InBUSINESS: Editors Choice Awards 2013

inbusiness editors’ choice awards

2013 17th december 2013 Hibernian Club, Stephen’s Green

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Contents 03 List of Winners 05

Mushrooming Exports: Monaghan Mushrooms

07 Simplicity in Accounting Online: Big Red Cloud 09

Living at Home, Instead: Home Instead

11 Keeping Customers in the Loop: The Loop 13

From Our Land to Yours: Molson Coors

15

Friends For Life: Friends First

16 Credit Where it’s Due: Credit Review Office 19

Flying in Style with Emirates: Emirates

21 Crystal Palace: House of Waterford Crystal 23

Health Insurance Innovation: GloHealth

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Making a Difference: Boehringer Ingelheim

27 Express Performance: DHL Express 29 Delivering Customer Value: AIB 31

Top of its Class: Audi

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Recognising the Needs of Business: An Post

35 Accounting for the Future: KPMG 37 It’s What’s Inside that Counts: Intel 39

Investing in Life: Zurich

41 Educating the Nation: Dublin Business School

Foreword Welcome to the second InBusiness Editor’s Choice Awards in association with Chambers Ireland.

As Ireland’s premier business quarterly publication, InBusiness reports comprehensively on the world of Irish business. It has been our duty over the years to provide our readers with real-life stories from companies and entrepreneurs that matter. We cover the lows, but it has also been a pleasure to report on the highs – those firms which have thrived in adversity or shown inspirational leadership and innovation when it has been most needed. With this in mind, we are today delighted to recognise the people and companies who have displayed such qualities.

These awards recognise and honour exceptional business achievement and innovation in the Irish business community and have been selected on the broad criteria of growth, profile of business, range of services and customer care. With the awards made up of 22 categories, today provides us with a unique opportunity to gather together representatives from a wide variety of business sectors; some familiar faces along with some new ones. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the companies represented here today.

I would also like to thank Chambers Ireland for their input into the magazine and their continuing commitment to supporting Irish business.

I wish you an enjoyable afternoon.

Joseph 0’Connor Joseph O’Connor Business Editor, Ashville Media Group

43 A Vision Shared : Christoph Mueller, Aer Lingus 45 Top of Her Game: Louise Phelan, PayPal 47 A Network for a Nation: eircom

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List of Winners Exporter of the Year Monaghan Mushrooms

Best in International Logistics DHL Express

Best Accountancy Software Big Red Book (Big Red Cloud)

Best Financial App AIB (My Money Manager)

Best Senior Healthcare Specialist Home Instead Senior Care

Executive Car of the Year Audi A6

Best in Retail Excellence The Loop

Best Brand An Post

Best International Marketing Initiative Molson Coors (Molson Canadian)

Accountancy Firm of the Year KPMG

Best Life Assurance Company Friends First

Manufacturer of the Year Intel

Best Service to SMEs Credit Review Office

Best in Financial Services Zurich

Business Airline of the Year Emirates

Best Business School Dublin Business School

Best Tourist Attraction House of Waterford Crystal

Businessman of the Year Christoph Mueller, Aer Lingus

Best Private Health Insurer GloHealth

Businesswoman of the Year Louise Phelan, PayPal

Best in Pharma Boehringer Ingelheim

Company of the Year eircom

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We are delighted to have won the Exporter of the Year award at the InBusiness Editors Choice Awards.

We supply our products to 31 countries, making Monaghan Mushrooms a global company. Employing around 4,000 staff we are dedicated to bringing our customers the best quality and freshest mushrooms.

To keep up to date with everything happening at Monaghan Mushrooms visit: www.monaghan-mushrooms.com or follow us on Twitter @ Mon_Mushrooms

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exPorter of tHe yeAr | Monaghan MushRooMs

Mushrooming exports inBusiness Exporter of the year, Monaghan Mushrooms has maintained a long tradition of excellence in the field of agri-foods, and has expanded their reach throughout 2013.

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hile in recent years, the scope and potential of the Irish agri-food export industry has become ever clearer, one company has been continually excelling in the field for the past three decades. One of the world’s largest mushroom suppliers, Monaghan Mushroom Group has its headquarters in Tyholland, county Monaghan, and has risen from humble beginnings to its current position, which sees it employing around 4,000 people across Ireland, the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

“We’re delighted to win the exporter of the Year award,” says Stephen allen, Head of Marketing at Monaghan Mushrooms Group. “We were up against a lot of other Irish companies who are very excellent exporters and to be awarded this prestigious award is very heartening.

It really points toward the hard work that everybody at Monaghan Mushrooms has undertaken over the last 12 months.”

The organisation must surely feel a sense of achievement. In april, they completed the purchase of a Dutch and German mushroom company, transforming Monaghan Mushrooms from the leading company in the UK and Ireland to not just a leading company in europe, but a global leader. “I think that the success of Monaghan Mushrooms is the fact that we have dedication and passion towards serving the needs of

“I think that the success of Monaghan Mushrooms is the fact that we have dedication and passion towards serving the needs of our customer.”

Monaghan Mushrooms facilities

our customer,” allen says. “That focus on the needs of our customers is what has enabled Monaghan Mushrooms to become successful in export markets, and to remain successful in export markets. In addition, we have 4,000 people in six countries now, and those people are undoubtedly the keystone for further success.”

Though continued growth and expansion are undoubtedly a large part of the organisation’s ambition, these factors aren’t the only concern.

Sustainability, and ensuring the company conducts its business in a sustainable manner, is an important facet of Monaghan Mushrooms today.

“Sustainability is not only important for business reasons, but also because it’s the right thing to do,” allen explains.

Over the course of the past few years, the group has invested in facilities using ground water rather than mains water, for example. “What we want to do is use the scale of Monaghan Mushrooms to be a force for good,” allen continues. “If we

can contribute in a small way to making the environment, the neighbourhood, the areas in which we operate better, then that’s a good thing.” as we move into 2014, Monaghan Mushrooms is continually seeking ways in which they can grow the business, through gaining even more in-depth understanding of their customer base, all the while ensuring a positive future through sustainable practices. already the most international player in their sector, the company has earmarked the development of their position in those countries which they have recently entered, though meeting the needs of Irish customers also remains high on the agenda. “Throughout Monaghan Mushroom’s existence, we would always strive to do the right thing – for our employees, for our communities and for our customers. That drive and determination to do the right thing is part of our DNa, and will continue to be part of our DNa going forward,” allen concludes.

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IN BUSINESS 2013

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Best Accountancy Software for smes | Big Red Cloud

Simplicity in Accounting - Online Cloud Accounting Software provider Big Red Cloud has continued to offer a stellar service to SMEs throughout 2013.

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ig Red Cloud aims to provide customers with the best online accounting software solution possible.

By taking all the great time and money saving features of their Big Red Book software and combining them with the benefits of cloud-based technology they can offer a great accounting system that is ideal for large and small businesses as well as accountants and sole traders.

Many businesses still rely on outdated spreadsheets and convoluted systems for Marc O’Dwyer, CEO Big Red Book keeping track of company accounts. Some sole traders even stick to as efficient as they would like it to be. using pen and paper systems. Naturally Scrambling around at the last minute it would make sense for any business trying to find a particular invoice or in this situation to move to a more payment only gets more frustrating as streamlined software based system. the years pass by and nothing changes.

Of course it is not as simple as that.

Big Red Cloud offers a highly Anyone who is used to using the same efficient way to keep track of accounts. system they have been using for years, Using specially designed, streamlined accounting software potentially results even if it isn’t perfect, will want a good in enormous time savings. The software reason to move to something else. They records every relevant document as a will also want to know that the system business goes through its normal course they are changing to is the best system of activities. Then at the end of the for them. year, when it comes time to calculate Let’s take a look at just a few of the accounts, all of the information is the reasons why Big Red Cloud offers in one place. one of the best online accounting As well as automatically calculating software solutions and was awarded accounts, Big Red Cloud’s online the InBusiness Editor’s Choice Best accounting software can carry out a Accounting Software provider to SMEs number of time saving tasks that for 2013. make running a business more efficient.

These include useful tasks such as Greater Efficiencies automatically emailing invoices and More than likely, if a company or statements. VAT is also automatically sole trader is looking to change their calculated. accounting system it is because it is not

Keeping Track in the Cloud With accounting software based in the cloud, a business receives a whole range of additional benefits.

One of the useful benefits of cloud based accounting software is the ability to share access to the same set of accounts. Big Red Cloud makes this even easier by offering unlimited users access to the same account.

This allows several different parties to keep track of changes as they are made from many different locations. This is especially useful for accountants.

They can quickly and easily review clients’ accounts without having to leave the office.

Making Savings Cloud-based accounting software is ultimately far more cost effective than other means of keeping track of a business’s accounts. The best online accounting software is provided for a monthly fee rather than in one lump sum. This saves companies from having to make large initial outlays which can be particularly difficult for smaller companies.

Online accounting software also offers savings in terms of maintenance costs compared to traditional accounting software. With the software running on the service providers’ servers rather than local computers the burden of paying for IT and hardware maintenance is shifted to the service provider. Regardless of what your business offers, Big Red Cloud gives you control of your business, letting you do what you’re good at.

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Happier at Home with...

