ChamberLink Issue 3 2017

chamberlink ISSUE 3 2017

Bill on Board President’s Perspective

Are you ready?

OPW Flood Plan

Golf Classic 2017

CONTENTS

07 >>

BUSINESS NEWS

In the Chair with Eamon Dwyer, City Life

<< 09 MacKinnon Report Advances Process

16 >> Welcome to the latest edition of Chamberlink; keeping you informed of key policy and business issues, events and news stories from across the region. The summer months offer such a great opportunity to enjoy our fabulous City region with June already hosting a range of activities from the Harbour Festival, to Cork Midsummer Festival and the Cork Summer Show.

Our own events calendar is also still busy throughout the summer months with plenty of networking, training and strong speakers.

Our June Business Breakfast features Jim Woulfe, CEO Dairygold, we have a Brexit information event with InterTrade Ireland in July and of course the Annual Golf Classic taking place on 7 September, with thanks to sponsors City Life which promises to be a great day out. The business agenda takes on a social aspect at our Business After Hours BBQ in July at The Courtyard on Sober Lane and a Pizza Party in Voxpro’s Roof Garden in August!

Some hugely positive developments over the past few months including the opening of the Capitol Building, the OPW flooding scheme in motion, demolition starting at the Navigation House site and plans unveiled for the new bridge at Harley Street brings confidence and optimism to our City. On Friday June 9, the report of the Expert Advisory Group on Local Government Arrangements in Cork was launched. Cork Chamber has welcomed the publication of this report as an advancement of the important discussion on Cork’s Local Government Structures and recognises the

OPW Flood Plan Best Option Business Briefs In the Chair with Eamon Dwyer, City Life

INFLUENCE 8

Realising Potential and Strengthening a Growing Southern Region MacKinnon Report Advances Process

9

BUSINESS SKILLS 10

How to Win at Digital

COVER STORY

Supporting Digital Journeys Dear Chamber Member

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Bill on Board

GROW many positive elements contained within.

The recommendations have the potential to position Cork steadfastly as Ireland’s second city region, particularly in the context of the current National Planning Framework process.

With a huge amount of uncertainty and change facing British politics and the subsequent impact on Brexit we are committed to keeping you informed, as part of this we have a feature on ‘Brexit Beyond the Border’ which looks at business relations between Ireland and EU member states. Another impending change is GDPR and we are acutely aware the impact this will have on all businesses, with that in mind we have included an informative article with simple steps, p19 to start your preparations. Additionally we will host a seminar in September with our EEN partners, designed to help SMEs understand the requirements for GDPR and we will also run a training course on 17 October entitled ‘Data Protection for Business”. Our advice at this stage is to get informed and start to put some of the outlined steps into action.

Finally, on behalf of all the team and members I would like to welcome Bill O’Connell as the new President of Cork Chamber and we look forward to working with him over the coming two years. I would also like to thank Barrie O’Connell for the tremendous impact he made during his tenure.

Conor

14-15 Brexit

FEATURES 16-17 Supporting Digital Journeys 18-19 Are You Ready for GDPR?

NETWORK 20 21

Business on Par Dates for Your Diary

SNAPPED 22-23 Out & About

CONNECT 24-25 New Connections 27 On the Move 29 Members News

CONNECTIVITY & BUSINESS INNOVATION 30

Smart Cities

Showcase your Business Now is the ideal time to increase your profile and showcase your business across our growing communications platforms. We can work with you to tailor a bespoke plan to ensure your objectives are met and you get the most from your budget.

Please contact Deborah on t: 021 4530149 or e: deborah@corkchamber.ie

Conor Healy, CEO conor@corkchamber.ie

Cork Chamber, Fitzgerald House, Summerhill North, Cork T23 TD90 T: 021 450 9044 E: info@corkchamber.ie W: www.corkchamber.ie

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

Chamberlink main sponsor

business news

OPW Flood Plan best option Jeremy Buckley, PRO, Irish National Flood Forum, provides commentary on the planned OPW flood relief works for Cork city.

Many people who have suffered flooding in this country are beginning to see flood schemes delivered by the OPW do and have worked. I would ask the question, what would have happened to the towns of Mallow, Fermoy and Clonmel with the severe flooding of December 2015, if these schemes hadn’t been delivered?

I don’t subscribe to the viewpoint that the OPW wish to erect concrete walls all over our beautiful city and destroy Cork’s heritage. I believe we need to examine their track record and I would remind objectors that not only is the OPW the lead agency with responsibility for flood protection, but it is the agency with responsibility for the protection and maintenance of historical sites such as the Rock of Cashel, Dungarvan Castle and many others of national importance, ranging from Phoenix Park in Dublin to the Dolmen in the Burren. I find it hard to believe an agency which has statutory responsibility for so much of our national heritage would wish to destroy Cork city’s heritage or ignore our links with the Lee. We as a society need to help people who are victims of flooding. ‘Save Cork City’ campaigners have a lot of passion for their cause but have shown very little compassion for flooded communities.

I have huge reservations with the inaccuracies in their argument and the facts as they present them.

First, the proposed flood protection scheme for Cork city will not hide the Lee behind walls. Merchants Quay, Lapps Quay, Albert Quay, Terrence McSweeney Quay and George’s Quay all have proposed railings atop of a flood protection wall which is 600mm or 2ft high. At NO stage will the public not be able to view the Lee. I too have often sat outside the Electric Bar on South Mall and enjoyed a pint or two while gazing into our lovely Lee. This will not change. In fact, under the new proposal by the OPW, they have cleverly created a bench which will increase seating and improve the public PAGE // 4

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realm in this part of our city. This bench is the so-called flood wall and it protects this part of our city from flooding. There is a break in it where a hydraulic flood barrier is buried underground so the public can walk straight out on to the boardwalk. The photo above shows the grand parade boardwalk after works proposed for this area. Indeed photo montages are available to be viewed at www.lowerleefrs.ie and I encourage all members of the public to view them as they show an accurate picture of the City, before and after the flood relief works. A picture paints a thousand words...

There is one part of Cork city where there will be a wall built and this is the North Mall. We will still be able to look over this wall as its height will be similar to that of the wall at Grenville Place. It will be 1200mm or 4ft and not the 7ft/10ft wall that is shown on the Facebook page of ‘Save Cork City’. We have to be pragmatic and protect this area from river flooding.

Have we forgotten the Mercy Hospital which was flooded in 2009?

The argument that a tidal barrier is a possibility is a pure pipedream. Cork has the second largest harbour in the world.

We have special areas of conservation, shipping and industrial development to consider, which I believe would not be compatible with a tidal barrier, never mind the cost. The OPW argue that a tidal barrier could cost as much as half a billion, which is more than the total €440 million national budget for flood schemes over the next five years. The budget allocated for Cork city is €140 million. Where would the money come from? Even if it were financially viable, it would not prevent incidences of river flooding like those of 2009.

The proposal to ‘farm the flood’ upstream is also deeply flawed. We would have to compensate hundreds of farmers and even if it were possible to flood their lands, this concept was studied internationally and deemed unworkable in large catchments.

The argument that the Cork city flood scheme will be similar to the Cork main drainage is not true. Firstly, let us not forget we had a Victorian sewage system in our city which wasn’t fit for purpose.

“The smell on Patrick’s Bridge is wicked, how does Father Mathew stick it?”

Now, despite the people who wax on lyrically about our beloved Lee, we can now swim in it! The annual swim has been reinstated and our link with the Lee reunited. We will not have to dig up our streets again, despite the pictures on the ‘Save Cork City’ campaigners’ Facebook page. If there was to be large scale disruption, do people really believe that Cork Chamber and the Cork Business Association would give their support to the flood scheme?

The objective of the flood scheme for Cork city is positive. To stop our city flooding. The commitment to the €140 million funding was not easy to get, considering this country is in huge debt with so many pressures on the national purse. Indeed, €20 million of this is to be spent on the reinstatement of our historical quay walls which are in a state of collapse in some parts of our city.

There are many other communities across the country rightly lobbying for their flood scheme. We now need to move ahead and embrace this huge and hard won investment in Cork.

We have a beautiful city! Nobody wishes or wants to destroy our heritage. We need to be practical and pragmatic. Cork city cannot reach its full potential with the constant threat of flooding.

I am convinced sanity will prevail. I would like to thank the vast majority of our city councillors for voting for a flood scheme which will protect our homes and businesses and hopefully lead to flood insurance being made available to all.

Jeremy Buckley, PRO, Irish National Flood Forum

Business Briefs PM Group Win Major Project

New Force in Procurement

PM Group has announced a major project win for its new Shanghai office to provide Site Master Planning and Engineering Design services for BeiGene’s Biologics Manufacturing Facility, located in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, China. PM Group is an international project delivery company, with offices across Europe, the USA and Asia – it is headquartered in Ireland, with offices in Dublin and Cork.

