth-friendly manner. They are intended to facilitate the coordination of national economic policies, identify potential macroeconomic imbalances, and ensure that past mistakes are never repeated. As part of this process, Ireland will also participate in what is referred to as the European Semester. The Semester covers fiscal consolidation, the promotion of growth and competitiveness, tackling social and environmental issues and modernising public administration. While some tough decisions still have to be made, the good news is that Ireland has regained much of its lost competitiveness and is now well positioned to benefit from a return to growth in key trading partners. There are also Barbara Nolan, Head of the European Commission signs of improvement on the Representation in Ireland. jobs front and confidence is 19

OPEN for Business Gerry Prizeman, Head of Small Business and Agriculture, Bank of Ireland Business Banking, tells Business Ireland why entrepreneurial Ireland is very much alive and about the support the bank is providing.

uBusiness

Start-Ups

Supporting business start-ups is a key element of this. Last year alone we opened over 28,000 new business customer accounts with the bulk of these being opened for start-up companies. Our Business Start-Up package is designed to meet the needs of new businesses. The package is open to any business that has been set up within the last two years and offers a range of products and services including no maintenance or transaction fees in the first year. This is important for businesses in the start-up phase when cash flow can often be an issue. As well as the day-to-day transactional benefits, we also offer customers access to online support, currency risk advice and exclusive offers from business experts such as a consultation session with a solicitor and an accountant. uCredit

Availability

In 2013 we provided credit to over 500 small businesses and farmers 20

each week with over 80 per cent of all loan applications for SMEs being approved for credit. Looking ahead, the bank plans to release €33 billion in new lending into the economy by the end of 2017 which includes €12 billion in lending to SME customers over the next three years. The outlook for the year ahead looks positive as recent research undertaken by iReach on behalf of Bank of Ireland showed that almost 70 per cent of SMEs were optimistic about 2014, with more than half of all businesses saying they are growing or have stabilised. We also recently introduced our 24 hour promise initiative which is currently being rolled out nationwide. The promise ensures that when businesses apply for credit they will have a decision within 24 hours. We understand how stressful setting up your own business can be and each of the measures we’ve put in place is to help ease the process and make it as seamless as possible. u Our Enterprise Weeks

- Engagement is Key

At Bank of Ireland we take a holistic approach to meeting the needs of business customers. Historically banks were seen as a place to get

credit but we offer much more than that. Our programme of engagement includes our bi-annual Enterprise Week where we showcase businesses in our branches across the country, host networking events and conferences and meet with business owners and start-up companies at our Credit Clinics. Since the end of 2012 we’ve held over 150 Credit Clinics. Six of these credit clinic sessions took place in our Enterprise Lounge on Grafton Street at which 100 people attended. At these clinics we discuss a number of topics; from what should be included in business plans to the decision and appeals process. Through the clinics we offer support as well as advice for businesses who may not know what services are out there and what they need to think about when looking for credit. uEnterprise

Town

For the first time last year we introduced our ‘Enterprise Town’ event. Kells in County Meath was selected as the first Enterprise Town and we invested a significant sum in this project which saw us bring a comprehensive programme of activities to Kells organised by a committee comprising of bank staff,

©iStockphoto.com/frankpeters

pen for Business is our mantra at Bank of Ireland and our key objective is to be the number one Bank for businesses in Ireland. At Bank of Ireland we are looking to support new start-up companies as well as our existing customers. We are focused on attracting new customers and becoming ‘the Enterprise Bank’ for business.

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 2013 Support EEN for Start-Ups

members of the Kells and District Chamber, local businesses, Meath County Council and members of the local community. The two main events that took place around our Enterprise Town initiative were: ‘Kells: A great place to live’ sports and community expo and ‘Kells: A great place to do business’ business and jobs expo. These two events were a resounding success and will hopefully have left a lasting legacy in the town. We are looking at how we will expand the programme this year. uEnterprise

Lounge

Our Enterprise Lounge was first established in November 2012. We recognised that new business start-ups often don’t have an office or a professional space to meet prospective clients. For businesses based outside of Dublin many may not have a place to work from when they are in the capital on business. Our Enterprise Lounge is open to both customers and non-customers of the bank and is a space where they can come and hold meetings by pre-booking a room or simply come and use the WiFi facility to carry out work. Take up on the lounge has grown steadily since it opened, with the busiest months peaking at 800 users. To find out more about the Enterprise Lounge email us at enterpriselounge@boi.com usocial

media

Social media is now a driving force for businesses with more and more recognising the value and need to engage with their customers via social media channels. For this reason we wanted to ensure we had a programme in place to support our existing customers as well as new customers and start-ups with their social media plans. Last November we teamed up with Twitter and

Barry Collins, Director SMB, EMEA, Twitter, Laura Haugh, Mummypages.ie and Gerry Prizeman, Head of Small Business and Agri, Bank of Ireland, at the launch of the Bank of Ireland and Twitter partnership in November 2013.

are the Official Twitter Partner for Small Businesses in Ireland. Over the course of this year we will continue to roll out this initiative which includes providing educational content, marketing tips and best practice advice developed in partnership with Twitter, to help SMEs grow online. The service is not limited to Bank of Ireland customers and small businesses can follow @BOIbusiness on Twitter or go to bankofireland.com/ twitter to find out more. useed

funds

Many customers and potential customers may not be aware of the bank’s seed funds. We currently have three seeds funds in operation - The Bank of Ireland Seed and Early Stage Equity Fund and the Bank of Ireland MedTech Accelerator Fund. Both are managed by Kernel Capital. The third fund, the Bank of Ireland Start-Up and Emerging Sectors Fund, is managed by Delta Partners. The bank’s involvement in these seed funds totals €49 million. The funds seek visionary entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for the developments

“Ireland will seek to stimulate growth and job creation by bringing forward measures proposed by the EU Commission to reduce the regulatory burden on SMEs and by advancing the Entrepreneurship agenda in Europe.”

of products or services which have the potential to export. Areas of investment in the funds include technology, technology services, clean technology, green technology, multimedia, wireless, software, internet, financial services sectors or food. Potential customers can contact Kernel Capital or Delta Partners to find out more about applying for seed capital. To summarise, at Bank of Ireland we are looking to support our existing customers and attract new customers as we focus on becoming ‘the Enterprise Bank’ for business. We continue to meet with and engage with new and existing customers through our range of activities, including our bi-annual National Enterprise Week, our Enterprise Town initiative, various conferences, seminars, networking events and credit clinics throughout the country. We firmly want to dispel the myth that banks are not lending and would encourage all start-ups and SMEs to visit us to find out more about how we can help their business grow by meeting with their local Bank of Ireland business advisor or visiting us at www.bankofireland.com/ enterprise. When it comes to startups thinking about choosing a bank we want them to think of Bank of Ireland and for us to be their first and last stop. We are very much open for business. g 21

No Fair Weather Friend Business Ireland speaks with Tom Browne, CEO of Friends First, about the challenges both Friends First and the wider market faced in 2013, and the more positive outlook for 2014.

perating in Ireland since 1834, Friends First is one of Ireland’s oldest and most established life assurance companies. Their core business revolves around life and income protection insurance, plus savings, investments and pensions and with nearly 200,000 customers, the company has assets under management of €4.6 billion. “We market our products and services exclusively through independent financial advisors or brokers as we believe it is important that our corporate and individual

customers receive independent and expert advice on their financial planning requirements prior to making long term commitments,” says CEO Tom Browne. uStrong

roots

Friends First is a fully-owned subsidiary of Achmea, an international insurance group which is the largest non-life insurer in the Netherlands, and a leading provider of life and pensions there. Achmea was founded in 1811 as a company with strong co-operative

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 FRIENDS FIRST

roots and its main shareholders are the Achmea Association, a representative body of its customers and Rabobank, also a mutual organisation. Achmea remains committed to a mutual ownership model and so is not listed on any stock exchange. Achmea employs nearly 17,000 people across its Dutch business and insures over eight million people in a Dutch market that is one of the top ten largest insurance markets in the world. Achmea is also active in six other European countries including Ireland, Turkey, Russia, Greece, Romania and Slovakia, where it employs 4,000 people and insures over five million. Friends First benefits from having roots in such a large multinational organisation in terms of financial management, reinsurance and marketing. uMarket

issues

The life assurance sector is something of a bellwether of the economy – if the economy is doing well, the life assurance sector tends to do well, and vice versa. “Back in 2006 and 2007, the life assurance industry here never had it so good,” says Browne. “Many people had lots of their own money and could access borrowed money freely to invest in all sorts of things. It was very easy to sell products and because the sales volumes were so high, by and large financial advisors or brokers who promote our products had little or no time to focus on doing things for their existing customers, and changing existing policies. It was a very good position for life insurers. All of that changed dramatically when the recession kicked in and we saw sales volumes fall by close to 65 per cent between 2007 and 2012. While the market stabilised in 2013 and was up ten per cent compared to 2012, we are starting from a low base and there’s still a long way to get back to where we were. “In addition, many people who took out policies in the good years have been struggling to meet

“The life assurance sector is something of a bellwether of the economy – if the economy is doing well, the life assurance sector tends to do well, and vice versa.” their financial commitments to those policies. This is bad news for insurers, and also for those customers. We are concerned that when people look at their finances, insurance products and funding for old age are not coming out very high on their list of priorities. It’s a choice each person has to make, but we think that there has been an excessive short term focus, and there may be some damage downstream because people haven’t funded adequately for their retirement,” maintains Browne. uRebroking

One of the issues affecting both life companies and the purchasing public is that of ‘rebroking’, policies being cancelled and subsequently replaced by new policies. In some cases, this rebroking is for the benefit of the client where a better or more suitable product is available, but there was growing evidence up to 2013 that some rebroking was influenced by the need of financial advisors to generate a new product sale, and receive the resulting commission payment. “The wider issue is that if financial advisors are only incentivised and paid to sell new products and are paid fully upfront at the point of sale for doing so, then there is a risk that this is what they will focus on, at times to the detriment of the client’s needs and service requirements,” Browne explains. Both international regulators and the European Commission are concerned that this model is of benefit to the financial advisor but not necessarily the customer. In the Pension Charges report of December 2012, Minister for Social Protection Joan Burton expressed her concern over the increased levels of rebroking, while concern over this issue also appears to be the reason behind ‘themed inspections’ which took place in

certain financial advisory firms by the Irish Financial Regulator last year. There is, of course, another knock on effect for the life company. Where the company pays all commission upfront for a product sale, it needs to keep the policy on the books for a certain number of years to recoup their costs, including both commissions and the need to make a small profit. However, the reduction in sales and size of in-force policy portfolios has hit the profitability of life companies quite significantly – most have had to engage in cost-cutting programmes in recent years. uNew

regulation

Ireland is currently awaiting final ratification of European regulation on commission, expected to be passed by 2015, and which also includes a proposed ban on commission for independent financial advice. Most countries which have introduced commission changes have brought in outright commission bans, including the Netherlands, where the only way a consumer can obtain independent financial advice is if he or she pays a financial advisor directly. Similar systems have also been introduced in Denmark, Finland and Australia, while the UK also implemented changes last year; outlawing the payment of commission by life companies to financial advisors for sales of investment and pension savings products. The customer and advisor now agree a fee between them for advice given – either paid in cash by the customer or deducted from their life policy. “Markets where commission bans or restrictions have been enforced have seen a drop in the number of financial advisors,” says Browne. “But this has resulted in restricted access to independent advice; not 23

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 friends First

“If the client is not receiving an acceptable ongoing service, they can order that the regular commission is no longer paid.” a positive outcome. In addition, many consumers are unwilling to pay fees for independent financial advice which discourages many from seeking necessary unbiased advice, again a negative outcome. Friends First is worried by these developments but we remain adamant that the current upfront commissions’ model is not optimal for the consumer, it is not good for the life companies and we believe it’s not even good for financial advisors as it means they all are developing little or no recurring income and value in their business,” says Browne. Friends First maintains a stance which is against an outright ban on commission, which he believes goes too far; instead he advocates changes to the current system, changes which would see advisors being paid much more evenly throughout the life of the policy instead of upfront payments. “We believe this is more aligned with the needs of the customer,” he explains. “If the client is not receiving an acceptable ongoing service, they can order that the regular commission is no longer paid.” uInitiatives

To address the increasing loss of in-force policies due to rebroking, Friends First has made changes in how they pay commissions to financial advisors for product sales, whereby payments are being spread over the term of the policy as opposed to current practice. “We have already seen the benefits of this initiative as more financial advisors are seeking to develop durable recurring income based on developing a long term advice-based relationship with clients rather than simply selling a product to them,” says Browne. The organisation also prides itself on being at the forefront in assisting brokers committed 24

Friends First CEO, Tom Browne.

to changing their business to the advisory-based model. As a result, a unique broker business transition programme called ‘Foresight’ has been developed to provide them with the tools and capability to complete the transition. The reduction in deposit rates to zero, or negative in real terms, allied with an increase in risk appetite has resulted in more clients returning to invest in products and funds offering exposure to risk-based assets including equities, bonds and even property. “We have also developed a range of off-the-shelf investment funds and portfolios which can meet the risk and return requirements of a wider variety of client-types and again make it easier for clients and advisors to decide what to invest in, rather than cherry-picking from thousands of funds,” explains Browne. uLooking

Forward

Product innovation in Friends First for 2014 will revolve around

building on the main developments introduced in 2013. Friends First is enhancing its range of specified illness cover, expanding the type of conditions they cover and is also improving their pricing on life insurance protection. In the pensions and investment area they will be introducing an online risk tool, aimed at enabling the advisor and their clients to determine a client’s risk profile. Browne is also targeting a continuing enhancement of investment options and funds available through their range of pension and investment products. “We will continue to make it easier for our customers to understand our products through easier-tounderstand products and clearer communication both at the point of sale and after. Our communications are evolving in light of the digital revolution that is happening with a greater focus on developing online access and providing more relevant information through this medium,” Browne concludes. g

Growing Tourism Together Keith McCormack, Head of Business Tourism and Events at Fáilte Ireland, considers the state of play for tourism in Dublin and asks what more can be done to grow visitor numbers in the capital.

ow best can we sum up the current state of play in the capital when it comes to tourism? The honest reply would be that Dublin is certainly performing well but… and the ‘but’ in this case is significant. Yes, Dublin has been leading the national recovery in tourism and tourism growth has been stronger and faster in Dublin than the rest of the country. However, this would be fine if Dublin was simply in competition with the rest of Ireland for international visitors but – and this is key – Dublin should be competing more aggressively with other European cities like Barcelona, Amsterdam and Vienna. The alternative is that, while our competitor cities overseas continue to reinvent themselves, Dublin is in danger of standing still with its brand becoming a bit stale. 26

This fundamental truth was recently underlined by the Grow Dublin Taskforce, established by Fáilte Ireland, in their final report Destination Dublin: A Collective Strategy for Tourism Growth to 2020 which offered a new vision and strategy for growth, underpinned by a new, compelling, and authentic Dublin brand. And this Action Plan for Growth presented us with a very tempting prize - a best case scenario where visitor numbers to Dublin could grow by 7 per cent a year, visitor spending increased by 8.6 per cent a year and spending by international visitors would almost double to just under €2.5 billion by 2020. So how do we get there? How can Dublin step up and reap its full potential? Well, firstly, we have to accept that not all overseas leisure visitors are the same and that there

are certain types of visitors for whom Dublin holds greater appeal. Our research has identified two particular market segments which have particular potential to deliver growth for Dublin - a younger tech-savvy and hands-on traveller (what marketers would term a ‘social energiser’) along with an older one, more interested in heritage and authentic experiences (the ‘culturally curious’ traveller). If we are to lure these types of

“The Gathering Ireland 2013 delivers on both of these objectives and seeks to directly contribute to Ireland’s economic revival by welcoming an additional 325,000 tourists to Ireland in 2013.”

