InBUSINESS Recognition Awards 2021 by Ashville Media Group

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Support local to lift us all

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WINNERS

CONTENTS 5

AGENCY SUPPORT TO BUSINESS Skillnet Ireland

ZURICH: An Actice Approach to Investment Management

AGENCY SUPPORT TO START UP’S & SME Local Enterprise Offices

BUSINESS BANK AIB

SKILLNET IRELAND: Industry-led Talent Development

BUSINESS BROADBAND PROVIDER Virgin Media

PENSIONS & LIFE ASSURANCE Zurich

EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT Hay’s Recruitment ENERGY PROVIDER TO BUSINESS Bord Gáis Energy RETAIL EXCELLENCE LloydsPharmacy LIFE SCIENCE COMPANY Health Beacon TOURISM Fáilte Ireland LOGISTICS COMPANY DHL BODY FOR FURTHER EDUCATION AND APPRENTICESHIPS SOLAS CYBER SECURITY & COMPLIANCE COMPANY Stryve WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY Bord Na Móna EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT UCD Smurfit HEALTH & WELLBEING HEAnet & EduCampus FINANCE PROVIDED TO MICRO BUSINESS & START UPS Microfinance Ireland COMPANY IN FINANCIAL SOFTWARE Sage Ireland ACADEMIA COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY Science Foundation Ireland IRISH BRAND O’Brien Fine Foods - Brady Family MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN IRELAND Lagan Breedon Group BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR Dr. Nuala Murphy BUSINESSMAN OF THE YEAR David McCourt COMPANY OF THE YEAR Lidl

LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICES: The First Stop for any Fledgling Business

AIB: Supporting Business Rebuilding and Rebooting

VIRGIN MEDIA: Leading the Way in Business Connectivity and Online Security

STRYVE: Stryving for Secure Cloud Solutions

BORD NA MÓNA: Ireland’s Climate Solutions company

UCD SMURFIT: Lifelong Learning in a Changing World

HEANET & EDUCAMPUS: Employee Wellness More Than a Buzzword in HEAnet and EduCampus

MICROFINANCE IRELAND: Supporting Small Business

HAYS IRELAND: Shaping Talent Strategies

BORD GÁIS ENERGY: Managing Energy Usage Sustainably

LLOYDSPHARMACY: Continuously Enhancing Customer Experience

HEALTH BEACON: Connected Medicine Improving Patient Outcomes

SAGE IRELAND: Aligned with Business Needs

SCIENCE FOUNDATION IRELAND: Science for the Economy

O’BRIEN FINE FOODS BRADY FAMILY: Protein with Purpose

LAGAN BREEDON GROUP: Exceeding Expectations

FÁILTE IRELAND: Maximising Recovery in Tourism

DHL: Navigating the Pandemic and Emerging Stronger

SOLAS Education and Training Igniting Growth

ICON: Businesswoman of the Year: Dr. Nuala Murphy

DAVID MCCOURT: A Transformational Force in Technology

51 LIDL:

A Strong Stance and Lasting Impact

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A New Sense of Hope and Opportunity Ian Talbot, CEO of Chambers Ireland, reflects on the tenth anniversary of the InBUSINESS Recognition Awards, and the qualities which made this year’s winners stand out.

Ian Talbot, Chief Executive, Chambers Ireland

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It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to gather in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the InBUSINESS Recognition Awards. Today we are not just celebrating the Awards and the very worthy winners, but also the occasion to be in a room together, and the promise of a return, hopefully, to life, to work and a sense of normality. When the Government announced the easing of public health restrictions in January, it gave businesses and business owners a new sense of hope and of opportunity, not to mention relief. The business community has demonstrated a strong commitment to supporting public health through several immensely challenging periods. Their businesses, which are hugely important to the people and strength of our local economies, now have a chance to make their full contribution to their communities and the staﬀ they employ. As we manage a return to the workplace, it is also important that

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businesses engage with employees to deliver a safe and fair return that takes account of changes that have taken place in the last two years. For many, flexible and remote working has been a consequence of the pandemic but every effort should be made to retain a flexible balance of the benefits it has provided to employees and the economy. The long-term benefits of doing so will be happier staff, a more inclusive labour force and higher levels of productivity. The focus on maintaining company culture with a dispersed workforce has spurred on great innovation and new thinking, while the crucial issue of employee wellbeing and mental health is a conversation that, now it has been highlighted, is sure to continue as we adjust in the future.

sustainable strategy will allow us to thrive again, not just as a business community but as a society. Chambers Ireland has long supported the Sustainable Development Goals and we urge all businesses to play their part—for those that have not already done so, taking a few minutes to look at our SDG toolkit on our website and sign up to the UN Global Compact would be worthwhile.

CORE VALUES

While, overall, despite the vulnerable sectors which need support, Irish business is resilient and optimistic, we must also remember that previous experience has shown that calling an end to the pandemic while the virus continues to circulate is premature. Our high vaccination level has provided an important layer of protection across the island but the threat of future variants remains. The most important step we can take to avoid that threat is to advocate for, and participate in, eﬀorts to deliver vaccine equity and achieve high levels of protection in all regions of the world. Here at Chambers Ireland— Ireland’s largest business network with Chambers of Commerce in every major city, town and region in the country—we actively engage

Alongside this, employees want to work with companies they believe in and whose values align with their own. Sustainability is the key value that is most important to us all, as part of not just the business world, but as part of our communities, and it is an issue that it is incumbent upon us all to act on, not just pay lip service to: businesses and business leaders must demonstrate their commitment to it, not just communicate it Many of our winners this year are those who have actively demonstrated not only being agile in their reaction to the challenges of the pandemic and in how they supported staﬀ and customers, but have also remained true to their core values, with great perseverance and tenacity. While business survival is crucial, a long-term

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THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY HAS DEMONSTRATED A STRONG COMMITMENT TO SUPPORTING PUBLIC HEALTH THROUGH SEVERAL IMMENSELY CHALLENGING PERIODS.

in research and lobbying activities on a range of public policy issues of interest to our members. By drawing upon the expertise of our member chambers and the businesses they represent, we are in a unique position to understand the concerns of all sectors of business from all regions of Ireland, and are acutely aware of the diﬀerent types of challenges the last year has presented. Supporting all businesses, facilitating trade (particularly in light of Brexit issues), and strengthening the Chamber Network to provide support at local level, all remain top priorities for us over the coming year.

HIGHLIGHTING SUCCESS InBUSINESS, the oﬃcial publication of Chambers Ireland, as Ireland’s leading business quarterly, continues to highlight the successes of the best of Irish business. The annual InBUSINESS Recognition Awards recognise and reward exceptional business achievement and innovation and aim to acknowledge the contributions of individuals to grow business in this country. Winners this year were chosen across 24 categories based on the broad criteria including growth, proﬁle of business, range of services and customer care. All are very worthy of this recognition and set the standard for business in Ireland today. Congratulations to all the award winners of the InBUSINESS Recognition Awards 2021, and I wish you all continued prosperity and success over the following year.

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At Zurich we believe small actions can have great impact. When it comes to pensions, Zurich has one of the best managed fund returns in Ireland over the last twenty years.* One reason why Zurich is a great choice for your employees’ retirement savings. Take a small action for your employees’ future and talk to us today about a Zurich Company Pension Plan. Call Mark Bowers on 01 209 2299 or visit Zurich.ie/corporate.

Warning: The value of your investment may go down as well as up. Warning: Past performance is not a reliable guide to future performance. Warning: If you invest in this product you may lose some or all of the money you invest. Warning: Benefits may be affected by changes in currency exchange rates. *7% annualised returns for the Zurich Performance Fund over the past 20 years from 30/11/2001 to 30/11/2021. Source: Rubicon Investment Consulting Limited.

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ZURICH

An active approach to investment management has kept Zurich at the top of their game, with business resilient in challenging times, says Joe Creegan, Head of Corporate Life & Pensions. Zurich has a long tradition in the Life and Pensions market in Ireland, spanning 40 years and over that period we have grown our new business market share signiﬁcantly to be become number 2 in the market. We are also a market leader in the provision of Group Retirement and Protection beneﬁts for employees working for many of Ireland’s largest employers. At Zurich we provide retirement savings across the whole spectrum of workers with a range of fund options with different characteristics depending on whether people want a secure investment or an investment with more risk attached.

CHANGING DEMANDS In addition to our award-winning investment management track record, we continue to review our product offering to meet the changing demands of our customers. We are focused on continuously improving our communication and using technology creatively to build trust and highlight the importance of thinking longterm when it comes to saving for retirement. We have also continued to bring new products to the market, including the Zurich Master Trust. A Master Trust is in effect, one large scheme established under trust, to which any employer can be afﬁliated. Zurich Trustee Services Limited, with years of experience as a trustee, will act as trustee to the Zurich Master Trust. This will allow existing and new employer-sponsored pensions schemes comply with regulatory requirements, while giving employees access to Zurich’s superior investment performance, delivered consistently over many years.

investment management strategies to a more actively managed approach. Unlike many of our competitors who adopt a passive approach to investment management under the mantra of lower costs, we have moved quickly to reposition a number of our investment options by selling out of certain asset classes or individual stocks and buying in to others, to deliver added value to our customers’ retirement accounts.

DRIVING VALUE Our key focus is about driving value for our customers. We believe the best way that we can drive value is through the out-performance of our investment funds. In particular for our Pension customers, higher investment returns have a huge impact on their ﬁnal pension pot at retirement. The combination of the increasing cost of the State Pension in Ireland and only one-third of private sector workers contributing to a private or company sponsored pension scheme is building up challenges for future generations who will be forced to defer retirement or accept a lower income in retirement. We cannot afford to lose time in addressing this future challenge. Our innovative investment solutions and employee engagement tools are designed to bring pension schemes to life and help employees look forward to a great retirement.

ACTIVE APPROACH Despite the challenges over the year, our business has proved very resilient. Our active approach to investment management has delivered signiﬁcant added value to our customers and we have also seen interest from companies and individuals looking to move away from passive

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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PENSIONS & LIFE ASSURANCE

An Active Approach to Investment Management

Joe Creegan, Head of Corporate Life & Pensions, Zurich Life Assurance.

WE ARE FOCUSED ON CONTINUOUSLY IMPROVING OUR COMMUNICATION AND USING TECHNOLOGY CREATIVELY TO BUILD TRUST AND HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF THINKING LONG TERM WHEN IT COMES TO SAVING FOR RETIREMENT. 5

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SKILLNET IRELAND AGENCY SUPPORT TO BUSINESS

Industry-led Talent Development Paul Healy, Chief Executive of Skillnet Ireland, on supporting businesses, working with industry and preparing the workforce for a sustainable future. As a business support agency, Skillnet Ireland continued to see challenges across a variety of sectors throughout 2021, “Particularly the small firms and locally traded sector where businesses were on the road to recovery and then new restrictions resulted in further setbacks,” recalls Skillnet Ireland Chief Executive Paul Healy. Two of the major trends Healy has noticed over the past year were “the rapid adoption of digital right across the economy, and a lot of turnover in the labour market”. Healy estimates that there is pent up movement in the labour market just coming to light now as people begin to feel more confident about making changes. “Anyone who had career plans or switching plans might have kept them on hold because of the uncertainty in 2020, but then we saw economic certainty and we saw a recovery take hold in 2021.” He concedes that the ‘Great Resignation’ is more than a media myth. “I think it speaks to the physical dislocation that remote working has caused. In a remote working environment, the challenges of employee engagement become more difficult.”