Award Winning Irish sourcing company, e-Quiddity and Procurement Consultants, IDD Consult have merged to form iDDea – The Science of Value™. iDDea combines strategic sourcing, buying benchmarks and training services to deliver value to the procurement function beyond cost savings. iDDea has redefined the benefit of strategic procurement for buyers, internal stakeholders and suppliers to realise organisation-wide value.

The BeiGene facility is a US$330 million direct investment to establish a stateof-the-art commercial-scale biologics manufacturing plant and to provide funding for research and development of biologic drug candidates in China.

“We are very pleased to be partnering with one of China’s leading Pharma companies where we will provide essential expertise and experience delivering complex projects in the burgeoning biologics sector,” said Dave Murphy, CEO, PM Group.

iDDea has partnered with University College Cork to expose procurement professionals to methods and frameworks to increase their value to their organisations. “Delivering only cost savings is a short-term approach, and in fact can be counterproductive to the strategic objective of any organisational growth”, according to David McKevitt, Academic Director in UCC for Management and Marketing.

‘Brew a Better World’ Heineken Ireland has published its 2016 Sustainability Report outlining its ongoing commitment to sustainability.

It provides an update on the significant progress made in meeting the ambitious sustainability targets as part of its ‘Brewing a Better World’ strategy.

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Heineken Ireland’s key achievements included:

100% of its malted barley sourced from Irish farmers supporting local jobs and families €100m spent in the local economy supporting local suppliers 100% of HEINEKEN Ireland’s draught beers brewed in the Lady’s Well Brewery uses Irish malted barley Continues to drive water savings across its brewery, reducing water consumption by 8% since 2008 making HEINEKEN Ireland one of the most water-efficient breweries within HEINEKEN globally CO2 emissions have decreased by 52% since 2008 and HEINEKEN Ireland is

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now sourcing 100% of electricity from renewable resources The successful continuation of a

strategic partnership with Cork Simon and their Addiction Aftercare Programme

The first market in Europe to launch Heineken® Light with lower ABV and lower calories.

The International Space University (ISU) is hosting its 30th Space Studies Program (SSP17) at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) from 26th June to 25th August.

The intense 9 week programme will attract 320 international space professionals from 26 countries, including 5 astronauts, who will examine all aspects of space and its related enterprises; from Engineering, Science, and Applications to Law, Business, Humanities, and Human Performance in outer space.In addition to the official elements of the programme reserved for delegates, CIT and Blackrock Castle Observatory are also running an extensive public engagement programme involving over 50 public events, aimed at young and old alike.

For more see www.bco.ie/events Chancellor of the ISU, Apollo 11 Astronaut and one of the first humans to walk on the moon Dr Buzz Aldrin will open the 2017 Space Studies Program in Cork on Monday 26 June 2017.

For more see www.ssp17.ie

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business news

IN THE CHAIR

with Eamon Dwyer, Managing Director City Life To begin, tell us a little about you and your background.

I’m a UCC BComm graduate, which I followed up with a Masters in Marketing.

Having spent the obligatory year in Australia, my wife Gene and I settled in Cork and I entered the family business at the ripe old age of 24. Some 14 years on I am now the Managing Director of City Life and have two little girls at home. In my spare time I run the odd marathon, play a bit of golf and strum a few chords with a cracking group of musicians called the Wildfire Guitar Club.

What services do you offer and what are the benefits of using your company?

We offer efficient administrative support to company owners and HR managers in relation to their pension schemes as well as hands on, customised financial planning services to pension scheme members. By using City Life our clients tap into 46 years’ experience in financial advice, through a firm that has sufficient scale to provide top quality administration, whilst being small enough to deliver an ongoing personal service.

What has been your greatest business achievement and challenge?

Our greatest achievement in recent years was to hold our clients’ hands through the financial crisis, re-balance their portfolios and get them out the other side (largely) intact. Of course, with the recovery of recent years comes the biggest challenge – to rein in expectations, as another downturn is always just around the corner. By getting people to think more “long term” we can help people avoid making bad decisions in times of market stresses.

What motivated you to join the business?

Family businesses are notoriously difficult to maintain into the second generation, but a great working relationship with my dad, Ted, and a clear vision for what we do for our clients has made that relatively easy. My academic background and my love for working with people meant that, for the most part, running a financial planning firm with a great heritage has been an obvious and rewarding thing for me to do.

What is unique to your company in this sector?

Rather unusually we don’t try and offer a menu of many different products by different insurers and banks. Quite frankly, most product offerings these days are somewhat of a commodity. Therefore, we cherry pick product providers with the best IT systems, administrative support and investment fund performance and work with these partner companies in delivering excellent client outcomes. In relation to personal financial planning, we use a great funds platform to provide the investment product for people and use state of the art cashflow modelling software to help people plan that bit more scientifically.

What’s your business goal for the future?

Our goal for the future is to grow our corporate pension scheme business in tandem with our private client business.

The corporate scheme business inevitably feeds our private client business when the employees in the great businesses around Cork need additional services.

The private client services would include estate planning and managing assets in retirement.

Describe your business.

Our business is all about advice. Whether we are advising a business owner or the member of a pension scheme, each person deserves and receives unbiased, personal financial advice. No longer do people want us just to survey financial products and give a recommendation.

Instead, they want to know what their pension fund means to them, will they be able to retire when they want, what happens if they get sick or die too young and are their savings reasonably safe in a volatile world. Our advice is delivered by great people and supported by a super team. We are located in Cork, with a sister company in Galway.

Who are your target audience?

Our target audience is business owners, business managers and professionals in Cork. They make decisions in relation to their own finances but also, importantly, in relation to the level of financial advice and support their staff receive. Our fastest growing area is corporate (group) pension schemes for medium sized companies who want a dedicated tailored service.

Financial and pension advice is all about people and fortunately we are at the right size to deliver personal advice to scheme members and company owners alike.

What makes your company stand out?

Through our experience in business we have learned to develop strong and robust client relationships with some of Cork’s biggest and best business people, many of whom are now doing business with us for over 40 years. This heritage in putting the customer first and avoiding fly by night investment and pension fads seems to stand to us in the long run.

What are the highlights of your work?

One main highlight of my work is when I take someone from accumulating their pension to the point of retirement and then draw it down. There is no greater reward than when my clients embrace financial planning, see it as important and then retire on an income they wanted and deserve. Another highlight is when we challenge the status quo when it comes to pension and investments in the “industry”.

Challenging what the large corporations do in relation to products and charges and developing better outcomes for our clients is something that gives us a strange sort of pleasure.

What’s your top business tip?

I can’t understate the importance of exercise in the morning before heading into that important sales meeting or a meeting you are dreading. I learned about 10 years ago that every meeting goes better after a run or an attempt at some weights in the gym. Trying to stay alive whilst running up a big hill puts everything in perspective!

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Realising Potential and Strengthening a Growing Southern Region Conor Healy, Cork Chamber CEO, discusses the case for progressing Cork’s global linkages and the importance of these in growing, developing and strengthening the versatility of the region into the future.

There is no doubt that as a region, we need competitive enabling infrastructure to ensure our relevance in the international context. We are fortunate to boast considerable connections both nationally and internationally which work to currently secure the regions strong position as the fulcrum for growth outside of the Greater Dublin Area. However, there is no room for complacency in today’s global trade environment and the ability to adapt to the changing dynamics which are presented. Global forces such as Brexit have the potential to present both opportunities and challenges.

“we need competitive enabling infrastructure to ensure our relevance in the international context..”

To meet this changing dynamic, we must continue to be strategic in how we develop and how we promote our region. The breadth of connectivity, the maximised potential of our strategic international access points, the ability to develop sustainably to meet our growth potential, to increase our versatility and our resilience as a region must be at the forefront of how we approach these unknowns. We cannot underestimate the speed at which the international market dynamics can change and so it is essential that we enable our key economic engine locations, such as Ringaskiddy and in doing so we must continue to invest in the key infrastructure deficits that will make Cork truly competitive on the international stage and into the future.

As a location that holds one of the greatest concentrations of employment within the region, Ringaskiddy is a PAGE // 8

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“Ringaskiddy is a strategic employment area and key to reinforcing the economic outlook across the region.” strategic employment area and key to reinforcing the economic outlook across the region. It is home to a key industry cluster of multinationals and indigenous firms, IDA strategic sites, the National Maritime College Ireland, and the strategic Irish Maritime and Energy Research Cluster (IMERC) focused on developing our national potential and opportunities within the blue economy.

It is also home to the Port of Cork which has plans underway to expand the capacity of the Port at Ringaskiddy, with the Port activities based in Tilvoli docklands also relocating to the Ringasiddy site in the future. The Port’s overall redevelopment plan will absolutely influence the future relevance and resilience of our strategic national asset portfolio located here in Cork and indeed the Southern region as a whole, with the port designated as one of only three Tier 1 Ports of National Significance in Ireland.

Consequently, the N28 is identified at European level as being part of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T) and of critical importance to supporting our port at Ringaskiddy.