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 Dublin Tourism

udublin

now

Already Fáilte Ireland has been working with local businesses to do just that. Our Dublin Now project is geared towards repositioning the city as an edgy, exciting and happening spot for the younger, urban traveller. Building on our Dublin City Plus initiative, now strengthened by a new proposition for Dublin, we are exploiting Dublin’s unique position as a major urban centre so close to sea, hills and countryside to draw those hands-on younger visitors who are looking for a city-break which offers a real variety of things to see and do. For the culturally curious travellers, we are investing in stand-out

uTargeting

Events

Looking at other opportunities, the massive impact of the Navy/Notre Dame game on trade in the city significantly points to the benefit which such large events can deliver in terms of visitors and revenue. Here, again, we need to up our game. Dublin can be the non-stop festival

city which never sleeps. To do that, we need to revamp our existing stock of events, develop new ones and strategically set out to target major big name sporting (or other) events for the capital. Even during the recent downturn, business tourism and international conferences provided a silver lining and that sector has gone from strength to strength, boosted by the addition of the Dublin Convention Centre. Even here, however, there is potential for growth. Fáilte Ireland will be working with local businesses to strengthen Dublin’s appeal for business travellers and to develop a range of high-impact supports including a new larger conference fund, a new corporate incentive programme and a new corporate ambassador programme. u A

Collaborative Approach

So, Dublin is doing well but it can do even better. However, as the Grow Dublin Taskforce identified, future success will depend on collaboration and cooperation between all the various public bodies, industry groups, and service providers throughout the city and county who have an interest and stake in the tourism economy. In other words, successful future growth is dependent on a level of collaboration that has not happened before. Fáilte Ireland will play its part. However, one tourism organisation – nor indeed the four local authorities and the public sector – cannot achieve all that potential set out in the recent Taskforce report. The success of Dublin as a tourism destination will also depend on the private and voluntary sectors - tourism operators, retail businesses, the hospitality and accommodation sectors, sports, arts and culture interests and the wider business community working closely together, including members of the Dublin Chamber. We have an exciting prize before us and, on behalf of Fáilte Ireland, I look forward to working with you to win it for Dublin. g

©Failte Ireland

visitors to Dublin then we need to really bring the city and region to life and make it appealing in a way that truly resonates with these audiences.

trails which we hope will unlock the hidden, authentic and real Dublin. This includes ‘The Dubline’, developed in conjunction with Dublin City Council, a discovery trail that traces the city’s history and heritage from College Green to Kilmainham via many of Dublin city’s best attractions. In parallel, we are also developing Dublin’s Independence Trail, a series of three themed walking routes in the city telling the story of Ireland’s road to independence, which will be significantly progressed during 2014. I have no doubt that Dublin can develop the hooks to lure significant extra overseas visitors. However, if we are to successfully pitch to them, we need to be selling where these potential visitors can be found – online. For that reason, we are redeveloping the dedicated Visitdublin.com website as well as developing a range of exciting digital content to bring activities, attractions and all Dublin has to offer to the fore and paint a more vibrant modern picture of Dublin which we know many of these possible visitors are looking for. This content will include imagery, video, infographics and blogs all telling the happenings and hidden stories of Dublin. To grow tourism in Dublin, we also have to make sure we don’t miss a trick and we need to look for the greatest potential in any emerging sectors. In this regard, the Grow Dublin Taskforce identified great scope for growth in cruise tourism. Fáilte Ireland will be establishing a Cruise Dublin forum to identify and progress the necessary to grow such visitors – and to maximise the spend from these trips.

property Outlook John McCartney, Director of Research at Savills Ireland, reflects on the performance of the property market in 2013 and looks at what can be expected in the year ahead.

conomically, 2013 was a year of two halves. The first six months saw continued progress on the long term projects that are critical to Ireland’s economic future – reducing the fiscal deficit and improving the sustainability of the sovereign debt burden. Despite this, however, the economy remained stuck in recession until midway through the year. Several factors contributed to this. On one hand, domestic demand continued to suffer from shaky consumer confidence, tight credit and public sector cutbacks. In addition, Ireland’s export performance lost some of its sparkle due to patent expiries in the pharmaceutical sector and a slowdown in global demand. One major positive, however, has been the performance of the labour market. In net terms 74,300 new jobs have been created since the depth of the unemployment crisis in Q1 2012. Considering that 13,500 Government jobs have been shed in the same period, the implication is that private sector employers in Ireland are now 28

generating almost 5,000 new jobs per month. Eventually this was going to feed through into higher output and therefore it was no surprise when the national accounts indicated a strong bounce-back in Q3. Real GDP rose by 1.7 per cent while GNP - arguably a better growth measure in a small open economy - rebounded by a spectacular 3.9 per cent. Furthermore, on the evidence of recent monthly statistics, this momentum appears to have continued through the final quarter of last year. For example, there was a 10,700 reduction in live register claimants between September and December, while retail sales rose by 1.6 per cent in the year to November. Where the economy goes, property markets generally tend to follow. And, in keeping with this maxim, 2013 saw a strengthening of commercial real estate activity. Total take up of office space in Dublin amounted to 171,800 sq m during 2013 – 25 per cent higher than the previous year’s figure and 42 per cent higher than the 30-year average. Reflecting the

broader macro-economic trend, almost two-thirds of this letting activity occurred in the second half of the year. In recent years there has been significant churn in the office market as occupiers took advantage of lease expiries and break options to escape legacy leases. This led to a quirky situation in which relatively strong letting activity coexisted with stubbornly high vacancy rates. More recently, however, this has begun to change. With the economy now in recovery mode, a greater proportion of lettings involve either expansions or new entrants coming to the market for the first time. As a result, less vacated space is being returned to the market, and the overhang of unlet accommodation is being digested more quickly. Overall, the vacancy rate for Dublin offices has fallen from around 20 per cent this time last year to 15.8 per cent at present. Beneath this overall figure the vacancy rate varies widely by location. In some areas, particularly in parts of the north and west suburbs, the figure

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014

©iStockphoto.com/Keith Levit Photography

Propert y Outlook

is still over 30 per cent. However, in other locations such as Dublin 2, vacancies are now below 7 per cent and there is an acute scarcity of modern space available to let. Tight supply in the best office locations led to prime rents growing by around 10 per cent in 2013. Looking further ahead, rents will reach a level during 2014 which will make new development viable. However, given long lead-times in office construction, it will be the second half of 2015 at the earliest before we see any brand new space delivered to the office market. This means that prime Dublin office rents are likely to continue rising strongly in the interim. Reflecting the improving labour market, real household disposable incomes rose by 0.8 per cent in the year to September 2013. Although modest, this represents the largest year-on-year increase in disposable incomes since Q1 2008. This has filtered through to a sharp improvement in consumer sentiment and a continued decline in the savings ratio as households finally feel confident enough to begin loosening the purse strings again. As a result, retail sales are finally beginning to recover. Again, performance varies by location and store type, with consumer electronics, fashion and pharmacy outlets all trading well. However, the most striking trend in retail sales is the renaissance of the hardware, DIY and furniture segments. These stores were among the biggest victims of the housing market crash, but have rebounded strongly in recent months. In the year to November, sales in furniture and lighting stores rose by 16.7 per cent, while hardware and DIY stores saw turnover increase by 3.5 per cent. This is most likely due

“There has been significant churn in the office market as occupiers took advantage of lease expiries and break options to escape legacy leases.”

to the recovery in residential markets – there was a 14 per cent increase in the number of houses sold during 2013 and this naturally brings a demand for DIY products and furniture. With improved trading performance we have also seen more activity in the retail property sector. Transactions have largely followed trends in retail sales, with clothing and footwear, electrical and homeware retailers all active. Interestingly, however, we are now seeing increased demand from food and drink operators for space in prime city centre locations, with requirements John McCartney, Director of Research, Savills Ireland. currently outstripping the available stock. We expect this investments was transacted in 2013. to continue in 2014 as a number of UK pub chains seek to expand further A number of factors have helped to attract international investors in Ireland. back into the market. On one hand Over the last 15 years the structure their perceptions of risk have eased of Ireland’s economy has shifted as continuing progress has been away from manufacturing towards made on the fiscal adjustment plan. services. This has impacted on the composition of demand for industrial In addition, international buyer property, with an increasing emphasis investors have been attracted by perceived value in the market. on distribution and logistics space. This notwithstanding, 2013 The market for this product is, to a also saw the re-emergence of Irish significant extent, linked to the retail investors, with institutions such as economy. It follows, therefore, that Irish Life, IPUT and the new REITS improving consumer conditions all actively acquiring properties in the are feeding through to increased last 12 months. This is very positive as demand for industrial space. Overall it provides a stable long-term investor take up of industrial space in Dublin base for the market. increased by over 30 per cent in As financial institutions continue 2013, with distribution and logistics to de-leverage there will be further accounting for much of this activity. opportunities for investors to buy In time it is likely that the emergence in to Irish commercial property. of E-commerce and online shopping will provide an additional boost to the Attention will continue to focus on prime office investments in the logistics sector. best locations in Dublin, but there While occupational markets for will also be demand for multiDublin office, retail and industrial family residential product where property are now improving, there opportunities arise. In addition, retail has been a much more dramatic investments are likely to receive more turnaround in investment market attention in the next 12 months. activity. Investment turnover in 2011 Other trends for 2014 include more amounted to a meagre €25 million. bundling of assets into portfolios by However, with the support of welldeleveraging financial institutions, targeted Government initiatives in Budget 2012, the market has bounced and further deleveraging through loan sales. g back strongly and €1.9 billion of 29

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BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 euro currency

Luck of the Irish or tenacious hard work? Tiffany Burk, Senior European Market Analyst with Western Union Business Solutions, provides Business Ireland with a euro zone currency outlook for the year ahead. Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy recently announced that his government will attempt to cut income taxes from 2015. Confidence inspiring progress has been made in the weaker or peripheral economies. Still, questions remain over whether it’s enough to attract more demand for European assets to continue supporting the euro. Should the ECB’s upcoming bank stress tests reveal fresh cracks in the banking industry, while the Federal Reserve continues to taper its stimulus as the US economy gathers steam, the euro is likely to come under pressure against the US dollar. Nevertheless, foreign investors are becoming more attracted to the euro area because of the higher returns on offer. Meanwhile, France may continue to be a drag on the euro zone recovery, threatening the ECB’s outlook of a ‘prolonged period of low inflation’ which could just develop into deflation. If deflationary fears grow, speculation about more monetary stimulus from the ECB will increase and that will be a problem for the euro. Although, the euro’s

near-term prospects may not be driven by inflation data, but, rather developments in money markets after lending rates shot higher in January. Tighter bank lending conditions threaten already weak demand for credit as banks rush to pay back the ECB’s long-term loans, or LTROs, as well as prepare themselves for the stress tests. This is a problem which may soon require a policy response from the ECB. Ireland’s economic recovery is some distance ahead of other euro zone countries. However, the euro zone, and therefore Ireland, is not out of danger yet. With another year of currency and euro volatility on the horizon, Irish businesses with international exposure will still need to be prudent. To understand more about how you can protect yourself from risks associated with currency market volatility, talk to a Western Union specialist today. For further details call 1800 710 253 or email ie-enquiries@westernunion. com. Alternatively, log on to business.westernunion.ie 

©iStockphoto.com/iSailorr

aving recently become the first euro zone country to exit their bailout programme, Ireland’s debt is no longer considered ‘junk’ by any of the big three credit rating agencies. This positive shift occurred in January and was the result of hard work, not luck. Ireland’s Government borrowing costs have dropped from 15 per cent in 2011, at the height of the country’s debt crisis, to just 3.54 per cent. This was the yield paid on the Government’s most recent bond auction which raised half of its €8 billion targeted for this year. Ireland’s progress is reason to be more optimistic about the euro zone with other debt-strapped countries expected to follow. Portugal narrowly missed a ratings downgrade from S&P but the country still has a negative outlook due to uncertainty around public sector wage cuts and the Government’s debt targets. Nevertheless, Portugal is moving in the right direction and there are reasons to be more optimistic. For example, the Portuguese government has already achieved a third of its debt issuance for this year and privatisation plans continue. Portugal, Greece and Cyprus will be looking to emulate Ireland’s relative success and tenacity to move out of the emergency room and back into the markets. Although, Greece’s steps may be a little more sideways than forwards as deeper spending cuts are still required. Spain, the euro zone’s fourth largest economy, is not too far behind Ireland in switching off its emergency funding. In fact,

Activating Dublin Online Getting SMEs trading online remains a priority of Dublin Chamber and results of a pilot programme show an opportunity for Irish companies to grow sales, increase employment and boost exports.

he headline figures for online shopping in Ireland make for impressive reading. In 2012, it is estimated that €3.7 billion was spent online by consumers here and the ecommerce market in Ireland is now the seventh fastest growing in the world, with 60 per cent of Irish adults using the internet to buy goods and services. The proliferation in online spending is forecast to continue, with total spend on goods and services by Irish consumers expected to reach €5.7 billion by 2016. But, worryingly for Irish etailers, 73 per cent of the money spent online by consumers in Ireland is going to overseas websites, representing a huge loss to the Irish economy. The bright side is that Irish consumers are more than willing to ‘buy Irish’, with six out of ten indicating that they would buy from an Irish site if the price was comparable with international players. Almost every Dublin Chamber member company has an online

presence, meaning that the fundamentals are in place for businesses to respond to the online opportunity and increase revenues. International research has demonstrated a clear link between firms that engage with their customers online and the bottom line. They grow twice as fast, have double the revenue from exports and are twice as likely to be creating jobs as firms that are not. With this in mind, ‘Activating Dublin Online’, a joint initiative of Dublin Chamber, Dublin City Council and other partners from the private, public and social sectors, was established to help Dublin companies develop a more effective online trading presence. The initiative saw Facebook, Google, PayPal and eBay partner together for the first time ever globally in a bid to show how a larger scale version could deliver results for a greater number of companies both in Dublin and nationally. The pilot took 20 SMEs from various sectors and delivered a

series of seminars to help them radically improve their existing online presence. Companies were taught about helpful online tools and also how to start thinking about the potential of their online business. This required a significant change in mindset as owners/managers typically don’t manage their website as they would their physical premises. One participant remarked: “I’m now treating our online store like any other shop I run, proactively managing it in terms of stock and promotions.” Activating Dublin Online showed the opportunity for Irish companies to grow sales, increase employment and boost exports. As a direct result of participating in the pilot, the companies saw real business benefits with 55 per cent increasing sales or leads and 30 per cent exporting for the first time or growing their export sales. The job creation potential from better and growing businesses was clear in that 70 per cent have hired or intend to hire new staff (internally or externally) over the coming 12

BUSINESS IRELAND Yearbook 2014 dublin online

economy, create jobs, drive exports and increase the domestic share of Irish online purchases. For information on Activating Dublin, visit: www.dubchamber.ie/ policy/overview/activating-dublin u Nine

Legal Tips For Selling Online

Online selling in Europe is growing steadily every year. According to Ecommerce Europe, Europe is the largest B2C ecommerce market in the world, accounting for a 35.1 per cent share of global B2C ecommerce. While selling your products through a website is a simple, low-cost way of entering the European and global markets, there are also legal and non-legal issues that you need to be aware of.

months. Around 30 per cent of participants said they are making significant capital investment to better equip themselves for the online opportunity, creating revenues for other Irish businesses. Dublin Chamber believes that an enhanced version of the pilot would provide similar results if delivered at scale and Activating Dublin Online is prepared to share the materials, resources and lessons from the pilot to help ensure the success of a future, larger initiative. Activating Dublin Online partners are also willing to facilitate the instruction of the next group of trainers and create a new programme for companies that don’t qualify for the Government’s trading online voucher. A welcome initiative which is part of the Government’s National Digital Strategy, only businesses with ten employees or less can apply for a trading online voucher to support the development of an online presence. The message is clear: increase the number of Irish businesses trading online and we will grow the

1. Make it clear who you are to your customers. Your website should be optimally designed and easy to use. There is a legal obligation to have information such as your company’s name, as well as postal and email addresses permanently available to your consumers. 2. Include a set of terms and conditions on your website. Contract terms should always be drafted in plain and intelligible language and any ambiguities will be interpreted in favour of consumers. 3. Protect your customers’ data and publish a privacy statement. Included in your long-term strategy for selling products and services should be steps to protect your customers’ data. As a trader you are responsible for the data that you collect. If the site uses cookies the consumer’s consent will be required. 4. Add secure payment processing and a shopping cart to your site. Buyers should be able to place multiple products into the cart, and checkout, before payment is made. This ensures sensitive

customer transaction information will be protected and secured. 5. Be aware of the 30 day period for order completion. If you trade with customers within the EU, products or services purchased must be delivered within 30 days from the day after the placing of the order, unless otherwise agreed. 6. Customers have, at least, seven working days within which to cancel or withdraw from a purchase within the EU. During this period the consumer can cancel the contract without having to give a reason. The only charge that may be made to the customer is the direct cost of returning the goods. 7. Products offered on your website must be of merchantable quality, fit for purpose, as described and correspond to any samples or models used. If a fault occurs within the first six months of delivery it is presumed that the fault existed at the time of delivery and the consumer has the right to have the product repaired or replaced at no extra cost, unless you can prove that there was no lack of conformity. 8. In general, when you sell into the EU you charge VAT at your local rate. However, there are exceptions. If your online store is starting to turn over large trading profits by selling into other EU countries, you will hit additional regulations. 9. Any producer selling electric or electronic equipment across the EU has a number of legal obligations to fulfil. For a list of these obligations visit: www.weeeireland.ie.  *Source: European Consumer Centre Ireland and the Enterprise Europe Network. 33

BI Survey Escher Group

Making Connections Escher Group’s innovation is shaping the future of customer engagement.