HYBRID WORLD When it comes to the future of work being hybrid, and indeed the future delivery of Talent development programmes, Healy says, “Every organisation is looking at this question seriously. It’s not black and white; there are advantages to distance and online, whether that’s online learning or online working.” While cognisant of the beneﬁts of work-life balance for employees, regional and rural development and the environment, he sees the other side of the coin also.

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“The challenge with a hybrid working model is that any workstreams requiring ideation—typically things like complex problem-solving, planning, the strategic process—don’t lend themselves to an online format. I think organisations are beginning to see that, and so are educational institutions. There is a limit to what can be achieved through education and learning and development online, but equally in online working.” Is hybrid the solution to it? “Many organisations have discovered the implementation of a successful hybrid working model is more challenging than it might seem at first. One approach or another-everyone fully back in the office or everyone fully at home-is actually easier to work with. It’s difficult to plan and schedule in the hybrid format.”

SUPPORTING FDI Skillnet Ireland and its Skillnet Business Networks supported 1,200 FDI companies in 2021. “Everything that we do is entirely company-led and entirely industry-led,” underlines Healy. Skillnet Ireland works with multinational companies to establish their priorities, which informs the types of programmes developed and run by the Skillnet Business Networks. “These are programmes designed by companies for companies. This is a proposition that is really valued by the FDI sector. Skillnet Ireland’s approach to talent development resonates with companies because it puts industry in control.” Skillnet Ireland funding is matched by companies in a cost-sharing approach to investing into the workforce, with programmes spanning the whole spectrum from CPD to degree and masters programmes.

GREEN ECONOMY Along with emerging technologies such as data science, artiﬁcial intelligence and blockchain, the other sector that Healy

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SKILLNET IRELAND AGENCY SUPPORT TO BUSINESS

EVERY COMPANY, INDUSTRY SECTOR AND INDIVIDUAL JOB WILL BE IMPACTED BY CLIMATE ACTION OVER THE COMING YEARS OR INDEED WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONTIBUTE TO CLIMATE ACTION.

Paul Healy, Chief Executive of Skillnet Ireland sees coming to the fore, and that Skillnet Ireland will be focused on preparing the workforce for, is to do with the sustainable economy and climate action. “If we don’t get this right, we have nothing else. There’s a burning impetus to us getting this right. However, if you look at the Government’s Climate Action Plan, it is so pervasive and ambitious, which it has to be because of the crisis we are facing. Every company, industry sector and individual job will be impacted by climate action over the coming years or indeed will have the opportunity to contibute to climate action.”

GLOBAL COMPETITION “We all know that Ireland has a strong reputation for a highly-skilled, welleducated, agile workforce, but the competition for global investment has really intensiﬁed, as have the issues to do

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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with corporation tax harmonisation, and that serves to put talent even further into the spotlight for Ireland,” Healy asserts. Nurturing talent, not just in producing graduates, but also in supporting lifelong learning and upskilling of people once they go into employment, is what he considers the really important work of Skillnet Ireland. “To stay abreast of new technologies and new developments, to become a lifelong learner—that is so important in every society, but it is of very signiﬁcant importance when it comes to Ireland because we compete on the basis of our people. We are not a country that’s rich in natural resources, but we’re really rich in our people, we are really rich in our human capital. It’s something we need to nurture and allow to ﬂourish. And that happens with investment through organisations like Skillnet Ireland.”

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LOCAL ENTERPRISE OFFICES AGENCY SUPPORT TO START UP’S & SME

The First Stop for any Fledgling Business Padraic McElwee, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprises, says they are proud to help set new entrepreneurs on the pathway to success. For many of Ireland’s fledgling businesses the Local Enterprise Office (LEO) will be the first step they take on their entrepreneurial journey. As the businesses grow, the LEO, located in the Local Authority, sets them on a pathway which leads all the way to Enterprise Ireland, who will support them to enter greater global markets, with all of this underpinned by funding from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. “This ‘pathway to success’ ensures Ireland continues to develop many successful global businesses and the Local Enterprise Offices take pride in being the facilitator of those early first steps,” says Padraic McElwee, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprises.

NEW BUSINESSES Over the course of the pandemic, there has been a shift in people’s values and attitudes, and many people are ready for the challenge of striking out on their own. “We are seeing people viewing work differently, placing a higher value on what they do, how they do it and where they do it, so if a business does not fit an employees new views, they are looking to leave and maybe start a business of their own that suits them,” says McElwee. “We already have experienced significant increased participation in our ‘Start Your Own Business’ programmes in 2021 which are now leading to new applications for feasibility and priming grants for early stage businesses. “The landscape is definitely in flux but there are still exciting things happening and we will see some great new companies popping up in 2022.”

OUR STRATEGY HASN’T CHANGED, BUT OUR WAY OF HELPING CLIENTS HAS. WE REMAIN THE FIRST STOP FOR ANY SMALL BUSINESSES LOOKING TO START OR GROW BUT WE HAVE HAD TO ADAPT.” 8

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ADAPTING APPROACH While the LEOs strategy hasn’t changed, McElwee says the way of helping clients has evolved greatly. “We remain the ﬁrst stop for any small businesses looking to start or grow but we have had to adapt to our clients needs in how we communicate with them, what types of supports they need and when they need them. “For example the trading online voucher was always one of our main supports, but when the pandemic hit, it became our key support. Many businesses had no intention of going online, but then it became a situation that they needed to, or they would shut their doors. The supports haven’t changed for small businesses, but we’ve had to adapt to how we deal with them and the timeline of what they need. “In 2022 we will focus more on working with small businesses in the digital and online space to maximise that presence and we will continue to foster entrepreneurship for those who have a great idea or may want to start their own business.”we will continue to foster entrepreneurship for those who have a great idea or may want to start their own business.”

Padraic McElwee, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices.

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AIB

John Brennan, who looks after business customers in the Retail Division, and Conor Daly Head of SME Sector Strategy, on what makes AIB the best bank for business. “Over the course of 2021 we saw a strong performance in indigenous sectors such as food and agriculture and manufacturing and also our multinational sector, supported by a strong rebound in services, construction and core retail,” says Conor Daly, Head of SME Sector Strategy, AIB. Despite the challenges faced by a number of sectors, he states, “The Irish economy is emerging from the pandemic in very good shape. We have seen very robust exports, strong growth in the labour force and employment numbers and most importantly the trajectory is very positive as the country begins to fully reopen again.” Underlining AIB Business Banking’s core ambition to be the leading trusted partner for business, he says, “We will continue to back our customers, working together to create value for businesses, whether the need is to rebuild and reboot or grow and evolve. “We recognise that there were a number of sectors which more challenged by the pandemic than others, and we are very focused on working with customers in those sectors to help them rebuild their businesses,” he continues. “AIB is in a very strong capital position, and we are very keen to look at customer funding requests, whether for working capital, capital expenditure, expansion or acquisition.”

BUSINESS BANK

Supporting Business Rebuilding and Rebooting theme and AIB has ambitious targets in this regard and importantly we look forward to supporting our customers on their sustainability journey.” He adds, “A more holistic financial service offering is a key focus for us and our recent announcements of the acquisition of Goodbody Stockbrokers and joint ventures with Great-West Lifeco and Nifti [Autolease Fleet Managment] will help us to be at the heart of our customers’ financial lives.”

THE YEAR AHEAD “Following a strong performance in 2021 we are conﬁdent on the economic outlook and positive for the economy and business as we travel through 2022,” states Daly. “We are mindful of certain headwinds such as inﬂation and labour shortages but overall the economy is solid and we are very positive for the future” Brennan adds, ”Overall we hold a very positive outlook, having come through a turbulent period in great shape and the resilience and agility demonstrated by Irish businesses in 2020 and 2021 will stand to us all going forward. I am particularly looking forward to getting out to meet our customers again in 2022.”

AIB IS IN A VERY STRONG CAPITAL POSITION, AND WE ARE VERY KEEN TO LOOK AT CUSTOMER FUNDING REQUESTS, WHETHER FOR WORKING CAPITAL, CAPITAL EXPENDITURE, EXPANSION OR ACQUISITION.

SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY With the pandemic fast-tracking change in customer behaviours and work practices, digital enablement and the drive to a sustainable future are key to the AIB’s strategy. “In AIB we are focussed on supporting our staﬀ transition to hybrid working environments and supporting our customers through the challenges of COVID-19 and beyond with increased digital capabilities and providing tools to support the transition to sustainability,” says John Brennan, who looks after the Bank’s business customers in the Retail Division. Looking at the major industry trends, Brennan says, “From a ﬁnancial services perspective, continued digitalisation within our customer base, their businesses and within our own business is something we all need to keep central to our strategy. Sustainability is a key

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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John Brennan, Retail Division, AIB.

Conor Daly, Head of SME Sector Strategy, AIB.

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VIRGIN MEDIA BUSINESS BUSINESS BROADBAND PROVIDER

Leading the Way in Business Connectivity and Online Security Emer Kelly, Head of Sales and Marketing, Virgin Media Business, on investing in Ireland’s digital future, and helping companies adapt to a new way of hybrid working whilst keeping data secure. Since the start of the pandemic and throughout 2021, Virgin Media Business has needed to be adaptive to be able to tackle the challenges faced by our customers to ensure they could continue to not only function, but ﬂourish. I’m honoured to receive this award on behalf of the incredibly hard working team here in Virgin Media Business and this recognition reinforces how all of our efforts over the last year really are making a difference for Irish business in how they operate and stay competitive.

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NETWORK UPGRADE Our recent €200 million investment announcement to upgrade our entire network to ﬁbre showcases how, even through challenging times, we are committed to innovating and investing in Ireland’s long-term digital future and we’re working harder than ever to offer the very best connectivity for businesses, both small and large, right across the country. Virgin Media’s broadband network already provides Ireland’s fastest broadband, offering 1 Gigabit speeds. This new €200m investment will bolster Virgin Media’s long-term network strategy, providing business customers with far greater speeds

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VIRGIN MEDIA BUSINESS BUSINESS BROADBAND PROVIDER

and choice, fuel future Irish connectivity needs and underpin digital innovation for consumers, businesses, and communities nationwide.

SECURE DATA In 2021 we also launched our software-defined networking in a wide area network (SD-WAN) offering, a brand new nextgeneration networking service. Our cloud-based SD-WAN solution is helping companies adapt to a new way of hybrid working whilst keeping data secure and enabling enterprises to optimise their data to gain a competitive advantage. The SD-WAN approach uses cloud-native software to connect enterprise networks (including across different sites and data centres) with more open and flexible hardware, with no need to buy additional services and bandwidth to access cloud-based applications. Large organisations can also access cloud data, applications and software-as-a-service (SaaS)-based offerings from multiple branch sites. We’ve partnered with Versa Networks, one of the leaders in the industry, to provide a fully managed package covering both the software and the network elements of SD-WAN. Our SDWAN includes tailored next-gen security as standard, including traffic encryption, an integrated firewall and a central management platform.

Emer Kelly, Head of Sales and Marketing, Virgin Media Business.

OUR CLOUDBASED SDWAN SOLUTION IS HELPING COMPANIES ADAPT TO A NEW WAY OF HYBRID WORKING WHILST KEEPING DATA SECURE AND ENABLING ENTERPRISES TO OPTIMISE THEIR DATA TO GAIN A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

ACROSS SITES Businesses also need to react quickly to different levels of demand across different sites and locations. With our SD-WAN solution, sites can be connected using a central platform and portal that employees manage remotely. It’s increasingly more important that staff can use the technology and be productive from day one on a new site. Our state-of-the-art technology provides better visibility of products and people across

different locations to help with deployment decision making. For Customers that sign up to our SD-WAN solution, we’re able to offer a fully managed package that delivers the best in software and network support. You’ll also get 30 years’ of network experience and superfast connectivity, ensuring your business is in the best possible position for its digital transformation, all on our fast, reliable and secure network.

