Chamberlink Issue 4 - Celebrating a Cork Success Story

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It is wit

Spirits have certainly been high in Cork through this last quarter of 2022. Energy, pace and sentiment have remained on a positive trajectory across industries and across the region. Business calendars have been filled with events, launches, announcements and importantly, with meetings and gatherings that foster collaboration and partnership. This is the backbone of how our region grows and evolves with purpose, and it has been a privilege to participate in so many of these occasions.

Here at the Chamber we have had a number of positive news stories to share, such as the Cork Digital Marketing Legend title going to the International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART) along with 14 other category winners across the spectrum of digital marketing disciplines.

More recently we hosted our much anticipated Dublin Dinner and on the night we had the pleasure of celebrating the Outstanding Contribution to Business Awardee, Apple’s Cathy Kearney.

It has been encouraging to see such strong demand for our networking, knowledge sharing and training events. As we enter 2023 we will continue to deliver a programme designed to support you and your teams.

Thank you to all of you our members for your valued engagement in our public affairs activity through the year. Our agenda is shaped by you, and we welcome your input and discussion on the issues affecting your business as you look ahead to 2023 and beyond.

There is no doubt that as we close 2022, Cork remains on a strong policy footing with the plans set out in Ireland 2040 and CMATS. The focus has now sharply transitioned to delivery. As Ireland’s number one regional lobby group, we at Cork Chamber will continue our work with elected representatives and key national and regional stakeholders to ensure that the key issues relevant to Cork remain high on the national agenda.

We wish you, your colleagues and families a safe and happy Christmas and New Year. As we look ahead to 2023, we wish you every success. We will continue to champion Cork and to deliver on a progressive economic, social and sustainability agenda that supports a vibrant business community.

Conor

Chamberlink is published by Cork Chamber and is a quarterly publication exclusive to members. The opinions expressed in Chamberlink are not necessarily those of Cork Chamber / Chamberlink main sponsor, neither do they accept any responsibility or liability for any legal implications arising there from. Registered in Ireland no. 13918

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Cover Image: Cathy Kearney, Apple VP of Operations for Europe, Middle East, India & Africa. Picture: Finbarr O’Rourke

Celebrating a Cork Success Story

Cork Chamber has recognised Cathy Kearney, Apple VP of Operations for Europe, Middle East, India & Africa for her outstanding contribution to business.

The award, now in its 12th year, was presented at the Cork Chamber Dublin Dinner. Attended by 600 leading political and business people in the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road, the dinner was sponsored by EY.

Ms Kearney has been recognised for her exemplary career at Apple. Cork has been home to Apple for over 40 years and it serves as Apple’s European Headquarters. Ms Kearney has been instrumental in the company’s growth and impact with the local community. The largest private employer in Cork, with over 6,000 people, this year saw Apple announce a new engineering and test facility and plans to further expand its campus. Under Ms Kearney’s leadership, Apple has built deep relationships with community organisations across Cork, and continues to grow on its work with local schools, universities and charitable organisations. Since 2015, Apple and its employees have supported more than 400 registered charities across Ireland, as part of its giving program.

“A wonderful and worthy recipient of the Outstanding Contribution to Business Award for 2022, Cathy has made an impressive impact during her time in Apple. Known for championing Cork as a great place to live and work, Cathy’s passion for education has also led to the creation of important links with local schools and universities. Cathy’s strategic focus, determination, and leadership make her a

Ronan Murray, President and Conor Healy, with Cathy Kearney, Apple VP of Operations East, India & Africa. Picture: Finbarr O’Rourke

remarkable contributor to our regional economy and business environment,” said Ronan Murray, President of Cork Chamber.

Joining Apple in 1989, Ms Kearney undertook various finance roles before taking over leadership of the Cork site and EMEIA Operations in 2004. The following two decades saw many significant milestones for Apple, with the launch its iconic iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Throughout this time, Apple has continuously invested in Cork, adding new areas of expertise and cementing the importance of Cork within the global operations of the company. Alongside this, during Ms Kearney’s leadership, Apple has welcomed highlyskilled employees from around the world, epitomising the company’s culture of inclusion and diversity and adding to the fabric of Cork.

“It is without doubt that Cathy has nurtured Apple’s commitment to Cork and Ireland, and has been instrumental in Apple’s continued investment in our region. The recent plans for expansion of the Cork campus are an exciting chapter in the story of Apple’s 40+ years in Cork.

Not just a key employer in the region, Apple is an important part of our tech industry supporting 30,000 jobs in Ireland. Congratulations to Cathy, it is a great honour to recognise her outstanding contribution to business with this award,” said Conor Healy, CEO of Cork Chamber.

Cathy Kearney, Apple VP of Operations for Europe, Middle East, India & Africa said upon receiving the award: “I am delighted to receive this tremendous honour from the Cork Chamber of Commerce, which I am accepting on behalf of the whole Apple team in Cork. Everyday I am inspired to work with such talented and passionate individuals, who live Apple’s values in everything they do.

Cork has been Apple’s home for over 40 years and helped Apple become the company it is today. We are proud to be part of such a vibrant and diverse community, and look forward to continuing to contribute to Cork. Thank you to Cork Chamber and everyone involved.”

Healy, CEO Cork Chamber. Operations for Europe, Middle O’Rourke

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

Championing Cork in a tumultuous 2022

At the beginning of this year, as lockdown and two years of uncertainty ended, Irish society re-emerged economically strong and post-Covid gave the Chamber the opportunity to get out in person, reconnect and build relationships important to our advocacy work.

This stability was short-lived as the invasion of Ukraine and energy crisis sent shockwaves through the Irish and global economy. Despite this, business sentiment is largely positive and thanks to the resilience and adaptability of the business community, Cork continues to stand as one of the most attractive locations for talent and investment.

As we look forward to 2023, we offer a round-up of our public affairs activity throughout the year.

CLIMATE ACTION

Climate action and the transition to a sustainable, net-zero society is central to the future development of Cork.

This year saw Cork city selected, under Horizon EU’s ambitious SmartCities Mission Programme to be one of Europe’s 100 climate neutral cities by 2030. Cork and the other chosen cities will act as pilot cities to accelerate innovation and investment in climate programmes, to enable other European cities to follow suit by 2050.

The designation is a big opportunity for Cork to lead on climate action,

leveraging EU and government expertise and funds to boost our city’s reputation globally as one of Europe’s leading climate-neutral and smart cities. The Chamber is taking a central supporting role for Cork to meet that target, as it will position Cork as a world-leading sustainable city to live, work, study, do business and invest in.

This will require every moving part in our society to work together towards a common goal. Fortunately, we have faced crisis together before as the COVID-19 pandemic showed the strength we have as a collaborative community.

As Mahatma Gandhi said, “A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.”

The EU mission has put Cork on a clear path to 2030, one we are determined the City region will deliver on.

HOUSING

Housing is the number one issue for our members. Thus, it has been our top advocacy focus across the year from our budget submission to meeting with the highest levels of government.

The development of high-quality, high-density, affordable apartments on brownfield sites is critical to meeting our climate goals and ensuring an attractive liveable city for all. It is clear that government’s Housing for All

strategy will not deliver on the targets set out.

To address this, Cork Chamber drew attention to the innovative proposals and European best practice measures included in our two apartment viability reports, including the Vienna style housing model that has been recognised internationally for its success.

Following a joint meeting with the Ministers for Housing and Public Expenditure & Reform, there is a now a clear focus within the housing department to better understand the challenges we face in Cork and identify the necessary measures to activate Cork city centre development sites with planning permissions.

We can expect over the coming years that high density development and affordable housing schemes will commence and become more accessible as the Land Development Agency will be implementing in part the Vienna-style housing model we put forward and affordable housing bodies have been given access to lower cost finance through government intervention.

While we still have some ways to go and challenges to face along the road, we will continue to relentlessly lobby and advocate on this issue at the highest levels of government and work with the private sector to unlock the much needed provision of housing and apartments in Cork.

ENERGY

The war in Ukraine sent shockwaves globally, as energy security and prices came to the forefront of Irish businesses concerns. Our Q1 and Q3 quarterly Economic Trends surveys both found that the rising cost of energy was affecting business profitability and growth. However, opportunity can be found in crisis and this particular one is key to directing our minds on the transition to renewable energy while ensuring the security of energy supplies.

While the invasion of Ukraine may have fanned the flames of this crisis, this fire had already been sparked by the state’s failure to plan for growing power demand from industry and ensuring our security of supply. We made clear in a submission to the CRU that penalising large energy users for powering their growing businesses, due to a failure of the regulatory authorities, is simply unacceptable. Rather, incentives should be used to shift demand away from peak times.

In our submission on the National Energy Security Review, we highlighted that as we continue the transition to a renewable energy system, a range of short, medium and long-term measures are needed to secure our supply. A temporary floating liquified natural gas terminal that could be future proofed for hydrogen use would go some way to putting this fire to rest.

At the same time, we must still be preparing for a zero-carbon energy

future. We have and will continue to push government to accelerate activity, both regulatory and permitting and port investments, so that Cork and Ireland can take full advantage of its energy potential as a global hub for offshore wind, hydrogen and renewable energy.