Liam Church, Chief Executive Officer of Escher Group

ounded in 1989, Escher Group is a world-leading provider of point-of-service software, whose technology is transforming how businesses worldwide engage and interact with their customers. Escher brings together posts, businesses, governments and communities in an open and collaborative manner, solving tomorrow’s toughest challenges in the digital age of retail. With offices in five countries and 169 employees around the world, Escher has strong global presence. For over 20 years, Escher has been the leading supplier of transactionmessaging technology to the global postal market, delivering innovative software solutions to post offices, helping them evolve in the face of new market challenges. Today Escher manages over 80 million global transactions daily, handling over 2.4 billion secure electronic transactions per year in the world’s largest retail space. Escher’s

messaging technology processes in excess of $900 billion annually. “Escher has seen significant growth over the last number of years. The economic environment continues to provide opportunities for Escher with posts, governments and organisations all looking for ways to reduce costs, and increase their operational efficiencies. We invest resources in research and development to ensure we deliver solutions to our customers that will enable them to thrive in an ever-changing and competitive retail landscape,” says Chief Executive Officer, Liam Church.

Markets & Solutions

Although Escher’s customer base is primarily postal organisations, spanning over 35 countries in over 70,000 business locations, its innovative and patented technology is rapidly diversifying their business model and changing the landscape of social and omni-channel retail. Escher’s seamless, integrated and open platform software champions businesses with ‘always-open’ retail solutions, meaning businesses can give their customers access to products and services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Moreover, Escher technology facilitates the secure provision of government digital services to their citizens and ensures the freedom to safely manage personal information online. Escher’s technology provides solutions to organisations seeking to widen their service offering, expand customer reach, reduce costs and increase operational efficiencies. In particular postal organisations have used Escher technologies to add

lucrative new services, including bill collection, social entitlement payments, licences, retail sales and banking. Escher also delivers a unique digital mailbox solution designed specifically to allow citizens, businesses, governments, and retailers to communicate and transact safely online. This patented software platform is ideally suited to enable the delivery of commercial business communication and support the realisation of Collaborative Government and Smart City strategies. It is currently being deployed by the Irish Government for the delivery of its online Constitution Convention platform.

Focus & Vision

According to Church, “as commerce is moving beyond bricks and mortar to mobile and online, Escher is working with organisations to empower them to adapt to this changing retail landscape and transform the way they stay connected with their customers. Today the customer is in charge. They are seeking an ‘always open’ service experience, and more importantly they expect the services that they use to be consistent across all touch points. We are delivering that ‘always open’ point of service solution to organisations, enabling them to respond to their customers’ needs, and more importantly differentiate themselves in their specific markets.” Escher, through its innovation, solutions and people, is transforming businesses, enabling them to deliver a greater customer experience to their customers.  For more information on how Escher Group can help you transform your business please contact us on 01 254 5400, or visit www.eschergroup.com 35

Colt is a leading international network and IT services company We help businesses perform better by removing the complexity around delivering and integrating IT, network and data centre services.

From individual products to fully integrated solutions, Colt provide tailored services to large enterprise, small businesses, channel partners and operators.

With a network spanning 22 European countries and an increasing presence in the U.S. & Asia, Colt deliver advanced business performance wherever our customers need it.

Contact: For more information visit www.colt.net/ie or call +353 1 4365975

Our customers beneďŹ t from simple, seamless solutions which cut through the complexity of IT services leaving them free to focus on core business objectives.

BI Survey Colt Technology

Investing in Ireland Investment is key to ensuring that Ireland remains at the heart of Europe’s network infrastructure. Ken Sherry of Colt Technology explains why.

olt Technology Services continues to actively invest in Ireland since entering the market thirteen years ago and counts the vast majority of the top 30 ICT and finance companies in Ireland amongst its customers. We see significant opportunities in Ireland thanks to the enormous success of its ICT-sector, businessfriendly environment and skilled workforce. Underpinning this is the need for a world-class network infrastructure. This is where Colt leads the way by providing the lastmile fibre to over 250 connected buildings and acting as a vital gateway to Europe. Colt is investing significantly in its network infrastructure in Ireland, ensuring the country remains at the heart of Europe’s network infrastructure and the location of choice for large enterprises across a number of sectors.

Supporting a growing hub for multinationals

Colt provides network services to the majority of multinationals based in Ireland, having worked alongside companies such as Paypal and PGi to support their operations both nationally and internationally. Not only international companies based in Ireland benefit from Colt’s

network, we are also a key supplier of network services into Europe for Irish-led multinationals, such as Ardagh Group. Colt’s ‘low latency’ network connecting Dublin to London is designed to support high bandwidth data services and allows enterprises to deliver information at the fastest possible speed between Ireland and mainland Europe. In response to demand from international and indigenous enterprise and wholesale customers to provide services from different locations in Dublin (‘fully diverse’ services), a second infrastructure node site will be established at an independent location in the north west part of the city and be part of Colt’s extended international network. This new site will fully replicate the key services in the existing East Wall Road site, in addition to accepting the second sub-sea link. Additionally, the success of the Dublin to London network installed in 2012 has driven demand for a second sub-sea link and in 2014 Colt will connect London to our new site in Dublin, complementing the existing sub-sea network to provide re-direction of

services when needed. The highcapacity infrastructure to Cork, Ireland’s second largest city, has also been expanded, helping to position it as a prime location for multinationals requiring a fast and robust gateway to Europe. During Q1 Colt will also be installing a multicore fibre optic cable into Dublin’s T50 fibre network, allowing us to provide faster and more cost-effective, low latency services on a dedicated Colt owned network. This new network will complement the work carried out in the latter part of 2013, where Colt completed the connectivity to Citywest Business Park, allowing end-to-end ‘on-net’ connectivity in the periphery of Dublin City in addition to the existing network in the central metropolitan area.

Positive outlook

With our network investments, we are making a strong statement of confidence in Ireland and its ability to prosper: Colt’s continued infrastructure investment in Ireland will enable Irish enterprises to continue growing and position the country as a gateway to Europe.  37

BI Survey UPC

Unbeatable

Business Broadband UPC Business has just launched UPC’s 500Mbps business fibre power broadband service to businesses across the country and a new 250 Mbps fibre power broadband for SMEs.

n January last, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny launched UPC’s 500 Mbps business fibre power broadband service to businesses across the country, more than doubling the speed offerings currently available, making a significant contribution to regional economic development and powering the digital economy. The 500 Mbps service will first be made available in Dublin, Waterford and Galway and will then be rolled out to other towns and cities across Ireland. An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D. said, “The Government has made jobs the top priority. We are supporting businesses to grow,invest and add jobs. Day by day we are improving our attractiveness as a location for inward investment. This announcement by UPC Business will make a very welcome contribution to our reputation for broadband capacity and to our overall economic recovery. It will support a key aim in the Government’s Action Plan forJobs of increasing the number of businesses trading online so that Irish companies can grow new business at home and abroad and ultimately create more jobs.” UPC Ireland CEO, Magnus Ternsjö said, “We have invested over half a billion euro upgrading our fibre power network to world class standards and are constantly improving our product offerings and affordability of our digital services for small and larger business

customers as well as enterprises. This is contributing effectively to business growth, competitiveness and national economic progress. Current UPC business customers will also be able to upgrade to the new speed when released in their region.

Connecting SMEs

UPC Business has also just announced faster and better communications for businesses by upping the speed of its fibre power broadband for Small and Medium Enterprise customers to 250Mb. “For businesses looking to increase speed and reduce costs, Business Fibre Power from UPC Business is the ideal option where new and existing customers now have the opportunity to avail of this new speed through one supplier,” said Gary Jordan, SME Channel Manager with UPC. UPC Business’s new 250Mb fibre power broadband service is delivered to businesses over UPC’s Hybrid Fibre Coaxial (HFC) network. This offers businesses currently using an alternative network a competitively priced alternative data network connection. “We’re simplifying things for our customers by being the single supplier for all their telecoms needs,” said Gary Jordan. “Businesses of any size are facing a tidal wave of data that needs to get

“For businesses looking to increase speed and reduce costs, Business Fibre Power from UPC Business is the ideal option where new and existing customers now have the opportunity to avail of this new speed through one supplier.”

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny launching UPC Business’s new broadband service.

from A to B without delay.” “In today’s business world, time is not a luxury and our superior business offerings are designed to address the specific bandwidth-hungry and time sensitive needs and requirements of each business client.“

UPC Business

UPC Business is the leading national provider of integrated business communications ranging from Metro Ethernet services up to 100 Gbps, internet connectivity up to 10Gbps, and broadband services specifically for the small office and home office market (including 50Mb, 100Mb, 150Mb, 250Mb and 500Mb) that includes up to 10 voice lines with no line rental fee. UPC Business offers the complete spectrum of business communications products through the UPC high capacity fibre network. Services include Metro Ethernet connectivity, colocation, SIP and TDM voice services, leased lines, managed bandwidth and direct internet access. UPC Business recently introduced triple play bundles (broadband, TV, phone) for the first time aimed at hospitality and small business markets. g Contact us: www.upcbusiness.ie Call: 1800 924 220 Email: BusinessSales@upc.ie 39

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BI SURVEY Irish School of Motoring

Irish School of Motoring Helping learners pass with confidence for over 50 years.

stablished in 1961, the Irish School of Motoring (ISM) is Ireland’s leading Driver Training Organisation. With an unrivalled network of over 160 Qualified Driving Instructors across the country and a state of the art purpose-built training facility in Dublin, ISM is well equipped to support the needs of a wide range of private and commercial clients. ISM’s range of professional training solutions includes: •C ar Driving Courses, including Advanced Driving • HGV Driving Courses •M ini-Bus and Coach • Motorbike Driving Course •D river CPC (Theory and Modular) •F orklift Training •G eneral safety training, including Manual Handling, Fire Induction, Workplace Health & Safety and Hazardous Chemical Training

“ISM Driver Recruitment provides specialist recruitment and placement services for the logistics, warehouse and freight sectors.” ISM also provides learners with access to our own RSA and RTITBapproved, purpose-built off-road training ground and warehousing facility. We are the only Driver Training Organisation offering these facilities. Our reputation has been built on our ability to be flexible and adaptable in meeting the requirements of the most demanding clients and we have a track record of working successfully

with organisations ranging from both multinationals and SMEs in the private sector through to semi-state and government organisations. By consistently delivering market-leading training, ISM has helped its many customers significantly reduce their overall costs by implementing the enhanced driving and road safety techniques. Over recent years ISM has strengthened and diversified its service to include a wider range of training solutions and has become an accredited Instructor Training College for both on-road vehicles (RSA) and Forklifts (RTITB). ISM is proud to offer this service and has seen increased demand for Instructor Training in line with enhanced road safety regulations. We believe that this will continue to be a key growth area. u Online

booking

In order to keep ahead of the changing demands of the market, ISM has recently ‘moved to the Cloud’ and is the first Driver Training Organisation in Europe to offer a fully online booking solution. This cutting-edge capability is available to learner drivers 24 hours a day, seven days a week and compliments our broader online offering which includes enhanced eLearning capabilities to support driver training. In order to support learner outcomes and provide a new service to the market, ISM Driver Recruitment has recently been established. ISM Driver Recruitment provides specialist recruitment and placement services for the logistics, warehouse and freight sectors.

Specific services include: • The nationwide supply of suitably qualified drivers of artic and rigid HGVs, Coaches and Fork Trucks. • The supply of drivers to companies on a permanent, contract and temporary basis. • Food, freight, delivery, logistics, warehousing companies both private and public, as well as any company which employs or has a demand for drivers or forklift drivers. u What

ISM…

distinguishes

ISM provides a unique and personalised service to clients, no matter how large or small and as a company are distinguished by the following key qualities: • Family owned and operated since 1961. • Ireland’s largest, longest established and only nationwide driving school. • An unrivalled network of over 160 driving instructors across the country offering support to clients in all 26 counties as required. • A deep understanding of driving instruction requirements, gained through years of experience. • Offer lessons in cars, motorbikes, coaches mini-buses and articulated and rigid trucks, to drivers of any skill level, from absolute beginner to advanced commercial drivers. • ISM have an excellent working relationship with the RSA. • ISM is able to offer a comprehensive range of additional services and solutions for its clients, ranging from eLearning to a wide range of driver instruction modules and recruitment services. g 41

Thought Leadership Esri Ireland

Mapping the Bottom Line Geographic information systems (GIS) is helping businesses to innovate and excel by turning location information into competitive advantage.

sri Ireland is the Irish partner of long-established global geographic information systems (GIS) firm Esri Inc., headed by industry pioneer Jack Dangermond in California. Its aim is to better understand our world by putting location data to use. Nowadays information is a key asset and as the rise of browser based map services and GPS-enabled smartphones suggests, geography, big data and high technology are becoming more closely aligned, more widely available and more effective as part of the decision making process. “GIS is based on the very simple principle of attaching a location to every piece of data,” explains Paul Synnott, Country Manager of Esri Ireland. “This means that as well as being able to answer the questions of what, who and even how much, GIS will also reveal ‘where’ specific activities have taken place. With a paper map, what you see is what you get, but a GIS-generated map has many layers of information for many ways of thinking about geographic space.” According to Synnott, geographic information is extremely valuable; it is an investment which can improve an organisation’s services and drive cost savings. It can make a significant difference to a company’s way of doing business. “We call this ‘mapping the bottom line’ and there is no doubt that GIS is helping to reduce their overheads and identify where further efficiencies can be made while improving service and delivery levels that are required to get us back on our 42

feet,” he says. It has a part to play in Ireland’s economic recovery; it helps create jobs, attract inward investment, identify opportunities for revenue growth and reduce costs across many industry sectors.

Provide valuable insight for business

The power of ‘place’ provides valuable insights for business. For many of us the world of business changed for good in late 2008 when the banking crisis in Ireland came to the fore. Since then, recession has turned much of our thinking about how we run successful businesses on its head and has created some new realities. Economic slowdown has forced

Irish businesses to rethink how they operate. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is one area that is helping businesses survive and thrive in the face of all this change. Location is a powerful way to connect people to place, transactions to actions, responses to trends, and customers both to where they do business and what kinds of business they do. “Recent studies we have carried out in the UK, and indeed with a number of customers here in Ireland, have shown a 4:1 ratio in the return of investment on the use and application of GIS where organisations have embedded geographic information as part of their overall business information strategy.”

Thought Leadership Esri Ireland

We all know that better business decisions are made by asking the right questions. By taking geography into consideration when examining key performance indicators, evaluating current market conditions, and analysing trends brings to life patterns and influences that are otherwise difficult to recognise when using tables or graphs. And by using geography as a platform to make better sense of complex business problems, decision makers now have the ability to stand over any proposed investments in people, time and effort, providing clear evidence of more prudent use of company resources and cash reserves.

Revolutionise and optimise business performance

The days of asking a simple question and getting a simple answer are gone. We now live in a global economy where the price of a product or service depends as much on supply and demand in your local area as it does on the cost to manufacture, transport and market. Things that happen five or 5,000 kilometres away can have an equal influence on our lives as both consumers and citizens. Perhaps there is no better system than ‘location’ to understand the interconnections of business in the 21st Century. On a daily basis we use language to communicate spatial relationships when we use phrases such as “alongside”, “linked to” or “opposite to”. We also automatically perform analysis on what we hear and are able to instinctively interpret and infer important geographical relationships and connections. “Near to”, “in the middle of ” or “within reach of ” influence our perceptions of where we live, eat, shop, teach our children and go on holiday. Because of this it’s only natural that business is rapidly adopting “where is?” as one of its most important operational questions and this is manifesting itself in a new breed of business analytics, the geographic analysis associated

with location. Location analytics expose spatial relationships that are otherwise hidden in spreadsheets, graphs and Word documents and help businesses to explore and investigate market conditions and business performance. Questions about sales revenues can evolve into “How well are we performing in this trading area or sales territory?”, “What impact would a specific marketing campaign have on revenues from this segment of our customer base?” or even “What’s the likelihood that we can get new customers in these areas based on a particular pricing promotion or strategy?” “Knowing where things happen, where your coverage is poor, where your assets are located, where you have oversupply, what areas are prone to certain problems, where your services are needed, where your resources are best deployed, where demand is coming from and where it’s likely to increase, are all fundamental location-based questions that need to be answered in order to support better, more competitive delivery of service,” says Synnott. “We are seeing more and more businesses consuming maps derived from location-based data, which is truly revolutionising and optimising the way business does business in Ireland”.