However, as it stands the existing route linking Ringaskiddy to Cork doesn’t meet the required standards of this network.

We must be mindful that the Port of Cork plays a key strategic role in the movement of goods to and from the UK and Continental Europe, with it sometimes being overlooked that as

an open economy with a dependence on international trade, we do over 90% of our trade by sea. The Port redevelopment, which as one of the main outcomes will facilitate larger vessels, will be of heightened global significance in the future and we must ensure that this opportunity for growth is unlocked.

“an open economy with a dependence on international trade, we do over 90% of our trade by sea.”

Consequently, the M28 to Ringaskiddy is a strategic asset for realising potential, and Cork Chamber has identified it in our recent submission to the National Planning Framework as one of the key enablers of national and regional growth. Looking at the proposed upgrade there are a range of off-shoot benefits to be considered, such as: • reduced peak hour journey times and costs for road users and improvements in public/ sustainable transport options for commuters; • use of a low noise surface along the entire route and installation of noise mitigation barriers at viable locations along the route, achieving a net decrease in the impact of road traffic noise on properties after the construction; • improved road safety to reduce future potential collisions along this route; • enhanced capacity to serve the external trading and connectivity requirements of Munster’s business community by facilitating the development of Port of Cork’s operations at Ringaksiddy;

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improved capacity to serve and enhance the key industry cluster of multinational companies and indigenous firms operating in the Ringaskiddy/Carrigaline area and to support the development of the IDA strategic sites, and the Irish Maritime and Energy Research Cluster and; the wider regional development which it will enable, including the development of Cork docklands, and so growing Cork’s housing and business capacity.

It is worth noting that the recently published Environmental Impact Statement for the project classes the predicted air quality impact on local human and ecological receptors at most as being ‘negligible’, and remaining below the World Health Organisation guidelines for the protection of human health for all parameters. Added to this, many locations along the route will also be benefiting from improved air quality as a result of the project.

Cork Chamber, in an economic assessment of the current Cork to Ringaskiddy route published in 2014, noted that the non-completion of this scheme could result in an estimated future loss in value of trade coming through the Port of Cork to an amount over €22 billion, with knock-on impacts on jobs supported by Port activity (based on 2012 – 2033 estimations). It is crucial that we are mindful of these future impacts as we move forward in this process with the support of a thriving port having clear economic benefits and conversely a failure to do so having the potential to impact negatively.

We all believe in a thriving and vibrant city region, and in doing so, Cork Chamber are supportive of infrastructure developments that will increase the resilience and strength of the region on a national and international platform, and we strongly believe that enablers such as the M28 will facilitate the sustained growth of vibrant communities into the future and across the region.

Mackinnon Report Advances Process On Friday June 9, the report of the Expert Advisory Group on Local Government Arrangements in Cork was launched. Cork Chamber has welcomed the publication of this report as an advancement of the important discussion on Cork’s Local Government Structures and recognises the many positive elements contained within. The recommendations have the potential to position Cork steadfastly as Ireland’s second city region, particularly in the context of the current National Planning Framework process.

The report, which followed a review chaired by former Chief Planner for Scotland, Jim Mackinnon, recommends the retention of two separate local authorities and supports the expansion of the City boundary.

Cork Chamber has welcomed the inclusion of a new Economic Development and Planning Board which will include business representation and sees the significant potential herein as regards planning strategically for future economic growth and spatial development.

CEO of Cork Chamber Conor Healy, in concluding added, “Through the recently submitted Cork 2050 strategy to the National Planning Framework process, all stakeholders in Cork have a part to play in realising the shared vision for Cork. At this crucial juncture, it is essential that the interpretation of the Mackinnon report enhances Cork’s ability to deliver a City region that achieves its full potential.”

Cork Chamber President, Bill O’ Connell, commenting on the report launch stated: “The Chamber’s preferred option has always been for an expanded city area but as part of a singular authority structure. While our preferred option, it is not the only option that can work for Cork, and we see significant merit in what has been proposed today. It is widely acknowledged that the current structures should be enhanced and in this regard we welcome the expansion of the City as recommended by the report.” chamberlinK PAGE // 9

BUSINESS skills

How to Win at Digital

Digital marketing is continuing to skyrocket in 2017, and businesses need to move fast to respond in real time. In a modern-day world where 30% of the population have a Snapchat account, 64% have a Facebook account and almost 30,000 images are uploaded to Instagram every minute; not embracing the opportunities of digital marketing and social media is not an option.

Businesses who win at Digital can win at business.

Our schedule of courses in the area of Digital Marketing & Social Media are designed to equip employees and employers with the latest digital knowledge, enabling organisations to stay ahead of the curve and be in a position to respond best when opportunities arise.

Using Digital for a PR Campaign: Building a Brand Newsroom – 20 July Gain the ability to create relevant & compelling digital PR campaigns, tips and advice on how to write for digital media, how to utilise corporate storytelling and building an editorial calendar.

Online Brand Management: Using Digital Storytelling to Bring Your Brand to Life – 27 July Learn how to manage your brand online and how to use digital storytelling to bring it to life! You will gain the ability to create & sustain a consistent and compelling brand story online, how to engage with customers online and create an atmosphere of positive engagement.

Data Protection for Business – 30 August Is your business ready for the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) implications coming your way in 2018?

Find out how data protection applies to your business and learn how to avoid the common mistakes that put your customers data at risk.

Digital Marketing/Social Media for Business – 1, 8, 15 & 22 August This course is for any business that wants to reduce marketing and sales costs, that wants to get more business using social media and wants to reinforce their offline reputation, online. Learn about SEO, Google Ads, Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn for Business & Devising an Online Marketing Plan.

Digital Marketing QQI Level 5 – starting 28 August A 6 day accredited programme covering the following topics: Digital Marketing Strategy, Search Engine Optimisation, Google Adwords/PPC, Online Video, Writing for Digital Marketing, Email Marketing & Lead Generation, Website Analytics, Data Protection and Cybersecurity, Social Media & Your Online Brand, Social Media & Your Online Brand, Online Advertising & Inbound Marketing. Learn how to create a strong social media campaign and see it through to successful completion.

How to Win at Digital & Cork Digital Marketing Awards 2017 Launch – 5th July This half-day seminar will give you the tips and tricks on how to win at Digital as well as the opportunity to hear from previous Cork Digital Marketing Award Winners and get their insight on what makes their digital marketing presence awardwinning.

Nominations Open 5 July.

If you would like to discuss the training needs of you and your organisation, please contact Aoife Dunne, Network Manager on 021-4530141 / aoife@corkchamber.ie PAGE // 10

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cover story

Story, Boy? President’s Message “Great stories happen to those who can tell them.” These were the words of the American radio host Ira Glass. As I am humbled to enter the role as President of Cork Chamber, I am aware this is a very exciting time to be sharing the Cork story, and indeed of our valued members.

A few weeks back I attended my first Chamber event as President. The event named ‘Boost Your Business’ was cohosted by Facebook and attracted more than 400 SMEs from across Cork and our neighbouring counties. As I looked down at the many attendees, one thing that struck me was the excitement and optimism filling the room. We heard stories from new, successful start-ups who had decided to build a presence in Cork, who successfully had used social media to drive growth, and we saw the diverse and young employees who had joined Facebook at their newly opened offices on the top floor of the Capitol.

As a Corkonian who has built my home, family and a global career in my native Cork, I understand fully why people are attracted to come here, set up a business, and give back to their community in terms of local jobs and local spend. Like other great second cities, Cork benefits from having all the advantages of a capital while retaining a charm and authenticity that would be of envy to many a place.

With the bounce-back in the national economy, Cork is seeing a heightened interest from new firms wishing to set up here, and indeed emigrants wishing to return home after completing the almost obligatory stint abroad. Many of these want to return to the heart of the city, which is a global trend largely attributed to the changing work/ life preferences of the Millennials. In fact, five of the latest six IDA client announcements in Cork have been in the city centre.

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This additional footfall from increasing business activity is leaving its mark upon the city. The past few weeks has seen 6 new restaurants open in the city centre, new retail shops are open for business on Grand Parade, new coffee shops and bars attract a new, young professional crowd, Feel Good Fridays are back, MacCurtain Street has seen a revamp, and the Marquee is up again for the summer with many acts already sold out. Even the hurling team is back on top with its recent wins over Tipperary and Waterford!

As our population grows, investors are looking at Cork with renewed interest.

An iconic 40-story tower proposed by US based developers for the Port of Cork site is one such example. Another is the scheduled works on the 310,000 sq.ft.

Navigation Square commencing this summer. The South Docklands is also lined up for a new plan which will detail how the city will expand eastwards along the waterfront.

One thing is certain. Cork City will see a lot of positive change in the immediate future because of a growing appetite and awareness about our region and city’s strong offering.

Sometimes people like me who have grown up in Cork take for granted the assets on our doorstep. But to protect and promote ourselves in an increasingly competitive global environment, we should take a step back and reflect on all the things we have going for us.