REGIONAL, NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT

We have seen great progress in Cork’s public transport network in 2022, with wins from Irish Rail in support of sustainable commuting and the electrification of the rail network, one of the oldest rail rolling stocks nationally. This triumph is one of the quickest ways to decarbonise our transport system and get people out of their cars.

In tandem with this, the NTA has been advancing Bus Connects Cork with the public consultation phase kicking off. The delivery of Bus Connects is essential to delivering a sustainable 15-minute city and improving the efficiency and attractiveness of public transport in the city, giving people a real choice in how they move about our region. While this process is far from over and challenges will be faced along the way, we will continue to encourage that the NTA work with local communities to co-create a balanced multi modal and active travel focused sustainable transport network.

The Chamber has also been working closely with Cork Airport to lobby at the highest levels of government to secure increased funding and investment to

better incentivise airlines in developing routes from Cork. Expanding the route offering and improving the accessibility of our city region is central to remaining competitive on the global stage and attracting talent, investment and tourism. Our members’ regional, national and international connectivity will continue to be a key priority of the Chamber into 2023.

QUALITY OF LIFE INFRASTRUCTURE

The COVID-19 pandemic changed how people view their lives, careers and the places they choose to live in. There is great economic, social and environmental value in creating vibrant, green public spaces and amenities that provide a setting for community life, thus ensuring that Cork remains a competitive and quality of life-oriented location for attracting and retaining talent and investment.

The re-imagining of the Marina Park and Promenade, which the Chamber has supported, and development of the docklands will contribute to creating this eco-system and enhancing the quality of life for those living, working and visiting Cork.

With quality of life now being one of the leading factors for talent choosing to relocate around the world, we must be constantly progressing and re-envisioning our shared spaces to continually nurture and create these communities for our current and future citizens and visitors.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS

By Catherine Sheridan, Chief Operating Officer with EIH2

What is energy and what does the future hold?

Like the weather, energy is difficult to describe but we all have an opinion on it. Simply put, energy is the ability to do work. Energy can’t be created or destroyed but can be changed from one form into another – for example, the chemical energy in fuels is turned into thermal energy by burning. On a small scale, that thermal energy is heat in open fires or stoves in our homes. It’s also how we power our diesel cars and on a bigger scale, fly planes and power ships. That thermal energy can be turned into electricity using large engines similar to the ones in aeroplanes.

The latest SEAI “Energy in Ireland” report explains that we can group where we get our energy from into three bundles of roughly the same size. We get 45% of our energy from oil, which is all imported, 34% from natural gas (mostly imported) and the other 21% from everything else such as renewables, coal, peat, wastes and imported electricity.

About 40% of energy in Ireland is used for heating, another 40% for transport and the remaining 20% for electricity. That one always makes me pause. Only 20% for electricity. But when I think of my fossil fuel

powered heating and industry, I begin to understand why. This is important to highlight because our progress on renewable electricity is sometimes thought to mean the energy transition is well progressed. While Ireland is doing well in that sector, we must address the other 80% of our energy sector as well.

It’s not energy that causes climate change but using fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are carbon based; when burned, carbon is released into the atmosphere and contributes massively to global warming. Unfortunately, we can’t just snap our fingers and stop using fossil fuels. That’s not greenwashing, it’s just true.

The energy system we have right now will take time to wind down. Energy is typically stored and transported as fossil fuels. We need to build out our electricity grid and find another way to back it up when the wind isn’t blowing and find a way to power things that can’t be plugged in. Vaclav Smil’s recent book “How the world really works” explains how fossil fuels are building blocks of the four pillars of the modern world, ammonia, plastics, cement and steel.

The World Energy Council considers energy systems through a triple lens. They must be sustainable for sure, but also need to provide security of supply and be equitable.

So how are we doing on security of supply? In October 2022, Eirgrid issued a warning that there could be regular outages over the next decade. On the natural gas side, as the Corrib gas field is emptied, we will be wholly reliant on the import of natural gas and oil, which accounts for 80% of our energy today. And that’s before we consider the ever changing geopolitical situation which is both caused and impacted by fossil fuel profits.

The cost of energy is crippling households and businesses at the moment and is becoming a topic of discussion both in government, on the radio and at every kitchen table

Our energy system is broken but thankfully there is much we can do. The best energy saving is energy that we don’t use and Ireland is taking steps to reduce energy usage through retrofitting and demand side planning.

Electrifying home heating and personal travel as well as increasing the amount of renewable electricity generated from wind and solar is key and offshore wind is converted into electricity which we can use straight away or export via interconnectors.

Being a windy island on the edge of Europe used to be a downside for Ireland, but no longer. We have eight times more energy in the form of wind than we need for our own needs.

By using our wind powered electricity we can separate hydrogen (H2) from oxygen (O2) in water (H2O). Ireland can have a green independent energy future and can support Europe transition to Net Zero as countreis like Germany need to importing 80% of the hydrogen demand.

With energy companies like Green Rebel, Simply Blue and Orsted, Cork is well placed to become a key employer in the energy transition; more than that with the collaboration and can do attitude, we can become a template for positive change.

Predictions for

McSherry, Head of Companies and Communities, Crowleys Opticians

We continue to live in interesting times. With the cost of running a business having risen steeply recently, and consumer demand dipping, 2023 will not be an easy year for many SMEs.

Consequently, next year will be challenging too for health care. We remain optimistic. The health care nature of our service means we’ll continue to be regarded as essential to many.

2023 will be a good year to focus on your core services – in our case quality eye care based on a patient’s needs.

Many consumers are more likely to shop around, and this is an opportunity for many health care providers to make lasting, life-long relationships if they ensure the quality of their core services.

Lonergan, Director of Group Operations, Trigon Hotels

Trigon Hotels are cautiously positive for 2023. In-bound tourist travel is continuing to recover with Cork Airport passenger forecast upgraded to 85% of pre-Covid figures, alongside a recovery in US visitors.

A twin-track rebound in business travel has seen domestic business travel return at scale – aided by large capital projects in Cork City. Cork is historically reliant on international business tourism and that continues to lag behind 2019 levels, we expect it will be closer to 2024 before that market returns.

Our food and beverage operations have come under pressure from rising costs but we expect to see some of those costs and supply chain issues stabilise in 2023, allowing us to give confidence on pricing. The Vat increase from 9% to 13.5% on March 1st will also be a challenge but our commitment across the industry is to offer value for money for both domestic and international tourism. Recruitment and retention was the biggest challenge post Covid and while we have seen this stabilise recently it will continue to be a key focus for 2023, along with the development and implementation of Trigon’s sustainability strategies.

Paul

Carmel

Employers are forging ahead with hiring plans despite market concerns with hiring rates are at a six year high according to the latest Hayes Ireland research.

Insights from the Hays Ireland Salary & Recruiting Trends Report 2023 show that, despite concerns over the global economy and a more cautious mood in the tech sector, Irish-based employers remain committed to their 2023 recruitment goals.

90% of employers surveyed by Hays Ireland have reported that they plan on hiring over the next 12 months, an increase of six percent from last year.

The vast majority of employers (75%) indicated that they primarily plan to hire permanent staff, while 28% of research respondents will seek to employ staff on a temporary basis.

Digital transformation and sustainability will continue to be key for 2023.

Technology adoption is becoming more and more important. Whilst enhancing engagement with their customers and employees, companies need to accelerate their digital transformation in optimising energy efficiency, sustainability, and cost. Core to that digital transformation is an understanding by companies of what data they hold, what they need to hold and what they would like to do with it.

Another big efficiency driver will be the growth of moving data into public clouds. More and more businesses are using the cloud to store their data –but it’s vital that companies only store what they need. Otherwise, they risk wasting financially and environmentally expensive data storage space. At NetApp we can help companies with their hybrid cloud strategy, to understand their data, move it to the cloud as appropriate and then optimise in the cloud.

Inflation will settle down in 2023, that is our belief at Investwise following analysis that we have conducted. A new benchmark has been set. Prices may not go up as much but are unlikely to go down.

Clients will have a new relationship with their money. Financial wellbeing is fast becoming a key element of how clients view their finances. It’s important as they look to clear a path to achieving their financial goals. They are looking for control over the daily finances but also how to cope with financial shocks.

They want to have a relationship with their financial planner to provide clarity and value for their finances such as fees and performance but also empathy as they look forward to certain milestones like retirement and education costs. We expect to grow our business further as we help clients along the financial planning journey.

Maureen Lynch, Operations Director at Hays Ireland

Liam O’Riordan, Head of Cork Office, Investwise Financial Planning

James McGowan, Senior Director, NetApp

Energy Cork held its Decarbonising Cork: Energy Security through Climate Action conference at the River Lee Hotel in November featuring a sold-out event with a range of energy industry speakers and a focus firmly on decarbonisation and managing energy use in businesses.

Energy Cork is the industry cluster for energy and climate action sectors in the Cork region and Cork Chamber’s Margaret Kelly, a member of the Energy Cork Steering Group, moderated one of the day’s sessions – Managing Energy in Practice – with the spotlight on how Cork businesses can manage energy use, cost and cut emissions.

Cork Chamber have been active supporters of Energy Cork since its inception. The Cluster is funded by Cork City Council and Cork County Council via their Economic Development Funds.

Decarbonising Cork: Driving Energy Security through Climate Action Purple Flag Award for City Centre

Cork City Centre’s night-time economy was officially awarded and retained the prestigious Purple Flag accreditation at a ceremony in Cork in October. This international accreditation, awarded by the Association of Cities and Towns Management (ACTM), celebrates areas of excellence in the night-time economy and requires renewal every two years.