Focusing on customer success

That’s where Esri Ireland comes in. With a staff of 40 and offices in Dublin and Belfast, they’re a wholly-owned subsidiary of Esri UK, and have a client list of over 300 organisations. Much of what they do is based on the belief that knowing where things happen matters to your business and spans desktop, server, web browser, mobile, smart phone and cloud computing platforms. The company was formed in 2002 with the transition of six employees – then became part of a local subdistributor, Paradigm Technology – to the new subsidiary company. “Our role has changed considerably over

Paul Synnott, Country Manager, Esri Ireland.

the years,” says Synnott. “In the early years, as customers began to explore GIS, Esri Ireland’s business was very much focused on the technology. More recently, as GIS has become more accessible to organisations and is understood by more people inside those organisations, we are now finding ourselves focused on the broader business issues facing our clients. Using the world’s leading GIS technology platform, Esri Ireland works with their customers to examine the impact and evidence of their business decisions and how they can harness the value of geographic information to help them make better ones. Esri Ireland has experienced sustained growth each year and is planning for continued growth and expansion. This year the aim is to expand its current workforce and, in support of an aggressive business plan that indicates circa 25 per cent growth for 2014, the company is seeking to add another 8 jobs across a number of different business functions, to be filled by the end of 2014. “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to all of our customers for their continued support and confidence in our business,” says Synnott, who has been there throughout. “As a result of the great work that our customers are doing with GIS, I believe that together we are making a difference, a difference that can be measured in clear business benefit, value for money, return on investment and customer success.” g 43

BI Survey Aviva Stadium

Another Successful Year at Aviva 2013 brought continued success for Aviva Stadium’s Meetings and Events team with two more prestigious industry awards and a calendar full of high profile events.

uilding on the success of 2012 which saw the venue named Best Conference Venue in Ireland at the MICE Report Awards, and taking home the Best Event Caterer Award at the 2012 Event Industry Awards; 2013 brought more awards for the team at the world class venue. In June Compass Group Ireland who

manages the meetings and events at the stadium, were again named Best Event Caterer at the 2013 Event Industry Awards, the first team to successfully retain the title two years running. In November, Sean Dinan Food and Beverage Manager with Aviva Stadium’s Meetings and Events team won the Hospitality Manager of the Year – Catering Award at the prestigious Irish Hospitality Institute Founders’ Banquet & Hospitality Management Awards. This was the

third consecutive win at the IHI Awards for Compass Group Ireland at Aviva Stadium with Martina Flood and Derek McConnell awarded in 2011 and 2012. Being recognised by the industry with amazing wins each year is testament to the hard work and dedication to excellence of the team at Aviva Stadium Meetings and Events. 2013 was one of the busiest since the stadium’s opening in 2010 – hosting over 500 high profile meetings and events including the National Conference for Cancer Survivorship, the first ever Brain Injury and Sport European Conference and Ireland’s largest Digital Marketing Conference DM X Dublin 2013. g For more information contact Julie O’Sullivan, Sales & Marketing Manager T: 01- 238 2388 or visit www.avivastadiumevents.ie

Aviva Stadium Where Ireland Does Business Make Your Next Event Stand Out A purpose built conference and event venue which marries a spectacular event space with an award winning team to deliver outstanding results At Aviva Stadium we plan corporate meetings, car launches, exhibitions, award ceremonies and association conferences. Guests have dined amongst the newest vehicles in our Atrium and collected prizes on the impressive stage sets in the 1872 suite. Clients have created supermarket aisles in our President’s Suite and raced Formula 1 cars in the tunnel. Aviva Stadium’s Meeting and Events team create memorable corporate events with the added wow factor. The versatility and scale of the venue means we can accommodate an extensive range of events within our 50 event spaces. Call our sales team today and let Aviva Stadium make your next event stand out.

Phone: 01-238 2388 Email: sales@avivastadiumevents.ie www.avivastadiumevents.ie

COM-00600 Aviva Conference Ad 188mm x 130mm.indd 1

13/12/2013 17:15

BI Survey RDS

Philanthropy meets Commerce at RDS Business Ireland spoke to CEO of the RDS, Michael Duffy, about past and future high profile events at Dublin’s conference, exhibition and concert venue. Was 2013 a positive year for the RDS?

2013 was a very positive year on a wide range of fronts. In our commercial operation we saw some great success with the exhibitions, the concerts, the exams and a very wide range of events. It was a very good year for sport, Leinster win the Amlin Challenge Cup and the RaboDirect Pro12. We received very good feedback from the Discover Ireland Dublin Horse Show. A lot of effort went into all elements of the show, from the equestrian programme, to investing in the facilities and improving the entertainment programme. The feedback was very positive and we achieved very strong attendance figures. That was very satisfactory. Also, we’ve been working hard on the Royal Dublin Society Foundation programme. The Society was set up in 1731 to undertake the Foundation’s activities which include non-profit and non-commercial activities. So we’ve implemented a new Foundation strategy which is very much aimed at increasing the scale and impact of our activities – a lot of work was done in that area. Across the board it’s been a really encouraging year.

What would you say are the main strengths that attract high profile events to your venue? I think our location: our unique setting, suite of halls and function rooms. I think the venue’s flexibility – our turnaround times are second

We have planning permission for four office blocks, approximately 200,000 square feet of office space. We’ve built two of those offices on Simmonscourt Road which are currently let. As you know, the property market has firmed up and rents are now trending to a level where it’s economic to invest. Our architects, engineers and property advisors are working with a view to proceeding with phase two when the time is right. It’s getting there but you have to judge the timing very carefully. RDS CEO Michael Duffy

to none. The exceptional operating experience and skills of the staff – the know-how and capability has been built up over the years. When you’ve done the amount of events and exhibitions that we’ve done, there’s tremendous corporate know-how. Combined with that there has been a very active investment programme over the last number of years where everything – our catering, our amenities and our information technology – has been enhanced. We’ve spent a lot of money improving and developing the facilities whilst still retaining the distinctiveness of the RDS. I think that’s what makes it such a special location.

Could you tell us about the current phases of office development at the RDS?

What kind of events can we expect in the year ahead?

We’ve a full calendar of events. The major events are all booked such as The BT Young Scientist, Holiday World, The Horse Show – all the ones that people know and love. So we’ve a full calendar of events, exhibitions and conferences. We’ve got some other important developments too. We’re working with Leinster on developing our main arena, increasing our capacity from a current capacity of 18,500 to 25,000 plus, so that’s going to be an important development for next year. We’re implementing the second phase of the office development and then we’ve on-going Information Technology and facilities’ investment. We’ll be continuing with the development of our Foundation activities. Again, it’s going to be a very full and busy year.  45

BI Survey IPB Insurance

Business Playing A Leading Role in

Positive Mental Health

PB Insurance is a wholly Irishowned mutual insurer that has been playing a leading role in social engagement in Ireland. Working with their mutual Members, IPB established a unique approach to their sustainable corporate citizenship including the issuing of a social dividend as part of its annual financial reporting. One example of their partnership approach to corporate philanthropy is the work they are doing with their educational Members, the newly formed Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and their representative body ETBI. Breathe is an initiative of the ETBs established in partnership with the Gaiety School of Acting that involves interactive workshops through role playing and theatre. Following a pilot programme launched in 2013, the programme is now being rolled out nationally with the support of IPB. Young people are meant to be carefree. They are supposed to be enjoying the best years of their lives, free to learn and grow so that they are prepared to handle the responsibilities of adulthood when the time comes. Young people are not supposed to spend their time feeling worried, stressed or depressed. Young people are not supposed to take their own lives. And yet, the tragic reality in this country is, more young people between the ages of 15 and 24 die by suicide than in road traffic accidents. Suicide is the leading cause of death and the leading cause of 46

peer bereavement in this age group. A generation of Irish young people are growing up in a society where suicide rates amongst their peers have increased substantially from those of their parents. In an age of 24 hour news reports, instant messaging and almost compulsive use of social media, even those who are not directly affected by suicide are exposed to it in a way that their parents and grandparents were not. Suicide is not a new issue but the startling increase in suicides over recent years requires a new response.

iStock/thinkstock.com

A unique training programme is aiming to challenge stereotypes, change attitudes and create a strong awareness among young people around positive mental health.

Breathe Programme

In the Spring of 2013, IPB Insurance allocated â&#x201A;Ź25,000 from its Corporate Social Engagement (CSE) Fund to facilitate the pilot run of an innovative new programme which aims to create a strong awareness around positive mental health and to address the issue of suicide amongst young people in a way that hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been done before. It is a professional response to the ever increasing suicide trend whose overarching aims are to challenge stereotypes, change attitudes and create a strong awareness among young people around positive mental health. Phase 1 was rolled out to 15 schools in Wicklow and Kildare in late 2013 following a pilot which had taken place earlier in the year in Cork. 1,803 students, 439 staff and 205 parents took part and the response was overwhelmingly positive. It

quickly became clear that the Breathe programme was answering a huge need in the schools it visited and had the potential to make a profound and lasting impact on the students, staff and parents who took part. Following the success of Phase 1, IPB were very supportive of allocating a further â&#x201A;Ź147,000 to assist in the national roll-out of the programme which aims to target 130 schools. One of the things that really sets Breathe apart from other mental health awareness programmes is its method of delivery. Involvement in the Breathe programme is a process which has a series of stages centred around three separate interactive workshops; one for students, one for staff and one for parents. In these workshops communication skills and

BI Survey IPB Insurance

Ger Canning (Cork ETB), Patrick Sutton (Director, GSA), Cllr. Noel O’Connor (Mayor of Co. Cork), Dr. Anna Kadzik-Bartoszewska (Educate Coordinator, GSA) and Professor Chris Murray (UCD) at the Breathe Launch in the Smock Alley Theatre in Dublin in August last year.

tools for dealing with mental health issues are taught informally in a nonthreatening environment using the creative arts. The decision to structure the programme in this way is based on research which suggests that schools which incorporate music, art, drama, dance and creative writing into their curriculum significantly improve a student’s overall success. As well as this, there is a consensus within the suicide prevention field that the development of a policy and procedures for dealing with suicide within a school represents a critical component of suicide prevention programmes.

Workshops

The workshops are facilitated by trained professionals under the guidance of Patrick Sutton, Director of The Gaiety School of Acting. Staff, students and parents participate in workshops which are based around five key words; communication, reengagement, community, transformation and well-being. In the

workshops students are encouraged to use various creative tools included drama, writing and art, to express themselves. Ger Canning of Cork ETB was instrumental in the development of the Breathe Programme and plays a leading roll in its implementation. In an article published in ETBI magazine she said, “Students will walk away with the feeling that they have been heard and that they have achieved something that might help them. Through their own work and contribution, the students will create ‘their personal workshop’. Parents will get an opportunity to see the students work and during their workshop they will learn how to re-engage with their children. What matters in this process is not the end product but the experiences people have as they work to create greater understanding of each other and improve their social and emotional lives.” Breathe includes not just students, but also parents and staff in its target audience is also unique. This idea

“One of the things that really sets Breathe apart from other mental health awareness programmes for students is its method of delivery. Involvement in the Breathe programme is a process which has a series of stages centred around three separate interactive workshops; one for students, one for staff and one for parents.”

of involving the wider community in the Breathe programme comes from a belief that as a society, we must adopt a unified approach based on knowledge and sense in dealing with the issue of suicide if we want to bring about real change. In addition, contact with caring adults and a sense of connection with a school or local community are major protective factors against a variety of disruptive behaviours amongst young people, including substance abuse, violence and suicide. The Breathe programme is designed to leave its mark on the participants. Everyone who takes part will have a greater awareness and understanding of the importance of emotional wellbeing. Staff are encouraged to incorporate what they have learned into the classroom. Parents will have gained insight into how they can better listen and engage with their children. The school are given an individual page on the Breathe website where they can upload and record future creative works created by students. This should enable the skills learned in the workshops to be kept alive within the school community.

Stop and Breathe

Breathe is different to most other programmes in that it is designed to create a greater awareness and understanding of mental health, explore the complex issue of suicide prevention, improve social relations, ensure a whole school approach is adopted to bring about positive change and to put mechanisms in place which provides opportunities for students, staff and parents to communicate. By the end of this year literally thousands of young people will have taken part in the Breathe programme. Thousands will have been given some tools to help them deal with emotional stress and will have gained an understanding of how the can seek help with their problems. Thousands will hopefully have learned that when they start to feel stressed, worried or depressed they need to just stop, and breathe. g 47

As your business grows, so too do the demands on your payments systems. We are the partner of choice for many of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leading e-commerce businesses. We offer innovative payment and acquiring solutions that are designed to support long-term growth. To learn more about how we can help please call us on 01 726 2950 or visit us at

www.chasepaymentech.co.uk

Chase Paymentech Europe Limited, trading as Chase Paymentech, is a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JPMC) and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. ÂŠ 2014, Chase Paymentech Europe Limited. All rights reserved.

BI Survey Chase Paymentech

Demystifying m-commerce two in every three abandoning the

Mobile commerce may represent checkout stage (Chase Paymentech/ an enormous revenue opportunity Dynamic Markets – Putting Customers First, March 2013). for struggling retailers.

n Europe, revenue from mobile commerce is predicted to rise from €1.7 billion in 2011 to €19.2 billion in 2017, according to Forrester (EU Mobile Commerce Forecast, 2012 to 2017, July 2012). These figures could present a huge revenue opportunity in the face of declining high street sales, and companies that fail to adapt their online strategy to take advantage of the opportunities presented by m-commerce may be left behind. Chase Paymentech uncovers five common myths around m-commerce, and advises how retailers can embrace m-commerce whilst ensuring fraud prevention and improving customer loyalty.

Myth 1:“M-commerce renders other shopping channels obsolete”

A priority for retailers is to help shoppers add and save items to their shopping cart from their mobile, enabling them to pay later using their laptop or desktop computer. Adding a simple login to an e-commerce site could enable customers to switch between multiple devices as part of a seamless shopping experience.

Myth 2: “M-commerce is the easiest way to shop online” When it comes to their m-commerce experience, a massive 93 per cent of tablet users are left frustrated, resulting in more than

Mobile retailers should invest in order to provide a payment process that is optimised for a smaller mobile screen.

Myth 3: “Tablets and smartphones deliver the same shopping experience”

Analysing payment data and transactions by channel can also help to highlight just how many customers are using tablets, smartphones or both devices to visit an m-commerce store.

Myth 4: “There is no difference between shopping via tablet or a laptop”

Any m-commerce site needs to work just as well on a touchscreen as it does with a mouse or keyboard. This means ensuring your payment provider offers an efficient way to complete a purchase to help avoid customer frustrations.

Myth 5: “Fraud is widespread on mobile devices”

There is a common misconception that mobile channels are less secure than other online channels. An obvious place to start addressing fraud concerns would be using your payment data to identify fraud trends broken down by sales channel. The move towards more multichannel retail raises a series of challenges for retailers, in particular the integration of m-commerce sites with e-commerce and legacy IT systems. Looking forward, four

“The move towards more multi-channel retail raises a series of challenges for retailers, in particular the integration of m-commerce sites with e-commerce and legacy IT systems.”

in ten multichannel retailers agree that they will always be in a state of continual evolution and constant change (Chase Paymentech/Dynamic Markets – Putting Customers First, March 2013). For a successful e-commerce evolution, retailers will need a dedicated m-commerce strategy with a strong focus on improving the customer’s online shopping experience. g To learn more, please read Chase Paymentech’s latest white paper: Uncovering Five Myths about M-Commerce at www. chasepaymentech. co.uk/resources. html Chase Paymentech Europe Limited, trading as Chase Paymentech, is a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. (JPMC) and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. The information herein does not take into account individual client circumstances, objectives or needs and is not intended as a recommendation of a particular product or strategy to particular clients and any recipient of this document shall make its own independent decision. This document and the information provided herein may not be copied, published, or used, in whole or in part, for any purpose other than expressly authorised by Chase Paymentech Europe Limited. 49

Once you see how much you could save on your commute with taxsaver.ie, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll spend the whole journey thinking about what youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll spend the money on instead.

BI Survey Dublin Bus

Access All Areas Dublin Bus continues to improve and enhance the customer experience both on and off board.

013 saw the entire Dublin In addition to this, Dublin Bus These awards celebrate the very best Bus fleet become low-floor introduced a fare calculator feature in app development and design. A accessible, meaning that any on its website www.dublinbus.ie and high volume of downloads of the app customer in a wheelchair or with began the migration of its prepaid continue on a daily basis as customers any type of mobility impairment can commuter tickets onto Leap Card. recognise the benefits of having access now access all Dublin Bus services. The migration will be progressed to RTPI at their fingertips. This achievement is the end result throughout 2014 and will continue The redesigned bus network with of a target that Dublin Bus set itself to offer greater value for money its increased high frequency cross back in 2002 to have a fully low-floor against traditional cash fares. Dublin city services has proved popular with accessible fleet by the close of 2012. customers and growth in key areas is Bus also continues to promote the Other accessibility enhancements now evident. Dublin Bus continues to benefits of its Taxsaver scheme and introduced include the introduction closely monitor the revised services launched a business to business of bilingual passenger information and anticipates that this trend will advertising campaign in November. signs in the upper and lower saloons continue to gather momentum when As with previous Taxsaver campaigns, announcing the next bus stop, centre combined with the developments in emphasis is placed on the savings that doors to improve efficiency at bus stops can be made for both employer and accessibility and general customer for boarding and alighting, improved employee through availing of Taxsaver. journey experience. safety features with additional CCTV 2013 has been a year of significant The continued popularity of cameras, clearer marking of wheelchair RTPI (Real Time Information) with advances for Dublin Bus in its overall spaces and better luggage storage. drive to improve the customer customers is evidenced through On December 3rd 2013 Dublin Bus Dublin Busâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; smartphone app which experience and its key objective for began to roll out the audio next stop next year is to build on these successes won the Best Productivity App announcements on these buses and and attract new customers. g award at the Appy Awards 2013. it is anticipated that that this feature will be introduced on the rest of the Dublin Bus fleet throughout 2014. Along with increasing service accessibility throughout 2013, Dublin Bus has worked towards enhancing the journey experience. A free Wi-Fi service is now available on a number of Dublin Bus routes and it is intended that this facility will be extended throughout the 2013 saw Dublin Bus operate with a 100 per cent low-floor wheelcahit accessible fleet. fleet in 2014. 51

The new BMW 4 Series Coupé

www.bmw.ie

BeAuTY hAS A new ForM. The new BMw 4 SerieS Coupé.