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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TRANSFORMING YOUR BUSINESS Hays is the leading global specialist recruitment group, and the market leader in Ireland. We are the experts in recruiting qualified, professional and skilled people across a wide range of specialised industries and professions. We operate across the private and public sectors, dealing in permanent positions, contract roles and temporary assignments. At Hays, we believe the right job can transform a person’s life and the right person can transform a business. We’re passionate about connecting our candidates with the right job for them. With offices in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway we are perfectly placed to solve all your recruitment needs.

For more information visit hays.ie

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HAYS IRELAND

At Hays Ireland, we are supporting organisations to shape their talent strategies in a changing world of work, writes Mark Staniland, Managing Director of Hays Ireland.

As part of this, as many of us have enjoyed the benefits of working remotely – we’ve rolled out a balanced working agreement across our business where staff can work part of their time at home and part in the office.

Following the initial shock of the Covid-19 pandemic, there are now renewed feelings of optimism in the world of work and across Ireland. Skills shortages have grown and hiring plans are at their highest levels for five years. Some organisations that froze jobs during the height of the pandemic are now hiring again and many are looking to grow. This activity has led to salary increases for niche roles, with those working in tech, construction, finance and legal seeing some of the highest. But, as we see fewer professionals thinking about changing jobs this year, it remains to be seen whether wage inflation will persist. Questions are now shifting to whether skills shortages will continue to worsen and how we can ensure we’re able to access the talent we need in a rapidly changing world.

We’ve also continued to deliver and advance our ED&I strategy, which is incredibly important to us as we believe that diversity must be evident at all levels of our business and reﬂect the markets and communities we serve. Our progress so far has been recognised as we were awarded with the Investors in Diversity Bronze and Silver awards, cementing our commitment to the ED&I policies we have in place and improvements we have made in Ireland. We are incredibly proud to be recognised as the Best Executive Recruitment Company 2021 as part of the Chambers Ireland InBUSINESS Recognition Awards. Throughout this year we are looking forward to supporting more organisations ﬁnd the talent they need to grow, as well as matching professionals to the right opportunities – and joining them on their career journeys. We are also growing too, and are expanding our team across Ireland with opportunities for experienced recruitment professionals and those who are looking for a change in career. At Hays we will give you the opportunity to reach your full potential and be rewarded or your achievements.

EXECUTIVE RECRUITMENT

Hays Ireland: Shaping Talent Strategies

PROGRESS RECOGNISED

QUESTIONS ARE NOW SHIFTING TO WHETHER SKILLS SHORTAGES WILL CONTINUE TO WORSEN AND HOW WE CAN ENSURE WE’RE ABLE TO ACCESS THE TALENT WE NEED IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD. TALENT STRATEGIES At Hays Ireland, we are supporting organisations to shape their talent strategies in a changing world of work, as well as guiding professionals as they make the next steps in their career. We’ve also taken action, by launching free training tools and talent pathways for organisations to upskill workers. Hays Thrive helps employers and teams grow the skills they need to function eﬀectively, providing professionals with the tools they need to better adapt to a changing workplace. The pandemic gave us all the opportunity to re-evaluate what matters to us, and across our business we’ve not only supported our customers but also our staﬀ in re-imagining what a career at Hays Ireland looks like and how we work.

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Mark Staniland, Managing Director, Hays Ireland

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BORD GÁIS ENERGY ENERGY PROVIDER TO BUSINESS

Managing Energy Usage Sustainably Colin Bebbington, Director of Energy, Marketing & Data, Bord Gáis Energy, on helping customers manage their energy usage sustainably, simply and affordably. We’re delighted to be recognised by Chambers Ireland as Best Energy Provider to Business 2021. The entire team at Bord Gáis Energy is committed to supporting our customers and adapting to their needs and this recognition is testament to their hard work—2021 was challenging for everyone as we navigated a year of on/oﬀ COVID-19 restrictions. It was also a year of unprecedented price volatility amidst threats to energy security of supply. As a business we remained committed to supporting our customers however we could. There was also much focus on Ireland’s low carbon future and Bord Gáis Energy supports the ambitious targets of the Government’s Climate Action Plan. It’s a challenging yet exciting time for the industry as we explore how best to support the transition. As a company committed to net zero, our strategic focus is to help customers to manage their energy use sustainably, simply, and aﬀordably. We’re building out our product mix to become a one-stop shop for energy use, energy management, product advice and product sourcing to make homes and businesses more sustainable.

WE’RE BUILDING OUT OUR PRODUCT MIX TO BECOME A ONESTOP SHOP FOR ENERGY USE, ENERGY MANAGEMENT, PRODUCT ADVICE AND PRODUCT SOURCING TO MAKE HOMES AND BUSINESSES MORE SUSTAINABLE.

create a new revenue stream. Additionally, our partnership with Energlaze is helping to make deep retrofit of homes and businesses more sustainable, affordable, and accessible. We also launched a range of innovative and flexible plans for our business customers with smart meters to help improve energy efficiency and reduce businesses carbon footprint.

INDUSTRY TRENDS We’re proud to support Ireland’s SMEs in running and growing their businesses and in 2021 launched a series of free ‘Imagine a Better Way for your Business’ events for SMEs, which oﬀered free practical marketing advice and supports. We’re seeing more businesses adopt Demand Side Management technology, which enables them to monitor and manage energy usage in real time, as well as tools like our energy insight solution which uses sensor technology to show what energy is being used and where. This enables businesses to make decisions on how to optimise their energy usage. We also oﬀer an industry leading product and service, FlexPond, which facilitates customers to earn revenue from participating in the Demand Side Response scheme. We’re seeing radical changes in the way people consume energy and will have to consume energy if we are to meet our low carbon targets. As a major energy supplier, we have a key role in helping our customers understand what is required and what changes they need to make to achieve this; in essence, helping them use less energy.

THINK DIFFERENTLY In summer 2021, we launched a new brand positioning ‘Imagine a Better Way’, which challenges us to think diﬀerently and really imagine a better way of meeting our customers’ needs in terms of products, services, our Rewards Club and through our partnerships and sponsorships. We signiﬁcantly boosted our renewable energy portfolio in 2021 with the announcement of solar and wind power purchase agreements (PPAs) and we also developed our longterm partnership with the Irish Farmers Association (IFA) to help farmers access solar energy generation to reduce costs of input, reduce their carbon footprint and potentially

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Colin Bebbington, Director of Energy, Marketing & Data, Bord Gáis Energy.

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Powering today, protecting tomorrow Transforming our energy supply, solutions and services to enable a lower carbon future.

To find out more visit: www.bordgaisenergy.ie/sustainability

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16/02/2022 14:59 03/02/2022 12:32

Ireland’s Leading Pharmacy Chain

+ Late night opening + Monthly prescription reminders + Click and collect service

+ Blood pressure and BMI monitoring + Emergency contraception + Flu & COVID vaccinations

+ Private consultation rooms

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16/02/2022 20/12/2021 14:21 11:40

LLOYDSPHARMACY

Dervila McGarry, Head of Marketing at LloydsPharmacy, on continuously working to enhance customer service and making a difference to their customers in Irish communities.

RETAIL EXCELLENCE

Continuously Enhancing Customer Experience OUR PHARMACY TEAM’S NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS TO PROVIDE EXPERT PATIENT CARE. THIS IS WHAT SETS OUR PHARMACIES APART AND WHY PATIENTS REMAIN LOYAL.

At LloydsPharmacy we are continuously working to enhance our customers’ shopping experience,” says Dervila McGarry, Head of Marketing at LloydsPharmacy. LloydsPharmacy is Ireland’s leading pharmacy chain, with 91 pharmacies located across Ireland. With a strong presence in Irish communities, its focus is on offering patients and their families an extensive range of medications, products and advice for their health and wellbeing needs, as well as a free ‘click and collect’ service.

EXPERT CARE “Our pharmacy team’s number one priority is to provide expert patient care. This is what sets our pharmacies apart and why patients remain loyal. With extensive training each year, our pharmacy teams can offer advice on many health matters including pain management, vitamins, skincare and chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and blood pressure. The teams are accessible either by phone or face-to-face in the privacy of our care rooms, to listen and offer support when it is most required.” Throughout the pandemic, the pharmacy colleagues have demonstrated their unwavering commitment and dedication, managing to keep their pharmacies open throughout to serve their customers. With new protocols in place including PPE, social distancing and Perspex screens, they always made patients feel safe and supported, ensuring their needs were met whilst delivering an excellent customer service. “Some additional changes include our free click and collect service online so customers can pick up their online orders from their local pharmacy. We have two online doctor services – Lloyds Online Doctor and My Clinic. They provide high quality, convenient and affordable healthcare for all non-emergency medical issues where a face-to-face visit may not be required.”

ENHANCED EXPERIENCE LloydsPharmacy outlets offer a range of services and wellness clinics including ﬂu vaccination, medicine

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Pharmacy assistants are trained to advise customers with product knowledge as well as lifestyle advice.

management packs, blood pressure checks, BMI monitoring, emergency contraception, skin analysis, express prescription service, and smoking cessation. One-to-one private consultations are available with pharmacists, or with the highly trained health coaches or skin consultants. COVID-19 boosters and antigen tests are available in select stores. “Whilst many people go to pharmacy for a prescription or over-the-counter medication, LloydsPharmacy stands out in the market for the extensive range of products in three focus categories, which together account for around 55% of total retail sales: Pain management, Vitamins and Skincare. We have trained Pain Advisors, Health Coaches and Skin Advisors in all pharmacies, and colleagues are trained on product knowledge as well as lifestyle advice to support customers select the right product tailored to suit their needs,” says McGarry. “Early 2022 will see LloydsPharmacy enhancing our omni channel offering to ensure our patients have access to a more convenient experience, including the launch of our app and an online prescription upload service. We are continuously working to enhance our customers’ shopping experience with many pharmacies open late and at weekends, and a growing range of products available in-store and on online.”

17/02/2022 15:17

HEALTHBEACON LIFE SCIENCE COMPANY

HealthBeacon: Connected Medicine Improving Patient Outcomes HealthBeacon is connecting people to better health through sustainable, digitally-enabled solutions, says CEO Jim Joyce. HealthBeacon is an innovative start-up company with a practical solution that helps patients take their medications on schedule, using a connected medicine platform. Founded in 2013 by Jim Joyce and Kieran Daly, 2021 saw HealthBeacon place an initial public oﬀering (IPO) on the Euronext Stock Exchange in Dublin, raising €25m. Jim Joyce, CEO and Co-Founder, HealthBeacon, says, “The past year has been an incredible one in our company’s journey towards connecting people to better health through sustainable, digitally-enabled solutions. The proceeds raised through the IPO will enable us to scale to meet potential demand, as we anticipate a ten-fold increase in the number of patients using our injection care management system by the end of 2023.”