Cork hosted an external assessor visit to Cork City centre to undertake the Purple Flag assessment together with key stakeholders such as the Gardai and Cork City Council. The assessment considers the offering/appeal of the area at night-time, safety, ease of movement, cleanliness and cooperation amongst businesses.

Cork Chamber initiated and championed the initiative to continuously improve the night-time experience in Cork city and to ensure that it remains a city providing a vibrant and diverse mix of dining, entertainment and culture while promoting the safety and wellbeing of visitors and local residents.

Kevin Cotterell, Old Oak; Rory Leahy, Bus Éireann; Margaret Kelly, Cork Chamber and Ruth Buggie, SEAI and Liam McLaughlin, United Nations Industrial Development Organisation.

Cork City Purple Flag representatives from across sectors; Kevin Herlihy, Cork Business Association; Sergeant Michael O’Connell, Garda Síochána: Helen Murphy, Cork Business Association; John Hayes, Cork City Council; Donal Guerin, Cork City Council; Seamus Coghlan, Cork City Council; Margaret Kelly, Cork Chamber and Shane Clarke, The VQ.

Taoiseach makes official visit

We had the pleasure of welcoming An Taoiseach, Micheál Martin TD to Fitzgerald House recently - in the company of some of our board and team members. Mr Martin signed the Chamber’s visitor’s book and we shared conversation about the challenges and opportunities for Cork.

Pictured at Fitzgerald House are left to right; Front Row: Catherine Sheridan, Ronan Murray, An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Conor Healy, Pankaj Agarwal. Middle: Richard Morrissey, Gerard O’Donovan, Naoimh Frawley, Bo Browne, Annie FitzGibbon. Back: Paula Cogan, Niall Kenny, Rob Horgan, Michael Nolan.

Thought Leaders Council – AI and Ireland’s Competitiveness Challenge

Our final Thought Leaders Council of the year took place recently in the festive wonderland of the Hayfield Manor Hotel, attended by Chamber Partners. Professor Barry O’Sullivan, Director at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, School of Computer Science & IT at University College Cork and Dr Frances Ruane, Chair of the National Competitiveness & Productivity Council discussed the opportunities and challenges in addressing ethics and values, skills needs, and the role of systems thinking in advancing artificial intelligence and keeping Ireland competitive on a global stage.

Director of Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability at Cork Chamber, Rory Kelleher, also presented a round-up of public affairs activity throughout the year, highlighting advocacy wins in public

transport and housing along with the barriers that must be overcome to speed up the delivery of renewable energy development while ensuring our security of energy supplies.

Pictured are: Rory Kelleher, Director of Public Affairs, Communications & Sustainability with Dr Frances Ruane, Chair of the National Competitiveness & Productivity Council; Professor Barry O’Sullivan, Director at the Insight Centre for Data Analytics, School of Computer Science & IT, UCC and Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber.

AIB new sponsor of Annual Dinner

AIB has been announced as the new official event sponsor of Cork Chamber’s Annual Dinner

Cork Chamber has formed a new partnership with AIB. A long-standing member with over 200 years of interwoven history, AIB has been announced as the new official event sponsor of the Cork Chamber’s Annual Dinner.

The dinner, which takes place in February is Cork Chamber’s flagship event and the largest business event in the region bringing together 1,000 business leaders, elected representatives and key national and regional stakeholders.

Commenting on the announcement, Ronan Murray Cork Chamber President said “The Cork Chamber Annual Dinner is our most prestigious event of the year, and it’s a pleasure to have AIB on board as official event sponsor. Over the years, the Annual Dinner has become a key date in the business calendar, and we have had the privilege of welcoming some very high-profile keynote speakers. We look forward to an equally prestigious event for 2023.”

AIB Chief Executive Officer Colin Hunt said: “Recognising the Chamber’s role in championing the Cork business community for more than two centuries, AIB is delighted to sponsor Cork Chamber’s Annual Dinner. We share the Chamber’s vision of delivering on a progressive economic, social and sustainability agenda that contributes to the development of the people of Cork and beyond, while protecting our fragile planet for future generations.’’

Annie FitzGibbon Director of Member Services at Cork Chamber commented “Our Annual Dinner, which takes place in early February, is an important gathering of members, partners and stakeholders. With the backing of AIB, we look forward to growing and evolving this event and delivering a memorable experience for our members and our region.”

The Cork Chamber Annual Dinner will be held at Cork City Hall on Friday February 3rd 2023.

Pat Horgan, Head of Business Banking, AIB Capital Markets; Colin Hunt, Chief Executive Officer, AIB; Ronan Murray, President Cork Chamber and Cathy Bryce, Managing Director, AIB Capital Markets.

Enterprise Europe Network

A new network for 2023 and beyond

About the Enterprise Europe Network

The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) at Cork Chamber helps ambitious businesses innovate and grow internationally. We offer support and advice to SMEs, helping them make the most out of business opportunities. It is delivered as part of an Irish consortium in partnership with Enterprise Ireland, Dublin Chamber of Commerce, and the Local Enterprise Office.

We help businesses grow through customised support, new business and technology partnerships, commercial opportunities, licensing deals, and partners searches for EU funded R&D. Most of the services we provide are free of charge!

The EEN is active in more than 60 countries worldwide, bringing together 3,000 experts from more than 600 member organisations throughout the world. The EEN is the largest support network for SMEs and combine international business expertise with local knowledge to help you take your business into new markets

What the Network can do for you

The EEN at Cork Chamber is connected to a Network that manages Europe’s largest online database of over 10,000 business opportunities in 60 countries. This enables us to access expertise

and contacts to find you the right international business partners. Indigenous Irish businesses (both members and non-members of Cork Chamber) can search for business offers and requests to find new international business or academic partners. The database contains profiles of companies looking or offering to co-develop and supply your products, ideas and services or act a distributor, supplier, manufacturer, partner for joint venture, franchising, and outsourcing agreements.

With our expertise, we can provide you with specialised market information on topics such as domestic legislation, regulations, protecting your intellectual property and identifying relevant local agencies in your target market.

The EU want to support SMEs with innovative products and services reach their international potential. We can help provide you with information on accessing EU funding and finance.

If you are an ambitious SME looking to innovate and grow internationally, we can help. Please contact Grace at grace@corkchamber.ie and start your journey with the EEN.

New Appointment: Grace Kelleher

Cork Chamber is pleased to announce the appointment of Grace Kelleher to the role of Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) Executive.

Grace has strong experience developing micro and small businesses in Cork, having previously worked as an Economic Enterprise and Business Development Executive with the South Cork Local Enterprise Office.

She holds a B.A. (Hons) Major in Economics and a MSc Business Economics from University College Cork.

Through the EEN, Grace will be working with SMEs in the region in helping them to innovate and grow on an international scale.

She will combine international business expertise with her local knowledge to offer personalised services and opportunities to businesses.

Grace Kelleher, Enterprise Europe Network Executive, Cork Chamber.

INUSA 22 Cleveland

One of the main objectives of Connecting Cork is to engage with the substantial Irish business community and diplomatic corps overseas to promote Cork as a destination for business, investment, talent and collaboration.

Cork Chamber has a very strong relationship with Irish Networks USA and, through Connecting Cork, was delighted to continue our sponsorship of their annual conference by partnering with them for INUSA22 in Cleveland, Ohio.

Cleveland is a city with deep Irish connections and a proud diaspora. At the conference, International Relations Manager, Cathal McSweeney spoke about the growth and developments in the Cork region as well as the vibrant business community and quality of life. The audience included Irish business professionals from different cities

and states from across America. The keynote speaker was Irish Ambassador Byrne Nason. In her address, the Ambassador emphasised her pride in representing a modern progressive and empathetic Ireland, a country whose business community is thriving in the US, ranking 9th for FDI and employing over 110,000 people there.

Cork Chamber also had the opportunity to appear on a local Irish radio show with former US Ambassador to Ireland Edward F. Crawford to discuss the work of the Chamber and how the Connecting Cork initiative enabled greater engagement with the Irish diaspora in the US. The conference commenced with the launch of a direct flight between Cleveland and Ireland by Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb and Ambassador Byrne Nason. This new direct link will officially take off in May 2023.

It was great to be back in person at the Irish Network event and Connecting Cork looks forward to our continued close relationship with Irish Networks USA and the many chapters and representatives across the US.

Ireland Gateway to Europe - London 2022

Ireland Gateway to Europe (IGTE) is a not-for-profit annual trade mission made up of professional advisory firms who promote bilateral trade between Ireland and the UK and US. The organisation is now in its 10th year of US, UK and global trade missions.

Cork Chamber, represented by CEO Conor Healy, joined the IGTE trade mission to London in October as part of our two-year membership. The group which included 50 Irish and US business leaders were accompanied by The Business Post and the team from The Hard Shoulder on Newstalk. There were a number of events held over the two days with over 300 guests in attendance.

On October 19th The Boston College Ireland Business Council Global Leadership Dinner which took place in The RAF Club in London. There were fascinating conversations with Dame

Sharon White, Chairman John Lewis & Partners, Conor McEnroy, Founder and owner Sudameris in Paraguay and Warren Zola, Executive Director, BC Chief Executives Club.