The classic coupé has been reborn in spectacular fashion. Both muscular and sporty, the new BMW 4 Series Coupé exudes power even when standing still. Feast your eyes on the perfectly honed body, and feel your pulse quicken in anticipation of the sure footed BMW xDrive*: Intelligent all-wheel-drive system. The driving pleasure begins before you even open the door.

bmw.ie *Selected models only.

The Ultimate Driving Machine

BI Survey About France

There’s something About France Charlotte Jehanno tells Business Ireland how she can help Irish companies to expand their opportunities in France with her native understanding of the business culture, the language and the French market.

wner of About France, Charlotte Jehanno, believes “being the fifth largest economy in the world, France is pretty attractive for any company developing innovative products or services. Beyond all statistics, pragmatic assessment of the market's potentiality has allowed Irish companies to grab new opportunities. An interesting point is that French consumers, driven by competitiveness, are more often looking for alternative solutions outside their borders. Obviously, this is an opportunity not to be missed.” Originally established to promote a French trade fair network, About France has evolved into a multifaceted business

solution for Irish companies hoping to develop their business in France. “Dealing with Irish companies from different industries – from agriculture to fashion, to food and tourism – I realised how difficult it is for any company looking at exporting products or services to pitch their offering at the right target market, use the most efficient marketing tool or connect with the right network, without the knowledge of the language,” says Jehanno. “Having lived in Ireland since 1999 and understanding both the Irish and French business cultures very well, I wanted to apply the knowledge of my 20year business experience to any company looking to develop its export market

share in France. The resultorientated strategy we provide appeals to our clients as it is based on flexible hands-on solutions.” Charlotte Jehanno, Owner So what of About France are Jehanno’s targets for the coming year? “Assisting more Irish companies in 2014”, she says. “We are also looking at developing new ideas around agri-food events which will be on in Paris this year, such as SIAL in Paris and Sommet de l’ Elevage in Clermont-Ferrand. These types of events will bring further opportunities for potential exporters.” g

Considering doing business with France? Whether you are a first-time exporter or already involved in trading with France, ABOUT FRANCE can provide you with hands-on business solutions. • • • • • •

Researching commercial partners Sales outsourcing Exhibiting at trade fairs Managing events & client’s visit Translating website & legal material Communicating with media

Let’s talk about your project! 01 442 9093 or email us: charlotte@aboutfrance.ie

about France • Guinness Enterprise Center • U43 Taylor’s Lane • Dublin 8 • www.aboutfrance.ie 53

BI Survey Independent News & Media

Making Headlines Independent News & Media (INM) continue to dominate the newspaper market in Ireland, publishing the number one selling titles in the national daily, Dublin and Sunday markets.

oday 84 per cent of the population read newspapers regularly in print and online. INM’s brands are the household choice with the Irish Independent, The Herald and Sunday Independent all market leaders in their respective sectors. So what is it that makes Independent Newspapers stand head and shoulders above the competition?

IRISH INDEPENDENT

The Irish Independent maintains its No.1 position as Ireland’s largest selling and best read daily newspaper, with sales of 121,120 ** copies daily and a readership of 649,000*. Independent.ie, the online version of the Irish Independent, reaches 992,000*** Unique Irish Users per month also making it the number one online newspaper website in the country. Our comprehensive package of authoritative and trusted journalism communicates the top news stories, latest sports coverage, informative features and insightful business reports to our readers across multiple platforms. Our supplements and magazines reach out to a wide range of demographics offering first class commentary on Health, Fitness, Farming, Motors, Irish Language, Culture, Lifestyle and Entertainment. The Irish Independent is home to Weekend Magazine, a reader’s favourite, with a collective audience of 518,000*. A truly national newspaper, the Irish Independent offers strong reach across each region, delivering ground

breaking news to its loyal readers.

THE HERALD

The Herald upholds the identity of Dublin’s best read daily newspaper with 315,000* readers daily. It continues to embody the most effective way to reach the key Dublin markets. Easily recognisable as a Dublin brand, The Herald has 244,000* readers in Dublin alone. The Herald’s unique voice in journalism is conveyed through an eclectic range of columnists such as Michael O’Doherty, Anna Nolan, Mark Evans, Colette Fitzpatrick and Ronnie Whelan whose articles can be read across The Herald newspaper and Herald.ie. Our affiliation with Leinster Rugby, GAA and soccer enable us to bring our readers the latest sports news straight off the pitches and into their homes.

SUNDAY INDEPENDENT

The Sunday Independent continues to be the largest selling and most widely read Irish newspaper, topping both the Sunday and daily markets with sales of 232,494** and readership figures of 938,000* weekly. The paper has more readers in every key target market, demographic and province than any other national newspaper, including male, female, ABs, ABC1s and main shoppers. The loyalty of our readers is unwavering with more than half a million reading no other Sunday newspaper. Our selection of supplements and magazines offer a wide range of journalistic prowess, across Irish and World News, Sport, Property, Business and Living. January saw the launch of an

expanded business section of the Sunday Independent offering more news, analysis and expert opinion than ever before with experienced analysis from journalists such as Dan O’Brien, Shane Ross, Adrian Weckler, Nick Webb and Sean Gallagher. ‘Sunday means business’ coupled with the publication housing Ireland’s top two newspaper magazines Life and Living with readerships of 554,000** and 553,000** respectively it is not hard to see why The Sunday Independent is the nation’s choice. The Irish Independent and Sunday Independent iPad edition was launched in December last providing readers with an unrivaled dynamic reading experience. The iPad edition is an interactive edited selection of the best content from Ireland’s largest newsroom delivered straight to our readers’ fingertips. With customising options, sharing capabilities and the full ePaper edition of our daily newspapers and magazines delivered directly to readers’ iPads, it truly is a brand new way of looking at the news and excellent value for money.  For more information on our newspapers and magazines or to advertise in our titles, please call: 01 7055408 Sources: *JNRS 2012/2013 ** ABC Jan – June 2013 *** comScore Oct.13 55

DID YOU KNOW

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BI Survey UBIFRANCE

Business Opportunities with French Partners Does your company work in agribusiness, transport, industry, energy, environment, infrastructure, consumer goods, life sciences, IT or innovation and services? If so, a partnership with a French company could increase your sales significantly.

n 2014 UBIFRANCE will host a number of collective trade missions to Ireland designed to provide business opportunities for Irish companies to connect with French companies. Wine, fruit and vegetables, sports and leisure, smart grids, cloud computing and the environment are just some of the planned events. By sourcing the most innovative and best value French products and services for Irish businesses on a complimentary basis, UBIFRANCE Ireland provides excellent opportunities for business growth. UBIFRANCE Ireland, the French Trade Commission, working on behalf of the French Embassy, has a team of dedicated staff to help your business improve profits and save both time and money. UBIFRANCE has a bicultural team of seven committed experts, each specialising in different business areas: agribusiness, transport and industry, energy, environment, infrastructure, consumer goods, life sciences, IT, innovation and services. This Government sponsored agency is dedicated to finding business partners for Irish companies, by sourcing products from France. Relations between Ireland and France have always been strong. Our shared history and Celtic ancestry have helped us shape a strong and supportive relationship with one another. Links, for instance, in the areas of culture, education or business remain as strong as ever. France’s love affair with Ireland shows no signs of waning as 400,000 French visitors enjoy the wonderful Irish landscapes every year and 30,000

French citizens live in Ireland. Ireland’s taste for French products and lifestyle grows stronger every year – French exports into Ireland increased by 12 per cent between June 2012 and June 2013. UBIFRANCE Ireland can connect you with a profitable French partner, offering individually tailored research and consultancy services to companies wishing to expand their activities in Ireland. Our team puts French-based professionals in contact with their counterparts in Ireland, through: • Consultations coordinated through collective trade meetings • Individual missions • Trade events for each sector • Individual sourcing of products from France • ‘Meet the Buyers’ trade events French professionals attend these events to meet potential Irish partners. In 2013 UBIFRANCE organised 147 meetings between Irish manufacturers, distributors, retailers and partners and their French counterparts. UBIFRANCE is also the provider of HR solutions for French subsidiaries through its VIE programme, which eases the recruitment of junior staff

in Ireland. This platform enables French companies to recruit young Europeans on a working assignment in Ireland, for a flexible period of six to 24 months, renewable once within a two year period. UBIFRANCE can also provide VIE hosting within their offices to companies without a local structure, as well as guidance and supervision by means of coaching. This programme is open to French candidates, aged between 18 and 28, of all educational backgrounds, as well as to people from the European Economic Area who meet the same criteria, as long as they work outside their country of residence. This programme appeals to highly motivated young people: recent graduates with, most of the time, some work experience (satisfaction ratio for companies: 95 per cent).  UBIFRANCE Ireland is open to any business looking for partnerships with French companies. Europa House, Harcourt St, Dublin 2. Tel: 014112980 - Fax : 014112977 Email: dublin@ubifrance.fr Find out more: www.ubifrance.com/ie/videodetails.as px?picid=4764&xtor=EREC-100475 57

BI Survey BMW

BMW i, the future at Joe Duffy BMW has partnered with Joe Duffy to offer the new BMW i range to the Irish market.

BMW Group Ireland Managing Director, John Ives said: “BMW i is not just a new addition to the brand, it is a significant milestone for the automotive industry. BMW Group Ireland is delighted to be partnering with Joe Duffy as the exclusive BMW i agent in Ireland. We look forward to working with Joe Duffy in this exciting step forward which will completely transform the driving and ownership experience for our customers.”

The BMW Group

BMWi series at the Joe Duffy Showroom.

MW Group Ireland is delighted to announce Joe Duffy as the agent to supply and support BMW i, the company’s sub-brand featuring electric drive systems and premium mobility services. Since launch last November, Joe Duffy is exclusively offering the BMW i range to the Irish market. Joe Duffy invested heavily in upgrading their premises including specialist technical capabilities allowing them to carry out repairs to vehicles’ high voltage batteries. Gavin Hydes, Managing Director, Joe Duffy said: “As a long established BMW retail partner, Joe Duffy is proud to be selected as sole retailer of the BMW i range. To accommodate this new and exciting technology, we have redesigned our BMW showroom. This significant investment underpins our confidence in the future of this technology and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to the BMW Brand. To date interest has been very encouraging for 2014.” Initially, three BMW i models have been confirmed for production; the

fully-electric BMW i3 megacity vehicle, the range extended BMW i3 and the plug-in hybrid BMW i8 sports car. The BMW i3 is BMW's first fully-electric production car and is available now from €34,010 (OTR, includes €10,000 Government subsidies). The BMW i3 REX with the range extender is available from €41,010 (OTR, includes €10,000 Government subsidies). The BMW i3 is also available on Personal Contract Hire from just €495* a month. While the eagerly anticipated BMW i8 plug-in hybrid sports car will launch this July with a starting price of €136,430 (OTR, includes €7,500 in Government subsidies). As well as the vehicles themselves, BMW i will encompass a range of premium services for mobility aimed at optimising the use of parking spaces, recharging infrastructure, ‘smart’ navigation systems, intermodal route planning and access to other BMW vehicles on an ‘on-demand’ basis. BMW is the first premium vehicle manufacturer to offer such a comprehensive ownership package surrounding electric mobility.

The BMW Group is the leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles in the world with its BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce brands. As a global company, the BMW Group operates 28 production and assembly facilities in 13 countries and has a global sales network in more than 140 countries. In 2012, the BMW Group sold about 1.85 million cars and more than 117,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax for the financial year 2012 was €7.82 billion on revenues amounting to €76.85 billion. At 31 December 2012, the BMW Group had a workforce of 105,876 employees. The success of the BMW Group has always been built on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company has therefore established ecological and social sustainability throughout the value chain, comprehensive product responsibility and a clear commitment to conserving resources as an integral part of its strategy. g Potential customers can now register their interest for BMW i online at www.bmw.ie/bmwi Further information about the BMW Group can be found at www.bmwgroup.com 59

EVERY DAY, WE’RE PUTTING OUR ENERGY INTO IRISH BUSINESS At ESB, we’ve been investing in Ireland’s energy system for generations. Developing and extending the network and using advanced and innovative ways to generate clean, efﬁcient electricity. In the past decade alone, we have spent €6 billion upgrading and developing Ireland’s electricity grid to deliver reliable, sustainable and competitive energy supplies to customers. Helping to put Ireland’s economy back on its feet and delivering energy that your business can depend on – now and in the future. www.esb.ie

BI Survey Matheson

Rise of Dublin’s

Silicon Docks Sharon Daly, Partner with Matheson, tells Business Ireland how Dublin’s Docklands has risen from the ashes to become the powerhouse of the Irish economy.

ublin’s docklands has become the single most potent symbol of Ireland’s economic recovery. The docklands area has even become internationally known as Dublin’s 'Silicon Docks', thanks to the arrival of so many leading technology companies, such as Google, Facebook and ancestry.com. Many of the new buildings at Grand Canal Docks were completed just as the 2007 financial crisis hit Ireland. This meant that many of these high-end buildings stood empty in the period of economic uncertainty that followed. Now, international investors are swooping in to buy prime office space in what is one of the most exciting technology and business hubs in Europe. As someone who works in the docklands, it has been a real pleasure to see these buildings fill up with bright and enthusiastic workers in recent times. Soon, we may see the cranes return, as construction starts in earnest, to head off the predicted shortfalls in prime Dublin office space expected from early 2015. In November 2013, a new fast-track planning scheme was approved by Dublin City Council to allow for docklands buildings of up to 22 floors in height – 50 per cent higher than Dublin’s tallest building. The new docklands strategic development zone will give council planners the power to make decisions that cannot be appealed to An Bord Pleanála, to ensure a minimum of delay for developers. Hopefully, Dublin City Council will also be cognisant of the importance of lessening financial obstacles to development, such as the

onerous planning contributions which have stymied development elsewhere in the city. The docklands strategic development zone represents the first major planning initiative since the 2012 decision to wind up the Docklands Authority, but to retain an appropriate fast track planning framework to complete the Docklands project. Dublin City Council, which is taking over the Docklands Authority’s powers, is determined to encourage the continued development of the 66 hectares, north and south of the river, that comprise the new planning zone. The plan identifies five specific development hubs: Spencer Dock, Point Village, Grand Canal Dock, Britain Quay and Boland’s Mills. One third of the overall docklands area – 22 hectares – is ready to be developed. Buildings left uncompleted since the financial crisis are now due for completion. Most notably, the former Anglo Irish Bank building; the unfinished skeleton of which became an icon of the financial crisis, is now due to be finished by its new owner, the Central Bank. The docklands is also already a success as a residential and recreational area. Mixed-use planning has ensured that the area remains lively by night, with concerts and events in the Bord Gais Theatre and O2 arena, to complement the buzz of the restaurants and the new docklands communities. Dublin now has new landmarks, in the Samuel Beckett Bridge and the National Convention Centre.

Sharon Daly, Partner, Matheson.

The redevelopment of Dublin’s docklands began tentatively in 1987 with the introduction of legislation to encourage the development of the International Financial Services Centre. By the 30th anniversary of this historic initiative in 2017, the entire Dublin docklands area will have changed beyond recognition. Where once there were only coalyards and derelict warehouses, sleek, modern buildings and bustling streetscapes have arisen. What was once a symbol of industrial decline, is now the powerhouse of the Irish economy and one of the most dynamic global hubs for international business, technology and financial services. Already, the IFSC is host to over 300 leading financial institutions, employing some 18,000 people. The future is bright for Dublin’s docklands. g 61

BI Survey Alstom

The Great Debate Niall Gleeson of Alstom takes on the public transport debate and pitches Bus Rapid Transit against Light Rail Transit.

and then try the tram – there is no comparison in comfort. If people are to move from their comfortable cars, then comfort on public transport has to be paramount. While Dublin Bus’ newest fleet is impressive regarding internal fit-out and improved suspension, there is still no comparison with the journey comfort of a railed system: this is an area where BRT cannot compete with LRT.

Capacity

Luas , Dublin’s Light Rail System.

here is a great deal of nonsense involved in the debate about Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as an alternative to Light Rail Transit (LRT, better known as Luas here in Dublin). There are many issues to consider in the public transport debate but they can be summarised by the three main factors: cost, passenger comfort and capacity. It is our contention in Alstom, that BRT fails abysmally in all three of these categories when compared to Luas.