We have a story to tell and we must work harder to tell it. How many other second cities in Europe can pride itself by having a port on its doorstep? By having direct air links to the US and Europe? By being surrounded by a world-class coastline?

By calling itself home to some of the top ICT, agri and biopharma companies globally? By having superfast internet connectivity to the American and EU markets? By having a young, diverse and inclusive population? And also speak English as a first language? I cannot recall any.

So for my term ahead, I will do my bit to ensure that people associate all these benefits with Cork and I hope you will all join me in sharing this story.

Cork Chamber Election results Cork Chamber has elected Mr. Bill O’Connell as its new President at the Chamber’s 198th Annual General Meeting (AGM).

Speaking at the AGM, Bill O’Connell emphasised the positivity and optimism evident everywhere in Cork. “Cork is in a good place. We are near full employment, more people are coming to live, work and visit the region, and new and exciting businesses are opening their doors every month, creating a new buzz and enthusiasm throughout the city and county.”

“In the year ahead, the Chamber’s focus will centre on Cork becoming even more attractive. Cork Chamber’s submission to the National Planning Framework places emphasis on creating an environment that is regionally, nationally and internationally connected. Our submission presents a vision for a community that is healthy, sustainable, educated, skilled and confident. It aims for an internationally competitive highdensity city region with a diverse and resilient economy.”

“In my role as President of Cork Chamber, I will be pushing for this ambition to become reality by advocating for Cork to take a central role in the future direction of the country, and see that reflected through increased investment in critical projects such as the M20, public transport, additional housing and our workforce. We currently have momentum to change Cork for the better. Together we must work to make sure we seize every opportunity that comes our way”, he continued.

Reflecting on the challenges ahead, Mr. O’Connell added “While Cork has immense potential we operate in an increasingly competitive and often uncertain national and international marketplace. Right on our shores, Brexit creates challenges for businesses big and small throughout the region.

From my experience working in a multinational company, it is clear to me that remaining competitive and avoiding repeating past public spending mistakes will be key to Ireland’s future success.”

Mr. O’Connell concluded by paying thanks to the work of outgoing president Barrie O’Connell highlighting his “relentless positivity and energy over the past two years in representing the voice of members and advocating for Cork at every opportunity.”

The AGM also saw the election of four new board members: • Mark Fitzharris, Head of AIB Cork City; • Leo O’Leary, Head of Large Business, Vodafone Ireland • Eoin Motherway, Head of Operations AMX, Willis Towers Watson; • Hugh Smiddy, Head of Business Development, Tyndall National Institute.

Aslo Orla Flynn, Vice President of External Affairs at CIT was elected as Honorary Secretary and John Higgins, Managing Partner and Head of Transaction Advisory Services at EY’s Cork office was elected Honorary Treasurer.

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Cork Chamber Annual General Meeting in progress.

Recently elected Honorary Secretary, Orla Flynn, Vice President of External Affairs at CIT with new board members Hugh Smiddy, Head of Business Development, Tyndall National Institute; Eoin Motherway, Head of Operations AMX, Willis Towers Watson; Leo O’Leary, Head of Large Business, Vodafone Ireland and Mark Fitzharris, Head of AIB Cork City.

Barrie O’Connell passes the chain of office to Bill O’Connell.

Pictures: John Sheehan

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Brexit: Where to Now? With Brexit negotiations now finally under way, it is hoped that the coming months will start to bring some clarity as to what the likely outcome will be, thereby allowing businesses to better understand what the whole process will really mean for them.

The Chamber will continue to monitor developments and communications from all sides, keeping you up-to-date with the commentary from both a local, national and global perspective.

Our autumn events programme will include a number of focused events with expert speakers that will help members to better unravel the ‘noise’ from the realities of the process, and will provide practical insights both for exporters and non-exporting companies, about how to be better prepared for Brexit.

Despite the obvious concerns over Brexit, the UK’s decision to leave the EU has also presented an opportunity for Ireland, offering potential investors the stability and certainty of an Englishspeaking, EU member state, with a strong track record in supporting FDI companies. It is testament to the strength of the investment environment in Cork that the IDA is continuing to win investments and that established FDI companies in the region are also re-investing. The Chamber’s Connecting

Cork activities continue to highlight the strengths of the Cork region as an investment location, and in particular, the potential that exists to grow the international financial services activities that already exist in the region. Help us promote Cork by following @ connectingcork and highlighting our good news stories!

Flight or Flights? Optimism and challenge for post Brexit tourism In May, WOW air landed in Cork Airport to launch the new Cork to Reykjavik route to great fanfare. The company carried out its first flight in 2012 and has grown to employ over 1,000 people and carry 3 million passengers this year.

Passengers from Cork can fly onwards from Reykjavik to over 30 destinations in North America, Europe and the Middle East on the WOW air roster.

Airlines like WOW Air and Norwegian are breaking the mould of long haul flight and are opening up prohibitively expensive routes to a new spend profile and demographic. You are as likely to meet a student as a wealthy pensioner at a Geyser in Iceland with flights one way from as little as €65. We have seen an exciting increase in travel trends with trips by residents of North America to Ireland increasing by 25.7% to 357,900 and trips to Ireland from other areas increasing by 16.7% to 109,700 between February - April this year. You can fly one way from as little as €65.

As the airline industry evolves new opportunities arise and the tourism industry should embrace this new potential. Tourism in Ireland is performing strongly in the wake of a VAT reduction which helps to keep costs competitive and our offer attractive. Nationally, the sector now PAGE// 14

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employs more than 220,000 of the total workforce, equivalent to 11% of all employment and contributing 4% of GNP. Nearly €2 billion is returned to the Government in tax returns each year. At a local level initiatives such as the Visit Cork tourism strategy seeks to further strengthen these figures. The ambition in Cork is to drive an additional 500,000 tourists per annum at an annual additional value of €214m to the local economy.

However, there may be turbulence in the form of Brexit and a lack of capital investment from Government. More British tourists visit Ireland than the rest of Europe combined. Trips by residents of Great Britain decreased by 10.7% to 855,800 in February to April this year and there is potential for further retraction if appropriate travel arrangements are not put in place as part of a Brexit deal. Additionally, government capital expenditure on tourism still remains 40% lower than it was in 2008. €109 million in 2017 compares with €179 million ten years ago.

If we are to grow and capitalise on the potential offered by the likes of WOW Air we must be more ambitious.

We have incredibly sophisticated and compelling brands in the Wild Atlantic

The first passanger, Berglind Kristinsdottir is welcomed by Seamus McGrath, County Mayor and Joe Kavanagh, Deputy Lord Mayor as Niall MacCarthy, MD Cork Airport looks on at the arrival of the first flight by WOW Air to Cork airport. Picture: Brian Lougheed Way and Ireland’s Ancient East. We have digital marketing tools that are more sophisticated than ever before.

Tourism Ireland has the second largest social media reach globally. We can target demographics, geographies and spend profiles with great precision.

Investment in promotion would show clear returns. Our ambition must be matched with investment.

The WOW Air motto is “Impossible is just an opinion.” Their corporate culture and ambition is clearly yielding results.

It is time to apply some of this attitude ourselves.

International business relations The following excerpts are part of the Chamber’s ongoing ‘Brexit Beyond the Border’ series, which looks at business relations between the EU27 and Ireland. They are taken from a series of recent interviews with the Embassies of Cyprus, Slovakia and Spain. Apart from their general perspectives on Brexit, the spokespersons were asked about the commercial relationship that exists between their country and Ireland, as well as the commonalities between the two countries and their thoughts on areas of opportunity for the future.

Mr. Costas A. Papademas, Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus to Ireland

Mr. Dušan Matulay, Ambassador of the Slovakian Embassy in Ireland

Mr. Javier Moral Escudero, Economic and Commercial Counsellor at the Spanish Embassy in Ireland

Ireland-Cyprus Relationship “As both countries are members of the EU, we share a great partnership, as well as common principles and values.

Co-operation throughout the different institutions of the EU is taking place on a regular basis. Such co-operation is pursued in other international organisations where both countries are members, such as the World Trade Organisation.

Ireland-Slovakia Relationship “Despite the geographic distance, both countries have a lot in common. Ireland and Slovakia are small, extremely open and export oriented economies with a large portion of FDI. In the latter we punch above our weight.

Ireland-Spain Relationship “The combination of the increased competitiveness of Spanish companies, with a strong economic growth in Ireland that enables the country to buy more, has seen a strong increase of Spanish exports to Ireland. Between 2012-2016 Spanish exports of goods to Ireland increased by 163.3%. Goods experiencing the highest increases are cars, clothing and chemical products.

With regards to services, tourism is the most important Spanish export to Ireland: there are 1.8 million annual visits of Spanish people...