SAFE AND SMART Since launching its ﬁrst product commercially in Ireland in 2014, HealthBeacon has been going from strength to strength, gaining FDA certiﬁcation in the USA for its sharps adherence device in 2018. Simply put, the device assists patients who are self-administering medication at home to keep to their injection schedule; using an intelligent sharps bin, the HealthBeacon Smart Sharps Bin, to dispose of the needles, it tracks

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when the user last injected and the companion app reminds the patient when they are due their next dose. “As we embark on our next chapter as a public company, we are excited about the potential of our target market and the proven ability for our product to meaningfully increase medical adherence for patients in a safe and sustainable way,” says Joyce. In addition to the safe and sustainable method of sharps disposal with green waste options, the HealthBeacon System provides the patient with features including: adherence scores, medication logs, updates to schedule changes and adherence alerts, giving the patient more control over their treatment. It also provides educational materials, a chat feature and health care provider contact details.

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS The company was recognised at the Chambers Ireland Sustainable Business Impact Awards in 2021 for its efforts to make parts of the product waste stream sustainable or circular. Finding the bins were a natural fit for circularity, HealthBeacon set about building a lab to sterilise and reuse their sharps bins rather than sending them to landfill or incineration. Now, following the introduction of the HealthBeacon Green Labs process, patients receive a sharps bin that can be reused multiple times; used bins, once emptied, undergo an eight-step

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HEALTHBEACON LIFE SCIENCE COMPANY

sterilises them and allows them to be put back into use, saving plastic water and carbon emissions.

GLOBAL SUCCESS Peer reviewed evidence of HealthBeacon’s technology supports a 19% improvement in therapy persistence by patients, which improves clinical outcomes and signiﬁcantly improves eﬃciency in health systems. The Company operates in 17 countries primarily across Europe, North America and the United Kingdom over 500,000 injections tracked since launch in 2014.

WE ANTICIPATE A TENFOLD INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS USING OUR INJECTION CARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BY THE END OF 2023. In 2021, several signiﬁcant developments occurred, including a strategic partnership with Hamilton Beach Brands Inc., the number one US small kitchen appliance brand, to provide the HealthBeacon System direct to consumers in the US and Canada, paving the way for Hamilton Beach’s expansion into the home health and wellness market. This landmark deal for HealthBeacon provides access to the more than 10 million patients selfadministrating subcutaneous injections in the home in the US and Canada. The partnership is anticipated to open additional therapeutic areas including diabetes by leveraging Hamilton Beach’s leadership in marketing and distribution, and retailer relationships. HealthBeacon also received NHSx approval, providing a signiﬁcant platform to roll out in the UK. HealthBeacon currently has 18 clients located across Europe, North America and the United Kingdom.

FUTURE PLANS “Since HealthBeacon’s founding, the business has been driven by its mission to become the world’s leading digital therapeutics platform for injectable medications,” states Joyce. “Our fundamental aim is to make our product

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Jim Joyce, CEO and co-founder, HealthBeacon.

globally accessible to the tens of millions of patients worldwide that are managing injectable medications in the home.” With the money raised in the IPO, the company plans to scale its team, invest in inventory and working capital to support product rollout, and further develop its platform in respect of technology development, R&D and a pipeline of future products. According to a report by Research and Markets (2020), the global digital health market is anticipated to be greater than $500 billion by 2027, with growth being expected to spike as much as 37.1% in 2021. This growth in the global digital health market and wider industry is underpinned by positive macro and adoption trends, meaning that HealthBeacon is well-positioned to capitalise on future growth.

16/02/2022 16:51

FÁILTE IRELAND TOURISM

Fáilte Ireland: Maximising Recovery in Tourism Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority, on the challenges and opportunities facing the sector and how Fáilte Ireland plans to support its recovery. Tourism is of critical importance to the national economy and to regional development and employment. Pre-coronavirus, the sector generated revenue of €7.5bn annually and supported 260,000 jobs nationwide while contributing €1.7bn to the Exchequer. Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland, the National Tourism Development Authority says, “Fáilte Ireland plans to support the industry in what they hope will be the transition from survival to a sustained and sustainable recovery.”

DRIVING RECOVERY Among Fáilte Ireland’s priorities for 2022 is a doubling of the domestic marketing investment to drive short breaks year-round; further investment in the digital presence of tourism businesses; four Regional Tourism Strategies; 27 local Destination Development Plans; and plans to reduce tourism’s carbon footprint.

A MAJOR ELEMENT OF FÁILTE IRELAND’S WORK PLAN THIS YEAR IS A MULTIFACETED TOURISM CAREERS STRATEGY TO ADDRESS THE STAFFING AND SKILLS CRISIS.

Paul Kelly, CEO of Fáilte Ireland.

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“Forecasts indicate that up to 83% of 2019’s air passenger capacity could be re-established this year. Combined with the signiﬁcant lifting of restrictions and an accumulation in savings, there is potential for a good recovery in both inbound and domestic tourism in 2022. The plans we have set out aim to maximise this recovery in inbound tourism while continuing to drive domestic demand. We’re focusing on the three key challenges facing the sector going forward (survival, staﬃng and driving demand) and the three key opportunities (destination development, digital enhancement and sustainability),” Kelly states.

SKILLS BASE The pandemic has had a profound impact on the industry’s skill base and the staffing shortage within the sector is a significant challenge. Fáilte Ireland recently published the largest and most robust research undertaken to date on staffing and skills in the tourism and hospitality sector, which showed 30% of businesses surveyed say their business could face closure if recruitment challenges aren’t resolved. “A major element of Fáilte Ireland’s work plan this year is a multifaceted tourism careers strategy to address the staffing and skills crisis,” explains Kelly. Fáilte Ireland has set out a range of initiatives to address the industry’s immediate recruitment efforts including support focused on accessing local and international talent pools; practical supports on implementing a comprehensive recruitment strategy including how to advertise roles effectively and successful interviewing in a competitive market, and onboarding for the long term with one in three employees now new to the sector. Central to the plans is a new Excellent Employer Programme to support tourism and hospitality businesses to demonstrate their commitment to being rewarding and appealing workplaces, that can compete for and retain skilled employees. “As the economy fully reopens, competition for skilled workers is at an all-time high so our industry needs to drive immediate changes to retain existing and to attract new staff,” says Kelly. “Our new Excellent Employer Programme will support businesses to do that, and ultimately give the wider industry a platform to build back bigger and stronger, creating a fundamental shift in employee perception that will support the long-term repositioning of the tourism and hospitality industry and ensure a future pipeline of talent.” For more information and to access supports for your business, visit www.failteireland.ie

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Partnering with business to grow tourism in a sustainable manner throughout the country

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16/02/2022 17/02/2022 18:02 10:52

DHL EXPRESS IRELAND

DELIVERING TECHNOLOGY

TO THE WORLD When you ship with DHL Express, your business benefits from fast and flexible delivery options for your customers, after market service through our Collect and Return service & access to the most innovative & profitable markets across the globe. To learn more about our products and services and to contact our team of International Specialists, call 01 870 1590.

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16/02/2022 21/12/2021 14:21 11:11

DHL LOGISTICS COMPANY

Navigating the Pandemic and Emerging Stronger Bernard McCarthy, Managing Director of DHL Express, on emerging stronger from a tumultuous year for global supply chains. The year 2021 was a tumultuous one for global supply chains. A surge in global trade drove high demand but this was hampered by capacity issues on the supply side. Amidst the perfect storm created by the impact of Brexit and the knock-on effect created by the blockage of the Suez Canal in March, which resulted in delays and congestion at the major container ports around the world, DHL Express has provided much needed consistency and stability of service. “As an essential services provider we have maintained our services in Ireland throughout the pandemic and we haven’t missed a single day of operations,” says Bernard McCarthy, Managing Director of DHL Express in Ireland. “It’s fair to say that demand for our services has increased throughout the pandemic and in 2021 we’ve experienced signiﬁcant volume growth, both in terms of import and export volume. We’ve added extra capacity and ﬂights into both Dublin and Shannon to meet this rising demand and as a result we’ve been able to keep Irish business connected to their global customers and suppliers.

SERVICE AND SAFETY “Throughout the year our challenge has been about managing growth and we have recruited extensively to ensure that we have the necessary resources to maintain service levels. Obviously e-commerce activity has surged with the boom in online shopping, but it has also been encouraging to see a very strong recovery in B2B activity, most especially on the export side. “Since the beginning of the pandemic our mantra has been ‘Safety First’. We owe a debt of gratitude to our Operations teams who have shown tremendous dedication and resilience in keeping our customers’ shipments moving without compromising on safety. They have done an amazing job and I couldn’t be prouder of what they have achieved. In recent weeks with the arrival of the Omicron variant, we have distributed antigen kits to all of the team and encouraged everyone to self-test at least twice per week. Overall the initiative has been well received and people realise that it’s in their own best interests to remain vigilant.

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Bernard McCarthy, Managing Director, DHL Express.

ECOMMERCE ACTIVITY HAS SURGED WITH THE BOOM IN ONLINE SHOPPING, BUT IT HAS ALSO BEEN ENCOURAGING TO SEE A VERY STRONG RECOVERY IN B2B ACTIVITY, MOST ESPECIALLY ON THE EXPORT SIDE. CRITICAL SUPPLIES “I am also proud of the fact that we have played a role in battling the pandemic. In the early days of the crisis there was a huge requirement for PPE and with very limited uplift available out of China and the Far East, we moved many tonnes of critical supplies into Ireland on the DHL Express air network. Globally DHL has also delivered 1.8bn COVID-19 vaccinations to 174 countries worldwide. “There are no real positives associated with a global pandemic and it has been a difﬁcult year for the team in DHL Express Ireland. That said we are privileged that during a time when many businesses are negatively impacted by Covid, we are experiencing growth. Reﬂecting on 2021 more than anything else I’m immensely proud of the manner in which the DHL Ireland team have responded to the challenges that have been presented to them, delivering great service to our customers across Ireland, in a safe and conscientious manner. This will be my abiding memory of 2021.”

16/02/2022 15/02/2022 14:56 11:03

Further Education & Training supports the evolving needs of every Irish business providing the right skills to equip your workforce in staying cutting edge. FET is dynamic, vibrant and accessible. Available in every corner of the country and online, FET and apprenticeships are the ideal enterprise partner for Ireland’s forward-thinking employers. We help employers ensure their people flourish with the diverse training and skills required in the future world of work. Visit solas.ie or contact your local ETB for more information.

GENERATION APPRENTICESHIP

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SOLAS

In an exciting and innovative time for education, SOLAS has had a milestone year according to CEO Andrew Brownlee. “This is an exciting time for everyone working and participating in Further Education & Training, and SOLAS is at the heart of what is a dynamic and exciting sector: 2021 marked the first full year of implementation of Transforming Learning, the ambitious Future FET Strategy that was published in 2020 and—despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting public health restrictions—it was a significant and successful year right across the sector,” says Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority. It was also a milestone year with links to Further Education and Training (FET) and apprenticeships being featured through the CAO platform for the first time; meaning school leavers can explore apprenticeship and PLC opportunities through the CAO platform. The last year also saw the launch of the 10 year Adult Literacy for Life Strategy; increased Nearly Zero Energy Building and retrofit places; Green Skills modules on FET programmes; and the continued success of vital projects such as Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund, eCollege, Skills to Advance and the work of our Skills & Labour Market Research Unit.

Andrew Brownlee, CEO of SOLAS

WITHIN THE SECTOR WE ARE ALL PULLING TOWARDS STRATEGIC SHARED GOALS THAT WILL SHAPE HOW IRELAND LOOKS IN DECADES TO COME, FOR THE BETTER.