Cost

On cost comparison, BRT looks attractive initially. Capital costs are low (buses are cheaper than trams, infrastructure changes are minimal) but this is part of the ruse of BRT. Capital costs are initially low but running costs are significantly higher. Buses are cheaper to purchase than trams but only have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years versus a tram lifespan of 25 to 40 years. Infrastructure costs tend to be cheaper because authorities cut corners on the infrastructure changes required for BRT, whereas a rail system needs 62

to be continuous and strong planning decisions are needed. It is easy to fudge a BRT route, leading to longer journey times and lower passenger satisfaction. Also warranting consideration is the environmental cost. The CO2 footprint of a diesel bus system is significantly higher than an electrically powered tram system. Based on Ireland’s current rate of around 500g of CO2 per kWh, the Luas system generates approximately one third of the CO2 that a BRT system of similar capacity would generate. Even compared with new hybrid technology buses, Luas would be around half the CO2 level. It is important to note that while diesel engine improvements now occur in very small increments, Ireland's greening of its electricity supply (increasing renewable energy from wind and ocean energy) will lead to a consequent reduction in the CO2 footprint of Luas.

Comfort

The argument for passenger comfort is simple, take a journey on a bus

It is in the area of capacity, that BRT proponents make the most outlandish claims. Most claim that BRT can carry similar capacities to LRT. What they fail to mention is that this requires a dual carriageway system dedicated to buses only. As trams are guided by rails, LRT can carry more capacity while taking up less street space. Typically BRT proponents give full dual carriageway-style capacity numbers but use quality bus corridor cost and impact figures. We like to look abroad in Ireland, to see what other cities have done before we decide what to do ourselves. However, in the case of Luas, Dublin was one of the first cities to opt for a modern light rail system. The first fleet of Dublin’s Citadis trams were among Alstom’s first orders for this modern take on the old street car style tram. Since that order, Alstom has sold over 1,500 Citadis trams, operating in over 40 cities worldwide; a comprehensive endorsement of Dublin’s decision. The Luas system is reliable, popular, efficient and cost-effective. Let’s not discard that success by heading down the road of a risky, ill-conceived and untried BRT system. 

Make a commitment to the future, with Alstom

RAIL SYSTEMS Alstom is committed to enhancing the intelligence, comfort and fluidity of sustainable mobility. We develop, supply and maintain integrated, safe rail systems for public authorities, operators and passengers. POWER GENERATION Alstom and its partners are committed to rising to the challenges facing our society. We reduce the environmental footprint of our clients, optimize the flexibility and reliability of their plants, and lower the cost of power generation. ELEcTRIcAL GRID ENGINEERING Alstom builds power grids for now and the future. We interconnect major grids, ensure an intelligent balance between production and consumption, and improve the integration of renewable energy.

www.alstom.com

BI Survey Bibby Financial Services

Supporting SMEs Bibby announces a60 million SME fund for 2014.

ibby Financial Services, the world’s largest independent invoice finance company, has launched a new €60 million fund for small and medium-sized Irish businesses. The fund is aimed at Irish SMEs that need to generate cash flow to sustain or grow their businesses. Today, trading conditions are challenging and businesses can find it difficult to raise finances from traditional sources. Bibby Financial Services Ireland (BFSI) is part of the Bibby Financial Services Group which supports over 7,000 SME clients through 47 offices in 15 countries globally. In the Irish economy BFSI currently supports 4,799 jobs, working with a variety of

clients, both start-ups and established businesses, across all business sectors. BFSI supports SMEs by giving them access to cash tied up in invoices through invoice financing. Invoice financing is an alternative source of finance that can act as a critical ‘lifeline’ for those businesses struggling to meet day-to-day costs but who have a sound and viable business. Through invoice financing products, BFSI assists SMEs in generating cash for their business by purchasing their invoices, allowing them to pay suppliers, meet staffing costs, take on new orders or pursue international contracts. The €60 million 2014 fund is part of the company’s three year Irish expansion strategy which aims to double the size of its current workforce and achieve a 50 per cent increase in

Hertz Lease . . . Fleet Management at your fingertips . . .

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Ronan Horgan, Managing Director, Bibby Financial Services Ireland.

the company’s market share in Ireland. To support the company’s growth plan in Ireland, BFSI has made two senior executive appointments. Mr Graham Byrne has been promoted to Chief Commercial Officer of Bibby Financial Services Europe while former Senior Manager at Certus and Divisional Director with Bank of Scotland Ireland, Mr Ronan Horgan has been appointed Managing Director of the company. g

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BI Survey Hertz Lease

Lessons in Leasing There are significant benefits to outsourcing the risks associated with operating a company fleet and the Benefit In Kind rules associated with employees who have a company vehicle, according to Hertz Lease Ireland.

ertz Lease Ireland is operated under franchise by Sheridan Motor Group. The group also operates the Hertz Lease franchises in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The company provides Contract Hire and Fleet Management services to numerous well known Irish and multinational companies. The firm specialises in buying, funding, managing and maintaining small, medium and large fleets of vehicles. uBenefits

Fleet managers are always looking for the best option to deliver efficiencies to their business. The recent growth in the Contract Hire market is a response to today’s fast changing business climate. Vehicles are leased rather than bought outright and this reduces the risks associated with owning expensive depreciating assets that require ongoing maintenance and repairs. Contract Hire is an ideal option for companies seeking to rationalise the burden of running their vehicle fleet and in doing so, concentrate their resources on core business activities. Hertz Corporate Plus offers the customer the benefits of Contract Hire combined with a fixed maintenance contract and a choice of fleet management options. This unique product provides the safety of fixed budgeting in the areas of vehicle finance and maintenance and delivers the following benefits as standard: • Dedicated account management and reporting • Fixed monthly rentals with off balance sheet funding for one to five years • Fixed monthly maintenance payments including replacement vehicle and road tax

• Nationwide service network controlled by the Hertz Service Centre • 24-hour emergency service • Accident management • Fuel card service • No residual risk uSolutions

Hertz Lease Ireland also provides a fully comprehensive fleet management solution to companies who prefer to purchase their fleet. The purchasing power of the Hertz brand provides considerable cost benefits to fleet buyers. For a fixed monthly management fee, Hertz Fleetcare customers can avail of the following services as standard: • Dedicated Account Management and Reporting • Fixed Cost Maintenance Contract or Maintenance Management • 24 Hour emergency service • Accident Management • Fuel Card Service Jim Rafferty, Business Development Manager of Hertz Lease Ireland, highlights the reasons why the company is the provider of choice to a wide spectrum of corporate customers. “We maintain an independent perspective and distinctly personal approach to ensure the highest standard of customer satisfaction at all levels and the best value for money in our market, regardless of fleet size.” uBenefit

in Kind

Benefit In Kind taxation applies to employees that are supplied with a fully expensed company car. Vehicles with a CO2 emission output of up to 155g/km (Categories A – C) are subject to a BIK calculation of 30 per cent of the original market value

Jim Rafferty, Business Development Manager of Hertz Lease Ireland.

(OMV) of the vehicle or the normal discounted price. Most company cars fall within these categories. The revenue will not allow discount to exceed ten per cent in calculating the OMV. Vehicles in categories D & E are subject to 35 per cent BIK and above this the rate is 40 per cent. The Revenue operates the following bands to compensate drivers for higher than normal KMS: • 24,135 Business KMS or Less 30 per cent of OMV • 24,136 – 32,180 Business KMS 24 per cent of OMV • 31,181 – 40,225 Business KMS 18 per cent of OMV • 40,226 – 48,270 Business KMS 12 per cent of OMV • 48,271 Business KMS or More - 6 per cent of OMV The Revenue assumes that all drivers drive a minimum of 8,047 private KMS per annum. For example, to qualify for 24 per cent the driver would need to be doing a minimum of 32,183 KMS per annum. g 67

YOUR CONTRACT HIRE SPECIALISTS.

WHAT DRIVES YOU, DRIVES US. We are Johnson & Perrott Fleet, a part of the family owned Johnson & Perrott Motor Retail Group. Serving the Irish motorist since 1810, we are experts at providing professional fleet management solutions for Irish businesses. Whether your fleet consists of 5 vehicles or 100 vehicles, we offer both contract-hire, contract maintenance and fleet managment of cars and light commercial vehicles. Providing company cars and light commercial vehicles to Irish Businesses for over 25 years. • CONTRACT HIRE

• FLEET MANAGEMENT

Contact: Gerry Madden 01 409 7570 Stuart Morris 01 409 7576 Paul Carroll 01 409 7574 Stephen Teap 021 461 5243 (Cork) WWW.JPFLEET.IE

• FLEXIBLE LEASES

BI Survey Johnson & Perrott Fleet

Clarifying a Grey Area The Grey Fleet concept has emerged as a result of high personal taxation for low business mileage use of company cars or the decision by some companies to cease offering company vehicles to their employees. But it’s often not as simple as it seems, as Gerry Madden of Johnson & Perrott Fleet explains.

he term ‘Grey Fleet’ refers to cars that are privately owned and used for business purposes where employees are paid a mileage allowance or a fixed ‘car allowance’ for using their personal vehicle for work purposes. Some companies consider the grey fleet as a convenient, cost effective alternative to providing pool cars or having vehicles on contract hire, particularly for staff who travel short distances or travel infrequently for business.

Cost and Administration

There is a common perception that a grey fleet is a cheaper alternative, requiring less administration. This may be true in some circumstances but requires closer analysis. For example, whenever a grey fleet vehicle requires servicing, maintenance or suffers a breakdown there can be considerable down time for the driver and a subsequent loss of sales or productivity. By comparison, a leased vehicle with a maintenance contract will have a replacement car provided with collection and delivery to the driver arranged by the fleet management company. Another consideration is that the car allowance paid to employees for

using a personal car for work may become subsumed into their personal income and treated as such. There is no guarantee that the car allowance is being used specifically for vehicle maintenance. This can result in an increased level of exposure for the driver and the company under Duty of Care responsibilities.

Company Image

Grey fleet vehicles by their nature tend to be older and companies have little or no choice over the type of vehicle being driven. You may find that employees have selected a potpouri of vehicles based on various criterion such as manufacturer, size, price, engine size, fuel type or colour, which may not be in keeping with what best represents your company.

Health & Safety

Operating a grey fleet does not absolve your company of its Duty of Care to your employees. Under the new Road Safety Authority regulations, employers owe the same duty of care to employees driving their own personal car for work purposes as they do for employees driving company vehicles. It is vital therefore that the drivers of grey fleet vehicles comply with the same policies and procedures

“If you intend to operate a grey fleet, you must ensure that all your grey fleet vehicles are adequately serviced, maintained and insured for business use.”

as those driving company vehicles. We recommend that you draw up a policy that sets out clear guidelines regarding vehicle safety and maintenance and what responsibilities lie with the driver regarding safety checks on vehicles for use in the course of their work.

Managing your Grey Fleet

If as an employer you intend to operate a grey fleet, you must ensure that all your grey fleet vehicles are adequately serviced, maintained and insured for business use. Before any privatelyowned vehicle is used for company business, its owner should provide: • A copy of a valid insurance certificate confirming that the vehicle is adequately covered for business use. • A copy of their driver’s licence with confirmation of any penalty points or endorsements received. • A signed declaration that the vehicle is fully serviced and maintained to the manufacturer’s specification. • A valid NCT certificate for vehicles more than four years old. Employers should carry out an annual company check on driving licences to ensure they are current. You should also conduct an annual motor insurance audit to ensure that drivers have the appropriate level of insurance cover for driving their personal vehicle in the course of their work. It is important to maintain accurate records relating to your grey fleet. Documents should be kept on file for 12 months and replacements then requested. If they lapse during the 12-month period, or if the vehicle is changed, it is the driver’s responsibility to provide updated documentation.  69

consIsTEnT rElIAbIlITy

All IrElAnd & UK worK covErEd onE dAy EvEnTs To 14 dAy ToUrs ToUr gUIdEs AvAIlAblE Our coaches come with: • Air conditioning • Air suspension • Reclining seats • • Seat belts • PA system • DVD screen/monitor • Our fleet ranges from eight seater mini buses to sixty seater luxury touring coaches and a wide range in between. We also have double decker’s available.

We cater for all types of transport including: • Airport, ferry port & train station transfers • Full/Half day trips • Evening events • Overnight & weekends trips • Full week tours • Company incentive days

Tel: (0)1 6290 290 or 086 380 8766 Email: info@jmcoach.com www.jmcoach.com

BI Survey James Mullally Coach Hire

Fleets Ahead

of the Rest James Mullally Coach Hire has grown from a humble single vehicle service into a fully equipped transport fleet.

ames Mullally began his coach hire business in 1998 with just one vehicle which he and his wife Yvonne drove. Today they have a fleet of more than 22 vehicles – from eight-seat minibuses to 59-seat executive touring coaches – and it continues to grow. A real coup for the business was the awarding of contracts with Dublin Bus and Bus Éireann for the provision of school transport services and inter city services. James Mullally Coach Hire now transports 800 children to and from school every day and upwards of 2,500 passengers daily. The company also offers 7-14 day tours for overseas visitors to Ireland and a wide range of event and conference travel, including golf outings, business trips and company incentive day transport to the private hire market. During the downturn James Mullally Coach Hire embarked on a sevenyear programme of restructuring, investment and expansion in all areas of the business. Financial management, strategic planning and investment in sales and marketing grew passenger numbers by an average of 18 per cent year on year since 2008 and the fleet has grown by 22 per cent. 2013 saw the introduction of a new company logo and rebranding of the coach fleet. Time, attention and investment was given to the launch of www.jmcoach.com with the introduction of a digital booking system, which tracks each job right through to invoicing. The company has also employed mechanics for its workshop. Carrying out 90 per cent of maintenance and

repair has reduced cost and resulted in the mechanics’ in-depth knowledge of their fleet, conducting daily checks on all vehicles. A Vehicle Safety Compliance Officer liaises between drivers, vehicle testers, mechanics and management to ensure all vehicles meet and surpass all RSA safety requirements. Dedicated valeting staff look after the presentation of the coaches. Drivers are the emblem of the service and James Mullally Coach Hire takes pride in delivering a superior service from the passengers’ first contact with professional and knowledgeable drivers. With routine training on health and safety, route planning, customer service and first aid, the company sees

investment in their front-line drivers, as well as the back room staff, as a cornerstone of the business. Looking ahead, James Mullally Coach Hire expects to continue being the market leader in passenger transport solutions – offering the very best range of price-driven services to the private hire market. 2014 will see continued investment in the long term future of the business – targeting tour operators and the private hire market; increasing and upgrading the fleet with the addition of three new luxury coaches; extension of in-house cleaning and maintenance facilities and investment in front-line and administrative staff.  Visit www.jmcoach.com, Facebook at James Mullally Coach Hire or call 01 6290290

Q&A with James Mullally What is your working background? I served my time as a HGV mechanic and after a few years I went on to the open road driving HGVs for a number of years. Married life put an end to the open road and I began working as a taxi driver and owner of a taxi company. This was my first introduction to passenger transport. From this we set up James Mullally Coach Hire. What’s the outlook for your company? 2013 was pretty much as planned. Sales rose to meet targets and surpassed all previous figures. In 2014 we have the addition of some new vehicles to our fleet and expect to achieve targeted growth. Why do your customers keep calling you? I think it’s because we provide an excellent product at a reasonable price and we provide consistent reliability. Why choose James Mullally Coach Hire? We pride ourselves on providing a first class service from first contact. As our customer you will travel safely in the knowledge that your vehicle is among the safest on the road and your driver has been hand-picked and trained to meet your every need as a traveling passenger.

BI Survey Dublin Citi Hotel

Location, Location, Location Nestled in the city’s pulsating centre, the Dublin Citi Hotel boasts a warm welcome, comfortable cosy rooms, fine dining and entertainment with a world of exploration on your doorstep.

ou’ve heard it before, the repetitive mantra of business people the world over; ‘location, location, location’. Whether you happen to be a craft jeweller, a high-street retail chain or a producer of organic foods, your locale will reveal a multitude about who you are and what you strive to be. Dublin Citi Hotel is no different; sited on historic Dame Street in the pulsating heart of the nation’s capital, location really is everything, and embodies the hotel’s core values and its raison d’être. In the shadow of Ireland’s former Houses of Parliament, only metres from the hallowed halls of Trinity College, the Alma Mater of Beckett, Swift, Wilde and Stoker, and rubbing shoulders with the capital’s cultural quarter at Temple Bar, the Dublin Citi Hotel makes for the perfect launching ground to capture the city’s vibrant essence. Perfect for business meetings, romantic weekends, city sightseeing tours, concerts and the theatre, the hotel’s 27 cosily appointed rooms (doubles, triples and singles), designed for comfort, warmth and convenience, bring everything you desire close to hand. For dining, The Trinity Bar located on the hotel’s ground floor, regularly receives a plethora of well-deserved plaudits for the consistently highquality of its bar and dinner menus. Its chefs have continually strived to create a ‘gastro-pub’ style menu which is both creative and hearty, while maintaining a goal of providing flavour and superb value for money. Tastefully decorated in warm woods and luxurious fabrics, The Trinity Bar 72

is the perfect location for birthday celebrations, corporate events, goingaway send-offs, Christmas parties, small weddings and more. With live music seven nights a week, The Trinity Bar is guaranteed to be a lively and fun-fuelled setting for your city night out; but it doesn’t have to end once the lights come on. At weekends and bank holidays the party people are drawn back time and time again to The Underground night club where you can dance the night away happy in the knowledge that your comfortable bed awaits only a lift-ride away. Through reviews and personal messages of thanks our whole team are widely regarded as being some of the most professional, welcoming and courteous to be found anywhere in the city, and beyond. Only minutes from Dublin’s central shopping thoroughfare, Grafton Street, The Dublin Citi Hotel is a shopper’s dream. Long days spent pounding the pavement can be interspersed with a relaxing siesta in

The Dublin Citi Hotel

the comfort of your city centre room, or a cocktail in the bar or terrace. Dublin, with its long and proud history, has something to satisfy all manner of tastes, and all within walking distance of your favourite city centre hotel. Dublin Castle, the National Museum, the Natural History Museum, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Stephen’s Green and Bewley’s worldfamous Oriental Cafe are right on your doorstep, waiting to be discovered. History, art, culture and fashion, and the famous warmth of the everwelcoming Irish pub wait around each and every corner and in every bustling backstreet longing to be explored and enjoyed. Strike up a conversation with a stranger in the haunts of Ireland’s literary giants, Behan and Kavanagh, over a pint of ‘the black stuff ’ and soon you’ll realise just how wise you were to choose the Dublin Citi Hotel as the base camp for your voyage of discovery in Ireland’s beguiling capital. g

ACCOMMODATION IN THE HEART OF THE CITY At the Dublin Citi Hotel we are poised to offer you the best in Irish hospitality with an ideal location near key shopping districts, the lively Temple Bar and top Dublin tourist attractions. The 27 bedrooms in the Dublin Citi Hotel have been designed with comfort, warmth and convenience for the valued guest. Our well appointed guest rooms are comfortable and cosy with everything you need for a pleasant stay.