Trusted Home Care, locally www.homeinstead.ie | Tel: 1890 930 013 inbus awards brochure.indd 8

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Best Senior Healthcare Provider | Home Instead senior care

Living at Home, Instead Home Instead Senior Care continually strives to deliver quality healthcare for their clients. We spoke with Ed Murphy, CEO of Home Instead Senior Care (HISC).

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number of achievements throughout the year have ensured 12 months to look back on with great pride for Home Instead Senior Care, an organisation which assists in allowing older people to remain independent in their own homes for as long as possible. In 2013 alone, HISC opened three new offices in Cork, Meath and Kilkenny, achieved ISO 9000, Q mark and Healthmark awards across their 20 offices, drove increased revenue growth, particularly amongst private clients, funded a major research project in conjunction with Trinity College and provided free Dementia education workshops to over 1,000 family carers throughout the country, and plenty more besides.

“We’re absolutely delighted and grateful to be recognised,” says Ed Murphy, Home Instead Senior Care’s CEO. “We very much appreciate the amazing and selfless work done every day by our 2,500 care-givers. It gives us the encouragement and motivation to reach our goal of being among the most admired Irish companies by actively changing the face of ageing.”

As Murphy explains, core values of care, dignity and respect, continually encouraging and empowering growth and maintaining an intense focus in building a quality, valuable service to their clients combine in making HISC an award-winning organisation. “Our mission is enhancing the lives of older people, enabling them to live happy, healthy and independent lives in their home for longer than otherwise possible.

Our focus is on being a thought leader for solutions for successful ageing, an organisation leader in having the systems, processes and people to effectively and efficiently deliver the highest quality service, and being an employer of choice,” he says.

And there’s no doubting that the service which HISC provides makes the

“Home Instead Senior Care are focussed on being an advocate for older people and providing solutions to issues around ageing, making Ireland the best country in the world to grow old.” world of a difference in the lives of many older people across Ireland. Anywhere from two hours per day to round the clock care can be provided, ensuring that these older people can maintain their independence and dignity. “Over 90 per cent of older people want to remain at home until death, yet less than 60 per cent of people enjoy that privilege,” Murphy acknowledges.” Home Instead Senior Care are focussed on helping almost 90 per cent of our clients stay at home until the end. It makes a huge difference to our clients and their families.”

Building on the success of 2013, Murphy is positive about the 12 months to come. “The future looks very bright

for Home Instead Senior Care, as more and more older people and families become aware of the benefits of being a client, knowing they can get 41 per cent tax relief off the cost of our professional service.” And with further development of home care re-ablement services, more new offices and new technologies, one thing is for sure – the quality of service at HISC can only increase. “Home Instead Senior Care are focussed on being an advocate for older people and providing solutions to issues around ageing, making Ireland the best country in the world to grow old,” Murphy concludes.

To find out more about services from Home Instead Senior Care call 1890 930 013 or log on to Homeinstead.ie.

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Take the spirit of Ireland with you.

Explore the Irish Whiskey Collection at The Loop in Dublin and Cork Airport where you will find a superb range, signature names and unique collectable items. Sample some of the finest and rarest Irish whiskeys and discover the true taste of Ireland.

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Best in Retail Excellence | the loop

Keeping Customers in The Loop Dublin airport’s The Loop has enjoyed an extremely positive 2013, replete with customer satisfaction and international acclaim.

The Loop, Dublin Airport

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t’s been a year of excitement, innovation and expansion for The Loop at Dublin airport. From the inaugural Irish Food Festival fronted

by Michelin star chef Derry Clarke to becoming the first retailer in the country to house the globally-recognised Victoria’s Secret brand, each month has seen a different event or occasion, coupled with a steady rise in consumer activity.

The Loop, as with all other Irish retailers, has experienced significantly challenging conditions in Ireland over the past five years. However, through a combination of support from their partners, and the hard work from The Loop’s employees, the retailer managed to buck the trend in 2013, and increase spend per customer. “The philosophy is quite simple; to provide convenient, stress-free shopping that offers great choice and value for all passengers passing through the airport,” explains Paul Neeson, Director of Retail Aer Rianta International (ARI) Ireland.

“Value underpins everything we do and year-round, we offer great savings of at least 20 per cent on fragrances and 15 per cent on skincare, versus downtown

prices. Free WiFi, an excellent selection of food and beverage outlets and stores such as The Irish Whiskey Collection mean that The Loop is a unique retail proposition that stands out from its competitors by doing things differently.”

Customers are also attracted by timesaving options such as the Click & Collect service, allowing passengers to shop online from home, up to 24 hours in advance of travel within the EU. Another innovative and popular service devised by management is Shop & Collect; travellers can leave their purchases at the airport and collect them on the way home, allowing them to travel lighter.

Given the hard work staff at The Loop have displayed throughout the year, Neeson is pleased with the recognition.

“It’s a wonderful achievement for the entire team at The Loop to have been awarded Best in Retail Excellence, and to be recognised as an industry leader in the retail sector in Ireland,” he says.

“Everyone on the team is committed to delivering an outstanding service and whilst what we do each day is for our customer and not for awards, we are thrilled.” And the Editor’s Choice

Award isn’t by any means the first recognition of the team at The Loop; the Joy of Giving Christmas campaign was met with international acclaim at the Frontier Awards in Cannes and a Business Excellence award from Fingal Chamber of Commerce.

Though the retail sector continues to be a challenging environment, Neeson remains confident about 2014’s prospects. “We are very optimistic about the future and are confident that we will experience continued growth into 2014 and beyond. Our major objective for 2014 is to transform The Loop in Terminal 1 Dublin airport through a major renovation and as a result, to create a truly outstanding shopping experience. We also plan to grow our business through theloop.ie with over 5,000 premium products currently available for purchase. I think it’s really important that we take an opportunity to thank our customers for believing in The Loop and for supporting us,” Neeson adds. “We are very proud of how The Loop has developed as a brand and as a retail offering and we know we have something different to offer our customers, which makes us special.”

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from our land to yours.

Enjoy Molson Canadian Sensibly. Visit

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Best in International Marketing | Molson Coors

From Our Land to Yours Unless you stayed indoors staring at the wallpaper all year, you’ll be well aware that 2013 marked the arrival in Ireland of one of North American’s most iconic beer brands, Molson Canadian.

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he launch of ‘Canadian’, as it’s more commonly known, represents a new dawn in the Irish premium lager market, and has answered the growing consumer demand for something new, exciting and great tasting. It also marked the first time the lager has been officially launched outside North America, and represented the biggest lager launch in Ireland in over a decade!

Backed by a blockbuster, multi-million euro promotional campaign rolled out by parent company Molson Coors, Ireland’s fastest growing brewer, Canadian has adorned movie screens and billboards across Ireland driving instant awareness and demand, accelerating market share growth and increasing sales and revenues for its trade partners. With its attractive and unmistakable brand livery, Canadian has become instantly recognisable through its iconic red maple leaf branding adorning the bottles, cans, glassware and countermounts of Irish pubs and off-licenses around the country. The spirit of the brand is tied to the great outdoors, adventure and ‘hanging out’ with friends, which really sets it apart from other lagers. So far Irish lager lovers have embraced Canadian’s clean and refreshing taste and welcomed the North American brand as one of their own.

Canadian has featured at movie

premieres for Iron Man 3 and Fast & Furious 6, and took centre stage as the exclusive lager offering at Indiependence Festival in Cork where thousands of

“With Canadian now established as a major player in both the On and the Off trade and with the backing of a multi-million euro marketing budget, 2014 is set to be another record breaking year for Ireland’s most exciting beer brand.”

fans enjoyed the refreshing taste of Canadian while watching music acts such as Kodaline, De La Soul and Bastille. Bespoke and engaging digital campaigns connected fans of Canadian giving them access to free music tracks, adventure experiences and one-of-akind merchandise.

With Canadian now established as a major player in both the on and the off trade, and with the backing of a multimillion euro marketing budget, 2014 looks set to be another record breaking year for Ireland’s most exciting beer brand.

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Best Life Assurance Company | Friends First

Friends For Life InBusiness speaks to JP Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer at Friends First.

What makes Friends First a best-performing Life Assurance Financial Broker Company in Ireland today?

Friends First promotes our products and services through independent financial advisors and brokers. Brokers are our only form of distribution and so we work closely together with them in partnership to meet the product and financial planning needs of our shared end-customers. We provide support to our brokers across a range of areas including marketing, product and technical support. This support also includes assistance in developing and improving the quality of brokers’ financial advice and the products and services they can offer to their clients.

We are now supporting our brokers through an innovative six month educational programme for 80 brokers called the Foresight Programme.

This programme is half way through completion and has been very been well received by attending brokers. The Foresight Programme is a practical management and development programme designed specifically for brokers to provide them with the capability to complete a full or partial transformation of their business to professional client-focused advisory firms where the brokers’ offering is focused more on added value advice than product selling.

Would you remain positive about the Irish market, and Ireland’s economic recovery as a whole?

While still challenging, the economic outlook for Ireland is more positive than we have seen since 2008. The key factors which impact on the economy are getting better, and provided policy makers continue to provide stimulus for as long as required, a gradual improvement in global economic activity is likely. The frailty of the Euro Zone banking system is the key risk factor.

For consumers, the labour market is improving - personal disposable incomes are growing again, the collapse in house prices have bottomed out and confidence has hit the highest level in six years. The payment of the fullyear property tax will be a negative in the early part of 2014, but overall the positives should outweigh the negatives and deliver growth in consumer spending in 2014.