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APPRENTICE SUCCESS Over the course of the last year SOLAS along with apprenticeship partners has seen great success with Apprenticeship in terms of registrations and the setting up of the National Apprenticeship Oﬃce. “Registrations for Apprenticeships have recovered to levels last seen before the recession,” Brownlee notes, “which is a signiﬁcant achievement and on track for targets set for 2025.” Apprenticeship closed 2021 on a positive note, with over 8,100 apprentice registrations this year across 62 programmes and 23,400+ apprentices employed by over 8,250+ active apprenticeship employers. “Implementation of the national Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025 is well underway. Excellent progress has been made on the deliverables set out in the Action Plan and 2022 will bring new and exciting opportunities including the further development and launch of programmes such as Advanced Cybersecurity Practitioner, Wind Turbine Technician, Manufacturing Data Integration Engineer, Advanced Quantity Surveyor, Software Solutions Architect, and Transport Operations and Commercial Driving.”

BODY FOR FURTHER EDUCATION AND APPRENTICESHIPS

Solas: Education and Training Igniting Growth

FUTURE EDUCATION The disruption posed to in-person teaching as a result of the COVID-19 public health restrictions was a significant challenge across the board, but particularly for workshopbased apprenticeships that could not be transferred to online learning. Despite this, progress is being made on tackling apprenticeship training backlogs created by the pandemic, with this set to be cleared by 2022. Challenges posed by COVID-19 were admirably met by SOLAS, the ETBs and education providers across the country, with blended learning and digital solutions coming to the fore to support learners. However, a major challenge will now be reaching more disadvantaged learners and re-engaging these cohorts with what FET has to offer as the pandemic restrictions hopefully continue to ease into 2022. “Over the coming years, FET will play an important part in igniting growth across society in areas of key priorities for the economy and society, such as climate action, housing and skills,” says Brownlee. “Within SOLAS as well as across the broader Further Education landscape, there is an awareness of how we fit into important national priorities, and that within the sector we are all pulling towards strategic shared goals that will shape how Ireland looks in decades to come, for the better.”

17/02/2022 14:59 10:38

STRYVE CYBER SECURITY & COMPLIANCE COMPANY

Stryving for Secure Cloud Solutions With more people working from home, and businesses wary of cyber security breaches, the timing was right for the secure cloud solutions provider, says Stryve CEO Andrew Tobin. The last year saw cloud solutions specialist Stryve moving closer to its ambition of becoming Europe’s largest private cloud provider. The recent migration to cloud computing, coupled with more people working from home, has led to increased awareness of the vulnerabilities of data and cyber security. The HSE cyberattack in April further highlighted the need for resilient data security. Stryve has data centres in Ireland, UK and Poland and is well-positioned to capitalise on this market. Its private cloud solutions oﬀer several key beneﬁts to its clients.

BESPOKE SOLUTIONS “Stryve’s AI-driven cybersecurity service guarantees processing and data integrity, a top priority for its customers,” explains Andrew Tobin, CEO, Stryve. “The Stryve technology monitors trillions of records per day and highlights suspicious patterns to the team for action. Developing immutable (ransomware-proof) backup tech was the answer, providing peace of mind for clients. Continuing to develop cutting-edge technology is a keen focus for Stryve.” Every business has unique needs and Stryve designs bespoke, scalable solutions for each individual client. Real-time backup and a fast recovery time are additional beneﬁts of Stryve’s technology. Crucially, should a problem occur, a client support employee is always available to resolve the problem, day or night. “Oﬀering a personal service is a core value for our team and is reassuring for our clients,” explains Tobin. “Most SMEs don’t have the skills needed to understand

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the cyber security and cloud needs for the business. They are looking to companies like us for advice. Without exception, every company we talk to has weaknesses in their security that need to be addressed. People want to know their data is safe. They do not want to waste resources sorting out a problem that could have been prevented.”

GROWTH STRATEGY The change in working patterns with employees now working from home or using the hybrid model increased the need for greater data security awareness. In response, Stryve increased its sales and marketing efforts and significantly invested in search marketing, LinkedIn, and PR. “Stryve positioned itself so that the pandemic provided commercial opportunities. With more people working from home, Stryve’s niche in private cloud led to successfully winning more of the market share.” Stryve was delighted to announce 10 new positions in December 2020, expanding its business development team in Ireland, the UK and Poland. “The company is also expanding beyond the EU in Morocco, to avail of the high quality and vibrant technology talent emerging there,” says Tobin. Its bold growth strategy paid off, resulting in a European foothold and significant business wins across the EU, including contracts with European Governments. Among its notable new business wins in Ireland, the UK, Malta, and Poland were Polish Government contracts with the Ministry of Defence and the Prison Service; Infrastructure as a Service, Backups and Disaster Recovery for European law firm Fieldfisher; and a threeyear deal with Keywaste for infrastructure, private cloud storage and back-up. “The pandemic also provided the opportunity to drive the company’s rapid

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STRYVE CYBER SECURITY & COMPLIANCE COMPANY

key objective for the board. This decision not only captured the public’s attention but has had a very positive impact on our team as we work together to lower our impact on the planet. As many industries examine their commitment to sustainability, we know this decision is positively impacting our business too.” Commenting on the Chambers Ireland Recognition Award, he said, “Stryve is delighted to receive this acknowledgement from Chambers Ireland and to be aligned with such a respected international organisation at the fore of business thought leadership across the globe. “This seal of approval from Chambers Ireland has given our team a real boost. The Stryve team are incredible. They work tirelessly to provide hands-on and personal service to our clients. They know they are valued and are the heart of the organisation but getting external validation for their work has put a pep in everyone’s step!”

FUTURE CLOUD Andrew Tobin, CEO, Stryve.

PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW THEIR DATA IS SAFE. THEY DO NOT WANT TO WASTE RESOURCES SORTING OUT A PROBLEM THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED. expansion, Research and Development, and begin acquisition talks with aligned businesses, now at advanced stages of negotiation,” Tobin divulges. Developing a European Sales oﬃce and expanding the sales team in Ireland and Poland resulted in just under €1m of new business in 2021–80 per cent of Stryve’s revenue comes from cloud services and customers typically committing to 36-month contracts, and the company is on track to turnover €5 million this year.

POSITIVE IMPACT “Stryve was proud to be certiﬁed as climate neutral in 2021, a personal ‘win’ for the Board of Directors and for our team members who actively work together to lower our carbon footprint,” adds Tobin. “Being certiﬁed as Climate Neutral was a

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“What companies fear most is data downtime which prevents their business from operating. As hybrid working continues, ‘grey lines’ have emerged between personal and work devices throughout the pandemic when working from home has become the norm. Personal phones, laptops, emails, other devices are used for both work and personal life opening them up further to vulnerabilities.” In the last 10 years, companies moved towards cloud storage with the promise of cheaper solutions, less maintenance, lower electricity usage, no up-front costs and a raft of other ‘benefits’. The problem is that now billions of servers in the cloud are public, and therefore vulnerable to attack. Tobin advises, “The next iteration of cloud storage is private. We have witnessed an evolution in cloud storage in the last decade. Now companies are moving towards private cloud. ‘Private’ cloud is the only fully secure cloud. Companies don’t want servers in their office. Connectivity for remote working is an issue and companies no longer trust the public cloud due to recent high-profile security breaches and the changing nature of the workplace with millions now working from home regularly.”

16/02/2022 16:44

It’s time to clear the air.

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BORD NA MÓNA WASTE MANAGEMENT COMPANY

Bord na Móna: Ireland’s Climate Solutions company Bord na Móna is supporting Climate Action and expanding Ireland’s renewable energy infrastructure, as well as helping with transitioning to a circular economy. The year 2021 saw some major milestones for Bord na Móna as it largely completed its transformation into Ireland’s Climate Solutions company. The Climate Action Plan has committed Ireland to the generation of 80 per cent of electricity from renewable sources by 2030. In support of this ambition, Bord na Móna has pledged to expand Ireland’s renewable energy infrastructure. Its pipeline of renewable energy projects spans a broad spectrum including onshore wind, onshore solar, battery technology, biogas and is entering the embryonic space of green hydrogen production. This pipeline means that the company is on track to supply renewable energy to one-third of Irish homes by 2030, particularly via the installation of wind turbines on cutaway bogs.

CIRCULAR ECONOMY Bord na Móna Recycling is the company’s waste management business and collects over 450,000 tonnes of waste from a customer base exceeding 135,500 people and organisations. It is also helping to guide Ireland towards a new circular economy; Bord na Móna’s waste innovation is aimed at contributing to a reduction in the national carbon footprint and supporting waste policy. The company already has plastics and tyre recycling activities and will be broadening those over the next decade. Moving beyond waste management, Bord na Móna is focused on helping Ireland transition to a circular economy. This entails rethinking waste solutions for climate action, repurposing waste into commodities, reducing what is exported overseas, and minimising what is sent to landﬁll.

BOOSTING BIODIVERSITY The company also has a renewed focus on rehabilitating peatlands, using the power of these lands to help the climate. Already, almost 19,800 hectares of bog have

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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been rehabilitated with an ambition in the company’s current Peatland Climate Action Scheme to rehabilitate over 30,000 hectares significantly boosting key biodiversity and other environmental metrics across Ireland. Bord na Móna’s overarching ambition is to be a leading and commercially successful climate solutions company. In this decade the company aims to be a source of high-quality jobs and an international exemplar of a business that completely transforms itself and assumes a leadership role in delivering climate solutions. Emerging from the 2020/2021 financial year with a return to profitability for the first time in about six years, Bord na Móna anticipates a strong performance in 2021/2022. The story of Bord na Móna is a very positive one. From a business perspective, the company is playing to megatrends such as the green agenda, which is potentially very commercially successful. Ultimately, Bord na Móna profitability is recycled back into employment, the environment and government via dividends and tax. If Bord na Móna is successful, then it is a success story for Ireland Inc, communities and the natural environment as well.

BORD NA MÓNA’S WASTE INNOVATION IS AIMED AT CONTRIBUTING TO A REDUCTION IN THE NATIONAL CARBON FOOTPRINT AND SUPPORTING WASTE POLICY INDUSTRY.

David McCourt, Chairman of Tom Donnellan, National Broadband CEO, Bord na Móna.Ireland.

16/02/2022 15/02/2022 15:02 10:45

UCD SMURFIT EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT

Lifelong Learning in a Changing World Helen Brophy, Director, Smurfit Executive Development, on equipping business leaders to deal with change in an ever-evolving business landscape. UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is Ireland’s premier business school, ranked among the Top 50 globally, and triple-accredited, by US, European and UK bodies. Within this, the Smurfit Executive Development faculty brings skilled educators, ground-breaking researchers, and accomplished authors together with participants who come from the upper echelons of the Irish and international business world. Through executive education, participants are exposed to multiple perspectives, challenge their thinking and learn and develop new practices that result in superior business leadership and results. Helen Brophy, Director, Smurfit Executive Development, led the organisation through the challenge of quickly moving the executive education experience online when the first lockdown happened. With tools like Zoom in use within the business school and among the faculty since 2015, the transition was relatively smooth. Although now they are back on campus, with the full experiential offering bringing like-minded people together to foster discussion, debate and peer learning, for Brophy, this couldn’t happen soon enough: “It was a challenging year, not just for us, but for everybody. We were very lucky in 2020 that we transitioned all of our programmes very successfully over to online delivery. Everything we were doing was virtual and that was working very well for us, but at the beginning of 2021 we would have had an expectation that vaccines were going to allow us to resume normality quicker, and it didn’t pan out that way, so we had to adapt.”