On a bilateral basis, both countries are considered financial centres. Thus, co-operation on this sector is imminent, not to mention that an Irish banker John Hourican is directing Bank of Cyprus, one of our leading banks. Furthermore, trade is gradually increasing between both countries and our aim is to facilitate investments, especially in the sectors of high tech, tourism and agriculture. Companies such as Alltech, Allianz (Ireland) and others, including hedge funds, also operate in Cyprus.

On Brexit Cyprus, like Ireland, is in a small group of countries who will likely see more consequences from Brexit than our other EU neighbours. In our case, it is for similar reasons, due to the close economic and political relations with the UK. More than 1 million tourists from the UK visit Cyprus every year. A large portion of our exports are directed towards the UK. Undoubtedly, what we want is to continue to reap the benefits of the European Union, both in terms of economic gains and bilateral trade, and also in building relationships with our EU neighbours.”

Ryanair flies to Slovakia daily from Dublin (no connection from the real capital yet though!) and has a base at Bratislava International Airport. I would be certainly very happy if the second biggest Irish city Cork would get a direct flight connection with one of the Slovak cities. It would be great if Slovakia and Ireland could merge [their] potential in the different industries – automotive and ICT. Especially on the level of universities and institutes of technology.

Cars are becoming more and more highly computerised. Applied research projects in self driving cars and similar technologies would be a mutually advantageous direction to take.

On Brexit Without a doubt, unity of the EU27 should be a crucial element... The first priority for Slovakia is to safeguard the residence status of and citizen’s rights derived from EU law, including the social security rights. About 60,000 (registered) Slovak citizens are working and living in the UK. The outcome of Brexit negotiations should guarantee their status and conditions as upon arrival... Britain should definitely remain an important partner and it’s our duty to find such a Brexit agreement, which will suit both sides.”

We are delighted to help Irish companies willing to find Spanish providers of goods or services or to invest in Spain. For example, every autumn we run one of the most successful professional wine fairs in Ireland, where Irish importers of Spanish wine can show their products to potential professional buyers.

On Brexit From an economic point of view, the UK is a very important economic partner for Spain: as a destination for Spanish exports, as a recipient country of Spanish investment, as a tourism source of visitors, and also as a source of residents in Spain and as a destination of Spanish workers. For this reason, the desire of Spain would be that the EU and the UK manage to reach a reasonable agreement for both sides...

Spain is also very aware of the Ireland’s concern with the issue of the border with Northern Ireland and understands the importance of this matter.” chamberlink PAGE // 15

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SUPPORTING DIGITAL JOURNEYS BOOST YOUR BUSINESS Albert Quay was a hive of activity on Friday 26 May as representatives from over 400 SMEs from across the Munster region arrived for Boost Your Business, an event co-hosted by Facebook and Cork Chamber which aimed to provide SMEs with greater insight into how digital solutions like Facebook can be used to connect with new customers, grow brand awareness and drive new sales.

Local businesses Huckleberry’s Doughnuts and babyboo.ie both entertained and informed at the event as they explained how they have grown their businesses through social media.

At Cork Chamber we use social media to connect with our members and also support companies on their Digital Journey with training courses, expert speakers in the area and of course the Cork Digital Marketing Awards which allow you showcase your success - so be sure to submit an entry over the summer months!

We all know that the way people connect has changed drastically in the last decade, but did you know one in every four minutes of internet usage in Ireland is spent on social media websites and 2.3 million Irish people log in to Facebook alone every day. It’s clear that businesses of all sizes need to engage and communicate with their customers where they are and if you weren’t able to make the Boost Your Business even,t here are some of the top tips we learned: Business Pages on Facebook are a free digital storefront which works in addition to your own website and offers some great tools including • Messenger - A personal, private and instant way to interact with your customers in the way that they like, 53% of people say they are more likely to do business with companies they can message.

• Facebook Live – Show the behind the scenes personality of your people, how a product gets made or host a live Q&A. Get into your PAGE // 16

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customers home and let them get to know and trust your business.

Page Insights – An incredibly powerful and intuitive analytics system that lets you understand who you are connecting with and how they spend their time on your business page. You can see the age and gender of your audience and what time of day they engage with you which is invaluable is designing and planning promotional content.

Advertising on Facebook is also really easy to plan and manage allowing you to target your audience in a cost effective way.

You can • Specify the goal for your advertising whether that’s to drive people to your website or collect leads.

• Choose your target audience by demographic, interests, behaviours or even a ‘Lookalike’ audience who are similar to people who have engaged with you previously.

• Utilise Ad Insights, a tool similar to Page Insights which lets you review the results of your advertising and see exactly how cost effective it is and then make changes according to what is working best.

Instagram is a platform for visual storytelling that gives people the power to connect to diverse interests and moments. But why should your business care? 60% of users have found out about a new product or service on the site and 75% of users have visited a business website from their Instagram account.

Instagram allows your business to create a community among your customers and tell the story of your brand. With the same full suite of tools as Facebook it is just as easy to manage your Instagram account and make the most of the information you gather about the people you connect with.

Useful links: •

•

•

Facebook.com/business Find videos, tutorials, FAQs and success stories to help you design your social media marketing plan.

Facebook.com/blueprint - 50 e-learning modules to show you how to use Facebook to grow your business Instagram.com/business

huge names for Digital Marketing Conference Date: Thursday 27 & Friday 28 July Venue: Clayton Hotel Silver Springs Cork Chamber is proud to be a partner of the inaugural Amplify Digital Marketing Conference, a two day event featuring a diverse mix of home-grown talent, international giants, and rising stars of the marketing world. At Cork Chamber we know that while most businesses agree on the importance of digital marketing in todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world, it is an area where many still feel they need to grow their skills and experience.

Amplify Digital will provide businesses with key insights across all areas of digital marketing such as Social Media Marketing, Google Adwords, Content Creation, Data and Mobile. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll hear first-hand experiences and tricks of the trade from 20 international and local experts who are using digital marketing strategies to grow their businesses every day.

Speakers include former Head of Product for Hailo, George Berskowski; Marketing Manager for Lucozade Ireland, Aoife McGuigan and the owner and founder of Joe.ie, Niall McGarry.

On top of the high calibre of speakers, what truly sets Amplify Digital apart from other conferences is its masterclasses. There are 20 different masterclasses spread out over the two days and you can attend any five that suit your interests and needs. The masterclasses range from beginners to advanced levels and will provide stepby-step guides on digital marketing techniques such as how to market online with zero budget, how to create effective digital ads and how to implement Search Engine Optimisation.

Delivered by experts and lecturers in the field of digital marketing the masterclasses offer you a chance to learn practical knowledge and skills that you can immediately put in to practice in your business.

Amplify is the brainchild of Sarah Dineen, a young Cork female entrepreneur and digital marketer and is further proof that Cork is at the forefront of digital marketing in Ireland.

Amplify is essential to any business or individual interested in the digital marketing world. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an SME, a new or recent start-up, the marketing manager or decision maker in your business, or ambitious student/ graduate, Amplify is the event for you..

We are delighted to continue to offer a 20% discount to Cork Chamber members until 30th June when you buy your tickets online using the promo code ChamberCork.

For more information or to book your ticket contact: T: 086 3380806 e: lucy@amplifydigitalconference.ie

www.amplifydigitalconference.ie

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Are you ready for GDPR?

The EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into force on May 25, 2018 replacing existing national data protection legislation. The legislation significantly raises the bar and the stakes around data management and security.

The requirements for compliance are in many cases onerous and timeconsuming and so the impacts are already being felt as companies begin preparations. However, inaction is more typical of many smaller to mediumsized enterprises that don’t know where to start. Questions abound – How do requirements in the regulation differ to the Data Protection Acts? If we weren’t previously affected, will we be now?

What constitutes personal data? Will we need to appoint a Data Protection Officer? What will opt-in consents mean for us? Can we still market to our existing customers? And so on…

In September, the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) at Cork Chamber is partnering with it@cork to run a seminar to help SMEs get to grips with the requirements and have their queries addressed by the experts. Ronan Murphy, CEO of Smarttech sounds a pragmatic tone: “GDPR needs to be kept in context. It is hugely important and many companies that hold large quantities of consumer information face a ferocious challenge. But whilst it affects everybody, for businesses that store minimal amounts of personal customer data, it will be relatively straightforward to comply. For example, I’d put hotels in the ‘significant action required’ category, but advise a tool hire business not to panic. Most hotels have years of personal customer data stored from multiple sources and retained in

At a minimum every business must have good hygiene around their information processes – collect and store correctly and securely, know what you have and how to retrieve and delete it.

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an array of formats. On the other hand, the tool hire customer information will typically be a list of businesses, with little personal content. At a minimum every business must have good hygiene around their information processes – collect and store correctly and securely, know what you have and how to retrieve and delete it.”

“One of the biggest challenges for SMEs will be vendor management,” says Emerald de Leeuw of Eurocomply, “Most small businesses will have contracted out the processing of some element of their information chain by using third party applications for various business activities (accounting, marketing and analytics). Under GDPR they are now responsible for data protection practices on the part of these service providers.