Looking towards 2014, are there any plans for development or expansion which you can share with us?

to the changing financial market. We will also be offering easier to understand products with transparent charging structures so clients can be confident in their selection when advised to take out a product with us. Our communications will also be evolving in light of the digital revolution that is happening, with a greater focus on online communication.

Your response to being named Best Life Assurance Company?

Friends First are delighted to win this award, which is testament to the changes we are embracing in our industry. As a broker only life company, Friends First’s and our international parent Achmea’s commitment to the Irish market remains strong and we believe the changes we are making in our business will improve our proposition to both our brokers and customers so that we can contribute to the rebuilding of trust in the life assurance industry and in Friends First.

We will continue to improve our products and services for our customers to ensure they meet their important long term financial requirements. Improving ongoing communication with our customers is also a key long term priority for us and we will innovate in this area including greater use of online channels.

With the reduction in deposit interest returns close to nil, and improvement in investment market performance, we are seeing a return in appetite from clients to invest in funds with some element of risk and a higher potential return. As a result we are continuing to expand our range of investment funds and choices, which include ready-made diversified investment portfolios for clients with a variety of risk profiles.

2014 will show us offering greater flexibility across our product range as we JP Hughes, Chief Commercial Officer, Friends First. adapt our products

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Best Services to SMEs | Credit Review Office

Credit Where It’s Due Since its inception in April 2010, the Credit Review Office has been the voice of many SMEs seeking credit. InBusiness talks to Head of the Credit Review Office, John Trethowan, about the work of the Office and the gradual growth of its workforce, budget and case load.

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orn in Belfast, John Trethowan has had a lengthy and rather illustrious career in the banking sector. He spent the majority of his employment in Northern Bank, and was elected president to the Institute of Bankers in 2006. Having planned on retiring after his year-long presidential spell, his services were once again required when he was head-hunted to oversee the Credit Review Office a week before the Budget in 2009.

The Credit Review Office was established in April 2010 to ensure the flow of credit to SMEs from the bailed out banks. There was no loan appeals process prior to this. The Office operates like an ombudsman, overseeing credit refusals by the banks and ensuring an independent appeals process. For each case, a meticulous analysis or audit is required to correctly determine whether or not a business warrants a loan. The Office seeks to deviate away from the often binary loan review processes that SMEs often encounter, by working closely with AIB and Bank of Ireland.

past. Our job is trying to find a solution to where a bank says a company doesn’t tick all of their boxes, but we can still see some potential viability in the business,” explains Trethowan.

A key indicator of success for Trethowan is the positive impact the Office can have on the economy through the amount of jobs they can help secure or save. “I think that the whole three years have been a success,” remarks Trethowan. “We’ve tallied up

approximately 1,600 jobs that have been created or preserved through our Office – that is the primary marker that I would use. We are massively concerned with the levels of support we can offer the Irish economy, and employment within Ireland. Based on these factors, we would deem our operation a success.”

Gaining Momentum The team of reviewers that Trethowan employs has more than doubled since

Performing with Confidence Before the crisis, banks were lending against property with people fronting the deeds to their homes or business to provide security for the bank. In the current climate, banks have reverted back to prudential cash flow lending, which requires a greater deal of expertly executed investigation and a more thorough hands-on approach. Banks are up-skilling their workforce to be able to cope with the more complex cases to gain a further understanding of how to lend against cash flow, and this is where Trethowan and his team come in. “We’re all very experienced bankers who were experienced in cash flow lending in the

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John Trethowan, Head of the Credit Review Office.

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the start of its operations, and with the need for SME growth in Ireland at the moment - it is a welcome expansion.

“We’ve recruited more reviewers from the half a dozen we started off with. We knew we were going to have to increase our capacity. In total at the moment, including myself, we have a strong team of 14 reviewers: two farming experts, one corporate expert, and the rest are experienced bankers. We also have a good regional presence now with reviewers ranging from Donegal to Kerry, which means we can get out to business meetings to tell people what the Credit Review Office is about and how they can access credit. An important part of our business which can often be neglected is to listen to what the business has to say,” explains Trethowan.

The Office was initially empowered to assist in lending to the amount of up to €500,000, but with SMEs all over the country seeking further refinancing well in excess of that limit, the figure was increased to €3 million in the recent Budget. This ensures the Office will not be precluded from helping certain SMEs previously outside of their financial limits. Having initially been set up as a short-term remedy for the failure of the market when the crisis was at its worst, this enhancement of the Office’s resources and reach demonstrates the recognition of their accomplishments.

“We have evolved now because the number of banks active in SME lending has reduced to three (AIB, BOI, Ulster Bank). There is not enough competition any more, and three banks isn’t enough for a market which is functioning properly. So we will be needed for the foreseeable future, and the fact that we’ve increased the number of reviewers in our team, and we got the loan limit up to €3 million, indicates that the Government values us,” says Trethowan.

Keeping Acquainted Awareness is fundamental to the progression of the Office in the tightly monitored market. A recent industry survey shows that 67 per cent of SMEs are aware of its services, and because the

“There is not enough competition any more, and three banks isn’t enough for a market which is functioning properly. So we will be needed for the foreseeable future, and the fact that we’ve increased the number of reviewers in our team, and we got the loan limit up to r3 million, indicates that the Government values us.”

Office operates in a finite market, in that it caters only for SMEs which have been previously refused credit, it’s crucial to get that percentage as high as possible.

“To gain publicity, our reviewers are dealing with SMEs at seminars spreading word of mouth about the Office. But unfortunately what we’re seeing is a reluctance with some businesses to approach us because they think they might damage their reputation with the bank. That would be another central thing to get across to SMEs – if you feel like you’ve been detrimentally treated by your bank, we will certainly intervene.

In fact we will take it to the Minister if needs be on behalf of a borrower to ensure that doesn’t happen,” says Trethowan.

Shift in Climate

in the last year has been a move away from survival funding to more working capital; to actually grow the business again,” explains Trethowan. “There is also the need to refinance away from the banks which are leaving Ireland. Danske have recently pulled the shutters up on everything except high end corporate banking. Since the crisis began which lost Bank of Scotland Ireland, we’ve seen Anglo basically withdraw, and we had ACC announcing recently that they were withdrawing from the market. So we’re seeing quite a few businesses that were with those banks, which are trying to get re-financed with the three remaining banks, looking for a home. They’re not always bright shiny SMEs, but most of the time they are not completely ‘unbankable’. So that has been a shift in the business over the last year, and we’ve been paying close attention to it.

We’ll continue to do that,” concludes Trethowan.

Credit is currently tight across Europe.

A recent report published by Bain & Company entitled ‘Restoring Financing & Growth to Europe’s SMEs’, indicated that John Trethowan CV Ireland was no different to the six other Name: John Trethowan European countries Position: Head of Credit Review Office that are going through Age: 60 financial difficulties Education: MBA University of Ulster, at the moment.

Coupled with that, Royal Belfast Academical Institution (Inst). there is a section which Family: Vivien and David outlines the ways in Lives: Lisbane, Co Down which the private and Currently Reading: Modernity Britain public sector have Opening the Box 1957-59 by David Kynaston worked together to Hobbies: Work, Rubbish Golf, Gardening overcome the economic difficulties. “The change

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Business Airline of the Year | Emirates

Flying in Style With Emirates With luxury travel surroundings combined with the best in in-flight service, it’s hardly surprising that Emirates remains a business favourite. InBusiness speaks to the airline’s country manager for Ireland – Margaret Shannon.

Margaret Shannon

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013 marks the second year in a row in which Emirates, the Dubaibased airline, has secured the Best Business airline award from InBusiness, certainly an impressive achievement. So what attributes make Emirates such a popular – and award-winning – choice for flyers in the business community?

“Emirates is synonymous with both quality and value,” explains Margaret Shannon, Country Manager, Ireland.

“Customers choose to fly with Emirates because they want an exceptional experience that’s a little bit special and we are able to offer that.”

The half-year figures from the group for 2013 are certainly impressive.

Including 20,000 passengers flying monthly from Dublin, overall figures for Emirates as a group have increased by 15 per cent, with the airline connecting over 21.5 million passengers around the globe. Emirates has also increased capacity over its global network by 16 per cent and, as a result, net profit for the first six months of the financial year is USD$475 million.

“These figures reflect the continued growth of the company and the commitment shown by Emirates to launching new routes and connecting more customers. We recently announced an order for 383 aircraft and remain one of the fastest growing airlines in the

world,” said Shannon. “We are part of a global company that does not stand still and our long-term goal is to carry 70 million passengers by 2020. Emirates has real vision and this is evident in the decision the company took to launch the Dublin-Dubai route in 2012, despite the economic downturn. It has proven to be one of the company’s most successful route launches ever and I think that says it all.”

Such expansion is made all the more remarkable when one considers the huge challenges currently facing the aviation industry, such as rising fuel prices on top of worldwide economic difficulties which have dominated the scene for the past few years. “The aviation sector faces huge challenges, underpinned by a difficult global business environment,” said Shannon. “High fuel prices continue to challenge the industry and indeed, are among Emirates’ highest costs, accounting for almost 40 per cent.”

As the only carrier which offers a first class product out of Dublin, Emirates may not necessarily be competing

with other airlines in that department.