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CHANGING ENVIRONMENT Commenting on the Recognition Award, she says, “This award is a great recognition of the work everyone has done and also the fact that we managed to keep clients and executives on track with their programmes and learning. It was a really productive, constructive year. The strongest highlight for us is that we managed to maintain all of our programmes and our clients, and also added new programmes and new clients during that period.” The constantly evolving nature of work and management, and indeed the uncertainty across the business world, actually gave rise to more need than ever for executive education. “That in itself tells a story about what is going on in organisations at executive level,” Brophy points out. “The need to upskill, the need to reﬂect…How do I manage in these times? How do I lead my teams? How do I adapt to hybrid working environments? How do I encourage and motivate people? The pandemic brought challenges that while not new, had not been experienced at that level before.” Looking at the main themes and challenges on the minds of business leaders who come through the doors at UCD Smurﬁt Business School, Brophy says, “Since last autumn I have seen organisations feeling a level of instability on a macro level, but now also, wanting to keep stability and therefore retention. It’s not just about attracting talented people into our organisations, but how we retain them. ‘The Great Resignation’ that has been talked about in the US is certainly being felt here as well. Even since the new year, I’m quite amazed at the number of people who have moved roles.”

LIFELONG JOURNEY Overall she feels this is an inspiring time to be involved with executive education.

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

16/02/2022 16:47

UCD SMURFIT EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT

Helen Brophy, Director, Smurfit Executive Development

LIFELONG LEARNING IS A JOURNEY THAT IS NEVER COMPLETED. WHILE EVERY YEAR YOU BECOME WISER AND MORE EXPERIENCED, THE WORLD ALSO KEEPS EVOLVING, SO THAT DEMAND FOR LEARNING CONTINUES AS WELL. “There’s a lot going on at the moment and that’s exciting for us because we’re challenging ourselves and we’re thinking about how we meet these demands, how we bring new thinking to the table and how we help organisations and executives to be as agile as possible to be able to meet these new challenges. She notes in particular the portfolio of coaching programmes, which is expanding hugely at the moment. “Things like emotional intelligence, resilience and adapting to change are actually very hard skills to master. There’s a conscious need in businesses at executive level to be in tune with that and to be able to adapt.”

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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She cites courses like the professional Diploma in Organisational Change & Transformation, the Diploma in Strategy, Development and Innovation and the suite of coaching programmes as some that have been particularly relevant in this area. “Our short courses are expanding very rapidly,” Brophy notes, pointing to the partnership in place with Leinster Rugby around building and leading high performing teams, a course which offers an introduction to leadership, the fundamentals of coaching, how to deal with difficult people, how to build resilience. “We’re true believers in Smurfit Executive Development that lifelong learning is a journey that is never completed. While every year you become wiser and more experienced, the world also keeps evolving, so that demand for learning continues as well. The pandemic has really shone a light on areas where there is a need to upskill and develop leadership skills.”

16/02/2022 16:48

HEANET & EDUCAMPUS HEALTH & WELLBEING

Employee Wellness More Than a Buzzword in HEAnet and EduCampus Susie Leacy, People Operations Director at HEAnet and EduCampus, on improving the employee experience while working remotely. HEAnet CLG, Ireland’s National Education and Research Network, was incorporated in November 1997 and provides Internet connectivity and associated ICT services to education and research organisations throughout Ireland, including all primary and post-primary schools. HEAnet’s vision is enabling Ireland’s digital ambition and its mission is delivering common, repeatable, shareable solutions for all of education. EduCampus Services was set up in April 2015 by the Higher Education Authority as a subsidiary company of HEAnet CLG. EduCampus’ vision is to empower higher education through quality IT shared services. It is an education sector shared service that provides business critical ICT application services and Management Information Systems (MIS) systems to the Higher Education and Research sectors in Ireland. Together, HEAnet and EduCampus form the HEAnet Group.

SUPPORTING PEOPLE “The COVID-19 pandemic changed how we do our business on a day-to-day basis. Not seeing our colleagues and clients face-to-face has been challenging and something that we are all looking forward to reconnecting with,” says Susie Leacy, People Operations Director at HEAnet and EduCampus. “Both HEAnet and EduCampus had contingencies in place, which supported us adjusting and our teams adapted without disruption to our services. A key priority has been providing support to our people, who are at the centre of what we do, during this time. This has been advocated and championed by the HEAnet CEO, Ronan Byrne, EduCampus CEO, Paddy Naughton and our Senior Leadership Teams, which has helped foster our strong focus on wellbeing.”

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Susie Leacy, People Operations Director, HEAnet and EduCampus

SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS “Despite COVID-19, 2021 has been a signiﬁcant year of achievement for both HEAnet and EduCampus. Both companies have successfully grown their client community while maintaining a strong focus on our people,” Leacy adds. HEAnet worked closely with their clients and various stakeholders on many initiatives which were aligned to the HEAnet strategic themes of connectivity, security, identity, brokerage and research engagement. Key highlights for HEAnet include introducing over 180 new eduroam Wi-Fi locations, signiﬁcant progress in the Research Engagement space and continuous growth of the HEAnet Brokerage Services that generate savings of approximately €7.34 million annually across the education and research sector.

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

17/02/2022 14:43

HEANET & EDUCAMPUS HEALTH & WELLBEING

EduCampus supported the formation of new multi-campus Technological Universities, aligning their systems to ensure their future success. Key highlights for EduCampus include working in partnership with Higher Education Institutes on their journey to establish the new Technological Universities, implementing new contracts to ensure the future success of EduCampus clients, as well as migrating and upgrading the main enterprise systems to modern, cloud-based environments for all EduCampus clients.

FOCUS ON WELLBEING “Wellbeing and health is a huge passion area for my colleague Niamh Dawson (our Workplace Experience Coordinator) and I,” states Leacy. “We have been developing our Wellbeing culture over the last number of years in particular after we joined the Ibec Keep Well Mark in 2016. When COVID-19 landed, we had a strong foundation around wellbeing. Throughout 2021, we reiterated that we are not ‘Working from Home’, we are all ‘At home during a crisis, trying to work’ and the personal, mental, and emotional health of our people is always the most important thing.” The wellbeing calendar they have developed focuses on different themes throughout the year, with monthly newsletters outlining the initiatives and supports in place over the coming weeks. From increasing the number of Mental Health First Aiders, to encouraging outdoor meetings, every effort was made to make positive changes across the organisation, as well as offering virtual supports such as yoga, parenting supports and financial advice. “Our approach to wellbeing and health is more than our planning or initiatives, we are building a culture where we encourage all to focus on and prioritise their wellbeing and health and that of their colleagues. We see this as a journey and while we have more to do to embed this further, we are pleased with what has been accomplished and are looking forward to enhancing this over the coming years.”

YEAR AHEAD “HEAnet and EduCampus achieved a lot in 2021, which could not have been achieved without our people and all their eﬀorts and dedication. Our focus on wellbeing and health is our commitment to our people; our appreciation for all they achieve for HEAnet and EduCampus. “We will continue to work closely with our clients, with the Department of Education, and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to develop and

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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Susie Leacy, People Operations Director and Niamh Dawson, Workplace Experience Coordinator, HEAnet and EduCampus.

THROUGHOUT 2021, WE REITERATED THAT WE ARE NOT ‘WORKING FROM HOME’, WE ARE ALL ‘AT HOME DURING A CRISIS, TRYING TO WORK.’ leverage the national asset that is the HEAnet and EduCampus,” says Leacy. “We appreciate that like other organisations many are fatigued from the pandemic. In the ﬁrst part of the year, we will be focusing on supporting adequate capacity across both HEAnet and EduCampus. As we move into hybrid working, supporting wellbeing during this transition is a priority as well as initiatives around mindfulness, resilience, activity challenges, and regular wellness related webinars are on the agenda.”

17/02/2022 14:48

www.microfinanceireland.ie

We’re financing your future Need help to finance your business? MFI are now offering a lower rate of 5.5% APR on all new loans.

Simon Evans Owner & Inventor Little Big Bikes

Microfinance Ireland benefits from a guarantee funded by the EU under the Programme for Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI). MFI also benefits from the support by the EGF Guarantee Instrument, implemented by the European Investment Fund with the financial backing of the member states contributing to the EGF. Microfinance Ireland (MFI) has been supported with funding from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI)

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17/02/2022 06/01/2022 11:02 10:59

MICROFINANCE IRELAND

With a higher risk appetite than commercial lenders, and the ability to react quickly, Microfinance Ireland saw significant demand in 2021 says Des McCarthy, CEO. Microfinance Ireland (MFI) is the government funded lender to businesses that have difficulty securing funding from the commercial banks. We provide unsecured loans of up to €25,000 to businesses that have fewer than 10 employees and turnover of up to €2m. The disruption in the economy in both 2020 and 2021 led to a significant increase in demand for our loans. This was due to MFI being the first lender to launch a specific Covid loan and also due to our higher risk appetite than commercial lenders. Our ability to react quickly was underpinned by the significant support provided to us by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment who are our key stakeholder. One of the interesting trends in 2021 was the number of new businesses that were started. This was reflected in the demand for our loans for start ups and is a real sign of business confidence given that much of the economy was subject to restrictions during that time. Many of these customers were referred to us through the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) who are a key MFI partner, assisting businesses in preparing loan submissions and also delivering the free mentoring sessions we provide to our customers which helps drive their success.

Des McCarthy, CEO, Microfinance Ireland.

WITH VERY STRONG ECONOMIC GROWTH PROJECTED FOR 2022, OUR EXPECTATION IS THAT MANY MORE SMALL BUSINESSES WILL BE COMING TO US FOR LOANS TO START UP OR EXPAND.

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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In terms of the key 2021 challenges, I would highlight the ability of the organisation to effectively manage the increased loan volumes while simultaneously proactively working with many customers to manage their loans while their businesses were shut. I am very proud that our staff have shown great adaptability and resilience to ensure we maintained our service levels despite the disruptions. While we are constantly focused on our customers this award is independent recognition that we are on the right track and what we do is appreciated by our customers. A key 2021 milestone was securing a new €30m liquidity facility from the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland (SBCI). This SBCI facility has allowed us to reduce our new loan interest rates to 5.5% (4.5% if submitted through the LEOs) and gives us the capacity to significantly increase our lending in 2022. With very strong economic growth projected for 2022, our expectation is that many more small businesses will be coming to us for loans to start up or expand and our new lower cost SBCI liquidity will enable us to service those needs. In addition to the regular business needs we also hope to assist small businesses who meet our criteria to fund projects in the areas of Sustainability and Digital. These are two key areas for most businesses and are often supported by government grants. We can potentially support businesses undertaking improvements in these areas if there is a gap between the project cost and the grant available that cannot be funded by the business. While we continue to face uncertain times as we move into 2022, we do so in the knowledge that we are well funded and have the resources to fulfil our mandate of supporting viable small businesses to drive economic activity and create employment.

FINANCE PROVIDED TO MICRO BUSINESS & START UPS

Supporting Small Business

16/02/2022 15/02/2022 16:36 10:38

SAGE IRELAND COMPANY IN FINANCIAL SOFTWARE

Sage: Aligned with Business Needs Barry Murphy, Managing Director, Sage Ireland on the importance of financial software to support small business, the backbone of Ireland’s economy. As a company that provides technology-based solutions to SME businesses across the country and around the globe, Sage has been engaging with customers throughout the past year to help them navigate through their own business challenges. Barry Murphy, Managing Director of Sage in Ireland says, “As digitalisation, automation and remote working became key enablers for businesses to survive and ultimately thrive, this aligned to our core activities. Providing that stability and removing unnecessary admin burdens really helped our customers to react quickly to their own changing environments. Those changes will continue to be of longer-term beneﬁt as society hopefully moves into a more stable phase.”