Depending on the complexity of the data supply chain, manually aggregating compliance data will be very difficult.

Companies that fall under GDPR must be able to demonstrate compliance and in practice this means a lot of paperwork.

It will also become very difficult to sell to larger companies as they will request evidence from small businesses demonstrating their compliance with GDPR. The May 2018 deadline is rapidly approaching and knowledge is still in short supply. Once compliance measures

have been put in place, companies need to focus on ensuring staff and others in the data chain operate with strong awareness and sound practices – human error accounts for two-thirds of data breaches according to recent figures from the U.K. Data protection authorities (ICO).”

“Our focus is on operational data protection,” says Marie Murphy of Fort

The May 2018 deadline is rapidly approaching and knowledge is still in short supply.

Once compliance measures have been put in place companies need to focus on ensuring staff and others in the data chain operate with strong awareness and sound practices

Privacy, “Companies need to devise policies based on a clear understanding of the principles of data protection and privacy. It is essential to ensure that staff understand these principles and that the day-to-day processes being used actually follow these policies. I think that if companies take the analogy of personal data being a currency that actually belongs to their customers, then they will be guided to handle it appropriately. There’s a lot of scare tactics about fines under GDPR but the loss of trust and reputation should be a far greater concern. Although the TalkTalk data breach in 2015 drew a record breaking fine of £400,000, the loss of 100,000 customers had a far greater financial impact. Research shows that younger consumers have a greater appreciation of the value of their personal data, they will consent to share but have higher expectations around

There’s a lot of scare tactics about fines under GDPR but the loss of trust and reputation should be a far greater concern. how companies protect and use the information they hold.”

The EEN’s GDPR seminar will be held on 28 September and the experts that have contributed to this article will be on hand to answer your questions. Further information will be available over the coming weeks through Cork Chamber communications.

Data Protection for Business Trainer: Safe Data Matters Date: Tuesday 17 October Venue: Cork International Hotel The countdown is on until the EU GDPR comes into effect across Europe. It’s important that businesses understand now what is involved so they give themselves enough time to prepare.

This one-day training course will give you a solid understanding of data protection and will give practical advice on how to implement good practice across a range of business activities such as running a website, marketing activities, handling customer payments and providing customer service.

It will focus on the practical aspects of preparation – what are the steps businesses need to take now to be confident that they are ready when the GDPR comes into effect?

It’s not all about being compliant with the regulation, good practice helps businesses build customer trust and protect their reputation.

This programme will enable you to: • • •

Understand data protection principles Know how data protection applies to your business Avoid the common mistakes that put your customer data at risk

www.corkchamber.ie/training

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Network

Business on PAR Cork Chamber Annual Golf Classic 2017 in association with with City Life Date: Thursday 7 September Time: 7.30am â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2.30pm Venue: Cork Golf Club Cost: â&#x201A;Ź400 (plus VAT) per team of 4 Attention golf enthusiasts! The Cork Chamber Annual Golf Classic returns on Thursday 7th September and will be held in the spectacular surrounds of Cork Golf Club. We are delighted to welcome City Life on board as the new sponsor for 2017.

With a fourball scramble format, this event is always a fun, exciting day out - perfect for team-building, informal networking, corporate entertainment or just a really enjoyable round of golf.

The Cork Golf Club is routed through an exceptional landscape incorporating old limestone quarries and the inner reaches of Cork Harbour.

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We have some top-notch prizes lined up to be won on the day and are delighted to once again be running our very popular Hole-in-One Competition for charity, supported by Jaguar at Johnson & Perrott. As always, all funds raised for the Hole in One competition will be donated to Cork Chamber charities.

The Golf Classic is sure to sell out so register your team early to avoid disappointment!

dates for Your Diary

Attending networking events affords your business the opportunity to meet with potential suppliers, meet new clients and build on existing relationships. To book go to www.corkchamber.ie Empowered by the Innovation of Technology

Date: Thursday 29 June Time: 5.00pm – 7.00pm Venue: The Imperial Hotel FREE for Cork Chamber/NRF members

business breakfast Briefing Date: Wednesday 28 June Time:7.30am - 9.00am Venue: Carrigaline Court Hotel Cost: €25 members / €50 non members Since his appointment as CEO in 2009, Jim Woulfe has led Dairygold through times of unprecedented change and difficulty in the agri-food industry.

Despite the challenges Ireland’s largest farmer-owned co-operative has continued to prosper with an annual turnover of €760 million and capital investment of €200 million in the last six years alone.

But with the dramatic projected increases in milk production due to the abolition of milk quotas in 2015 and serious implications Brexit will have on Ireland’s exporters there’s no time to relax. Join us for an exciting opportunity to hear from Jim Woulfe on the past, present and future of Ireland’s agri-food and dairy industry.

Every industry has been impacted by rapid changes and advancements in technology in recent years and recruitment is no different. Technology has changed the way recruiters source and communicate with talent and the way candidates find the right jobs. There’s no doubt innovations in technology have made our lives easier in many ways, but with constant buzz about the ‘next big thing’ it can be hard to keep up with what the best practices in your industry are and how you can truly maximise the opportunities created by technology.

Cork Chamber will once again join forces with the National Recruitment Federation (NRF) to bring you an evening seminar entitled Empowered by the Innovation of Technology. This annual event will look at global trends in the recruitment industry as well as taking a more in-depth look at the current and future use of technology in the field of search and selection. The fantastic line-up of speakers includes: • Ed Heffernan, Managing Partner at Barden Ireland and NRF Treasurer on Recruitment Trends • Robert Byrne – IDA Ireland South West Regional Development on Technology, FDI & Cork • Conor O’Flaherty, General Manager, Abtran providing insights into the technology infrastructure of Ireland’s leading outsourcing company The event will close with a lively panel discussion and Q&A session. If you are a recruitment professional, hiring manager or employer this is one event you won’t want to miss

CHILLIN’ & GRILLIN’ Date: Tuesday 25 July Time: 5:30pm – 7:00pm Venue: The Courtyard on Sober Lane FREE for Cork Chamber members There’s nothing worse than planning a summer BBQ and having to cancel last minute because of bad weather. Luckily we won’t have that problem!

Cork Chamber’s Summer Business After Hours BBQ will be held at The Courtyard on Sober Lane, a unique and vibrant space in the heart of the city. The spacious and contemporary beer garden guarantees we will be able to make the most of the exceptional environment despite the unpredictable Irish weather.

The Courtyard on Sober Lane was recently awarded the 2017 Tourist Venue Award from The Good Eating Guide to Ireland so make sure you book your place early to come along to see this award-winning facility.

The venue’s newest neighbours are CIT who recently moved into the upper floors of the The Courtyard building.

Major renovations were undertaken prior to CIT taking up residence and the college are highly impressed with the standard of the facilities.

We can’t promise the sun will be shining but we can promise plenty of opportunities to mingle and network, a great atmosphere and delicious food!

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Out & About Key events in Cork

New members welcome Breakfast in association with AIB #1:

Miriam O’Connell, Mojo for Leaders making her pitch during the New Members Welcome Breakfast.

Picture: John Roche

Port of Call #2: #3:

#4: #5:

#1

On board for networking in the Port of Cork.

John Mullins, Chairman Port of Cork, (right), making a presentation to Barrie O’Connell to mark his last event as President.

Catherine Sheridan, Ervia and Karen Hannigan, UCC. Kieran McCarthy, KMC Homes with Breon Manning, Manning Financial.

Pictures: David Keane

Boost Your Business #6:

Taken at the Boost Your Business with Facebook event are Bill O’Connell, President, Cork Chamber, with Niamh Sweeney, Head of Public Policy, Ireland Facebook (on right) and speakers from BabyBoo.ie Picture: Michael O’Sullivan

Why Good Business Matters #7:

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Cork Chamber partnered with Business in the Community (BITC) for its May Business Breakfast in association with the Irish Examiner. In attendance were Kyran Johnson, General Manager Janssen (speaker); Aidan Forde, Senior Advertising Manager, Irish Examiner & Evening Echo; Bill O’Connell, President Cork Chamber; Moira Horgan, Marketing Manager BITC and Chris Martin, CEO Musgrave Group, (speaker).

Picture: Denis Minihane

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leadership Forum #1:

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Conor Healy, CEO, Cork Chamber, Bill O’Connell, President, Cork Chamber and Peter Coppinger, co- founder and CEO, Teamwork.com.

Eoin Gunn, AIB with Frankie Whelehan, The Montenotte Hotel.

Attendees from AIB included Vicki Crean, Billy Mulcahy and Grainne Breen, AIB. Eimear Nealon, Viatel Ireland with Colm Leen, Carbery Group and Annie FitzGibbon, Cork Chamber.

Picture: John Roche

Spring into Networking #5:

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Taken at the Cork Chamber Spring Into Networking event in the Clayton Hotel Silver Springs, Cork were Seema Ghosh and Liz Walsh, Fuschia Management Consultancy.