However, the level of occasion and the quality experience with flying in their first class cabins is second to none.

“Flying with Emirates, in our view, is very much a lifestyle choice, and we get many repeat customers based on that decision,” says Shannon. Take, for example, the first class private suites, replete with sliding doors, privacy dividers, seats which convert into fully flat beds and fine dining, complemented by excellent service. “Those are the kinds of things on which which we judge ourselves,” Shannon adds.

Before we finish, Shannon tells us about a card she discovered on her desk this morning, from a regular customer who flies with Emirates once a month.

It reads ‘To Margaret and all the team.

Thank you to you and your team for making worldwide travel so enjoyable.’

You can almost hear the smile in her voice as she reads the message. “That makes my day,” she says. “If that’s how we can make our passengers feel, that’s how I can come in to work.”

InBusiness Editor’s Choice Awards 2013 19

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House of Waterford Crystal The Mall, Waterford City, Ireland Call:+353 (0)51 317 000 E: houseofwaterfordcrystal@wwrd.com W: www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com

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Book your tour online today www.waterfordvisitorcentre.com Join us on

- Guided Factory Tour - Opulent Retail Store - The World’s largest collection of Waterford Crystal

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Best Tourist Attraction | House of Waterford Crystal

Crystal Palace The House of Waterford Crystal provides insight into the world famous Irish brand.

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aterford Crystal is part of WWRD Group Holdings Limited, the leading luxury goods group that owns and operates the Waterford Crystal, Wedgwood, Royal Doulton and Royal Albert brands. In January 2010, Waterford Crystal moved into a new home on The Mall in the heart of Waterford City, just a hundred yards from the River Suir and the city’s Viking Triangle area. The manufacturing facility melts down more than 750 tonnes of crystal and produces more than 45,000 pieces each year using traditional methods of manufacture. Also in the centre is an opportunity for visitors from all around the world to see how the process works.

The highlight of the visit is the factory tour, beginning with a history of Ireland’s oldest city while the centre also holds an exhibition and retail store, with replicas of some of the world’s most famous sporting trophies and a collection of statement pieces created over the years.

The House of Waterford Crystal provides a very personal and unique experience for visitors to experience the Waterford brand. The experience is designed to allow visitors to understand the quality, design, style and relevance

of all Waterford Crystal products, which have been developed for their homes and as a means of celebrating life’s great gift giving occasions. The company has been developing the most relevant designs and products for consumers for over 225 years. The House of Waterford Crystal comprises an actual living and breathing crystal factory tour. The guided tour is a unique and captivating experience, which has enthralled visitors of all ages, both national and international. Visitors come and take a visual journey of over 225 years of crystal making and see how each individual piece of crystal is created by highly skilled craftsmen using unique and traditional methods. The tour lets people go behind the scenes for over an hour and they can witness every stage of production, from the initial design stage, blowing and quality control, right up to the final engraving of the piece. On completion of the tour, visitors can experience over 12,000 square feet of crystal heaven in the opulent retail store, housing the largest retail and showcase of Waterford Crystal in the world.

Annually, the House of Waterford Crystal receives over 180,000 visitors, who have travelled from North America,

Australia, Europe, Ireland and the UK to Waterford Crystal’s new factory and visitor experience. The visitors’ responses have been very positive.

House of Waterford Crystal Visitor Comment Book “I came into the factory and had a great time! I’m all the way from Canada and I love the crystal and made a special trip to come to Waterford. The tour guide was fantastic and the factory was far better than touristy spots I’ve been to.

Warren on the selling floor was more than helpful and genuinely interested in the crystal. Thanks!” - Dan “Best tour we’ve been on so far on our vacation. Adelle took time to answer all of our questions. Incredible the amount of people hours that go into each piece!” - Karen “We came from New York City and Capetown. Sean was our guide. He was the BEST!! He made the Waterford experience come alive.” - Jessica

TripAdvisor Feedback “This attraction was brilliant and the factory tour a must see. The staff were very knowledgeable and the tour [was] a real inside view of the crystal making industry!!” - Louise “This is a must do stop in Waterford. I had no idea how these lovely pieces were made, so the tour kept my attention. The artisans welcomed questions and our tour guide, Sean had a fun sense of humor. He even took pictures of us with the trophies in the factory and on the showroom floor. As it was my birthday on the day of the visit, Sean made a special effort for pictures.”

- Caroline

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Best Private Health Insurer | Glohealth

Health Insurance Innovation At a time when businesses are under more financial pressure than ever, GloHealth brings a very welcome injection of innovation and value to an employee benefit deemed important by so many employers in Ireland.

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hen it comes to responding to the needs of their customers, GloHealth understands that no two businesses are the same, and that no two employees have the same health insurance needs. Responding to this, the company has broken new ground in its approach to health insurance by providing its customers with the ability to personalise their health insurance cover.

GloHealth’s simple to understand range of plans and the ability for GloHealth customers to tailor their cover to meet their own particular needs, while also availing of a range of new benefits, is attracting customers in their tens of thousands, with over 70,000 people having already switched to GloHealth.

TAILORED COVER GloHealth customers can choose the level of hospital cover they want and can then further tailor their cover by selecting up to five of GloHealth’s Personalised Packages at no additional cost. These Personalised Packages include a wide variety of additional benefits such as free annual travel insurance with the International Health & Travel Package, free family life cover with the Family Protection Package, money back on kids’ sports club membership with the Family & Kids’ Health Package, and cash back on a wide range of alternative therapies with the Complementary Therapy Package.

All of this distinguishes GloHealth from its competitors.

Jim Dowdall, GloHealth CEO, puts the remarkable performance of the company down to value for money, innovative products and great customer service.

“Quite simply, customers were crying out for a real alternative and individual and corporate customers alike have recognised GloHealth’s unique approach to respond to their needs and ensure

they get the best value from their health insurance spend,” he says.

Success

these factors give our corporate clients the satisfaction and comfort of knowing that with GloHealth they have a health insurance partner who can best meet their needs both today and into the future.”

“On average approximately 1,000 people have joined us every single week since we launched,” Dowdall continues. “We expect that momentum will continue and it is our intent that GloHealth will continue to be recognised as the benchmark for the best quality and best value health insurance in Ireland.”

GloHealth’s success is very evident in the corporate world, attracting successful international companies such as Dell, Facebook, Boston Scientific and Quantcast along with a number of companies more recently established in Ireland such as Squarespace and Trip Advisor. “All of these companies recognise the value that GloHealth has brought to the market,” Dowdall says.

“On a daily basis they are focused on innovation and customer value and they recognise that GloHealth is similar and a very strong cultural fit for them.”

Dowdall believes that the appeal of GloHealth in the corporate space is also due to the strength of the company, both outwardly and behind the scenes.

“Our investment partner is Irish Life and our underwriter is Munich Re – two of the strongest financial services companies around,” he says.

“Our management team in GloHealth has in-depth experience in the health insurance Jim Dowdall, Chief Executive, GloHealth. market and all of

“The company has broken new ground in its approach to health insurance by providing its customers with the ability to personalise their health insurance cover.”

InBusiness Editor’s Choice Awards 2013 23

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Value through Innovation

Even after a century of experience, we remain intensely curious.

For the sake of future generations.

Boehringer Ingelheim has always remained true to its character as an independent family-owned company.

Our vision drives us forward. It helps to foster value through innovation in our company and to look to the future with constantly renewed commitment and ambition. Today, we operate globally with 142 affiliated companies in 50 countries. With more than 41,500 employees worldwide and a track record developed over 125 years, we are dedicated to improving the outlook for healthier lives. www.boehringer-ingelheim.ie

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Best in PHARMA | BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

Making a Difference Research, innovation and giving back to the community are the driving forces behind Boehringer Ingelheim Ireland, as General Manager Dr Colin Edwards explains.

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ne of the world’s top 20 leading pharmaceutical companies, Boehringer Ingelheim is also probably one of the more unusual, having been family-owned since the days of its foundation in 1885, by Albert Boehringer, in the small German town of Ingelheim. Today, the organisation is active in a litany of countries across several continents, including a 50-strong operation here in Ireland, where a small but strong and dedicated team operate from Carrickmines.

In troubling economic times, maintaining your position within a market, and continuing to deliver quality and innovation under pressure is something to be proud of in and of itself. “We’ve had a good business performance this year, we’ve made some good progress,” acknowledges Dr Colin Edwards, Head of National Medicine and General Manager Boehringer Ingelheim Ireland. “Towards the end of the year, we’ve had some good news in that we’ve received a European licence for our very first oncology product, which we’re going to launch in the new year. So we finished out in a good place.”

In Ireland, the company is heavily involved in researching, marketing and selling prescription products in the areas of respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, HIV, diabetes, and thromboembolic disease, and conducts their own R&D in-house to develop their own products. “Our mission as a company is to improve patients’ lives by delivering innovative medicines to them,” says Edwards. “We’re heavily involved in clinical research around the world, including Ireland – we have a clinical research team based here. We also have an active marketing and sales team, bringing these medicines along with patient education programmes and diagnostic tools to doctors.”

Making a difference to people’s lives

in terms of the medicines the company as having become ‘second nature’. “It’s produces is part and parcel of everyday something people have enjoyed being life, and so too are their partnerships involved in, we have painted project with organisations which seek to change houses, cycled from Malin Head to people’s lives in less conventional ways.