FORWARD THINKING Through a period of extraordinary change for Irish businesses, with both the impacts of the pandemic and the operational challenges of Brexit, Murphy notes, “Irish businesses are resilient and current consumer sentiment to support local is very encouraging. Businesses across the country have had to adapt and for many this has meant changing the way they operate in order to continue to reach customers and sustain their business. Overall, Irish businesses have been hugely resilient and forward thinking, and collectively we have come out stronger. The ease-of-use and time-to-value of Sage’s cloud native solutions for businesses are what really make Sage stand out against the competition, and Murphy says, “It’s great to receive this recognition and visibility as a company. To us, it’s not just recognition of Sage Ireland’s work but also an Award which clearly conveys the importance of ﬁnancial software for so many businesses and the role that we have in supporting businesses around the country. Small businesses continue to be the backbone of the Irish economy, and they are also our core customer base. Therefore, our interests are completely aligned.”

CUSTOMER FOCUS “Thankfully, we have established a high level of trust with our customers, built consistently over years of innovation and relentless customer focus. We have over 250 employees

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Barry Murphy, Managing Director, Sage Ireland

SMALL BUSINESSES CONTINUE TO BE THE BACKBONE OF THE IRISH ECONOMY, AND THEY ARE ALSO OUR CORE CUSTOMER BASE. THEREFORE, OUR INTERESTS ARE COMPLETELY ALIGNED. based in Ireland and this strength and depth allows us to be in tune with our ever-evolving customer needs. And while the team focusses on bringing best of breed solutions to the market, we also work with a much wider ecosystem of partners that complement our core offerings, which ultimately leads to a much happier, and loyal, customer.” Being in tech space, Sage is constantly evolving and innovating to match its customer needs. Recent acquisitions – including Brightpearl, GoProposal, Cake HR (now Sage HR) & Auto Entry – are set to become more front and centre in its propositions in Ireland through the coming year. “Additionally, we will continue to build out our integrated digital networks and partner ecosystem – including our own Sage Marketplace—to support our customers,” Murphy notes. “And our core offerings will of course evolve to match the fast-changing needs of our clients. We will also be rolling out a new product that will enable accountants to digitise their practices and work more closely with their clients. So lots of new developments already in flight, but stay tuned as there will be lots more to come!”

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

16/02/2022 15/02/2022 16:38 10:36

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16/02/2022 03/02/2022 14:50 11:08

SFI advert

A4 HR.pdf

21/12/2021

14:25

CMY

Connecting industry and individuals with science and innovation in Ireland

To find out about our funding programme visit www.sfi.ie

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17/02/2022 10/02/2022 11:02 09:40

SCIENCE FOUNDATION IRELAND

Research and Innovation are key enablers for the productivity, competitiveness and resilience of enterprises, says Dr Siobhan Roche, Director of Science for the Economy at Science Foundation Ireland. Established in 2003, Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) is the national science foundation for investment in scientiﬁc and engineering research, funding research in universities and other academic institutions in Ireland. “One of our core ambitions, which is set out in our strategy ‘Shaping our Future’, is to develop Ireland as a competitive, innovative country—to become a global innovation leader,” says Dr Siobhan Roche, Director of Science for the Economy at Science Foundation Ireland.

INDUSTRY BENEFITS SFI seeks to foster academic-industry interactions by building strategic partnerships with industry to perform cutting-edge, industry-informed STEM research, enhancing Ireland’s competitive advantage and helping to build resilience. “The scientiﬁc advances resulting from SFIsupported research lead to new products, innovations and services, new companies, spin outs and high-value jobs,” says Dr Roche. “SFI helps Ireland compete on a global scale by building our nation’s reputation in research, and supporting highly-trained postgraduates as they move from academia into industry.” There are many beneﬁts to industry when partnering with academia, from connecting into world-class expertise and research to progress projects, gaining access to specialised facilities and testbeds, and of course access to talent—many highly skilled graduates move on to work with partner companies. In 2020, SFI-supported researchers were involved in nearly 1500 collaborations with industry, involving companies both large and small and collaborations extending across the country, from Donegal to Kerry.

FELLOWSHIP PROGRAMME The SFI Industry RD&I Fellowship supports academic researchers that wish to spend time in industry worldwide through the temporary placement of highly skilled academic researchers with an industry partner. Industry partners beneﬁt from the expertise of the Fellow embedded in

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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Dr Siobhan Roche, Director of Science for the Economy, Science Foundation Ireland.

ACADEMIA COLLABORATION WITH INDUSTRY

Science for the Economy

their company bringing innovative solutions to industry challenges, providing support to enhance competitive advantage and future resilience, as well as developing links with academia to seed future longer-term collaborations. “The programme provides a particularly strong platform for companies, such as SMEs, to build their research and innovation capabilities through collaborating with academic experts.” underlines Dr Roche. “When you consider some of the challenges that companies are facing right now in terms of sustainability and digital transformation, it is notable that nearly half of the awards granted in 2021 were focused on these areas.”

SFI HELPS IRELAND COMPETE ON A GLOBAL SCALE BY BUILDING OUR NATION’S REPUTATION IN RESEARCH, AND SUPPORTING HIGHLYTRAINED POSTGRADUATES AS THEY MOVE FROM ACADEMIA INTO INDUSTRY. A new call for applications opens in Q1 2022, and, eager to increase the number of SMEs engaging in the programme, SFI staﬀ are available to support companies in collaborating with academic experts through this mechanism. “We’ve put a lot of focus over the last 10 years or so, working in partnership with the higher education sector, to build this really strong and robust, collaborative research ecosystem in Ireland,” Dr Roche notes. “I think this is one of the real strengths in Ireland—we can do this because we’re a small and highly connected country.” See www.sﬁ.ie/funding/industry-collaboration/ for more.

16/02/2022 15/02/2022 16:38 10:35

O’BRIEN FINE FOODS  BRADY FAMILY IRISH BRAND

O’Brien Fine Foods: Protein with Purpose Innovation and evolution keeps O’Brien Fine Foods at the top of the market; Managing Director John O’Brien reflects on a successful year. Specialising in the manufacture of premium cooked meats, O’Brien Fine Foods is the leading cooked meats producer on the island of Ireland, supplying both branded and private label ranges. While you might think school closures during the pandemic would have had a deleterious effect on sales of those lunchbox sandwich stalwarts, John O’Brien, Managing Director of O’Brien Fine Foods says overall the last year has been really positive for its flagship brand, Brady Family ham. “Overall the brand continues to outgrow the market—the market grew last year by about 9% and Brady Family’s growth is double that. We’re really happy with how the category is performing across the grocery and retail trade and then how our brand is performing within that.” A family-run business, O’Brien Fine Foods, based in Co Kildare, employs over 500 people across three sites. The principal manufacturing site has unique wetland ponds which filter its water, lowering the carbon footprint and boosting local biodiversity. O’Brien Fine Foods achieved Origin Green approval back in 2014, recognising the company’s farsighted efforts and dedication to improving sustainability practices.

HOUSEHOLD NAMES O’Brien Fine Foods brands—Brady Family, Green Farm and Homebird—have won numerous awards including Blas na hÉireann, Great Taste, Irish Quality Foods Awards and Craft Butchers, among others for their cooked meat and poultry products. Originally a ham only brand, Brady Family launched a new cured Irish Angus beef range in 2020. “It has since won a number of awards and we believe it has really strong potential for future growth in Ireland as well as in export markets,” O’Brien states.

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John O’Brien, Managing Director, O’Brien Fine Foods.

PEOPLE ARE GOING TO EAT LESS MEAT IN THE FUTURE, HOWEVER I FUNDAMENTALLY BELIEVE THEY WILL EAT MORE PREMIUM QUALITY MEAT OR MEAT THAT’S BETTER FOR THEM. While the brands are 100% domestic currently, explorations are being made to distribute in the German market and a recent acquisition in the UK should pave the way for further expansion in that market in the future. Although the German market in particular is very price sensitive, O’Brien is conﬁdent that, “Quality is always in demand.” Alongside that, the family business story and brand are very positively regarded there. The other brands, Homebird and Green Farm, both oﬀer chicken and turkey products, with the Green Farm brand catering to consumers in the health and wellness space in particular. This is another area where O’Brien sees room for future development. “The marketplace is evolving and there are no two ways about it, but people are going to eat less meat in the future, however I fundamentally believe they will eat more premium quality meat or meat that’s better for them.”

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

16/02/2022 15/02/2022 15:03 15:05

WE’VE JUST BAGGED AN AWARD!

R AMBE AWAR H C

ER A WARDS

Although your plate is the greatest stage of all, we’re pretty chuffed with this award. Now, if we could just figure out how to get a ham to hold a trophy.

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07/02/2022 17/02/2022 11:56 15:15

BEST MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN IRELAND 2021

N4 Dual Carriageway Castlebaldwin to Collooney Project Despite two lockdowns due to the Global Covid-19 Pandemic, this €12.5m project was completed on-program. The 14km stretch of Dual Carriageway on the N4 between Castlebaldwin and Collooney required supplying and placing 35,000 cubic metres of Cement Bound Granular Mix Basecourse and 125,000 tons of Bituminous materials, all of which were supplied from our Sligo depot.

Lagan Rosemount Business Park Ballycoolin Road Dublin, D11 K2TP.

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Get In Touch Phone: +353 1 8859900 Email: info.lagan@breedongroup.com @breedonireland

16/02/2022 07/02/2022 14:48 12:01

LAGAN BREEDON GROUP

Operating steadily in a mature industry, Lagan is focusing on acquisitions and key areas such as health and safety and sustainability says Terry Lagan, Managing Director. Part of the Breedon Group, Lagan is Breedon’s construction materials and contracting business in the Republic of Ireland. Operating throughout Ireland, Lagan quarries produce crushed rock, sand and gravels for a variety of uses in the roads and general construction industry, and other products range from roof tiles to agricultural lime. The Original Lagan Group Business was set up in 1989, which originally comprised an asphalt production and contracting division along with a bitumen emulsion production plant. The business developed from there to cover the entire island, with operations from Cork to Donegal and Galway to Dublin, becoming the largest independent producer of construction materials in the Republic of Ireland. Following the acquisition of the Lagan Group in 2018 he joined Breedon Group as Managing Director of Lagan. He outlines just some of the high proﬁle projects that Lagan has been involved with over the last year, including: “The Cork City Airport overlay, the completion of the N4 dual carriageway in Sligo for Roadbridge, the Dunkettle interchange project in Cork for Sisk where we are the main supplier for aggregates, Readymix Concrete and the Asphalt pavement contract.” The quality and high standards which these clients demand were instrumental in Lagan achieving this Award, along with the business results and increased focus on health and safety, and sustainability.

The pandemic hasn’t had any major ramiﬁcations in the way the company does business, Lagan muses: “Working from home, virtual meetings…outside of that our strategy remains the same.” Despite some challenging times for construction overall, Terry Lagan says, “2021 was a very good year overall; the trend has been improving year on year and 2021 exceeded our expectations.” Overall he says, “The industry sector is at a level of maturity now with most focus on maintenance rather than new projects.” He predicts, “Health and safety as well as innovation, and sustainability have been and will continue to be the key trends going forward.”