The next day there was a full house for the Boston College CEO Club Lunch, hosted at the offices of Bloomberg. Guests from London, Ireland and the US attended to hear about global economic trends and the energy crisis in Europe from industry experts such as Fernando Vicario, CEO, Bank of America Europe, Sonya Twohig, Secretary-General of ENTSO-E and, Gerard Reid, Co-founder, Alexa Capital.

The delegation also visited the London Irish Centre, an established charity in Camden which offers advice, support, culture and community services to the Irish in London.

The Irish Centre has often been the first stop for Irish moving to London for the first time throughout the years and is the primary reason Camden has such a rich Irish heritage.

The few days were appropriately rounded off with a visit to Ambassador Martin Fraser at the Irish embassy in London.

Cathal McSweeney with Ambassador Byrne Nason.

Ambassador Martin Fraser with Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber.

Irish Funds UK Event

The 9th Annual Irish Funds UK Symposium took place in London on the 24th of November. There were insightful keynotes from Derville Rowland, Director General of the Central Bank of Ireland and broadcaster Mary Ann Sieghart as well as engaging panel discussions throughout the course of the day.

The themes that surfaced during the symposium included the development of the funds ecosystem in Ireland, the divergence of regulation between different regions around the world, the need to have a common language when discussing crypto and digital assets, the importance of being able

to measure the impact of ESG and the role everyone has in tackling gender discrimination in the industry.

Chair of the Cork Financial Forum, and Irish Funds Council member, Eoin Motherway, (pictured above) addressed the attendees at the promotor dinner. He highlighted the close relationship between Ireland and the UK and the unique business partnership, where citizens can travel, work and educate

without visa requirement which is key to facilitating business in a post-Brexit world.

It is important that Cork continues to have a visible presence at international financial services events to build contacts and portray the benefits and opportunities for financial services organisations to invest and grow in the region.

Ireland-Wales Forum: Renewables Roundtable Explores Regional Collaboration

Following the inaugural Ireland-Wales Forum, held in Cardiff in October 2021, the second annual Ireland-Wales Forum was successfully held in Ireland this October.

The Ireland-Wales Shared Statement and Joint Action Plan 2021-2025 sets out a commitment to convene a highlevel annual forum, to engage political, economic and broader stakeholders to build relationships, reflect on ongoing collaboration and consider opportunities for further cooperation.

The focus of the 2022 Forum was on energy policy, particularly renewable energy, given the strong mutual interest in the sector. Due to Cork’s renewable energy cluster and Cork Harbour’s continued transformation into an offshore renewables hub, the region was identified as the ideal location to hold day two this year’s forum. The forum was led by Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ireland, Simon Coveney TD and the First Minister of Wales, the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford.

Cork Chamber was excited to facilitate a renewables roundtable discussion with Minister Simon Coveney, First Minister Drakeford and Minister Lesley Griffiths along with several of our members in the renewable energy sector and stakeholders from region.

As part of the roundtable in the MaREI Centre in Ringaskiddy our members had the opportunity to discuss how the current offshore renewables landscape and how the two regions could increase

collaboration and knowledge sharing to seize the opportunities the sector presents. Other topics discussed included access to talent, research, planning and the importance of exploring all potential technologies.

We look forward to building on these new relationships and working on next steps with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Welsh Government Office in Ireland and our members.

Above Left: Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber with First Minister of Wales, the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford: Minister Lesley Griffiths and Minister Simon Coveney. Above Right: Roundtable in session.

by Gráinne Callanan, Partner and Head of Cork Office, Matheson LLP

Matheson LLP – Looking to the future

The business community in Cork continues to develop and grow, and we are living in a time of fast-paced change - one that offers the opportunity for creativity and proactivity.

Our focus in Matheson is to serve the Irish legal needs of internationally-focused companies and financial institutions doing business in and from Ireland. We are a proud member of Cork Chamber of Commerce, and Matheson's growing team of 35 professionals in our new premises on Penrose Dock works with clients across all industries, observing the changes that impact the way we and our society work.

These changes can present opportunities for our clients, and we have developed and implemented new technologies and methodologies to better serve our clients.

While the benefits of new technologies are clear, there are challenges. Cyber security is an area where we work extensively. Organisations can be vulnerable to threats, requiring ongoing vigilance, planning and investment of time and resources to safeguard against potentially costly incidents. We work to navigate these threats, supporting clients in the event of a breach or issue, and guiding their response to such incidents.

Another key area is Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG), requiring businesses to look at how they operate today and into the future. Our ESG Advisory Group works exclusively in this domain and while we are working with clients today, we are also preparing for the future.

We work hard on our commitment to diversity and inclusion, for our people and our clients and this year were the first Irish organisation to be re-accredited with the prestigious ‘Investors in Diversity’ Gold Standard award.

Recent years have been challenging, but for many businesses it has been an opportunity to change and grow. At Matheson, we drive a culture of innovation –winning Law Firm of the Year at The Lawyer European Awards 2022 this month - and it is this approach that will underpin our future development and that of our clients in Cork.

Visit www.matheson.com/esg to learn more about our ESG Advisory Group

Digital Marketing Legends Touching Down

Cork’s Digital Legends returned in numbers to celebrate the Cork Digital Marketing Awards in the Carrigaline Court Hotel on the 21st October. The awards, presented by MC Sinead Kennedy, recognise the unique and valuable contributions made by digital marketing teams and individuals to their brands and businesses.

Annie FitzGibbon, Director of Member Services at Cork Chamber said “We’re so thrilled to have all the gang back together tonight having met virtually the last 2 years. Every year we are blown away by the number, and the quality of entries across all 17 categories, demonstrating the breadth of channels and media that digital marketers harness to drive awareness, underpin brand values and convert sales.”

On the evening, the Overall Digital Legend 2022 was announced as IMART and Fuller Marketing. In accepting the Award on behalf of IMART, Alan Craughwell, Director said, “This is a great honour for the IMART team and Mixed Ability Sports Ireland. We recognised the need for digital marketing at the beginning of this project but only came to fully appreciate its huge impact as our event campaign developed. In Fuller Marketing, we found a partner that really understood our vision for breaking down barriers to participation in sport and for promoting social inclusion in our communities. It was a stellar partnership that delivered our message from a local to a global audience to a level deserving of a world-class international tournament hosted in Cork.”

Speaking on behalf of Fuller Marketing, Sheila Kelleher, Strategy Director said, “We are absolutely thrilled to be awarded Overall Digital Marketing Legend 2022! To have our work acknowledged and rewarded amongst our industry colleagues, who are some of the best and brightest in Ireland’s digital marketing world, is a huge accomplishment for us. But to have our work on IMART in particular recognised and highlighted is an even greater triumph. It reaffirms and validates our own belief that by harnessing the power of digital marketing, we can effectively communicate with people all across the globe, that we can engage with them and use the power of storytelling to carry important messages on sport, equality, inclusion, fun, people power and to ultimately drive change for the better.”

As well as taking the Digital Marketing Legend award for 2022, IMART and Fuller Marketing also won the great prize of a Content Studio Package courtesy of the Irish Examiner.

•

• Best Use of Digital by a Start-Up: Bridgewater Construction

• Best Website – less than 20 employees: Dance Cork Firkin Crane

• Best Website – 20 or more employees: Wisetek

• Best in Content Creation – less than 20 employees: IMART & Fuller Marketing

• Best in Content Creation – 20 or more employees: Carrigaline Court Hotel

• Best Use of Instagram – less than 20 employees: AML Property Services

• Best Use of Instagram – 20 or more employees: The Montenotte Hotel

• Best Use of Facebook – less than 20 employees: Graffiti Theatre

• Best Use of Facebook – 20 or more employees: Fota Island Resort

• Best Use of Twitter for Business: Port of Cork Company & Fuzion Communications

• Best Use of LinkedIn for Business: Crowleys DFK

• Best Use of Digital Marketing for the Greater Good: IMART & Fuller Marketing

• Best Social Media Campaign: Cork Simon Community

• Best Digital Marketing Team: RDJ

• Best Digital Marketing Student: Craig Sykes, The Pavilion Garden Centre

• Best Transformation – Traditional to Digital Marketing: DexGreen Ltd

The list of winners:

Overall Digital Marketing Legend 2022: IMART & Fuller Marketing

Chamber Dinner lights up Dublin

After a three-year hiatus, the Cork Chamber Dublin Dinner returned with renewed vigour on Tuesday 22nd November. Held in the Clayton Hotel, Burlington Road, the event was attended by business leaders, political decision makers and stakeholders with guest of honour and keynote Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr. Michael McGrath T.D. sponsored by EY, the event was a tremendous occasion celebrating the relationship between Ireland’s two largest city regions, Dublin and Cork.

Speaking at the event, President of Cork Chamber, Ronan Murray outlined Cork’s real opportunity to build on its reputation as a sustainable and accessible city region, building a different city, further attracting investment and how the country’s two largest cities can complement each other as they grow.

“There are strong economic and corporate links, with both indigenous and multinational companies having large footprints in both cities. We are part of the same national eco-system that continues to win on the world stage, both attracting significant foreign direct investment to our island, while Irish private companies seek to grow and expand from these cities onto the global stage.