Josie O’Kelly, Fota Island Resort and Jill Cummins, Clayton Hotel Silver Springs.

Mary Lenihan, Cork Education Training Board with Laura Curtin and Amy Kearney, Flex.

Pictures: Michael Mac Sweeney

Doing Business Online in China #8:

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The Enterprise Europe Network at Cork Chamber teamed up with the EU SME Centre (Beijing) to deliver an information session for F&B companies looking to sell their products online into China. Pictured are Eimear O’Mullane, Enterprise Europe Network Cork Chamber; Rafael Jiminez, EU SME Centre China and Ivan McCutcheon, Enterprise Europe Network Cork Chamber.

Alice Quirke and Aoife Herlihy from Dairygold.

Lin Wang Casey Musgrave Group and Mary Kelleher Beingmate Ireland.

Pictures: Gerard McCarthy

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Connect

NEW CONNECTIONS We welcome the following new members Accountants/Auditors Russell & Co. At Russell & Company, what sets us apart from other firms is our attention to customer service. As with the times we live in, most of our clients find it difficult to arrange meetings within the confines of 9am – 5pm and therefore we don’t limit ourselves to same. We arrange to meet our clients based on their timetable whether it be before or after office hours.

Contact: John Russell T: 021 4963679 E: john@russellandco.ie W: www.russellandco.ie/ Advertising/Marketing/ Market Research Spark Market Research Spark is a dynamic and solution- focused market research agency. We help our brands and clients grow their business by knowing their customer base and building successful future strategies Contact: Heather Murphy T: 087 7164646 E: heather@sparkmr.com W: www.sparkmr.com This is Ethos We’re a cutting edge Strategic Planning, Research & Consumer Insights, Brand Positioning and Innovation Consultancy based in Cork. Kim began her career in Core Media in both qual & quant research and subsequently worked as a global Strategist with Millward Brown WPP Group, brand & innovation specialist in jump!

Dublin & most recently, as Strategic Planning & Insights Manager in H+A Mktng & PR. Contact: Kim Bolger T: 087 6256259 E: kim@thisisethos.ie W: www.thisisethos.ie Fuel/Energy Bord Gais Bord Gais generates, sells and trades energy Contact: Nico O’Rourke T: 021 4937500 E: mwelstead@bordgais.ie W: www.bordgais.ie

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Business Process Outsourcing/Contact Centre Globe Technical Services Ltd Globe Technical Services was founded in 1997 by CEO Kevin Kelly and Operations Director John Stanley. Between them sharing over 50 years’ experience in global leading technology firms including Apple Inc and Motorola Drawing on this knowledge, GlobeTech launched gTicket into the parking enforcement market with the objective of streamlining the process saving time and money for our clients.

Contact: Colin Murphy T: 021 4839380 E: info@globetech.ie W: www.globetech.ie/ Financial Services / Asset Finance Finance Ireland Leasing Finance Ireland is the largest non-bank lender in Ireland.

It is primarily focused on equipment leasing, agrifinance, car finance and commercial mortgage lending.

It is established since 2002 and employs 100 people. Finance Ireland recently completed of a €30m equity placement with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, and reached lending of €100m to Irish SMEs with the support of the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland.

Contact: Derek Drinan T: 087 1733438 E: derekdrinan@financeireland.ie W: www.financeireland.ie Insurance/Financial Services FBD Insurance PLC FBD has 40 years insurance experience and has grown into one of the country’s largest insurers with over 500,000 loyal and satisfied customers. With local sales offices nationwide, telephone and online support, FBD’s quality customer service is never more than a few steps away.Contact: Morgan McGuire T: 021 4544299 E: Morgan.McGuire@fbd.ie W: www.fbd.ie

IT Services NGINX International Ltd NGINX is the heart of the modern web, powering half of the world’s busiest sites and applications. The NGINX Open Source project started in 2002 and has grown exponentially over the past 10+ years, thanks to the vision of Igor Sysoev and the enthusiasm and support of our loyal community of users.

Contact: Ronan Kirby T: 021 7355715 E: stephen.spillane@nginx.com W: www.nginx.com Spark Analytics Limited Analytics Consultancy and Services. We partner with our clients to understand their business and identify opportunities to create value through innovative analytics solutions.

Contact: Eoin Haberlin T: 086 1727664 E: eoin@sparkanalytics.ie W: www.sparkanalytics.ie Techfindr Recruitment Ltd Talent acquisition firm for the cybersecurity industry globally.

Contact: Dina Vyapuri T: 068 58118 E: dina.vyapuri@techfindr.ie W: www.techfindr.ie Management Consultants Fuschia Management Consultancy We are a consultancy firm that caters for all functionalities of a business no matter how big or small you are in the SME sectors. We source the best expert strategists/training specialists in their fields in Sales, Digital Marketing, Procurement, HR, IT, Web Development and Financial Planning. We will source the best price and quality for our clients from dependable, experienced strategists.

Contact: Liz Walsh T: 087 7152400 E: liz@fuschiaconsulting.ie W: www.fuschiaconsult.ie

Manufacturers Enviro Ceramic Ltd Manufacturer of technical ceramic oxygen diffusers for the aquaculture industry.

Contact: Kurt Holztrager T: 087 4533821 E: info@enviroceramic.com W: www.enviroceramic.com Management Consultants Melius Consulting Limited At Melius Consulting, we offer consulting and advisory services that help your business grow and achieve the opportunities in today’s challenging economic environment. With deep industry and international experience, Melius Consulting can help your organisation solve the issues and deliver effective business and corporate finance solutions.

Contact: Steven Flint T: 086 2405567 E: sflint@melius.ie W: www.melius.ie Mojo For Leaders Leadership development and coaching company - providing creative, effective and powerful leadership development programmes for individuals and organisations using leading edge approaches and thinking.

Contact: Miriam O’Connell T: 087 2399522 E: info@mojoforleaders.com W: www.mojoforleaders.com Motor Traders Sixt Leasing Ireland Sixt Leasing is a leading provider of mobility services with a collection of Car Fleet Management Services, Corporate Car & Van Leasing, attractive terms and an individual tailored service for each of our partners.

Since launching in early 2011, Sixt Leasing Ireland has gained a reputation for delivering realist value driven solutions to keep business in Ireland on the move.

Contact: Patrick Reynolds T: 087 0932800 E: patrick@sixtleasing.ie W: www.sixtleasing.ie

New members welcome Breakfast in association with AIB

An opportunity for new members to connect and introduce their company to fellow new members

Media/Publishing/Video Production The Sunday Business Post The Sunday Business Post Digital provides independent insight, commentary and analysis of the important stories and issues across a broad spectrum of topics: business, finance, politics, technology, markets, media, marketing and personal finance.

Contact: Elizabeth Fallon T: 01 6026000 E: efallon@sbpost.ie W: www.businesspost.ie Property Management/ Lettings Trading Places Letting Agents and Property Management.

Contact: Emer McCarthy T: 021 4276000 E: info@tradingplaces.ie W: www.tradingplaces.ie Trident Holiday Homes Leading operator of self catering accommodation, with over 500 houses nationwide. Ideal for family holidays, short breaks, team building events, corporate short lets for contract or relocating staff. Locations include lodges at Castlemartyr Resort, Youghal, Ardgroom, Kinsale, Dublin, Killaloe in Co.Clare, Dingle, Killarney, Killorglin & Tralee in Co.Kerry and 100’s more nationwide.

Contact: James Flynn T: 01 2018400 E: reservations@ tridentholidayhomes.ie W: www.tridentholidayhomes.ie

Printing/Packaging Alliance Packaging Ltd Specialists in branded carrier bags & packaging products since 1980. Bespoke packaging that will enhance your brand & promote your business.

Contact: John Horgan T: 1890 100052 E: info@alliancepackaging.ie W: www.alliancepackaging.ie DAOL Design, Print & Sign DAOL Design, Print & Sign is an independent family-run business that delivers the highest quality products and services to all of our clients. The company has evolved from the printing press to the digital age and across four generations. DAOL Design, Print, Sign has the experience to produce the greatest standard of work no matter what the job.

Contact: Maurice O’Leary T: 086 2537049 E: maurice@daol.ie W: www.daolprint.ie Recruitment/Executive Search Copius NI Ltd International recruitment of engineering and construction trades Contact: Keith O’Driscoll T: 087 3913511 E: keith.odriscoll@copiusgroup. com W: www.copiusgroup.com Restaurant/Bar/Catering Rachel’s Rachel’s is Rachel Allens first restaurant in her adopted home of Cork City.

Contact: Steve Guiney T: 021 4274189 E: dine@rachels.ie W: www.rachels.ie

Retail Bespoke Blinds & Shutters We are a young company located in Cork, with over 10 years experience in the window blind and carpentry industry. The majority of our work is secured through word of mouth from our satisfied customers. We offer our customers excellent customer service and advice on all their window blind and shutter needs.