Mizen Head, and climbed the Four The company recently announced a Peaks,” he says. partnership with Ashoka Ireland to At the end of another productive year, accelerate the Change Nation Health Edwards is pleased the hard-working solutions and transform healthcare in team have secured the recognition Ireland substantially and sustainably. they deserve. “We’re delighted to be This BI Ashoka Change Nation recognised,” he explains. “For us, as partnership will now encompass all one of the smaller companies, it’s a the Change Nation Health solutions tremendous privilege, and it’s fantastic including MyMind, Siel Bleu, Project to have won. We’re pleased to be here in Echo, The Eden Alternative and others, Ireland – we’ve had a presence here for and the company will share their diverse the past 50 years, and we’re delighted expertise and networks to mobilise that we’re growing as a company. It’s thousands of Irish people in the health great recognition for our own team, of sector to become changemakers. all the hard work that my colleagues have “It’s interesting for us, it’s great done to make us the strong company to be partnering with a company that we are,” Edwards concludes. which will improve healthcare for people in Ireland,” says Edwards.

“There are also some good developmental opportunities for our people who are getting involved.” BI Ireland has already worked closely with one of the Health solutions and Ashoka Fellow Krystian Fikert recent winner of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland Impact Award 2013, to expand his organisation MyMind across Ireland.

Their collaboration has helped MyMind provide immediate, expert care to 1,000 patients annually The firm has also had a long-standing connection with children’s charity Barnardos, a relationship which Edwards describes Dr Colin Edwards InBusiness Editor’s Choice Awards 2013 25

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Best in International Logistics | DHL express

Express Performance Bernard McCarthy, Managing Director of DHL Express, reflects on 2013 and offers some thoughts on Ireland’s export performance.

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s we approach the Christmas period, it’s pleasing to reflect on what, from a DHL Express perspective, has been another successful year. The health of the International Express industry is often a good barometer for the overall well-being of the wider economy and this is particularly relevant in a small open economy such as Ireland’s, with such a high dependence on international trade.

Indeed the trends in the International Express market will often move six months or so ahead of the macro-economic curve and in that regard, given the more recent DHL experience, I would be guardedly optimistic regarding Ireland’s prospects into the near-term future.

It has become something of a cliché that Ireland’s economic recovery will be ‘export-led’ and even in the darkest days of the recession it is true to say that export performance remained very resilient. However it is somewhat ironic that given the accepted wisdom that a tentative economic recovery is at least underway, in 2013 Ireland’s export performance has been somewhat subdued.

Ireland can be a base for manufacturing companies who export to their customers around Europe and indeed into markets further afield. This is a subject I try to raise whenever I have the opportunity and I have very many examples to support my view. Many existing companies from SMEs through to large multinationals can and do successfully support their international customers from Ireland. Ireland has a well-developed, multi-modal transport infrastructure which supports these export-focused companies. But despite the many pre-existing examples, I still come across the somewhat simplistic viewpoint that if you need to support a large customer base across Europe you

Bernard McCarthy, Managing Director, DHL Express.

cannot do so from Ireland and must therefore have a distribution centre in Benelux or somewhere close to the socalled ‘heart’ of Europe.

However I’ve also seen a trend over the last 18 months or so where the more-progressive indigenous Irish companies who are impacted by continuing weak domestic demand are becoming more and more export focused. This makes excellent business sense irrespective of the economic situation in Ireland and in DHL we do our best to support companies who are taking their first tentative steps into the export marketplace. We try to simplify the process for those companies who are new to exporting and give them the peace of mind that in terms of the physical logistics, customs requirements etc., we would take care of all of that detail. Of course from a DHL perspective we have a vested interest to encourage

more companies to export their goods and services but it’s a no-brainer for the exporting company itself and indeed from the broader economic perspective of Ireland Inc. The more we can reduce our dependence on domestic demand and local consumer spending, the better for everyone concerned.

So I’m looking forward to 2014 and I’m cautiously optimistic – both from a DHL Express and wider economic viewpoint. They say you learn more in difficult times than you do when times are good. My simple learning over the last couple of years has been to focus on service quality as ultimately this is what will ensure that you keep your existing customers and enable you to win new ones. Cost-cutting may be appropriate at certain times but it is not a business strategy – growth is the life-blood of any business but it can only be achieved with service excellence.

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Supporting outstanding achievement in the Irish Business Community.

InBusiness Editors’ Choice Awards 2013 At AIB, we recognise excellence and achievement within the Irish Business Community and would like to wish all those involved in the Editors’ Choice Awards 2013 every success for the future.

Drop into any branch • 1890 47 88 33 • www.aib.ie/business

Allied Irish Banks, p.l.c. is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

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best finAnciAl APP | AIB

delivering customer value through digital AIB is on a digital journey to becoming a stream-lined, technology-led bank that delivers consistently great service to customers.

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IB’s vision is to reinvent the bank as a streamlined, technologyled organisation that delivers consistently great service to customers. aIB also strives to be one of the best places to work – a place where the very best people want to come and develop their careers. Delivering on this vision, and in response to consumer demand for more and more varied channels for financial services, aIB is offering customers an increasingly sophisticated choice of remote interactions and traditional face-to-face connections through branches. “anywhere, anytime technology is opening up new ways for aIB to reach customers and enhance their experience,” says Tomas O’ Midheach, Head of Direct channels and analytics at aIB. “We’ve a big opportunity to engage with customers in new ways and that’s exciting. From a commercial perspective, aIB’s investment in digital technology is a cornerstone of the bank’s strategy to reduce costs, while improving customer service.”

Tomas believes that the main driving force behind increasing adoption by customers of aIB’s full range of digital services including internet, mobile, self service and phone is the convenience factor. all of the digital technologies and services aIB has introduced and plan on introducing in the future are built around customer convenience, and being useful as a bank. aIB now has in place dedicated teams of remote relationship managers who are based in fully equipped contact centres. “This strategy is very much building on the excellent service and out-bound sales capability that aIB currently provides to customers through direct channels, while enhancing it with the relationship management capability that we have nurtured in the branch

channel for many years,” says Tomas. aIB has also enhanced its online offering for businesses with the recent introduction of aIB Internet Banking for business, which provides functionality developed specifically for SMes. Registered users also benefit from the tablet banking app and mobile banking app for added flexibility and convenience. Webchat has also been successful piloted and will be available across aib.ie very soon. another digital innovation recently launched by aIB is an online personal financial management tool, called My Money Manager, a new tablet banking app. The helpful My Money Manager tool allows customers to track income and expenditure on their current, deposit and credit card accounts and to create budgets and savings goals on their apple iPads and android tablets.

“The new tablet banking app represents our newest mobile banking service from aIB of which there are more planned.

It’s a further enhancement to the ways customers can choose to bank securely with aIB. Our investment in online and mobile services is another sign of aIB’s commitment to providing choice, enhancing our customers banking experience and remaining a technology leader in Irish banking,” says Tomas. aIB recently won a number of awards for its digital services, including the inaugural efma Global Distribution & Marketing Innovation awards for retail banking, scooping the award in the Physical Distribution category for its digital banking store, The Lab, which is located in Dundrum Town centre, Dublin.

Tomas said: “We are delighted with the endorsement of The Lab which we launched to improve our availability to customers through technology and to give one-on-one support and advice to customers as they become familiar with new banking technologies.” The Lab is also used by aIB for co-creation, to test and unveil the next phase of banking innovations, many of which are planned over the coming months, including aIB’s Person to Person payments solution, secure messaging and more personalised offerings seamlessly delivered through mobile, online, social and the retail network. aIB now has more than 874,000 customers banking online and 430,000 choosing to bank with aIB using the bank’s award-winning mobile banking app. To meet customer needs for convenience and to deliver an engaged banking experience with more personalised service, aIB plans to continue to enhance and develop both online and mobile banking services.

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Good things come to those who don’t wait.

The Audi A6 SE. From €439 per month PCP* or from €45,590 on the road.

Avail of a range of exclusive upgrade packages during the Future Now 2014 Sales Event.

The Special Edition Future Now Package comes with enhanced features including 18” 5 Spoke V Design Alloys, Xenon Lights with LED Daytime Running Lights and upgraded Valcona Leather.

Plus receive a complimentary three year Audi Service Pack with all PCP orders placed before 31st December**.

Order during Future Now 2014 and enjoy the following upgrade package savings: Recommended Retail Price:

€5,469

Future Now Offer:

€995

Customer Saving:

€4,474

Future. Now. 2014 Visit audi.ie/futurenow

*Typical Finance model: A6 2.0TDI 177HP SE OTRP €45,590. Deposit/Part Exchange €13,755.57. 36 monthly payments of €439. Optional Final Payment €19,707.60. Total hire purchase price €49,417.17 including acceptance fee (€75) and completion fee (€75). Minimum deposit is 10%. Subject to lending criteria. This offer is made under a hire purchase agreement. Audi Finance is a trading style of Volkswagen Bank GmbH Branch Ireland, authorised by the Federal Financial Supervisory Authority in Germany and regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules. **Offer exclusive to orders placed with a PCP finance plan before 31/12/2013. Prices are correct as of 01/09/2013 and are subject to change. Offer applies to the Audi A6 and is subject to availability. Audi Ireland has made every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information but does not accept liability for any errors. Model shown is for illustrative purposes only.