Often the talk is about perceived competition between Ireland’s two largest cities, but two thriving cities within such close proximity offers significant growth potential for Ireland Inc. There is mutual benefit in the fact that both

cities offer something different to investors and this can provide flexibility for future investment decisions and growth objectives.

Addressing the 600 guests, Minister Michael McGrath T.D. reflected on where Ireland is now as a country – with 100 years of independence and 50 years of unity in Europe. Giving a full economic update, Minister McGrath referenced the challenges and opportunities of our time, citing that floating offshore wind presents the ‘opportunity of our generation’ - “It is an opportunity we must seize.”

Minister McGrath acknowledged that while Ireland is a leader in onshore wind energy, extensive work is now well underway to develop our huge offshore wind potential.

“The Government recently agreed to set up a new division of the High Court to deal with planning and environmental issues. We know so much needs to be done to achieve the potential that floating offshore offers including port capacity, and grid capacity.”

The evening continued, carrying the sentiment of the Ministers’ closing remarks “We can never take success for granted, never stand still... Those of us who want to see Cork reach its true potential have to work together with a sense of unity and common purpose. Ní neart go gur le chéile. The strength is in the collective.”

Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber. with Ronan Murray, President and Frank O’Keeffe, EY Ireland Managing Partner. Picture: Finbarr O’Rourke Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath TD. Picture: Finbarr O’Rourke

Upcoming Events

For more information & bookings visit CorkChamber.ie

WED 18TH JANUARY | 6.15PM-8PM

CLAYTON HOTEL CORK CITY

Join us for this event in collaboration with the Marketing Institute Cork where we will welcome Cian Corbett – Digital and Innovation Marketing Manager, AIB

In the evolved age of digital and social media where platforms have evolved from networks to broadcasters it’s important to remember the true gift of social – connection.

AIB’s social content output aims to create that valuable connection by bringing our purpose to life through value adding content that educates, empowers and inspires our online community.

Cian will detail these connection opportunities by showcasing some of AIB’s Sustainability content examples from the past 12 months.

FRI 3RD FEBRUARY | 6PM-11PM CORK CITY HALL

Cork Chamber Annual Dinner is the region’s largest flagship event of the year bringing together 1,000 business leaders, elected representatives and key national and regional stakeholders.

We are delighted to announce AIB as the headline sponsor.

The dinner will be held at Cork City Hall.

The winners of the 4 categories of the Cork Company of the Year Awards 2023 will also be announced on the night.

Tickets available at corkchamber.ie.

IN PARTNERSHIP WITH IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Christmas Lunch 2022

In

Guests were full of cheer and goodwill as they enjoyed an atmospheric drinks reception before sitting down to enjoy lunch and the hilarious Reggie from Blackrock who brought plenty of laughs and red faces to the audience!

Another highlight was our Christmas charity raffle, the success of which is due to the outstanding quality of prizes received from generous Chamber members! We have helped many member charities over the years and this year was no different with a generous donation of over €9,000 shared between Cork Cancer Care Centre, Special

The celebratory mood was fitting as we closed out a busy end to an eventful 2022.

Jerry Crowley, MII Cork; Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber; Annie FitzGibbon, Cork Chamber; Reggie from the Blackrock Road,; Ronan Murray, President Cork Chamber; David Walsh and Karen O’Brien, Osborne. Pictures: Darragh Kane

Deirdre Corcoran and Joanna Buckley, Chapter.

The festive season kicked off in full swing on Friday 2nd December as over 300 members returned to attend Cork Chamber’s Annual Christmas Lunch held at Vienna Woods Hotel in association with Osborne.

Olympics Ireland and Mercy University Hospital Foundation.

Ray Lougheed, Admirror Ireland with Maressa Mills, Poppulo.

Denis Guerin and John Cunningham, Frank V Murphy & Co with Trevor Leacy, Moore Group.

association with Osborne and in partnership with The Marketing Institute Cork

in association with in partnership with

Attendees from Matheson included Cormac Gilroy, Geraldine Carr, Donal O’Byrne, Eimear Boyle, Matheson.

Reggie from the Blackrock Road. Christmas lunch place setting.

Sinead O’Dea and Marion Courtney, Griffith College, Alice Dowling and Donna Mannion, Glandore.

Recent Events

Business Breakfasts

Our Business Breakfast took place on the 25th October at the Clayton Hotel Cork City. Over 150 attendees gathered to hear from Eamonn Crowley, Chief Executive Officer, Permanent TSB. As the leading provider of Retail and SME banking in the Irish market, Eamonn outlined the economic opportunities and concerns in the months ahead as well as Permanent TSB’s ambitious plans for banking in the region.

Networking at Noon

Our Networking at Noon at Grant Thornton took place at Penrose One, Penrose Dock on the 6th October.

Attendees got the opportunity to mingle with fellow chamber members and make valuable connections while over-looking the stunning Cork City views.

Our next Business Breakfast took place on the 16th November at the Cork International Hotel. We were joined by Eoin McGettigan, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Cork as he discussed the development plans for the port to support the growth of the region. Eoin delivered an inspiring and uplifting presentation

the future of Cork along

Our Networking at Noon at Iconic Offices took place on the 8th November at the brand new co-working space at Navigation Square.

Over 80 attendees got the opportunity to network while getting a first hand look at the funky space which includes co-working, offices and a stylish podcast room.

Members networking

Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber; Annie FitzGibbon, Cork Chamber; Ronan Murray, President Cork Chamber, Eoin McGettigan CEO Port of Cork; Jamie Olden, RDJ LLP and Sean Murphy, Irish Examiner. Picture: Denis Minihane

Naoimh Frawley, Cork Chamber; Gerard Walsh,Grant Thornton; Annie FitzGibbon, Cork Chamber; Maura Cronin, Grant Thornton; Michael Nolan, Grant Thornton and Conor Healy, CEO Cork Chamber.

Joe McGinley and Jason Sleator, Iconic Offices with Annie FitzGibbon and Conor Healy, Cork Chamber.

In association with RDJ LLP & Media Partner Irish Examiner

providing insights into

with valuable career advice.

Albertas Kukys, Skytech Technologies Limited; Deirdre Joyce, The River Lee Hotel and James McMahon, Grant Thornton.

Michael Sheehan, Irish Examiner, Ronan Murray, President Cork Chamber, Eamonn Crowley, Permanent TSB, Annie FitzGibbon, Cork Chamber, Jamie Olden, RDJ.

Picture: Eddie O’Hare

Sustainable Cork Programme Webinar Series

Fuelling Business - Opportunity in Crisis outlined practical strategies and good practice from across business sectors focused on energy cost saving and moving towards the delivery of net-zero business operations. Taking place in October, speakers included Conor Molloy, Energy Advisor, Trainer & Auditor, AEMS (Authentic Energy Management Services) and Seán Sirr, Senior Consultant Energy and Sustainability, EM3. Facilitated by Harry O’ Farrell, Chief Commercial Officer at ActionZero, Chair at Energy Cork

Keeping Diversity, Inclusion and Equity on Track in a Hybrid Workplace featured a robust discussion on DEI. Taking place in November, speakers shared strategies and case studies focused on setting up for success as well as issues to be confronted with hybrid working. Speakers included Geraldine Carr, Matheson Partner in the Employment, Pensions and Benefits Group, Joanne Mangan, Employers Lead, Grow Remote and Terri Moloney, Non-Executive Director/Independent Consultant. Facilitated by Siobhan Kangataran, Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Manager at Munster Technological University.

HR Barometer Report

Report - Unrivalled Source of Analysis & Insights

This webinar, which took place on the 24th November, gave attendees an overview of the findings of the most recent HR Barometer Report. Sarah Fagan, Managing Director and Amanda Finnegan, Senior Organisational Development Consultant, Adare Human Resource Management gave insights on the key issues and challenges facing HR Practitioners giving them valuable information to plan their HR activity for 2023

Leadership Forum

Our Leadership Forum took place in October at The Dean and featured an insightful presentation from Jason Hawkins, Chief Executive Officer, Carbery Group and winner of Cork Company of the Year 2022. Jason reflected on his own leadership journey, discussing the challenges and triumphs of his many roles throughout his career.

In association with Cork Chamber Skillnet, Gas Networks Ireland, Matheson

Ronan Murray, President Cork Chamber; Jason Hawkins, Carbery Group, Annie FitzGibbon, Cork Chamber, Michael Nolan, Grant Thornton. Pictures: Johne Roche.

In association with Adare Human Resource Management in association with Grant Thornton

Gearoid Gilley, VHI Healthcare DAC, Ger Moloney, BAM Building Limited.

Kieran White, Ørsted, Onshore Ireland, Fiona Kearney, The Glucksman.

Barry & Fitzwilliam Celebrates 40 Years in Business

Michael Barry, Managing Director of Barry & Fitzwilliam, reflects on the highs and lows of running an independent drinks distributor as the company approaches its 40th birthday.

ONE of the best-known names in the Irish drinks industry, Michael Barry has led Barry & Fitzwilliam for the last four decades, growing the business to become Ireland’s largest independent premium alcoholic drinks distributor, which carries more than 120 wine, spirits and beer brands and employs over 60 people from its extensive warehousing and administration facilities based in Cork and Dublin.

As the company approaches its 40th birthday, the Managing Director reflects on its four decades in business, including some incredible highs and severe lows.