T: (0)1 679 4455 • F: (0)1 679 4496 •

/TrinityBarVenueDublin

/TrinityBarVenue • #TrinityBar Venue E: reservations@dublincitihotel.com • www.dublincitihotel.com

BI Survey CBRE

The Dublin Office Market Willie Dowling, Executive Director of CBRE Ireland, reviews the office market in the capital in 2013 and looks forward to 2014.

013 was a very busy one for the Dublin office market. Leasing activity in the capital exceeded that of previous years as a result of strong volumes of foreign direct investment. Lettings agreed during January and February included an additional 2,300m sq at The Harcourt Building, Dublin 2 to Investec and approximately 1,900m sq at Classon House, Dundrum to Cartrawler. The most significant transaction to sign during March and April was the purchase by Airtricity of a 7,711m sq office building at Red Oak South, South County Business Park. Meanwhile, the largest letting to sign was 4,660m sq to Salesforce at One Central Park. Transactional activity continued over May and June, with office take-up of approximately 70,000m sq achieved during the first six months of 2013 – approximately 25 per cent higher than the same period in 2012. Transactions agreed during May and June included the letting of 5,267m sq at 1 Waterside, Citywest to Fidelity and the letting of 7,883m sq at the Vista Building in Elm Park, Dublin 4 to Novartis. The announcement in the early summer of a requirement from KPMG for a

new HQ building in the city centre by 2017 of between 16,722m sq and 18,580m sq was well received. This in turn reignited the debate about the emerging scarcity of Grade A office accommodation in Dublin city centre. Lettings agreed during July and August included 10,219m sq to Deutsche Bank in Pinnacle 2 at Eastpoint, Dublin 3; 9,290m sq to William Fry and 3,700m sq to Capita at 2 Grand Canal Square, Dublin 4 and 1,115m sq in Styne House, Dublin 2 to Yelp. During the autumn, significant lettings included 11,148m sq to Facebook at 4 Grand Canal Square, Dublin Docklands; an additional 1,208m sq to SAP in the Waterside building in Citywest, Dublin 24 and 905m sq to AirBnB at the Watermarque Building, Dublin 4. In addition to these lettings, SIG agreed to purchase the AIB Treasury building in the IFSC for €34.5m. Prime headline office rents in Dublin ended the year at €377psm or €35psf having increased by more than 25 per cent during 2013. Prime office rents in Dublin 2/4 are set to increase by a further 15 per cent during 2014 to reach approximately €435psm or €40psf by year-end. On the basis that new development will be feasible at these rental values, we expect to see the beginning of the next wave of office development in the capital commencing during the next 12 months. This will be supported by the adoption of the Dublin Docklands Strategic

“For the most part, new office development will be supported by a pre-letting although some speculative development may commence in the capital this year.” 74

Willie Dowling, CBRE Ireland.

Development Zone (SDZ) later this year. Letting transactions agreed towards year-end included 11,294m sq to Facebook at 4 Grand Canal Square; 8,986m sq to William Fry Solicitors at 2 Grand Canal Square and 5,103m sq to Irish Water at Talbot Street. Total office take-up in the capital for the year ended up at an impressive 170,600m sq. For the most part, new office development will be supported by a pre-letting although some speculative development may commence in the capital this year. In addition, an increase is expected in the number of refurbishment and retrofitting projects being undertaken. This in turn will put pressure on banks to start providing development funding for viable projects. The overall vacancy rate in the capital will continue to decline during 2014, having ended 2013 at 15.33 per cent with shortages of prime accommodation being most acute in Dublin 2/4 and in the south suburbs, until such time as new development comes on stream over the next few years. 

• Free breast x-rays (mammograms) for women aged 50 to 64 every two years. • Aim is to find breast cancer at the earliest possible stage, when it is easier to treat.

• Free smear tests for women aged 25 to 60. • Aim is to find changes on the cells of the cervix before they become cancer. • To arrange your free smear test, make an appointment with any doctor or nurse registered with CervicalCheck.

• If an appointment time or date doesn’t suit, it can be easily changed.

• Results take just four weeks.

• Results take just three weeks.

• Most smear test results are normal.

• Most mammogram results are normal.

• CervicalCheck is for women who have no symptoms of cervical cancer.

• BreastCheck is for women who have no symptoms of breast cancer. • If you have any concerns or symptoms, see your family doctor (GP) immediately. • For more information Freephone 1800 45 45 55 or visit www.breastcheck.ie.

• If you have any concerns or symptoms, see your family doctor (GP) immediately. • For information or details on where to have a smear test Freephone 1800 45 45 55 or visit www.cervicalcheck.ie.

The National Bowel Screening Programme

• Free bowel screening for men and women aged 60 to 69 every two years.

• Free diabetic retinopathy screening for people with diabetes aged 12 and over.

• In time the programme will be extended to men and women aged 55-74

• Anybody with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes is at risk.

• Aim is to find bowel cancer at the earliest possible stage.

• Diabetic RetinaScreen uses special digital photography to look for changes that could affect sight.

• Screening is by invitation and a test kit is sent directly to your home.

• Diabetic retinopathy may not have any symptoms in the early stage.

• Results take just four weeks.

• When caught early, treatment can reduce or prevent damage to your sight.

• Most results are normal. • BowelScreen is for men and women who have no symptoms of bowel cancer.

• Screening is by invitation.

• If you have any concerns or symptoms, see your family doctor (GP) immediately.

• Results take just three weeks.

• For more information Freephone 1800 45 45 55 or visit www.bowelscreen.ie.

• An appointment takes about half an hour. • For more information Freephone 1800 45 45 55 or visit www.diabeticretinascreen.ie.

• The National Cancer Screening Service (NCSS) is part of the Health Service Executive National Cancer Control Programme. The NCSS is responsible for Government funded population-based screening programmes – BreastCheck – The National Breast Screening Programme, CervicalCheck – The National Cervical Screening Programme, BowelScreen – The National Bowel Screening Programme NCSS/PUB/PM-1 Rev 01

and Diabetic RetinaScreen – The National Diabetic Retinal Screening Programme. • Equal access is provided to all. For more information or to contact an Access Officer Freephone 1800 45 45 55. • For more information see www. cancerscreening.ie or call 01-8659 300.

BI Survey The K Club

Conferencing at The K Club The K Club, Ireland’s first Five AA Red Star property is synonymous with five star luxury and natural Irish hospitality.

ocated just 30 minutes from Dublin’s International airport, The K Club is a luxurious former stately home nestled in 550 acres of mature parkland and perfectly manicured gardens. Home to two premium Arnold Palmer designed

Championship golf courses, the resort has hosted 13 exciting European Open tournaments and, of course, the world renowned 2006 Ryder Cup. With five star service, well equipped meeting rooms and stunning surroundings, The K Club

is the perfect place to host a business meeting. The K Club offers a discretely elegant venue for a range of events ranging from conferences for 400 delegates theatre-style, to gala dinners for up to 350 people. There are 11 breakout rooms across the resort. One of the main boardrooms, the Tower Room, features an exquisite mahogany table that seats 22 delegates. The room is equipped with sophisticated audio-visual equipment and offers natural daylight. The Tower Room is used extensively for meetings by groups who combine their meetings with some element of leisure activity, including spa, golf and fishing. The overriding plus for The K Club is the sense of solitude that offers a quiet, productive working space in the gorgeous Kildare countryside – all the while being only 35 minutes transfer from Dublin. g

THE K CLUB FOR ALL YOUR MEETING & CONFERENCE REQUIREMENTS WHERE BUSINESS BECOMES A PLEASURE

Full Day Delegate Package from €55.00 per delegate

24 Hour Delegate Rates 2014 – from €235.00 per delegate

• Arrival Tea and Coffee with Mini Breakfast Pastries • Morning Tea and Coffee break served with Homemade Biscuits • Afternoon Tea/Coffee break served with homemade Biscuits & Scones • 12 Hour Conference Meeting Room, which includes: • 2 Flip Charts, Water, Mints, Paper, Pens and Projector Screen • Lunch – Selection of salads, Homemade Soup of the day with a selection of open and closed sandwiches, Chef ’s choice, served with Tea/Coffee • Complimentary parking and WIFI access throughout the Resort

• • • • • • • • •

Accommodation in one of our luxurious Superior Bedrooms Full Irish Breakfast in the River Room Restaurant A 4 Course Table D’hôte Evening Meal Arrival Tea and Coffee with Mini Breakfast Pastries Mid-morning Tea and Coffee with Homemade Biscuits Afternoon Tea and Coffee with Tea Breads Conference Meeting Room Hire (12 hours) Includes 2 Flip charts, water, mints, paper & pens Lunch on one day – Selection of salads, Homemade Soup of the day with a selection of open and closed sandwiches, Chef ’s choice, served with Tea/Coffee • Complimentary WIFI & Parking

Please contact our dedicated Meetings & Events team Telephone: +353 1 601 7200 • Email: sales@kclub.ie • Website: www.kclub.ie

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Business advisOry & deBt resOlutiOn start up ireland

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Phone: +353-1-9055528 75, 0, 100, 0

Outsourced Financial Control Email: info@cleere.ie

Bookkeeping & Payroll Web: www.cleere.ie Management Accounts and Performance Analysis Twitter: @cleerefinancial Preparation of Budgets and Projections

Advisory & Debt Resolution Main font used inBusiness logo Business Turnaround Advisory - Secondary font

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Financing & Fundraising Transaction Advisory Services

Start Up Ireland Budgets & Projections Business plans & Presentation Service Company Formation

Phone: +353-1-9055528 Email: info@cleere.ie Web: www.cleere.ie Twitter: @cleerefinancial Phone: +353-1-9055528

BI Survey Cleere Financial Controlh

It’s all Cleere Does your business need a financial controller but can’t afford one? Do you need funding to expand your business or to support a start-up? Cleere Financial Control provides outsourced financial control, business advisory and debt resolution services to Irish businesses.

monthly cost. You will experience the same level of service as having your own financial controller and be free to concentrate on running your business, comfortable in the knowledge that your business accounts are in good order and providing you with quality value added information.

Who are we?

Cleere Financial Control was established in early 2013 by Karl Cleere, a graduate of University College Dublin, Chartered Accountant and Corporate Finance professional with 14 years accounting, corporate finance and banking experience. The Cleere Financial Control team comprises chartered accountants, corporate finance professionals and business and corporate bankers. The team are experienced in a wide variety of industries including retail, leisure and hospitality, manufacturing, technology and internet, healthcare, automotive, telecoms, media, business services, recycling and renewable energy, aviation and oil and fuel wholesaling and retailing. Having dealt with many Irish businesses as an accountant and banker, Karl Cleere saw that many businesses were not fully aware of their financial position, did not maintain accurate and regular management accounts and financial information and were experiencing financial difficulties as a result. Where businesses were producing management accounts, many

business owners did not maximise the information in their management and year end accounts to aid better business decision making. Additionally, Karl found that in many cases both existing and startup businesses did not have realistic or achievable business plans and projections and were having difficulty in securing either bank funding or private investment.

How can we help your business?

Cleere Financial Control was established to address these issues by providing the following services for an agreed fixed fee that offers a value added alternative. 1. Outsourced Financial Control Cleere Financial Control acts as your financial controller. If your business needs an accountant or financial controller but you feel you can’t afford to pay one full time, our outsourced financial control division can solve this problem for you. We provide you and your business with the full suite of financial control services at a greatly reduced and fixed

2. Irish Business Asvisory & Debt Resolution If you are looking to raise funding to expand your business, to fund the purchase of a business or to refinance your business debt, we have significant experience in advising and structuring these projects. We also have a network of investors that are keen to invest in businesses and have succeeded in raising finance for a number of Irish businesses. 3. Start-Up Ireland Do you have a good business idea but think that in the current economy it is not a good time to start-up? Or that you do not have the money or know how to get it?A good business idea with a well thought out business plan, accurate and achievable projections and implementation strategy has a strong chance of raising funding. Cleere Financial Control are very experienced in preparing business plans and projections for start-up companies and securing finance for businesses. g Contact: Cleere Financial Control T: 01 9055528 • E: info@cleere.ie www.cleere.ie

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BI Survey KPMG

Capital Investment Dublin’s future economic prospects are increasingly influenced by globalisation and the growing mobility of labour and capital. In an urbanised world, success or otherwise in competing for investment and talent affects every business and every citizen, writes Shaun Murphy, Managing Partner of KPMG in Ireland.

reland’s economic prosperity is to a large extent connected with the performance of Dublin. Whilst all parts of the State understandably look for their share of inward investment, inevitably certain global investment decisions will be limited to major urban areas across Europe. Like it or otherwise, this is how multinational business now works. As a consequence, Dublin is more likely to find itself competing with Amsterdam or Copenhagen than with other parts of Ireland. Thus we need to ensure that Dublin maximises its attractiveness as a place in which to invest and importantly maintains and enhances its appeal as a place in which to live and work. This is not to exclude other parts of the country, but simply to ensure that if an investment decision is limited to a big city that Ireland is in the frame. The good news is that Dublin punches above its weight. Despite its relatively modest size, our capital is by many measures a global city as validated by a range of bodies. For example, The Globalization and World Cities Research Network (commonly abbreviated to GaWC) ranks Dublin on its Alpha list of the world’s most important cities. The field is led by mega cites such as New York and London and is dominated by other major centres such as Sydney, Hong Kong, Paris and Tokyo. The criteria

are a mixture of economic and other indices ranked in a hierarchy of importance to the operation of the global system of finance and trade. Our achievement in securing this recognition as a global city is based on many factors. These include the fact that Dublin has successfully created a critical mass in a number of important sectors such as financial services and our status as a global technology hub. Consistent Government policy on corporate tax and an attractive business environment have played a key role in this achievement. The excellent performance of the IDA has also been widely recognised. Infrastructural improvements such as the LUAS, Dublin Airport, the Port Tunnel and the motorway network have made a major contribution. International standard facilities such as the Convention Centre and major stadia and leisure developments have proven critical in helping raise our profile and securing business, sporting and cultural activity that had previously gone elsewhere. Whilst ours is not a city on the scale of London for example, our set of competitors in various rankings includes centres such as Barcelona, Munich and Zurich. So how do we maintain and reinforce our position? Inevitably we need to assess and learn from our competitor cities. We have

Shaun Murphy, Managing Partner of KPMG in Ireland.

a clear idea of our strengths. We also need to assess where we need to focus. We have seen the benefits of a competitive approach to business taxes. However attracting businesses is only part of the equation. We also need to maintain an appeal to the people who manage and drive these companies – whether they are Irish or from elsewhere. In this regard we need to be aware of the critically important role of personal taxes. Government now recognises that we are at a tipping point whereby high personal taxes are a disincentive to talent. We need to move from recognition to action. There are a host of other issues to consider. Directly elected mayors with a mandate for better city management is a feature of most of our competitor cities. Continuing to attract more direct air routes pays obvious dividends. Connecting our public transport infrastructure makes for more efficiency and helps ensure a vibrant place in which to live. The business community already plays an important role in promoting many of these issues. The role of Dublin Chamber in helping lead this agenda is deserving of our continued support.  81

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BI Survey Hibernia College

The Rise and Rise

of e-learning 10-12 years and we are consistently reviewing them. We're not dabbling in e-learning, it's what we do.