MANUFACTURING COMPANY IN IRELAND

Lagan: Exceeding Expectations

LOOKING FORWARD Looking forward to 2022, he reveals the Breedon Group’s continued focus on potential acquisitions to grow the Breedon business in Ireland. Speaking about the Chambers Ireland Recognition Award, Lagan says, “It’s a reﬂection of all the hard work that the whole team have put in through the years, but particularly in these last two years with the added complication of COVID-19.” He cites many qualities of the business which he sees as instrumental in earning them this Award: “Focus on Research & Development with particular focus on innovation; quality control; substantial investment in plant and equipment; training and environmental standards,” but he underlines that, “Our number focus is on Health & Safety at all times. Sustainability is also a key factor within the business going forward.”

HEALTH AND SAFETY AS WELL AS INNOVATION, AND SUSTAINABILITY HAVE BEEN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE KEY TRENDS GOING FORWARD. EXCEED EXPECTATIONS The challenges they faced were similar to many others, with Lagan citing COVID-19 issues including the lockdown in January and February which severely impacted the construction sector, as well as the challenges of staﬀ shortages when employees were forced to self-isolate.

InBUSINESS | RECOGNITION AWARDS 2021

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Terry Lagan, Managing Director, Lagan, part of the Breedon Group.

16/02/2022 15/02/2022 16:35 10:40

Clear focus. Better outcomes. With more than 38,000 employees ICON is the world’s largest CRO with a singular focus on clinical research and commercialisation. We are completely committed to achieving customers’ clinical development programs. Regardless of size, we work your way to deliver better outcomes.

ICONplc.com

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25/01/2022 11:44 16/02/2022 25/01/2022 14:47 12:33

ICON

Dr Nuala Murphy is President of Global Specialty Solutions at ICON; her work at the cutting edge of clinical research was instrumental in bringing the first COVID-19 vaccine to market.

BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR

Businesswoman of the Year: Dr Nuala Murphy

Dr Nuala Murphy leads the Global Specialty Solutions team at clinical research specialist ICON. Her division covers the spectrum of clinical development and commercialisation, focused on shifting the paradigm in clinical research and transforming clinical trials through a wide range of services.

DRIVING TRANSFORMATION When the pandemic struck, ICON was contracted by multiple pharma and biotech companies to support them in the development of COVID-19 vaccines and treatments. Due to the imposed travel restrictions, potential risks of infection at clinical sites and the need to protect patient safety, the teams were motivated to apply innovative methods and technology to initiate these new trials. They deployed remote study management and decentralised clinical trials at unprecedented speed. “It allowed us to really show the industry that you can do large-scale development in a remote setting,” Dr Murphy states. In one such project, Dr Murphy led a large global team of therapeutic and operational specialists for the implementation of Pﬁzer‘s and BioNTech’s vaccine clinical trial, which included remote and on-site clinical monitoring, safeguarding data quality and integrity in the evolving pandemic environment. This landmark study involved 153 sites in the US, Europe, South Africa and Latin America to ensure the recruitment of more than 44,000 trial participants over a fourmonth period. “Being part of the vaccine solution, being able to show how we can drive transformation and having so many employees being part of it, has been a really proud moment for us.”

MAJOR ACQUISITION On 1 July 2021, ICON announced the completion of its acquisition of PRA Health Sciences, the second

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Dr Nuala Murphy, President Global Specialty Solutions at ICON.

BEING PART OF THE VACCINE SOLUTION, BEING ABLE TO SHOW HOW WE CAN DRIVE TRANSFORMATION AND HAVING SO MANY EMPLOYEES BEING PART OF IT, HAS BEEN A REALLY PROUD MOMENT FOR US. biggest acquisition by an Irish company in 2021. The acquisition has more than doubled the number of employees and created the world’s most advanced clinical research organization driven by healthcare intelligence. “From the business side, the acquisition of PRA Health Sciences has been a phenomenal story for ICON and a phenomenal story for Ireland, representing the largest healthcare acquisition in Irish history and we’re certainly proud of that,” she states. “I’ve been in this industry for many years now and being able to be part of cutting edge, clinical research is a reason to wake up in the morning. It’s a team eﬀort and I’m certainly proud about what our teams have been able to do, and to see this recognised independently from an organisation like Chambers Ireland is important, so I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart for that.”

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DAVID MCCOURT BUSINESS MAN OF THE YEAR

A Transformational Force in Technology David McCourt, Chairman of NBI, focuses on connectivity, technology and content across his business interests, investing in opportunities to advance these pillars in underserved regions of the world. Irish-American entrepreneur David McCourt has been widely lauded as a transformational force in the technology, media and telecom industries since the 1980s. His first venture into the telecoms industry, McCourt Cable Systems, quickly became the largest privately-owned designer and builder of cable systems in the United States and defined industry standards. However, it was the founding of the first competitive telephone company in the United States, Corporate Communications Network, which truly cemented his reputation as an industry visionary. That company later merged with MFS Communications and was eventually sold to WorldCom for USD$14.5bn. By the mid-1990s, as Chairman and CEO of C-TEC, a diversified telecommunications company based in Pennsylvania, he was one of the youngest CEOs of a publicly traded company, aged just 35. In a 2018 interview with the Guardian newspaper,

David McCourt, Chairman of National Broadband Ireland.

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THE FOUNDATIONAL ETHOS ACROSS MCCOURT’S BUSINESS INTERESTS IS A FOCUS ON CONNECTIVITY, TECHNOLOGY AND CONTENT, INVESTING IN OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE THESE PILLARS IN UNDERSERVED REGIONS OF THE WORLD.

McCourt stated, “A lot of my success is down to luck and the fact I’ve focused on trends rather than fads. Media, communications, technology and sport have been big growth industries, and I like to think I have been involved in disrupting them.” In November 2019, the Government contracted National Broadband Ireland (NBI) to deliver the highly anticipated National Broadband Plan (NBP). As the Chairman of NBI, David McCourt has helped grow and inspire a team of over 1,200 people working on the NBP.

GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE Described by the Economist as possessing “incredible credentials as a telecom revolutionary”, McCourt has had a colourful career. Further to holding senior roles as CEO, President or board member at some of the world’s biggest telecom network operators, he has founded or bought 20 companies in nine countries, receiving prestigious awards and accolades along the way. In the 1980s he also founded a successful television channel in the Caribbean nation of Grenada, and delivering content to underserved areas of the world would later become a recurring theme in his career. McCourt’s work in TV production during the 1990s and 2000s, saw him recognised for his citizen diplomacy, working in partnership with the United Nations to examine the global impact of conﬂict on children around the world; his work on educational programming for children earned him an Emmy in 2005, and his debut book ‘Total Rethink’ became a Wall Street Journal bestseller in 2018.

CONNECTIVITY FOCUS Today, the foundational ethos across McCourt’s business interests is a focus on connectivity, technology and content, investing in opportunities to advance these pillars in underserved regions of the world. Reﬂecting on the past two years, as the option to work from home went from a perk to a necessity, McCourt says, “COVID-19 accelerated a trend that had already begun by a full generation.” According to McCourt, there is a huge opportunity to rethink our reliance on cities as the epicentres of employment and opportunity. “Opportunities should be the same no matter where we live; why should we not have an opportunity to work for Arthur Cox, KPMG, Facebook, NBI or anywhere else just because you choose to live in a rural community?”

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How will the National Broadband Plan empower your workforce? The NBI™ network is Ireland’s new high-speed fibre broadband network, being rolled out as part of the Government’s National Broadband Plan. The NBI™ network will deliver initial speeds of 500Mb and 1Gb for business and residential users and is future-proofed, so as your data needs grow, our speeds will too. We believe equal access to better broadband will empower every person, every community and every organisation in Ireland to achieve more, both locally and globally.

Check your Eircode at NBI.ie

BUILDING A LIMITLESS IRELAND

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Proudly working with over 400 Irish producers. Join our journey at lidlsteps.ie

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LIDL

JP Scally, CEO, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland says that taking a strong stance on issues has meant Lidl has not only grown as a business, but made a lasting impact in society. With over 5,000 employees across the country and 5 new store openings in 2021, Lidl continues to be one of the strongest-performing retailers in the country. Chief executive JP Scally says, “Lidl stands out from the competition quite simply due to the quality of our team.” In 2015 Lidl became the ﬁrst nationwide retailer to commit to paying all employees the Living Wage as a minimum. “Since then we have continued to increase out entry level wages in line with the Living Wage recommendations. This, along with a comprehensive beneﬁts package, career progression opportunities and industry-leading training and development programmes ensure we can continue to attract and retain the best possible talent.”

GROUNDBREAKING INITIATIVE In April last year, Lidl became the ﬁrst major retailer worldwide to oﬀer free female sanitary products in stores in an initiative aimed at targeting period poverty, as well

JP Scally, CEO, Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland.

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COMPANY OF THE YEAR 2021

Lidl: A Strong Stance and Lasting Impact as committing to quarterly donations of period products to the Simon Communities to ensure people experiencing homelessness can access these essential products. “This ground-breaking initiative truly has cemented our position as one of the real champions of women in Ireland, alongside our hugely successful partnership with the Ladies Gaelic Football Association. We’re not afraid to take a strong stance on issues that may seem controversial to some, but will have a long-standing impact on the communities we operate in, our employees and society as a whole.” Scally states that sustainability plans and CSR initiatives will continue at pace over the coming years. “There is a lot of work to be done in this area, as we have some big targets in place, but there is a huge appetite across the business to meet these.”

WE’RE NOT AFRAID TO TAKE A STRONG STANCE ON ISSUES THAT MAY SEEM CONTROVERSIAL TO SOME, BUT WILL HAVE A LONGSTANDING IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITIES WE OPERATE IN, OUR EMPLOYEES AND SOCIETY. INNOVATIVE EFFICIENCY Predicting that inflation and raw material prices will be a major focus across the retail sector in 2022, Scally outlines a two-pronged plan of attack across Lidl operations: “We consistently look for ways to increase efficiency and reduce costs in our own operations to absorb these additional costs as best as possible. Innovations and reductions in packaging have reduced costs and our increased investment in solar energy has offset increasing energy prices.” Coupled with ever-increasing automation and digitalisation of processes, the retail giant is in a strong position to continue expanding and providing the value and quality its customers have come to expect. Several new stores are due to open in 2022, along with a continuing programme of modernisation and upgrading of older stores. Scally reveals that there are, “many exciting things to come in the partnerships space” supporting ladies Gaelic football and another big sponsorship deal to be revealed in the spring.

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COMMENCING MARCH 23RD 2022

DIPLOMA IN

ADVANCED MANAGEMENT PERFORMANCE

Executive Education Ranking 2020

OVERVIEW

WHO IS THIS PROGRAMME FOR?

Our Professional Diploma in Advanced Management Performance (AMP) is a fully accredited UCD programme (NFQ Level 9) delivered over a series of 6 two-day modules (Fri & Sat). This diploma forms part of the MSc in Business (Leadership and Management Practice) Pathway.

This programme is designed specifically for managers and functional specialists. Each group of participants represents diverse business functions, companies and industries helping to broaden your perspective and expand your knowledge. This programme’s faculty offer a blend of academic excellence, real-world relevance and practical application that provides participants with unparalleled opportunities to expand their capabilities.

PROGRAMME IMPACT AMP empowers you to think broader and implement new ideas beyond conventional solutions. Participants build an integrated perspective of their organisation’s functional capabilities and become more tuned into what is happening in their organisation. Designed to extend your capacity to lead cross-functional initiatives and corporate projects, you will gain in-depth knowledge of business functions and the key skills necessary to integrate them across the organisation, from working with people and driving growth and innovation right through to executing and delivering results.

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HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE? For further information please contact Maria Keany on (01) 716 8059 or maria.keany@ucd.ie

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