Remaining a successful independent drinks distributor for four decades is quite an achievement. How has the business managed to survive for 40 years?

We have a saying in the company that persistence beats resistance, so in a way it typifies our attitude in running the business. We have managed to survive and prosper over the 40 years by keeping a close eye on international trends and embracing them.

The Irish drinks industry has changed dramatically over that time. What are the biggest differences?

We started out being a wine and spirit distributor but at the time, our business primarily involved the distribution of spirits, with the wine market being very small. The big brands at the time were Blue Nun, Black Tower and Pedrotti. The pub trade was booming at the time, with probably 75% of our business going through the on trade. Today, the on-trade accounts for about 40% of our business.

What have been the biggest challenges to overcome in the last 40 years?

Our greatest challenge as a company was back in 2003 when half of our sales team were involved in a tragic accident near Jerez when we were visiting the Gonzalez Byass Bodega. Four people died in the accident and six of us had very serious injuries at the time but I’m glad to report that we all made a full recovery. I have to say that at the time, the trade, including our competitors, were very supportive of the company. Other than that, Covid has been our biggest challenge to date.

How have Barry & Fitzwilliam managed to compete against the multinational drinks giants over the years and how do you still compete successfully against them?

We trade with most of the multinationals because besides being an agency house, we are also one of the leading spirit wholesalers in the country, carrying all of the leading spirit brands, and are very much a one stop shop to the on trade. As a family company, we deal with a lot of other family companies, so I think that is a major point of difference for us. Also, we are very nimble and can make very quick decisions and activate strategies very quickly.

How important is it to maintain your independence and not get swallowed up by a multinational (I’m sure you’ve had plenty of offers)?

Our independence is very important. I love what I do and I couldn’t see myself being part of a multinational. You distribute some of the best known brands in the world across wine (McGuigan, Villa Maria, Michel Lynch, Graham Norton), spirits (Remy Martin, Tia Maria, Jagermeister) and beers (Paulaner, Brewdog).

How have you managed to build and maintain these relationships?

Firstly, we are obviously good at hitting targets. Our sales and marketing team are very good listeners, as they are invariably given direction by the various brand owners and it’s their job to execute the brand plans as outlined. I am great believer in relationships, so it is very important to nurture the relationships that we have with brand owners but it is also very important for our sales team to listen to our customers. We have an excellent route to market and this is primarily what our brand owners require.

You’ve also been at the forefront of the latest trends driving the market, including the gin revolution, the continued rise of craft beer and cider, the renaissance of Irish whiskey, the growth of no and low alcohol products etc. How do you stay on top of trends?

Staying on top of trends is part of the challenge. We have had huge success over the years as that mindset has helped us to successfully launch many brands. We were the importers of Corona for 25 years, the first long neck bottled beer in the market, before the brand was sold by Modelo Brewery to

Abinbev and I believe that our success with that initially and then subsequently with McGuigan wines and Michel Lynch helped develop our reputation as brand builders. Then, when we took over Maxxium in 2004, the success we made of their brands enhanced our reputation. We are very focused on what we do; we see ourselves as alcohol specialists and we are currently at the forefront of the hard seltzer category, with White Claw having over 50% market share.

How

is the Irish consumer changing with regard to the drinks we consume?

I feel that the consumer has become very discerning and brand focused, especially when it comes to cocktails. Cocktail culture has seen a dramatic increase over the last two years and is here to stay, which is great for us as we are the distributors of Bols Liqueurs, Cointreau, Tia Maria, Passoa and Disaronno, to name just a few of the main ingredients of many good cocktails.

How did the last two years of the Covid pandemic and Brexit impact on the business?

Considering that the hospitality sector accounted for approximately 40% of our business before Covid, we were able to grow the majority of our brands in the off trade to such an extent that we replaced that lost turnover and even increased it over the last two years. Brexit and the ensuing paperwork and red tape that it required was a bit frustrating initially, but we have got used to that.

Have you any plans to celebrate the business’ 40th birthday?

We opened our doors on October 18, 1982, and October normally coincides with our Annual Sales Conference, so I think that we will have one hell of a party after the conference.

What does the future hold for Barry & Fitzwilliam?

I believe that the future is very bright for Barry & Fitzwilliam: we have a great team, we have great brand owners, and great relationships with them. We have a portfolio which is very much on trend with the consumer such as White Claw, BrewDog and our celebrity wine portfolio such as Graham Norton, Kylie and SJP, together with all of the brands mentioned earlier, so we are very much looking forward to the business going from strength to strength.

MEMBERS

New Members Corner

We welcome the following new members

Audio/MediA/Publishing/Video Production

Lyne Media

Lyne Media is a media production company, specialising in video production and photography. Lyne Media creates engaging content for social media and websites.

W: www.lynemedia.com

building contrActors/ProViders

Mavco

Established in Cork in 2010, Mavco has grown over the years to become an established provider of excellent quality HVAC engineering system to a wide range of industrial with experience in the Pharmaceutical, Medical & Food Processing sectors in Ireland.

W: www.mavco.ie

business continuity serVices

Irish Formations Connect Limited Irish Formations is an independent Company Formations Agency operating from North Point House in Blackpool Cork. We have over 20 years experience in Company Formations, Business Name Registration, & Company Secretarial.

W: www.irishformations.ie

chArity

Jack & Jill Children’s Foundation

Jack & Jill is a nationwide charity providing in-home nursing care and respite support for children up to the age of 6 with severe to profound neurodevelopmental delay. This may include children with brain injury, genetic diagnosis, cerebral palsy, and undiagnosed conditions.

W: www.jackandjill.ie

Sea And Land Trust CLG

Sea and Land Trust is established to combine and manage the operations of Clean Coasts Ballynamona, the East Cork Biodiversity Networking Programme and PLANET Ireland Our work impacts locally, nationally and will impact well into the future.

chArity Specialisterne Ireland

Specialisterne Ireland is a specialist consultancy for neurodivergent people (autistic people, those on the autism spectrum, with ADHD, dyspraxia/DCD, dyslexia and similar neurodiversities), supporting them into employment.

W: www.specialisterne.ie

Wellsprings

Wellsprings, in the heart of Cork City offers short to medium term residential placements for young women aged between 16-23 years, with the possibility of lifelong support through a dedicated outreach aftercare service.

W: www.wellsprings.ie

cheMicAl/PhArMAceuticAl

ExpoPharma Engineering Services Ltd ExpoPharma are the go-to team for the design, development, fabrication and commissioning of manufacturing equipment interfaces for process based analytical sensors. Operating in pharmaceutical, food and agricultural manufacturing ExpoPharma are experts in helping clients reduce costs via continuous improvement.

W: www.expopharma.ie

consulting engineers/QuAntity surVeyors Turner & Townsend

A global consultancy business serving clients in the real estate, infrastructure and natural resources sectors. We build trust between clients, suppliers, governments and society through the commitment, capability and care our team brings.

W: www.turnerandtownsend.com

engineering

Engenuiti Consulting

educAtion/trAining/lAnguAges

Rewrite Education – Cool Planet Group

Rewrite creates training programmes for all employees to understand the fundamentals of climate change and why it’s imperative to get to net zero, so that you can build responsibility and responsiveness at every level.

W: www.rewriteclimate.com

Sunny Numbers

Sunny Numbers is a data skills e-learning platform that helps university students to feel confident in their ability to learn maths and statistics. We provide a positive learning environment that offers bite-sized and easyto-understand content. We minimise anxiety around numbers by providing personalised support that is user-friendly, flexible, and cost-effective.

W: www.sunnynumbers.com/

entertAinMent/leisure/tourisM Fota Island Adventure

We are a team that has been together since our inception in 2013. In 2017, we relocated from Spike Island to the five-star Fota Island Resort, where we live among the 22 acres of woodland paradise. We excel in delivering corporate team building/bonding packages and have won multiple awards for our team building packages, including the Irish Sports Federation Business of the Year, 2018.

W: www.fotaadventure.com

eVent MAnAgeMent

BMG Audio Visual & Events

BMG Audio Visual & Events is an AV hire company also offering event management.

W: www.bmgave.com/

FinAnciAl serVices/Pensions/inVestMent

Engineers

Engenuiti Consulting Engineers provide high quality, cost-effective engineering services for projects of all shapes and sizes. Our growing, portfolio showcases our ability to apply engineering expertise and to thrive in some of the most challenging environments.

W: www.engenuiti.ie

GRID Finance

GRID Finance was founded to support the growth and expansion of small to medium businesses in Ireland. Our team is committed to providing quick access to capital, advice and tools that will help small businesses grow.

W: www.gridfinance.ie

MEMBERS

New Members Corner

We welcome the following new members

Food/drink

Rebel City Distillery

Craft Distillery based in Marina Commercial Park in Cork Docklands. We make Maharani Gin and Rebel City Absinthe and operate a visitor centre open for tours, tastings, and cocktail masterclasses to the public and corporate clients.

W: www.rebelcitydistillery.com

Westside Leisure Limited t/a BrewDog

Operating in Cork City & suburbs for over three decades and one of the market leaders in the local hospitality sector.

W: www.brewdog.com/uk/cork

hotel/guesthouse/conFerences

Garryvoe Hotel

The Garryvoe Hotel, Cork, is located directly overlooking the Ballycotton Bay. It offers luxurious bedrooms, a fine restaurant offering local seafood and a Health Club with a pool and outdoor hot tub.