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executive Car of the year | AUDI

Top of its Class Sleek and powerful, the Audi A6 is an impressive machine, as Christian Gussen, Managing Director of Audi Ireland explains.

Christian Gussen Managing Director of Audi Ireland with the A6 Sline quattro®

Has 2013 been a positive year for Audi in Ireland?

2013 has been a positive year for Audi Ireland with an increase of sales volume and market share year on year, along with the introduction of an impressive mix of premium products such as the all new A3 Saloon. The A3 Saloon created a completely new segment for Audi.

The initial sales order bank highlights that three quarters of cars ordered have been allocated to customers new to the brand. Audi is expected to maintain this momentum into 2014 with the support of the Future Now Sales promotion offering customers exclusive packages across the Audi range with exceptional finance solutions through Audi Finance.

Can you tell me a little about the Audi A6 which has been awarded executive car of the year?

With the launch of the new 7th generation A6 in 2011, Audi rebuilt an icon from the ground up. With a broad portfolio of technical innovations and a lightweight body featuring numerous aluminium components, the model series is writing another chapter of the A6 success story. Wherever possible,

we’ve used aluminium in this vehicle’s construction, which has enabled us to reduce weight (80kg less), lower fuel consumption and improve agility without compromising structural rigidity. Power flows to either the front wheels or all four wheels, depending on the engine. Audi’s legendary quattro® permanent all-wheel drive system features torque vectoring for superior traction, stability and dynamics. A range of powerful engines 177Hp to 560Hp are paired with efficient 6 speed manual, 8 speed multitronic or 7 speed s-tronic gearboxes ensuring low emissions and running costs. This, when combined with excellent standard equipment, high value customer packages and strong residual values ensure the A6 remains a firm favourite amongst both private and corporate fleet purchasers.

What service can Audi supply in relation to Finance solutions and after sale services?

Since its launch in 2009, Audi Finance has lent up to €121 million for Audi new and used car financing. With an impressive customer acceptance rate of 82 per cent year-to-date, the Audi Finance Personal Contract Plan (PCP)

has proven to be the most popular finance option for those Irish motorists looking to buy a new Audi model.

Attractive personal contract plan (PCP) finance rates are offered across the entire Audi range providing potential customers the opportunity to experience the award winning Audi collection.

The new Audi Service Plan is a three year fixed price service package for Audi vehicles. The service provides exceptional customer advantages that include manageable and affordable solutions on servicing costs. Dependant on the customer’s mileage and lifestyle the inflation proof Audi Service plan is adjusted to ensure value for money, positive customer satisfaction and experienced customer service.

What models are expected to launch in 2014?

Audi Ireland has an exciting range of models due for launch in 2014.

The new A8, an expression of Audi’s leadership epitomising the Vorsprung durch Technik claim is due in January. The new A8 combines a raft of technological advances; this is represented in the new MatrixBeam LED headlights, the eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission and the quattro® permanent all-wheel drive technology.

The upgraded line-up of EU6-compliant engines complies with a low efficiency of Co2 emissions from 155g /km which qualifies as tax band C or annual road tax from €390.

Audi will launch the stunning new A3 Cabriolet in Q1 2014. New, powerful S derivatives join the A3 Saloon and A3 Cabriolet families in summer with the arrival of the potent S3 Cabriolet and S3 Saloon versions. Audi’s first ever plug in hybrid, the A3 Sportback E-Tron, will launch in Q4 2014 and will offer motorists electric car efficiency with no range anxiety. The E-Tron has a range of over 900km with progressive technologies as standard.

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TURN YOUR

NEIGHBOURS INTO CUSTOMERS Introducing the amazing new admailer.ie, the easy way for small businesses to make big sales in 3 simple steps. At admailer.ie you can reach new customers for less than the price of a stamp* by designing a postcard on our easy -to -use website. Your special offer will then be printed and delivered to customers in your area within 3 - 4 working days. Get busy now at admailer.ie

?

YOUR DESIG

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Review & click to purchase

Select the houses and streets you want around your business area with our unique, simple, mapping tool.

Choose from lots of professional templates or create your own, with hints from our team.

It’s so easy to do and will be delivered through your customers’ letterboxes

by An Post in just 3-4 working days.

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Do it now at admailer.ie *Prices excluding VAT

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best brand | an post

Recognising the needs of business With a brand that is trusted throughout the country, An Post is helping SMEs overcome the challenges of a difficult trading environment.

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mall and medium businesses account for by far the largest business sector within Ireland and so understanding their needs and challenges has been central to the strategic focus of An Post in recent years.

With this in mind, we have developed various innovative product offerings tailored to helping this important market segment. Two such products are the EasyPost stamp printer and Admailer.ie.

Recognising that one of the main challenges for small businesses is the efficient management of cash-flow, An Post launched the EasyPost stamp printer in 2011. The EasyPost stamp printer is the easy way to pay for and manage post. Smart and portable, this desktop printer puts customers back in control of their postage needs. With no expensive leasing agreements, annual maintenance costs or replacement printer cartridges, it is proving to be the ideal low cost mailing option for small and medium business.

Simple to install and easy to use, the EasyPost stamp printer allows you to print stamps in your preferred denominations, from the comfort of

your desk, 24/7. Credit is applied to the printer online by debit or credit card and customers can fully track and manage all of the postage printed through EasyPost on their online account.

Business owner, Frank O’Hanlon of Memoryman.ie, has been using the EasyPost stamp printer and finds that it “allows you to control your spend.

You can print one stamp or a number of the same value at one time. If you accidentally input a wrong value for a stamp it will tell you that it is incorrect and not print it. This has probably saved me a fortune so far! The screen on the printer shows the credit remaining on the account as well as the amount of stamps left on the roll. It really couldn’t be any easier than that!”

While the EasyPost stamp printer aims to assist the operational requirements of small and medium businesses, Admailer.ie from An Post caters to their promotional needs.

Admailer.ie is a new, innovative online service from An Post that allows small and medium sized businesses to send addressed promotional postcards to their local target audience. Admailer.ie turns

Gerry Barry, Director of Rock Fitness@Dundrum and user of Admailer.ie

neighbours into customers for less than the price of a stamp (that’s design, print and postage all for 58c ex. VAT).

“At An Post, we truly believe that small and medium sized businesses are the backbone of Ireland and are therefore committed to understanding their needs and developing products and services that assist them in growing their business,” said Amie Peters, Head of Direct Mail, An Post.

In a recent industry survey, six out of ten small to medium firms indicated that their business would be moving back into a growth phase in the coming 12 months. With this new found optimism now is a good time to capitalise on these green shoots of increasing consumer and business confidence.

Backed up by the views of the SME sector, which said their number one priority was to find new customers for existing products/services, the challenge was set. According to Peters: “When developing Admailer.ie one area that came through very strongly was how to use direct mail to generate sales from new customers; if you consider a typical SME owner, they are often the entire marketing department, have small marketing budgets and have very little time. It was a challenge that the An Post team was determined to find a solution for.” Admailer.ie was launched in late 2012 and has delivered response rates of ten per cent + and ROIs of 500 per cent + for Irish business in its first year.

Looking to the future, with domestic market sales expected to increase for over a third (35 per cent) of small firms, there is sales potential not seen in Ireland for over five years. An Post has developed a number of products and services, including Admailer.ie and the EasyPost stamp printer with the intention of providing solutions for this hugely important sector.

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Inspiration at KPMG A career at KPMG is more than just a job. You get access to a world of inspiring experiences.

Whether working with great clients, training with Olympic Champion Katie Taylor or helping students reach their potential on our award winning CSR programme – find your inspiration at KPMG. For great career opportunities see kpmg.ie/careers

© 2013 KPMG, an Irish partnership and a member firm of the KPMG network of independent member firms affiliated with KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. The KPMG name, logo and “cutting through complexity” are registered trademarks of KPMG International Cooperative (“KPMG International”), a Swiss entity. All rights reserved. (103076)

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AccountAncy firm of tHe yeAr | KpMg

Accounting for the future inBusiness looks at why KPMG remains Ireland’s leading accounting practice and how it is planning ahead by offering a range of exciting career prospects to graduates.

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PMG can trace its roots back to 1876 when Robert and Sydney Stokes established the firm of Stokes Brothers in Dublin. Over the years the firm has evolved to become Ireland’s leading accounting practice with almost 2,000 employees led by Managing Partner Shaun Murphy.

With offices in Dublin, Belfast, cork and Galway, clients range from fast growing technology start ups, private and family owned companies and established Irish and international names.

KPMG provides audit, tax and advisory support to clients in every sector of the Irish economy including financial services, manufacturing, retail, energy, Government, aviation, engineering,

agribusiness, property, technology and pharmaceuticals. In addition to the highly successful audit and tax services, the firm’s advisory teams specialise in areas such as corporate finance, transaction services, consulting and restructuring and forensics.

Given the ever-changing tax and regulatory environment, KPMG is at the forefront of providing clients and the wider business community with timely and topical insights into current business issues. The firm’s seminar series, for example, provides a wide range of briefings of interest to senior decision makers in every sector. KPMG also produces a suite of thought leadership on topics ranging from the relationship between tax and innovation to guides for Irish businesses considering setting up in markets as diverse as china and Brazil. The firm’s flagship guide ‘Investing in Ireland’ has become the benchmark publication for anyone seeking to highlight the benefits of Ireland as a business location. all these publications are available on the firm’s website at www.kpmg.ie and also feature on the recently developed, free to download, iPad app.

