IN CONVERSATION
We’ve done a deal with Primark, working with them in three of their shops in Swords, Waterford and Athlone. “We’re big believers in partnerships as part of our growth strategy. We recently opened in the UK with Debenhams so we’re in places like Rugby and Bradford. We’ve done some work with Spar in the UK and opened some sites, so we’re very excited about the UK being the next phase of development.” Kerr is arguably best known as a ‘Dragon’ from RTÉ’s Dragon’s Den. He was on the show for the first few years of the series and continues to be involved with nine or ten of the investments he made. After four seasons in the Den, Kerr decided to make a move into radio. “Radio was always something I was interested in but never really had the opportunity to try. I went on a self-taught radio presenter course and started in Newstalk on a Sunday morning at 9 o’clock when there was pretty much nobody listening,” he jokes. He was later updated to a more prominent 10 o’clock slot. For the past six years Kerr has presented Newstalk’s Down to Business programme and grown the listenership from about 20,000 to over 100,000. “Down to Business is something I really enjoy. It’s very much a part of what I do now and who I am. It keeps me on the pulse of business in Ireland: I’m interested in business generally; I’m interested in business people and what’s going on. It keeps me right at the fore of that.” So, from the frontline, how does he feel business is faring in Ireland? “We’ve been through a horrendous few years. I think every sector had a couple of tough years. It’s recovering now and things are better and probably better in Dublin – there’s a sort of two-tier recovery going on. I am mindful though that not everybody has InBUSINESS | Q1 2016
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recovered and there is a long way to go, particularly in parts of rural Ireland. We need to be careful that we don’t overheat things like the property market. Rents are starting to rise and we don’t want to go down the same cul-de-sac we went down a few years ago.” Kerr was recently appointed Chairman of the business development group for An Post, a group set up by the Minister for Communications in 2015 to decide the commercial future of the 1,150 post offices in both urban and rural Ireland. “I wrote a report for the Government – something I’d never done before – and presented it. They’ve asked me to
I’VE COME OUT THE OTHER SIDE AND I’M BACK TO WORK NOW. I’M TRYING NOT TO TAKE TOO MUCH ON AT THE MOMENT, BUT THAT’S EASIER SAID THAN DONE.
stay now and implement it for the next six months. That’s a new challenge, but it’s essentially a retail project, where my heart lies. “The infrastructure is there and there’s a really great brand so I’m very excited to add some value there and transition An Post to what its customers need it to be.” However, the last few months haven’t been plain-sailing for the businessman. In November last year, Kerr announced on radio to his some 100,000 listeners that he had been diagnosed with cancer. He said: “Did you know 35,000 people hear the dreaded words every year ‘we have the results of your biopsy, you need to come in and see me’. Well folks, it’s 34,999 and one other – me. Because guess what, I’ve been
diagnosed with cancer of the head and neck, and I’m currently receiving treatment to make myself better. “I have a very serious disease, it’s been caught early, it’s only in one place, and because it’s been caught early my chances of beating this increase incrementally.” Kerr says he made this announcement publicly for two reasons. Firstly, he wanted to let people know that he would be away for some time while he concentrated on his treatment (he took ten weeks off but still managed to write the report for An Post from hospital). Secondly, he wanted to encourage people, and particularly men in their fifties such as himself, to get checked. “I’ve been through the wars,” he reveals. “It’s been a tough six months: seven weeks’ chemotherapy, 35 radiation treatments. I’ve lost a good bit of weight and I’m still struggling with my appetite, trying to build myself up again. “I’ve battled my way through it with great support from family, friends and colleagues. I’ve come out the other side and I’m back to work now. I’m trying not to take too much on at the moment, but that’s easier said than done.” Kerr says this experience has shifted his perspective somewhat and, while he has no intentions of retiring early, he won’t be sweating the small stuff anymore. “I’m 56 years of age; I’m pretty comfortable. My priorities now are to enjoy the last number of years and not get overly excited about having to achieve massive things. I’ll always be involved in business in some way, but I’m thinking now ‘where would I like to go on holidays next’ rather than ‘what’s the next shop I’m going to open’. I’ve always lived life, so I intend to keep doing that but just a bit more focus on family and friends.”
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