W: www.garryvoehotel.com

it serVices

NetApp Ireland Limited

We embrace all things cloud. We build services that manage, connect, and automate. Our customers rely on us to make their apps faster, their data centres run better, their business reach new levels of excellence.

W: www.netapp.com

logistics

CLdN

The roots of CLdN date back to 1928. Founded as a trading company, the business quickly evolved into a shipping group, offering worldwide shipping and agency services. Today, CLdN focusses on shortsea RoRo operations, port operations and door-to-door transport. Headquartered in Luxembourg, they operate offices and ports in 12 countries in Europe and Asia. T

W: www.cldn.com

MAnuFActurers

Glatt

Glatt offer integrated process solutions for developing, processing and manufacturing powder solids primarily in the pharma industry. As a pioneer in fluidized bed technology, we are now a key partner to many companies in Ireland and the UK.

W: www.glatt.com

Hennessy Timber Group

Established 1999, Hennessy Timber Group offers a number of timber related products to both domestic and commercial customers. Hennessy Packaging, manufacture timber shipping crates and pallets for several industry sectors. W: www.hennessyoutdoors.ie

MAnuFActurers

Talos Engineered Products Ltd

At Talos, we develop and manufacture innovative equipment solutions helping our customers solve their material handling problems by working closely with our project managers and properly phasing a project’s delivery schedule, Talos targets to maintain a 98% on-time shipping average.

W: www.talosltd.eu

MedicAl serVices/suPPlies

Alexion

Alexion is focused on providing innovative treatments to patients with life-threatening rare diseases and devastating conditions for which there are few, if any, effective treatment options. Patients across Ireland are served by Alexion’s United Kingdom and Ireland affiliate.

W: www.alexion.com/worldwide/Ireland

oFFice suPPlies/eQuiPMent/Furniture

Riley

Riley is an Irish, female-founded period care company, supplying period products that don’t cost the earth. Our products are made from 100% certified organic cotton, and they contain zero bleach, toxins, or chemicals.

W: www.weareriley.com

online shoPPing/retAil, restAurAnt/bAr/ cAtering, WholesAlers

Wines Of The World Wines Of The World is an e-commerce website offering free delivery to your door of 6 bottles of wine or more- you can choose from our range of over 300 wines. Wines to suit all occasions and every budget.

W: www.winesoftheworld.ie

recruitMent/executiVe seArch

Castille (Technologies) IE Limited Castille is registered in Ireland and provides businesses with specialist, dedicated teams in Software and Accountancy, with active teams in more than 30 countries

W: www.castillians.com

restAurAnt/bAr/cAtering Hannah’s Kitchen

We are a catering company with our own range of Hannah’s Kitchen products. We cater for parties - large and smallmeetings, events etc. We also supply shops, schools, creches and offices with Hannah’s Kitchen sandwiches and ready to heat dinners.

W: www.hannahskitchen.ie

The Emporium Company

The Emporium Company is one of the largest hospitality operators in Cork, providing a wide choice of dining-out, bar and entertainment experiences. The Company focuses on delivering great service, quality, and value to our guests.

W: www.theemporiumcompany.ie

Maano Foods Limited T/A Domino’s Pizza

Maano Foods Limited are the proud franchisees of Domino’s Pizza, the world’s leading pizza delivery business. We’re passionate about delivering hot, great tasting, freshly handcrafted pizzas while also playing an active role in the local community.

W: www.dominos.ie

serVices

Halberg

We provide a strategic partnership to US Colleges wanting to place students in Ireland.

W: www.Halberg.ie

Lynda

Barry Career Consulting

A strategic career advisory firm offering individual and corporate career navigation services.

W: www.lyndabarrycareerconsulting.com

serVices contrActors

David Bradley Electrical

Domestic and Commercial Electrical Installation and Maintenance Contractor.

W: www.davidbradleyelectrical.ie

FOOTFALL Limited

Footfall Ltd. is Ireland’s leading fixed-matting and office-space carpet provider. Our nationwide service includes quotations, site surveys, client recommendations, installations and after-care maintenance service.

W: www.footfall.ie

soFt WAre/soFt WAre serVices

NS1

NS1 delivers smart network control, to optimise every digital interaction, and enable customers to confidently exceed digital demand expectations.

W: www.ns1.com

CIM

CIM powers resource-efficient and environmentally responsible buildings by providing data-driven insights to maximise operational efficiency and rapidly reduce energy consumption across building portfolios.

W: www.cim.io

solicitors/legAl serVices

Katherina White Solicitors

Katherina White Solicitors is a full legal service law firm based in the heart of Cork City. We provide a full range of legal services for commercial and private individuals.

W: www.kw-solicitors.ie

trAnsPort

Kruz E-Bikes & E-Scooters

Kruz Electric is a new E-Bikes and E-Scooter business based in Douglas, with HQ in Clonakilty. Launched on the Irish market in 2022, with the mission of creating domestic e-mobility products that are characterised by high quality and reliability. Kruz products address the need for a modern and sustainable approach to transport.

W: www.kruzofficial.com

New Members Breakfast

Our last New Members Breakfast of 2022 took place inn Fitzgerald House recently. The event gives new members the opportunity to visit the Chamber office, meet the ream and learn some of the many ways the can utilise their Chamber membership.

GE Healthcare opens new €30.5M Manufacturing Line

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath T.D. officially opened a new €30.5 million ($30 million) manufacturing line at GE Healthcare’s Carrigtohill, Co. Cork facility. The new line, which has created 140 jobs, manufactures injectable diagnostic imaging agents (contrast media) used in Xray and Computed Tomography (CT) procedures around the world. The growing global prevalence of chronic disorders has driven significant growth in CT procedures, leading to increased demand for iodinated contrast media, used to enhance visualization of organs, blood vessels and tissues across disease pathways. It is estimated that the new manufacturing line will increase production capacity at the Cork facility by over 50 percent by 2025. Eugene Barrett, GE Healthcare Ireland Site Leader, who leads the 765 strong team at the Cork facility, said, “We have a great team here in Cork focused on supplying for our customers and their patients. Next year marks our 30-year anniversary of production and this new production line is central to our continued growth.”

Cork Hotel Group wins big at Hospitality Awards

Cork’s Trigon Hotels is celebrating its success at the Irish Hospitality Institute (IHI) annual awards. The hotel group had six team members shortlisted for awards last night), taking home three wins. Megan Pardy, Julie Daly and Catherine O’Mahony were named overall winners at a black-tie event. The Irish Hospitality Institute is the professional body for the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in Ireland. The annual Hospitality Management Awards recognise individuals for their commitment and professionalism to their work and are judged by a panel of senior industry figures. There were 59 finalists across 13 award categories with Cork’s Trigon Hotels represented in six categories. Catherine O’Mahony, Food and Beverage Trainer at Cork International Hotel was named Hospitality Employee of the Year. Megan Pardy, Digital Marketing Manager, Trigon Hotels was named Sales and Marketing Manager of the Year. Julie Daly, Finance Manager, Trigon Hotels was named Finance Manager of the Year.

Kevin O’Neill, President & CEO GE Healthcare Pharmaceutical Diagnostics; Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Michael McGrath T.D; Eugene Barrett, Site Lead, GE Healthcare; Tanya O’Sullivan, QA Analyst and Michael Lohan, Head of Life Sciences IDA Ireland at the opening. Picture: Darragh Kane

From Top: Catherine O’Mahony, Megan Pardy and Julie Daly.

Conference Ambassadors Honoured

Cork Convention Bureau hosted its annual Cork Conference Ambassador Awards in Castlemartyr Resort to pay tribute to 68 ambassadors who brought over 40 business events, from symposiums to large international conferences and global summits, with an estimated 9,000 delegates to Cork in 2022, 80% of whom were international visitors. The value is estimated to be worth €14.4 million to the local economy. Events hosted in Cork in 2022 ranged in size, with some attracting large numbers. The European Dairy Farmers EDF Annual Congress and the Palaeontological Association Annual Meeting both attracted over 350 delegates each. Almost one in four of the events that Cork Convention Bureau supported were health related, which is testament to the high calibre of medical study taking place on Cork campuses, laboratories, and hospitals around the city, and Cork’s position as a centre for pharma excellence. According to Failte Ireland, Cork continues to get the greatest share of conferences in Ireland outside of Dublin, representing approximately 20% of the regional value of events. Cork Convention Bureau has confirmed that they already have €3.5 million worth of conference business in the pipeline for the next two years.

A cool move to HVO by Cool Running Events

In a cool move, Cool Running Events, the event management company behind Cork’s Alpine Skate Trail and Ice Rink, and Ice Skating Blanchardstown, is pleased to announce a move to environmentally friendly fuel, HVO, to power its rinks this festive season. HVO, or Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, is a new and superior type of biodiesel made from biological material, making it one of the cleanest, greenest fuels on the market. Switching to HVO was a decision made by Cool Running Events in line with company efforts to reduce local emissions and CO2. As a drop-in fuel it will be used to power the generators at both sites. Speaking at the announcement of the move to HVO, Orla O’Neill, Creative Director at Cool Running Events, said “Our transition to HVO will positively impact our carbon performance immediately. We estimate a 90% reduction of CO2 emissions this festive season in Cork and Dublin. While moving to HVO brings a significant cost increase over traditional fuel, we are absorbing this cost and not passing it on to our customers as we feel the business, and not the customers are responsible for the carbon performance of the event. This adoption is an important milestone in our mission to be more environmentally friendly; and we will continue to monitor new technologies and innovation to ensure we are at the forefront of clean and efficient sustainable solutions for all our facilities.”

