Executive Assessment: Some have survived, others have thrived

EXECUTIVE ASSESSMENT: SOME HAVE SURVIVED – SOME OTHERS HAVE THRIVED!

This has been an exceptionally challenging year for everyone, at both personal levels and in business. Reviewing what has happened for Fingal Chamber members it is clear that some have struggled, some have survived and some small few have thrived. But what I have seen is the Chamber doing an important part of its job, keeping members in touch with each other and enabling them to support each other. As a member of the Chamber, no-one has to feel alone.

During this difficult year it has proved almost impossible for us to create opportunities for members to network person-to-person, to share their experience and strength with each on a oneto-one basis, to feel connected and supported. But over the past 18 months we have used digital technology as much as we can to provide alternative virtual network events which help members feel that sense of connection and to access information of real use to them in these difficult circumstances.

We have continued to act as a mediator, too, taking on board the vast amount of data coming from government, at national and local levels, as well as from a variety of other sources, and then sifting it for information of true value. In this way we have tried to save you time and let you keep focussed on your business while we alert you to opportunities or changes in your business environment.

Thankfully, in November we were able to recommence our in-person events with a meeting at the Holiday Inn at Dublin Airport at which the guest speaker, One4all Gift Cards founder Michael Dawson, spoke about the unique world facing “Irish Institute of Music and Song” campus he is developing in Balbriggan, North County Dublin. Subsequently, of course, a resurgence of the virus forced us to cancel our Christmas Business Lunch. But November’s breakfast event was a welcome reminder of what we hopefully have to look forward to in coming months.

Worldwide economies are coming back, even in the face of another new variant of the virus, The pressure on employment in Ireland in general, and in Fingal in particular, does indicate a consistent underlying strengthening in demand. In the face of the challenge presented in recruitment, Fingal Chamber Skillnet has a vital role to play in supporting our members’ efforts in talent development and staff retention.

I want to thank all of my Chamber colleagues for all of their hard work over the course of the last year.

I want to express my thanks to our President, Andrea Molloy, who has served us particularly well in such a trying year. I have found her support and her insights invaluable over the past 12 months and she has consistently gone over and above the call of duty. She achieved so much in her presidency, despite the extreme difficulties presented by the pandemic. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to John O’Donoghue, General Manager at Malahide Castle & Gardens, Newbridge House & Farm and the Casino Model Railway. John has over 20 years’ experience operating at leadership level with P&L responsibility in a range of sectors, from visitor attractions, facilities and event management to the motor industry, retail and logistics. I know his breadth of knowledge will be of immense value to us as the Chamber pivots towards the digital age.

As an organisation whose sole focus is the support of businesses within Fingal we have a responsibility to be in the vanguard of innovation. We should not underestimate the ways in which new technologies will enable us to provide in the future better services, more efficiently. The economic and technological ecosystems within which our members live are changing rapidly and we, as a support organisation, need to keep up in order to remain relevant and to provide informed leadership. I anticipate progress in this area over the next 12 months.

I would add that, while remaining positive about the long-term outlook, in the Chamber we also recognise just how difficult things continue to be for many of our members. The continuing uncertainty is of no help to anyone. So we will continue to actively lobby on our members’ behalf, fighting to ensure that all the essential government supports, again at national and local levels, are maintained and, where necessary, extended. We are going to get through this together.

Anthony Cooney

Chief Executive