Dr Seán Rowland, President of Hibernia College talks to Business Ireland about the evolution of distance learning and the challenges facing education in Ireland.

What are the main challenges facing the education sector in Ireland?

Tell me about Hibernia College.

Hibernia College was founded 14 years ago, headquartered in Dublin with offices in Westport and London. We provide online education to students from 76 countries around the world and we work with institutions of higher education, like Peking University, China; University of Western Cape, South Africa; University of Vienna; and Plymouth University in the UK to do this.

Dr Seán Rowland, President of Hibernia College.

their colleagues with Masters in 34 countries around the world such as India and China. We bring the students together online so their peers could be in Europe or the US.

What kind of courses What sets your services apart from do you offer? other institutions? We offer a suite of courses from Bachelor degrees to Masters, PhDs, corporate education and in-service education for teachers. We are the largest provider of teacher education across England and Ireland. We have teachers in training in every county in Ireland. We also offer courses in areas such as pharmaceutical medicine, business management and software technology. We work with Pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer and Novartis providing

If students have ten modules, one may be taught by someone in Switzerland, one by someone in England and some by educators here in Ireland. Some institutions have long term permanent staff that they have to use. We don't. We pick the best from around the world. We pick faculty from a global pool. We also have a very rigorous QQI accreditation and the Pharma programme is approved by I.F.A.P.P. Our courses have been built over

“There is an estimated shortage of 16 million teachers in the world. I think Ireland could play a serious role in addressing these shortages, particularly if we had cooperation among Irish institutions.”

Limited resources and investment will affect the quality of our education sector if cutbacks continue. There is also a preoccupation with class size. But, if you look at results they're based on the education of the teacher, the continued education of the teacher, commitment of parents and leadership in the school. We need to continually upgrade the knowledge base of teachers and improve the professional status of teachers.

What are Hibernia College's plans for the year ahead?

To expand teacher provision in countries where there is a need. There is an estimated shortage of 16 million teachers in the world. I think Ireland could play a serious role in addressing these shortages, particularly if we had cooperation among Irish institutions. We're too small an island to be competing against each other. We should be competing as one on a global scale. Demand for e-learning has mushroomed in the last three to five years. Once institutions such as Stanford, MIT and Harvard embraced e-learning it became a very legitimate educational force. It's growing exponentially now. If you want to change direction or up-skill then it's very rewarding to get your qualification without having to move house or give up your job. It's an ideal route.  83

BI Survey RPS

Green Success for RPS The EU has once again which will hold the title in 2014. appointed RPS to the European Previous European Green Capital cities were: Nantes, France (2013); Green Capitals Project.

PS has recently been reappointed by the European Commission to manage the European Green Capital Award (EGCA) project for another rolling four years. “We have managed the EGCA for the past three years on behalf of DG Environment across the EU’s 28 member states operating in the 24 official EU languages. The award is made to a city each year which is a role model for sustainable urban living,” says Dr Katie O’Neill, Project Manager for the Secretariat. Last June, Bristol, UK, was named European Green Capital for 2015, succeeding Copenhagen, Denmark,

Vitoria Gasteiz, Spain (2012); Hamburg, Germany (2011); and Stockholm, Sweden (2010). Criteria for the prestigious award, now in its fifth year, are climate change, urban mobility, biodiversity, air quality, noisescape, open spaces, water consumption, wastewater treatment, waste management, energy efficiency, eco innovation and environment management systems. The winning city must demonstrate high environmental standards and have an ambition to be a role model for other cities. EU Environment Commissioner Dr Janez Potočnik stated that “the European Green Capital Award has been very successful in attracting a

wide range of interest throughout Europe. It is a celebration of cities that are rising to the challenge of successfully combining respect for the environment, excellent quality of life and economic growth.” RPS Director, PJ Rudden, who is also Director of the European Green Capital Secretariat, says “our reappointment confirms our strong performance as EGCA Secretariat for the European Commission in technical environmental and communications terms. Apart from the benchmarking of major cities across Europe in environmental terms, we have pioneered and developed social media as a key communications channel to EU citizens, especially to the younger generation who are a growing audience.” g

RPS is one of Ireland’s leading multidisciplinary consultancies providing services in Planning, Engineering, Environment, Communications and Project Management. Our services include: Water Resources & Services

Transport

Environment

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Food

Sustainability

Marine

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BI Survey Eugene F. Collins

Partner-Led Law Sean Twomey, Managing Partner at Eugene F. Collins spoke to Business Ireland about their services, the firm’s plans and issues in the Irish legal sector.

enable them to run their businesses effectively and successfully. In 2013 Eugene F. Collins became the first law firm in Ireland to be accredited with the Q9000 gold standard by the Institute of Legal Research and Standards.

Could you give me some background on your company?

Which practice areas at your firm are getting the highest take up?

Eugene F. Collins is one of Ireland’s leading law firms. The firm was established in 1893 and has just completed its 120th year in business. We employ 115 people in the business, with 24 partners and over 90 legal professionals and support staff. We have a broad range of clients from large international companies to SMEs. We advise many of Ireland’s leading corporate companies and international organisations across a wide breadth of industry sectors. Our global scope is strengthened through international law firm partnerships. Our team also has considerable experience in advising State and public sector bodies.

What sets your services apart from your competitors?

Eugene F. Collins is a partner led law firm which commits to partner involvement in managing each client's legal requirements. We have built our business and our reputation on the simple but fundamental principle of seeking at all times to give a first-class legal service to our clients while building solid and trusted relationships with clients. We have an exceptionally strong and proven legal team who are backed by an experienced and effective administrative support system. We provide a comprehensive legal service which is focused on delivering commercial and pragmatic solutions to clients which 86

Dispute Resolution and Corporate Recovery are very active. Bank restructuring work is an area that is extremely busy. As the economy has improved and bank lending has increased over the last year, our Corporate and Property departments have seen a big increase in activity.

What are the main challenges currently facing the legal sector in Ireland and how are they being addressed?

There has been a huge increase in litigation over the last few years. This has been caused by our economic circumstances. The court services are under resourced. More resources should be given to them to ensure that the system functions to its optimum. Better use could be made of Alternative Dispute Resolution models. The ongoing difference of opinion between the Government and Judiciary does not help matters. The New Legal Services bill will be a challenge. I do not believe that MultiDisciplinary Practices are a good idea. They will not be good for the consumer and may increase legal costs as opposed to reduce them which seems to be the Government’s intention.

How was business in 2013?

Trading was steady throughout 2013 with a noticeable uplift towards

Sean Twomey, Managing Partner, Eugene F. Collins.

the end of the year. The economic indicators for 2014 are positive and so we expect 2014 to be a better year again. We continue to reinvest in our business so that we can provide a great service to our clients. We have carried out a refurbishment of our offices, refreshed our brand and launched our new website. We have employed a newly qualified pensions lawyer and we have added a newly qualified solicitor to our Corporate Recovery team. We announced the appointment of Ann Lalor as a new partner in our Banking Department. We will be recruiting for a further three newly qualified solicitors during 2014 and we'll be welcoming a further eight new trainee solicitors.  Contact: www.efc.ie

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For more go to www.dublinbic.ie Investing In Entrepreneurs Member of European Business & Innovation Centre Network (EBN), supported in part by the Exchequer through the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation under the NDP Enterprise Science & Innovation Operational Programme, managed by Enterprise Ireland. Dublin Business Innovation Centre is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Our Business is Your Business

Corporate & Commercial Corporate Recovery Commercial Disputes & Litigation Intellectual Property Employment Law Private Client Property

Contact: Stephen Walker, Therese Rochford or Mark Ryan Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2, Ireland T: +353 1 611 0000 F: +353 1 611 0090 E: ecomms@whitneymoore.ie W: www.whitneymoore.ie

BI Survey énergie

Improve the health of your business énergie is Ireland’s largest health club group helping members achieve and maintain positive health results.

functional fitness area using free weights, kettle bells, the TRX system and floor exercises. We also encourage members to include classes in their programme and we have a wide choice from Spin, Kick and Lift to Pilates and Yoga. Our free eight-week reviews also guarantee that members are always working towards new goals and targets.

he benefits of regular exercise are well known. Employees that are healthy have a positive attitude and confidence that improves productivity and performance. énergie is Ireland’s largest health club group with 16 clubs in total, 10 in the Dublin and Leinster area. Employees working in Dublin can choose between our clubs on Clarendon Street or Ballsbridge. Commuters might prefer to work-out nearer home in Ashbourne, Swords, Rathfarnham, Park West or Tallaght or if your work takes you around the country drop in to énergie in Newbridge, Drogheda or even Cork.

Results Focused

Wherever our clubs are, everything that we do at énergie is designed to help our members achieve positive results in as little as four weeks and then maintain and improve those results over time.

Time is precious

We know that planning a regular work-out in a busy schedule is challenging, so we create a personalised programme that delivers guaranteed results from just three 30-minute workouts a week. That equates to less than 1 per cent of your working week. That represents a really good return for the time invested.

Achieve real results

We take time to discuss what each individual has done in the past, what results they want now and in the

Down time can pay Stephen Archibald, Corporate Sales Manager, énergie future and what type of activity they like to do. Our qualified instructors use this information to create a personalised programme for each member as part of our émpower programme. Over the course of four weeks each member receives five 30-minute consultations with an instructor to ensure that they know what will help them to get the best results. Providing that they follow the programme, énergie guarantee to refund a member’s fees if they don’t get positive results after just four weeks. Once our members see that they can be successful they are motivated to stay on their programme.

Variety is Key

A mixed portfolio produces the best performance, so a programme will include a combination of aerobic and resistance exercise either on the specialist machines or in our

At énergie we recommend that you balance exertion with relaxation. Take time to enjoy the full size swimming pool, the spa pool, sauna and steam room or book a massage to help unwind. Enjoying ‘down time’ creates physiological and psychological benefits which are as important as those resulting from physical activity

Building winning teams

At énergie we can help you get more from your teams. As well as keeping them motivated individually, we can organise group classes, company events and inter-department challenges. If you’re looking for something more adventurous we can help run your team building and leadership courses at the wonderful Delphi Mountain Resort in Connemara. g To find out how énergie can improve the health of your business email Stephen Archibald on groupsales@energiefitness.ie or visit www.energieforeverybody.ie

“At énergie we can help you get more from your teams. As well as keeping them motivated individually, we can organise group classes, company events and inter-department” challenges. 89

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Simmonscourt Road, Dublin 4, Ireland Tel. 353 (1) 665 4000 Fax. 353 (1) 665 4099 Contact the Hotel directly for more details sales.dublin@fourseasons.com www.fourseasons.com/dublin

BI Survey The Four Seasons Hotel Dublin

Catering for

All Seasons

The Four Seasons Hotel Dublin offers a range of meeting and event services to cater for all needs. Director of Catering, Ali Tan, outlines her innovative and personalised approach to hospitality, events and catering.

li joined Four Seasons almost sixteen years ago and is one of its most experienced Directors of Catering. Ali recently returned to Four Seasons Hotel Dublin’s team having led the events team at Four Seasons New York and previously Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica. Her passion for bespoke event management and personalised service has ensured the smooth running of some of the hotel’s biggest events including; international corporate conferences for world leading companies, corporate hospitality for major industry players as well as managing the more discreet but significant meetings and events. Ali gives Business Ireland an insight into what it takes to organise a successful and innovative event.

Four Seasons Hotel Dublin.

ALI’S MISSION

A successful event takes collaboration with event planners and organisers, bringing new depths of accuracy and skill to all aspects of an event. We go beyond the expected and truly make the difference by anticipating any potential challenges, working alongside to support organisers in the process. Combined, our team has over 30 years in the events industry and this invaluable experience is pertinent to our success and long standing client relationships.

Ali’s Event Trend Spotting

There is an increasing focus on team building, engagement conferencing and staff incentive events, leading to a demand for more flexible and adaptable style set ups.

Ali Tan, Director of Catering.

Increasingly, a corporate event is followed by a weekend of family entertainment as more companies are looking to enhance work-life balance and reward employees by including partners and children at events. Collaborative conferencing is a trend to look out for, as well as ‘social break-outs’ with chill zones for ideation.

Four Seasons Hotel Dublin’s Key to Success

Our flexible conference space, dedicated banquet kitchen, private dining boardroom and flexible meeting room space, two ballrooms, on-site car parking, restyled public areas and luxurious accommodation are second to none in the city and along with our reputation for the highest service levels continues to enthuse and inspire confidence.  For enquiries, please contact: Ali Tan, Director of Catering Four Seasons Hotel Dublin Simmonscourt Road, Dublin 4 Tel: 01 665 0000 Website: fourseasons.com/dublin 91

BI Survey

Group

South Quay Group

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Chief Financial Officer Contact us now at www.southquaygroup.com Auditors Limited

If you are a business with ambition for growth and export potential you need a CFO, according to Patrick Lane of South Quay Group.

any businesses will achieve success and growth through the Founder’s entrepreneurial strengths and determination. Every day we see that many businesses, upon hitting a certain level of development, struggle for the want of proper financial expertise. Many small businesses fail to develop for the want of a more rigorous and tactical financial management structure. To enable the exponential growth in business, a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will be required to transform the business development culture into a corporate development strategy.

Problem

Large firms have financial control departments headed up by a Chief Financial Officer. Most small to medium enterprises and entrepreneurs simply can’t afford an experienced full time CFO. Traditional accountants will provide tax, bookkeeping and financial statements and other forms of basic service with no analysis or advice. A CFO will play a more strategic and tactical role within a company. Literally a CFO is pivotal to the expansion and stability of a business on the world markets.

Solution

Hire a part time CFO. Outsource this critical function to a specialist that can leverage both ever changing fiscal policy and a new network of contacts, for the benefit of your business. 92

Download Aurasma and Follow SouthQuayGroup Focus on what you do best, whether it be leading and setting a vision for your company, managing operations, selling or marketing. Focus on your strengths and outsource the pain and confusion associated when navigating throughout the world of financial management. Yet it is critical that the Outsourced CFO is welcomed as part of the management team. By doing so, greater opportunities can be secured and an additional insight to growth strategy can be implemented into your business.

Suggestions

We recommend a trial phase of at least three months. This will ensure that you are not tied to an individual or a process. It will also enable the Outsourced CFO to have an appropriate time to make real impact and create tangible benefits for your business. Then extend the engagement as suitable. We offer a risk reversal policy as well. Simply if we don’t save you money, release or access new funds or

even help you generate new revenue over a set period of time, we refund all amounts paid. Obviously a strict and exact business roadmap must be created to ensure all milestones are achieved. It’s a tough arrangement and not for everyone. Yet that level of accountability is what we offer only to those that offer it in return.

The next step

If you are a business with ambition for growth and export potential, with possible R&D requirements, you need a CFO. Especially in the technology, life sciences and food sectors there is an urgent need for a CFO. If you would like further information, please contact us for a discrete conversation. We are here to help. g South Quay Group Patrick Lane - Outsourced CFO Ph. 01-6139880 patrick.lane@southquaygroup.com www.southquaygroup.com Suite 19, Butler’s Court, 77 Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Dublin.

• Creating a supportive environment for business • Developing a strong city leadership for Dublin • Developing Dublin as a Smart City • Developing Dublin as a competitive International City

Office of the Economy & International Relations, Dublin City Council, Civic Offices, Dublin 8 Tel: 01 222 0100 Email: edu@dublincity.ie Web: www.dublincity.ie

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Let us create your ultimate luxury break 94

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BI Survey FEXCO Group

Experts in Foreign Exchange FEXCO has been providing Commercial Foreign Exchange services to Irish companies for over 30 years.

ounded in 1981, the Irish-owned this by ensuring they have a reliable multi-national FEXCO has commercial FX partner who will help pioneered a range of innovative manage their FX exposure risk and services in cross border payments, make sure their international payments to overseas suppliers are executed foreign exchange and tourism-related accurately and on time, every time. financial services. Employing almost “The role an export led economy 2,000 people in Ireland, the UK, the is playing, and will continue to US, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Australia, FEXCO has built an extensive play in Ireland’s recovery, is well documented. Companies large and network of partners and customers small are investing significant time through its commitment to innovation and resources in opening up new and customer care. international markets. The moment Joe Redmond, MD of FEXCO’s Foreign Exchange Services Division and a deal is successfully completed is the moment the company concerned will Council Member of Dublin Chamber need to put in place the appropriate of Commerce, explains how important FX risk management and cross border it is for Irish companies trading outside payment arrangements. FEXCO the euro zone to protect their income, has the expert margins and reputation. “They can do 77617_FEXCO_CFX_press_v4.pdf 1 17/12/2013 13:25 team, online systems,

Joe Redmond, Dublin Chamber Council Member and FEXCO Group Executive.

treasury operations and international payments infrastructure in place, here in Ireland, to support the FX risk management of Irish businesses.” g Contact 1800 246800 or email fipssupport@fexco.com.

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Please contact us today to discuss how our suite of Treasury and Hedging Products can reduce your FX Risk Exposure and protect your profits on 1800 246800 or fipssupport@fexco.com

FEXCO Corporate Payments trading as FEXCO Commercial FX Services is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

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