KPMG also supports a wide range of business events and was Shaun Murphy, Managing Partner, KPMG

a founding sponsor of the hugely successful Dublin Web Summit as well as having a significant presence at events such as IT@cork and the Irish Medical Devices association ceO Forum held recently in Galway.

KPMG also offers a range of exciting career prospects to both graduates and more experienced professionals. as Ireland’s largest recruiter of graduates, KPMG offers careers that provide both opportunity and challenge and this has been widely recognised. In recent years for example, the firm won The Irish Times Graduate employer of choice for an unprecedented three consecutive years and internationally, Universum has consistently ranked KPMG as one of the “The World’s Most attractive employers”. Meanwhile for graduates, the firm’s exams performance is always a valuable benchmark of the high quality training on offer. Yet again, in 2013 the KPMG performance was exceptional with KPMG people being placed well above the national average in a wide range of accounting exams. community is also very much part of the firm’s ethos and this was recognised in September when KPMG won the overall cSR award at the chambers Ireland cSR awards in Dublin. KPMG has partnered with a range of voluntary and charitable projects varying in scope from St. Michael’s House and The Irish cancer Society to The Native Woodland Trust and enactus Ireland.

More recently, the firm has invested in supporting Irish Olympic champion Katie Taylor’s preparation for the Olympics in Rio in 2016 through a sponsorship agreement. as part of this activity, Katie Taylor has spent time training with pupils from schools in disadvantaged areas as well as providing the firm’s own graduates with training and coaching opportunities.

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Intel Ireland is looking to the future Ireland is home to Intel’s most technologically advanced manufacturing location in Europe where we produce latest generation silicon microprocessors which power the systems that make the world tick. intel.ie

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mAnufActurer of tHe yeAr | intel

it’s what’s inside that counts at intel ireland Intel has extensive operations in Ireland, and its high investment and employment levels are among the many reasons why they are inBusiness Editor’s Choice as Manufacturer of the year.

i

reland is Intel’s centre of manufacturing excellence in europe.

Since 1989, Intel has invested almost $8 billion, turning 360 acres of the collinstown Industrial Park into the most advanced industrial campus in europe. Over the past two decades, Intel in Ireland has come to represent a diversity of activities across the spectrum of Intel business from advanced manufacturing to cutting edge research and design. Today, Intel has 5,200 employees across the island of Ireland.

inTel in ireland The majority of the Intel workface in Ireland are based at the Leixlip campus in county Kildare which is the location for Intel’s hi-volume, advanced manufacturing facilities.

There are 250 employees at the Intel Shannon campus who work to deliver Intel’s strategies in the communications and Storage Infrastructure, automotive and Retail spaces with a specific focus on the communications and Storage Infrastructure Group, the automotive Solutions Division and the Retail Solutions Division. a further 100 people are employed at Intel Belfast which, following the acquisition by Intel this year of leading Northern Ireland company aepona, has become a centre of excellence for the Network Products and Services group. The team at Intel Belfast has built a market-leading aPI Monetisation Platform (aMP) that is used by many of the world’s leading communications Service Providers (cSPs) to drive innovation, create new services and monetise their significant network resources.

Other Intel operations in Ireland include Mcafee, which is a wholly

Intel plant, Kildare

owned subsidiary of Intel and which has had significant operations in cork since 2004 where today it employs 347 people, and a Dublin-headquartered games technologies company.

reSearch iS aT The hearT of inTel ireland The core of advanced manufacturing capability which Intel has developed in Ireland is a key enabler for numerous research and development initiatives that are carried out across the country.

There is a dedicated team of employees involved in Silicon Nanoelectronics Research who collaborate extensively with research institutes such as the cRaNN Nanoscience Research centre in Trinity college Dublin and universities and other companies from across Ireland and europe. also located at the Leixlip campus is the Innovation Open Lab – Ireland, home to a research team which facilitates and engages in open research and innovation opportunities in europe that can ultimately lead to value-driven technology solutions. additionally, Intel Ireland is involved in a leadership role

with three Technology centres in Ireland - The energy Research centre (I2e2), The Irish centre for Manufacturing Research (IcMR), and The Innovation Value Institute (IVI). alongside additional open research initiatives our leadership in the technology centres strengthens our collaborations with industry and academia.

inTel ireland careS for The world around uS Intel strives to be a trusted, leading corporate citizen and corporate responsibility at Intel Ireland reflects a deep respect for people and for communities. Intel Ireland employees are deeply involved in a number of activities and programs in the communities where they live and work, and are committed to making positive contributions to them. They work to advance environmental sustainability and to minimise their environmental footprint every day, striving to achieve energy efficiency not only in their products, but also in their operations by reducing energy emissions and energy costs.

InBusiness Editor’s Choice Awards 2013 37

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With a Zurich pension, your future starts now.

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best in finAnciAl services | ZuRiCh liFe

investing in life Anthony Brennan, CEo Ireland, Zurich Life talks to inBusiness about the challenges and highlights of an eventful 2013.

a

ided by signs of recovery within the Irish economy, 2013 has been a strong year for Zurich Life, one of Ireland’s leading insurance providers. “consumer sentiment is improving, and people are saving for their retirement and protecting their loved ones in much greater numbers than we have seen for a number of years,” explains anthony Brennan, ceO Ireland, Zurich Life. “Managing investment risk is of paramount importance to our customers and we have worked hard to develop the tools to help them do this with their financial broker.”

Such tools include the innovative ‘Prisma’ platform and the marketleading client Dashboard, which allow financial advisors and customers to assess their risk profile and instantly

Anthony Brennan, CEO, Zurich Life

access a single customer view of their relationship with Zurich Life. a new investment option, Pathway Funds, was also introduced this year; each fund targets a particular level of investment risk, with different funds catering for different investors. “The new Pathway Funds have been very popular, primarily because they fit the bill – good potential for returns while managing risk to a level chosen by the customer,” Brennan explains.

2013 also witnessed the roll out of the popular ‘Dear 30 year old me’ campaign, created to make people sit up and start thinking seriously about planning for their retirement. “Using customer research and behavioural analysis, we learned that bringing people face to face with a future image of themselves makes planning for their futures more tangible, more personal,” says Brennan.

“The initial results are very positive, we’ve received great feedback about the campaign from financial advisors, pension bodies, and, above all, our customers.

Visits to our website increased significantly with over 20,000 hits on our pension video and leads to our ‘Financial advisor Finder’ more than doubling – showing us that people are taking action.”

Of course,

continuous innovation and development is important in the life and pensions market, considering the difficulties the sector has had to, and continues to, face. “The life and pensions market is starting to recover, in line with the rest of the economy.

Throughout the past few tough years, independent financial brokers helped customers manage their funds and retirement plans. I believe strongly in the continuing importance of choice in financial products and that impartial financial advice, from a financial advisor, is the best way for customers to get the choice they need and deserve,” he says. Though some are understandably reluctant to invest in pensions, Zurich has spent the past twelve months strongly focused on making pensions easier to understand for their customers, launching a pension calculator and an informative video. “We’re also the market leader in providing information to pension scheme members, having developed a customer-friendly benefit statement which presents useful information in a clear and understandable way,” Brennan adds.

With a successful year under his belt, Brennan is delighted with Zurich’s win in the category of Financial Services, and is understandably optimistic for another positive year in 2014. “Thank you, on behalf of all at Zurich Life,” he says.

“I am proud and delighted to receive the ‘Best in Financial Services’ editor’s choice award. I believe our customers know with Zurich Life they can expect innovative products, leading online solutions, great long-term investment performance and a strong focus on customer service. I am optimistic and excited when I think about the future prospects for this business and am looking forward to the challenges and opportunities that 2014 will bring,” he concludes.

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GIVE YOURSELF THE DBS ADVANTAGE DBS.IE

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business scHool of tHe yeAr | duBlin Business sChool

educating the nation Priding itself on a student-focused approach, dublin Business School has continued to move from strength to strength.

e

stablished in 1975, Dublin Business School (DBS) is now the largest independent third level college in the country, with over 9,000 students. Possessing a proud record of distinction and prizewinning in student academics and career achievement, DBS was acquired in 2003 by Kaplan, itself a leader in education, serving more than one million students each year across 400 locations and 30 countries. Ten years later, and the school is still going stronger than ever, witnessing significant growth in international growth channels, further collaboration with industry and recognition of student excellence on the global stage.

The dBS advanTage Several principles guide the day-to-day running of DBS, ensuring its presence as one of Ireland’s leading education lights; a commitment to world class teaching, evident in the success students have experienced to date; a studentcentred approach, with an integrated, holistic approach taken by the school; recognition and accreditation from external professional bodies such as the association of chartered certified accountants and chartered Institute of Management accountants; the quality of the academic staff; and endorsements from employers. Students, undoubtedly, are placed at the very core of what DBS is about, resulting in what the school refers to as the ‘DBS advantage’, an initiative which gives students the opportunity to engage in a programme of personal and skills development which is integrated into their academic curriculum, and prepares students for the workplace.

