Facilitating Engagement

Earlier this month, I had the great honour of being appointed as the new president of NI Chamber.

I am delighted to follow in Gillian McAuley’s footsteps and feel extremely honoured to take on the role, which has been held by her and some of the region’s most successful businesspeople over many decades.

While I’m certainly looking forward to the year ahead, I am aware too that I’m taking on an important position at a difficult time for business and the economy. Almost every day now, something new highlights the urgent need for a functioning Executive to be restored.

It’s clearer than ever that we need all our political leaders to strain every sinew to get the institutions up and running. In doing so, we urge them to engage with businesspeople at every appropriate juncture of negotiations. At NI Chamber, we’ll do everything possible to facilitate that process of engagement.

That’s critical because any negotiations about a return to power sharing will inevitably include a focus on the tough decisions an incoming Executive needs to face. The impact of those decisions will be felt by stakeholders including businesses, so involving them in the process is key.

I remain hopeful that we are moving towards an inflexion point, which will see power sharing restored. And when we reach that point, which we must, I also believe that an incoming Executive can make difficult decisions. That includes decisions on revenue raising and on unpopular, but strategically important choices for longer-term transformation in areas like health and education.

I do not want my year as NI Chamber president to coincide with another period of political stalemate in Northern Ireland. I am committed to using this role as a platform for progress and during my tenure, will do everything that I can to facilitate the engagement we’re calling for and ensure that in all the decisions which lie ahead, the business view is accounted for.

Cathal Geoghegan, President, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Belfast Harbour reports Robust Financial Results

Belfast Harbour reported turnover of £77.2m for 2022, up 5% on its figures for 2021, and underlying pre-tax profits of £34.3m, up 1% on the previous year.

As a Trust Port, Belfast Harbour strategically reinvests its profits to develop and maintain the port and wider harbour estate, including investing in major infrastructure projects. The figures reported have supported the continued delivery of an ambitious five-year, £254m investment programme, which has enabled Belfast Harbour to add significant economic and social value to the region.

Continuing Belfast Harbour’s long history of delivering transformative projects, 2022 saw £23.4m invested in port facilities and infrastructure projects.

Ulster Rugby announces Cathedral Eye Clinic as Official Partner

Bringing together two organisations known for their commitment to excellence, Cathedral Eye Clinic is now an official partner of Ulster Rugby.

The club’s newest partner will have a presence at home games at Kingspan Stadium at both United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup games from the 2023/24 season onwards.

Ulster Rugby CEO, Jonny Petrie, said: “Cathedral Eye Clinic is a welcome addition to our partners, and I look forward to our Season Ticket holders benefitting from a range of discounts from one of the leading eye healthcare providers in the province.

“The partnership will offer visibility for Cathedral Eye Clinic through both an instadium and digital presence at our games, together with the opportunity to communicate directly with our supporter base.”

Speaking about the new partnership, Joyce Shaw, clinical services director at Cathedral Eye Clinic, added: “We are thrilled to be coming on board with Ulster Rugby as an official partner. This collaboration represents a fantastic opportunity for both Cathedral Eye Clinic and Ulster Rugby to work together and make a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of players, staff and supporters.”

Steven Bartlett Joins Lineup for Belfast Summit

Later this year, Belfast will host the first-ever ScaleX™ Summit, a transformative one-day conference that will unite over 500 business leaders and entrepreneurs from across the UK and Ireland for a ground-breaking gathering.

Steven Bartlett, entrepreneur and host of top podcast ‘The Diary of a CEO,’ will join renowned entrepreneur Kingsley Aikins, a master of networking, and Niall O’Murchu, a wellness authority at the event on 15 November in ICC Belfast.

Queen’s University Belfast in Top 14% of Universities in the World

Queen’s University Belfast has climbed 31 places to be named one of the top universities in the world in the QS World University Rankings. In the 2024 rankings, published by the global higher education analyst QS Quacquarelli Symonds, Queen’s is placed 202nd in the world. This is the highest percentile ranking that Queen’s has ever achieved.