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Housing tops the agenda

It has been a busy quarter, with a welcome appetite in the business community to engage and connect. We delivered an ambitious schedule of events and look forward to another busy season ahead. There has been opportunity for further international travel through which we represented the Cork region as well as welcoming in-bound delegations.

Cork continues to be an attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI). There has been a wealth of positive announcements across the region over the last three months and the enhancement of our international reputation as a global destination for business continues to be a priority of the Chamber.

In parallel, indigenous small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which are at the very core of our communities, are valuable contributors to our economy. Their diversity requires a flexible ecosystem that can support their unique growth plans, ensuring that they continue to thrive. Our cover story features our Enterprise Europe Network Cork (EEN) programme which is a shining example of some of the supports available to help SMEs grow internationally.

The Cork Financial Services Forum welcomed a new Chairperson in May with Karen Conboy assuming the role after three years as vice-chair. Karen succeeds Eoin Motherway who led the forum for the 15 years since its inception. We thank Eoin for his strong advocacy of the IFS sector in Cork and we wish Karen the very best of luck during her two-year term.

Business confidence remains high, but there are challenges and threats to business growth that must be addressed. Our Q2 2023 Economic Trends (enclosed) measures business sentiment from the previous quarter and outlook for Q3 2023. The results continue to inform our lobbying activity through our meetings and submissions, and will help shape our Budget 2024 submission.

We must continue to harness that confidence to fuel our dreams, determination and pride in our region. Navigating the many challenges, with that confidence, will continue to be a transformative force in Cork’s business ecosystem elevating our global reputation, and inspiring future generations to dream big.

Enjoy the read!

Conor

Conor Healy CEO, Cork Chamber

T: +353 (0)87 9471858

E: conor@corkchamber.ie

Fitzgerald House, Summerhill North, Cork, T23 TD90

CorkChamber.ie

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SelectUSA 2023

4 Award-winning Economic Trends

5 Annual General Meeting 2023

6 Cork Access Network

7 AI: About to turn the business world upside down?

8 Mapping out the future of Cork City

10 Climate change, diversity and the future of business

11 ESB & Ørsted unveil partnership

12 Housing tops the agenda

14 Next Generation Leaders: Leadership that cultivates talent

16 EirGrid - Shaping our offshore energy future

18 Karen Conboy - New Chair of the Cork Financial Services Forum

19 SelectUSA Summit 2023

20 Pitch Perfect in Vienna

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