“It has long been recognised that the role of third level is not simply to impart knowledge but to contribute to maintaining a competitive and smart economy,” says Gerry Muldowney, ceO at DBS. Most programmes at the school are offered on a full or part time basis, with over 100 accredited programmes at

undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Recently the school has also undergone several programme reviews, with 12 expert academic panels who fully endorse the school’s offerings. “We’ve completely revamped our level 8 and 9 business programmes,” Muldowney adds.

“They’ve gone through a comprehensive review, and we added in employability, personal development modules; all the things we think graduates now need.”

collaBoraTion collaboration with industry is a key area of focus for DBS, crafting and maintaining mutually beneficial links for their students and organisations such as

Gerry Muldowney, DBS CEO

Microsoft Ireland, Lidl and the contact centre Management association. “DBS has developed a significant partner in Microsoft Ireland and its partner network in delivering innovation programmes that meet the IcT skills shortage in Ireland,” says Muldowney.

“Lidl’s retail management degree is now in it’s 7th year, recruiting 40 students annually into DBS while DBS and the contact centre Management association Ireland Skillnet have formed a unique relationship to deliver an innovative programme in strategic management for the contact centre sector.” as we move into 2014, it’s clear that Muldowney and DBS remain wholeheartedly positive, with plans to introduce a new suite of IcT programmes in the new year, and considerations over blended and online offerings; a student-centred focus remaining at the heart of everything they do. “We’re delighted that InBusiness is recognising us and what we’ve done over the past 38 years,” says Muldowney.

“Many thousands of students and graduates have benefited from that. I would also like to record my thanks to all of our staff who have contributed over the years to the DBS success story,” he concludes.

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GREAT CARE FROM THE GROUND UP. At Aer Lingus, we take great care in everything we do – from baggage handling, to catering, to customer care. The people you see, and the people you don’t, are all dedicated to making you feel welcome, every step of your journey. Great care on every level – it’s one of the many ways Aer Lingus takes care of you.

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Businessman of the Year | Christoph Mueller, Aer Lingus

A Vision Shared Aer Lingus Chief Executive Christoph Mueller looks back on another profitable year for the company and highlights the importance of teamwork in running an airline.

How has 2013 been for you and Aer Lingus?

We still live in extremely challenging times economically. 2013 is the first time since the start of the economic crisis that we’ve seen an increase in competition in our industry and this probably heralds the start of a new round of consolidation.

For Aer Lingus it’s the fourth consecutive year of profitability and delivering strong shareholder returns.

We’ve expanded our services and we’ve carried more passengers to and from the US than ever before. What’s equally important, given the current employment situation in Ireland, is that we have created a lot of jobs.

How challenging has the restructuring process been at the airline?

The question suggests that restructuring is something of the past. Revenue per passenger in the airline industry has decreased by two per cent per annum for the past 60 years. This makes innovation and restructuring not only a pre-requisite for success but also a pre-requisite for survival. The simple truth is our costs need to fall faster than our revenues and so change and restructuring are constant.

What would you say you have brought to Aer Lingus since becoming chief executive in 2009?

Aer Lingus is small enough as a company that a good team can re-invigorate the entrepreneurial spirit which is so easy to lose in a large corporate. The situation in 2009 presented the management team with a unique opportunity to combine the solidarity of the employees with a new shared vision for the business. The organisation certainly has more selfconfidence now than it had in 2009 and

Christoph Mueller, Chief Executive, Aer Lingus

a more consistent understanding of who we are and what we strive for.

Aer Lingus reported a 4.4 per cent increase in operating profits for Q3 despite challenging conditions.

What can this be attributed to?

We introduced a new strategy in spring 2010. This involved the development of our “value carrier” concept and the establishment of an interconnecting hub in Dublin. The combination of these two factors has proven to be very resilient against economic and competitive impacts. Some element of validation of the strategy can now be seen in the fact that both low cost carriers and legacy carriers are copying us. Of course all this really proves is that the competition is always at your heels. Maybe we need to re-invent ourselves again.

Long haul revenue growth has been impressive this year. Do you plan to build on this in 2014?

Aer Lingus has never leveraged its geographical location in the past.

Dublin is en-route for virtually everyone travelling between Europe and North America. Today our long haul and short haul fleet connects passenger flows between Europe and the U.S. In particular, our Aer Lingus Regional partnership with Aer Arann has proven successful in introducing new high frequency products in the U.K., which connects very conveniently on our North Atlantic services. In 2014 we’ll build on this model. We’re growing our long haul capacity by 23 per cent and will add new routes from Dublin to San Francisco and Toronto, as well as almost doubling our frequency from Shannon to New York and Boston.

Your response to winning the InBusiness Editor’s Choice Businessman of the Year Award?

I’m very flattered and I can only accept it on behalf of the entire team, my 3,800 Aer Lingus colleagues. The workings of an airline are the absolute exemplification of teamwork. You cannot achieve anything alone in our business.

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BUSINESSWOMAN OF THE YEAR | PAYPAL’S LOUISE PHELAN

Top of Her Game PayPal’s Louise Phelan reflects on a successful 2013 and looks ahead to a time when seeing women in a senior position is simply the norm. the cutting edge. It’s a qualification you can take almost anywhere in the world.

I think we need to shout that from the rooftops and we need to give teenagers, male and female alike, better access to the world of technology to encourage more of our graduates into this career.

My advice to women in technology – build your brand. Equip yourself with the skills and the knowledge you need to succeed. A lot of women are shy to promote themselves. It’s important to make sure people know who you are and how good you are. You never stop learning or developing; that’s why it’s so important to seek coaching opportunities and take on-board feedback. The most important piece of advice I ever got, and it applies to all walks of life, is not to let setbacks set you back.

Louise Phelan, PayPal

This year has been a very successful one for PayPal. What can this be attributed to?

The short answer – our growth. We continue to develop and grow as a business, investing in our people and investing in our customers. Our brand is growing and so is our customer base.

Consumers love the ease with which they can pay for products and services using PayPal. It’s fast, convenient, secure, and can be used anytime and anywhere.

Businesses also love the way we help them to grow their sales online, on mobile and increasingly face-to-face.

We’re particularly excited about what PayPal can do for Irish businesses. As a relatively small market, PayPal offers so many opportunities to quickly and securely grow international sales too.

This year we officially opened our

second centre in Ireland and it’s been hugely exciting to see PayPal grow so substantially over the past number of years. We opened our doors in Ireland ten years ago and since then we’ve gone from 25 employees in Dublin, to running the entire PayPal Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) operation with more than 2,500 employees now based here.

It’s a very exciting time for everybody involved with PayPal as we continue to grow and expand.

What advice would you have for other women in the area of technology hoping to advance their career?

Technology is one of the most appealing career paths out there. It’s the fastest growing and most evolving industry.

When you work in I.T., you work at

PayPal first opened its doors in Ireland in 2003. Can we expect PayPal to continue its commitment to Ireland in the years ahead?

Absolutely. We’re not done making our contribution to the Irish economy yet!

Your response to winning InBusiness Editor’s Choice Businesswoman of the Year for the second year running?

It’s a great honour; but I have to admit I look forward to the day when we no longer celebrate things like Businesswoman of the Year, when seeing women in a senior position is simply the norm. Until that day, it’s up to us women to support one another, encourage one another and equip ourselves with the tools we need to succeed. And it’s up to publications like InBusiness to celebrate Businesswoman of the Year; because for every woman that makes it to the top of her game, we get that bit closer to changing the status quo.

InBusiness Editor’s Choice Awards 2013 45

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Speed, Value or Quality?

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11/12/201316:57:05 14:32 12/12/2013

Company of the Year | Eircom

A Network for a Nation eircom’s investment programme is yielding significant results for Ireland and its economy.

“This year we were the first operator to bring 4G services to the Irish market, a move we are extremely proud of. We are in the midst of rolling out our high speed 4G services across the country which will benefit our eMobile customers.”

David Walsh, Director of SME at eircom Business

2

013 has been a busy year for eircom and we remain focussed on delivering excellent value and solutions to our SME customers.

This year we were the first operator to bring 4G services to the Irish market, a move we are extremely proud of.

We are in the midst of rolling out our high speed 4G services across the country which will benefit our eMobile customers. 4G delivers superfast mobile internet speeds on mobile devices, which leads to greater productivity and efficiencies for businesses.

We are currently constructing Ireland’s largest fibre broadband network that will reach more than 1.4 million homes and businesses by July 2016 and provide fibre broadband speeds of up to 100Mb. The network launched in May and represents the first part of our €1.5 billion strategic investment programme.

Our vision is to provide customers

smartphones and tablets.

We have developed a strong reputation in cloud computing, building on the back of our partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS). Cloud will continue to be a key focus area for us and we plan to maintain our position as a leading provider of cloud services to our business customers.

In 2014, we will continue to deliver real value and the widest range of services to businesses that we possibly can.

with an ‘always on’ seamless experience to superfast broadband, by offering unique and compelling products and propositions. Underpinning this vision, we are utilising the largest asset we have – our network.

Enabling businesses to develop a strong digital and mobile strategy is high on our agenda.

We recently launched eircom Digital Boost, an initiative which helps SMEs to boost their digital presence with the Pictured at the launch of eircom’s Digital Boost initiative focus on smaller is Jane Ni Dhulchaontigh, CEO, Sugru, and Gary Disley, Marketing Director, eircom Business screens, such as

InBusiness Editor’s Choice Awards 2013 47

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editors’ cHoice

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