Pictured at Cork’s Alpine Skate Trail at Fota House and Gardens, announcing their move to environmentally friendly fuel, HVO, to power Cool Running Events’ rinks are Orla O’Neill, Creative Director, Cool Running Events with Amy Rodway, Justin O’Carroll and Connor Farrell.

EY Cork host Entrepreneur of the Year Retreat

EY hosted a delegation of 15 business leaders from Germany, Liechtenstein, Austria and Switzerland as part of their EY Entrepreneur of the Year Retreat. These business leaders spent time in Ireland meeting with some of the country’s best known entrepreneurs discussing how our regions could work best together.

Roger

Celebration of start-ups at

IGNITE awards

The winners at IGNITE were Nternz, a professional social network platform for students to connect with careers and companies; RecruitRoo providing access to global talent, building solutions that reduce friction of screening, migration and onboarding; FemToFire a technology platform to help assess and locate fire risks within forests and SimpleScents Ireland’s first ever fragrance subscription service.

Stars are coming out

The Marymount Hospice Ball returned for its 14th year to kick off the Christmas season in Cork. The event gets bigger each year, and continues to maintain and attract strong sponsorship from main event sponsors - Keanes Jewellers, Musgrave and Heineken. The further generous sponsorship of auction prizes is worthy of mention. With a trip to Richard Branson’s Necker Island and a First Pitch at World Series Baseball Game as provided by the owner of World Series Champions Houston Astros causing a buzz of excitement throughout the room.

Granite acquires Continuum

Granite Digital has announced the acquisition of Continuum. As the largest digital agency in Ireland, Continuum was chosen by Granite Digital to help spearhead growth in the Irish enterprise sector. Following the acquisition, Granite expects to grow their revenues to over €10M this year. The acquirement of Continuum will also allow Granite Digital to significantly scale its business globally, adding over 100 Continuum clients from across Ireland, the UK, US, South America and Asia.

Colin Meagle, Founder of Continuum with Conor Buckley, CEO Granite Digital

Wallace Entrepreneur of the Year Programme Lead, EY Ireland, Suwin Lee, EY Private Lead, EMEA ,EY, John Higgins, Partner Lead, EY Cork, Michael McGrath Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform , Ronan Murray, Cork Chamber President, Monika Gulyas Programme Director, EY Entrepreneur of the Year, Germany and Wolfgang Glauner, Family Enterprise Markets Leader, EY Germany .

Ignite graduates Stephen MacCarthy, Niall Brennan, Louis Walsh and Paddy O’Toole at UCC. Picture: Joleen Cronin

Logitech open new office in Mahon

Logitech International and JCD Group hosted a ceremony to mark the opening of a new sustainable office building at City Gate Plaza in Mahon, Cork. This new office in Cork highlights Logitech’s leadership in reshaping the new logic of hybrid work and sets Logitech as a benchmark for sustainability. The space’s human-centred design emphasises the company’s sustainability-focused business approach. Creating an inspiring workplace in Cork through sustainability, including waste reduction, healthy work environment, and innovation, is a reflection of Logitech’s purpose and mission. Bracken Darrell, Logitech’s president and chief executive officer, who said. “Cork has long been a key site for Logitech, home to a diverse range of talents in design, engineering, product development, supply chain, sustainability, and business support functions. Our new Cork offices have been designed with a hybrid-first mindset, redefining how a workplace supports its teams with a variety of collaboration spaces that foster inclusivity and innovation. They are also sustainable and flexible, helping our teams be creative and productive, so in turn they can contribute more to the communities in which they live. Since its establishment, our Cork office has prioritised sustainability across all practices, while ensuring it is a place of inspiration, collaboration, and well-being for all. We’re very grateful to IDA Ireland for their consistent support over the years.

Ballymaloe Foods and Mama Bear Foods join forces

Ballymaloe Foods has successfully completed its first business acquisition, by acquiring Mama Bear Foods. The deal was finalised by sisters, Maxine and Rosaleen Hyde of Ballymaloe Foods, and Loretta Kennedy, the founder of Mama Bear Foods. Mama Bear Foods produces a range of healthy ketchups and pasta sauces for the family while Ballymaloe Foods is famous for its relish and award-winning condiments. The three mums will work together to grow the Mama Bear Foods business and expand the range of healthy and family-friendly products. Maxine Hyde, co-director of Ballymaloe Foods said: “‘As mums with young families we are concerned about the lack of Irish made, healthy snack and food options for young children. We love Loretta’s concept and existing products and decided we would like to be a part of the next chapter of Mama Bear foods. We really look forward to working with Loretta.” Mama Bear Foods is already available in many Irish supermarkets including SuperValu, Dunnes Stores and Aldi. The brand will remain the same while Ballymaloe Foods will help to promote the Mama Bear Foods business and grow the brand nationally.

11 year old Molly Daly from Cork with Dónal Travers, Global Head of Tech IDA Ireland, Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Dara Calleary TD, Bracken Darrell, President & CEO Logitech and Anne Carrigy, CIO Logitech at the official opening of the Logitech new state of the art facility in City Gate 2 Mahon, Cork. Photo Darragh Kane

Rose Callaghan and Maxine Hyde of Ballymaloe Foods with Loretta Kennedy, Mama Bear Foods. Picture: Clare Keogh

Recent Appointments

PE Global is pleased to announce the appointment of David Van Der Vegt to its Board of Directors at the award winning international recruitment agency based in Cork, Ireland. A seasoned recruitment professional, David joined the team in PE Global in 2006. Now Head of PE Global’s healthcare division, David supports major international hospitals by providing specialist advice on a range of areas including the recruitment of medical personnel, ethics, visa requirements and qualifications across the different markets in which PE Global operates. He is also responsible for PE Global’s UK office and its expansion across the UK and EMEA regions, managing day-to-day operations and strategic planning for the company’s growth.

Granite Digital announces that it has appointed Ivan Adriel de Silva as its Growth & Strategy Director. In this role, Ivan will be central to Granite’s business development and growth, including the launch of new and innovative services.

Ivan has fifteen years of experience building and leading teams towards creative opportunities to achieve business growth. In this new role, he will be responsible for providing creative strategy support across all group clients, leading the design of new product ideas, and advancing customer acquisition efforts. Ivan will also support, mentor and guide Granite’s growing team, ensuring colleagues receive continued personal and professional development.

The CorkBIC Board is delighted to announce the appointment of Larry O’Donoghue as CEO. Larry will assume this exciting role on January 1st, 2023, succeeding Michael O’Connor who has led CorkBIC for over 25 years. Larry joined CorkBIC in 2017 as Senior Consultant and was appointed Chief Operating Officer in 2021. Prior to CorkBIC, Larry worked for over eighteen years in technology, management consultancy, utilities, construction, and sales training, in Boston, Dublin, London and Singapore. On returning to Ireland, Larry founded and scaled two companies over a ten year period. “I am delighted to take on the role of CEO with CorkBIC. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the wider entrepreneurial and investment community both locally and internationally.”

Larry O’Donoghue CorkBIC

David Van Der Vegt PE Global

Ivan Adriel de Silva Granite Digital

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New Year, New You

5 Tips and Trends for Training & Development in 2023

Commit Yourself to Lifelong Learning

Gone are the days when you earn your degree, start your career, and that was the end of your education. With new technologies, techniques, and team dynamics, continuous learning is a must in every organisation, and every role.

Micro Learning is the Way of the Future

It’s very difficult to get extended periods of time off to dedicate to training and upskilling. Although there’s a place for extended training, especially when it comes to certified training, micro learnings are essential. 90-minute webinars, 1 day training sessions, and multi-day training over a couple of weeks helps you to retain the information while you’re learning, while also not taking over your working day.

Soft Skills Training is Essential

“Old School” management, with its authoritarian style and poor communication skills is a thing of the past. With diverse teams filled with people from different backgrounds, age ranges, and genders, it’s important to learn how to effectively communicate with your entire team to thrive in a fast paced world. Adaptability is key and is only achievable through training and learning.

Career Growth & Career Development Dominates

Employees are becoming more attune with what companies across the globe are offering and remote working opportunities are emerging that were never a possibility before. This makes growth and development critical to employee satisfaction and ultimately retention. If an employee feels like they are valued, and that they have opportunities available to them they’re more likely to stay.

Company Culture is Key

According to LinkedIn’s 2022 Workplace Learning Report, the top 5 drivers of great work culture are:

• Opportunities to learn and grow

• Belonging

• Organisational Values

• Support for well-being

• Collaboration

Employees are no longer beholden to a company for their entire career. With manoeuvrability comes challenges and retention is a huge issue for many companies. When seeking employment, employees will make their initial decision on salary, but a huge factor that is growing exponentially is the company’s culture. Having welldefined Mission Statements and Values & Ethics is key for culturally conscious employees. This leads to employees feeling more closely aligned with their company and increases employee retention.

Cork Chamber Skillnet is co-funded by Skillnet Ireland and network companies. Skillnet Ireland is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.