Getting it right for our customers is central to everything we do.

Contact: Ryan Hasson T: 021 4642767 E: aisling@bespokeblinds.ie W: www.bespokeblinds.ie Pair Wilton Limited Pair Mobile is a nationwide company with 6 outlets and an online presence. We specialise in mobile phone and tablet repairs, sales and accessories, offering a variety of services to both walk in and corporate customers.

Contact: Mike Jones T: 021 2019410 E: mike@pairmobile.ie W: www.pairmobile.ie Software/Software Services Mocal Connecting local retailers with the smart phones of their ideal customers. Targeted offers that benefit the business and the customer.

Contact: Tim O’Riordan T: 086 2051627 E: tim@mocal.ie W: www.mocal.ie

Services Him @ The Modern Gent One of Cork’s oldest barber shops. Bringing old in to the new, we opened HIM, Cork’s 1st Men’s Beauty Salon.

Contact: Jennifer Mc Sweeney T: 021 4278740 E: Themoderngent@yahoo.com W: www.themoderngentcork.net Sodexo Ireland Sodexo is proud to deliver quality of life services to the corporate services, schools, energy & resources, universities, healthcare, sports & leisure and government sectors. To our clients, we deliver onsite Services and peace of mind at over 1,850 locations, year after year. With service, safety and quality assured, our services allow clients to get on with their business.

Contact: Declan Murphy T: 087 2518550 E: declan.murphy@sodexo.com W: www.sodexo.ie TRANSLIT TRANSLIT is a Complete Language Solutions provider specialising in translation, interpreting, localisation, voiceover and document legalisation. With a team of over 700 translators and interpreters covering 70+ languages, TRANSLIT helps businesses and organisations to communicate their message in the right way using the right language and technology across many sectors.

Contact: Alex Chernenko T: 021 2391278 E: alex@translit.ie W: www.translit.ie

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Connect

On the Move

Members announcements and new appointments

Pictured at the announcement are (back l/r): Anthony Reidy, Assurance Leader, PwC Cork; Feargal O’Rourke, Managing Partner, PwC Ireland and Ger O’Mahoney, Senior Partner & Advisory Leader, PwC Cork with newly appointed PwC Cork Partners (front row l/r): Olivia Hayden, Declan Maunsell and Nicola Quinn.

PwC investing in Cork PwC Cork has announced that Olivia Hayden becomes a Partner in the PwC Ireland Asset & Wealth Management Practice and Leader for PwC Cork and Kilkenny Asset & Wealth Management; Declan Maunsell becomes an Assurance Partner in PwC Cork and Nicola Quinn becomes a Tax Partner in PwC Cork. Speaking at the announcement, Ger O’Mahoney said: “We are admitting a record number of new partners to PwC Cork as part of our ongoing commitment to our clients and the local market and in response to significantly increased client demands. This also follows our move last year to state of the art premises at One Albert Quay. Our focus is helping our clients manage and grow their businesses in the current volatile economic environment.”

New Tax Partner at Crowleys DFK Crowleys DFK is delighted to announce the appointment of Siobhán O’Hea, AITI Chartered Tax Adviser, as Partner.

Siobhán is a highly-experienced tax practitioner and has been instrumental in the growth and development of the firm’s Tax Department for the past 12 years. She specialises in the tax issues surrounding companies in the SME sector, including tax compliance and planning, VAT, business re-structuring and succession planning.

Pictured at the announcment of his appointment are William Hanly, Solicitor with Pat Mullins, Partner BDM Boylan Solicitors and Tom Leahy, CEO BDM Boylan Solicitors. Picture: Darragh Kane New appointment at BDM Boylan Solicitors BDM Boylan Solicitors & Business Advisory, one of Munster’s largest law firms, has announced the appointment of William Hanly as a solicitor with the commercial team.

In his new position, Mr Hanly will be working closely with partner Pat Mullins and Tom Leahy, CEO and the wider commercial property team to further enhance the firm’s commercial offering. William graduated with a BCL (Hons) from University College Cork in 2008, completed his traineeship in Limerick City and qualified as a solicitor in 2013. He previously worked in general practice in Mallow, Co Cork.

Flavour of the month The Montenotte, has announced the appointment of Adrian Hillgrove to the role of Executive Head Chef. An experienced head chef and graduate of the CIT Culinary Studies, Adrian’s career highlights include working at Rick Stein’s flagship eatery, The Seafood Restaurant in Cornwall, UK. In Ireland, Adrian was a chef at Man Friday’s Restaurant in Kinsale for 5 years, as well as The Bosun, Monkstown and Clifford’s Restaurant in Cork City.

Sheila joins Fuller Marketing Sheila Kelleher has been appointed as Strategy Director with award winning agency Fuller Marketing Cork where her role will be to identify opportunities for the firm’s services as well as contributing marketing and business solutions to client’s commercial challenges. She brings industry experience in manufacturing, international business development, sales and channel distribution. chamberlink PAGE // 27

Connect

members news

Members events, award wins, openings and more

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CareerWise Recruitment recently sponsored a CIPD Southern Region Breakfast. Taken at the event are Mike Morrissey, CareerWise Recruitment; Margaret Collins, CIPD; special guest speaker Paddy Gunnigle, Professor of Business Studies UL; Ken Murphy, CareerWise Recruitment; and Mari Manning, CIPD. Picture: Darragh Kane Eurostyle are celebrating 45 years in business.

Pictured are George Dwyer with supermodel Jodie Kidd and Alan Dwyer & Peter Dwyer.

Taking part in the 21st Novartis Community Partnership Day at the Serendipity Garden allotment/Cope Foundation, Ballincollig were Yvonne Dunne, Head of International Services Laboratory, Novartis and Dorothea Ledergerber, Site Head, Novartis Ringaskiddy Ltd. Picture: Darragh Kane Sunshine sends Cork Summer Show numbers skyward. It is estimated that 27,000 people attended the show on Saturday and a further 33,000 attended on Sunday.

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Polar IceTech won the coveted 2017 Local Enterprise Awards in South Cork, pictured following the prize presentations at Cork County Hall are Mairead O’Donnell and Damien McDonnell, Polar Ice Tech with Ciara McGee, LEO South Cork. Picture: Michael MacSweeney Ronan Daly Jermyn was named “Law Firm of the Year” at the AIB Private Banking Irish Law Awards. Ronan Daly Jermyn is the first law firm headquartered outside of Dublin to receive this award. Pictured Miriam O’Callaghan with Richard Martin, Managing Partner RDJ. Pat Lucey, CEO & co-founder Aspira (centre) celebrating Aspira’s ten year anniversary with staff members. Named by the Financial Times as one of the fastest growing companies in Europe, Aspira, has announced an investment of over €1.2m in new services and opened their new Docklands office, at Sir John Rogerson’s Quay in Dublin. Picture: John Allen

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The Grafton Barber have expanded in Cork.

Congratulations to Hassan and his team on opening his third Grafton Barber store in CastleWest Shopping Centre, in Ballincollig County Cork.

Newstalk and Red FM’s Jonathan Healy with Ciara-Jane at the launch of the Cope Foundation Flowers of Hope campaign in Beech Hill Garden Centre, Montenotte. Picture Darragh Kane chamberlink PAGE // 29

Connectivity & Business innovation

Smart Cities

Connectivity and smart solutions are critical to regional development In the last five years between 2011 and 2016, the Irish population has increased by 3.8%, according to the 2016 Census Report. As our population expands, we as a country should consider the most efficient, sustainable and smart ways that we can build infrastructure to enable us to cope with a growing population.

“Smart Solutions” could be implemented to enable cities to develop in an efficient and sustainable way. Smart solutions have the ability to transform our cities allowing quality of the lives of citizens to be improved. In essence, this means creating smart cities by improving the ease with which people interact with public services such as; transport, waste management, lightening, pollution and the everyday.

This year, Ireland launched the National Planning Framework (NPF) that will outline the spatial development of Ireland in 2040. A major part of the NPF will be how we can engage more efficiently in urban development. High class connectivity is highlighted as an important enabler to utilise leading edge communications technologies and infrastructure in supporting Ireland’s on-going journey to becoming a smart economy.

Cork Chamber recently published their submission on the NPF to showcase Cork’s potential to cope with arising national growth, and how the city can act as a support to the sustainable development for greater Dublin area. The submission also highlights the critical role connectivity and accessibility plays to attracting and retaining investment in regions.

Smart solutions powered by high class connectivity will improve the quality of life for our citizens and should be included in the overall plans of the NPF for 2040.

Vodafone understands how important connectivity is in improving the lives of citizens in Ireland and this is reflected in our vision to create a Gigabit Society for Ireland. This means universal access to one gigabit broadband speeds for everyone in the country regardless of their location.

The Gigabit Society we aspire to is one which offers a level digital playing field to all citizens and businesses. It is a society within which no urban-rural divide exists to deprive small towns of the technologies needed to attract investment from overseas or to access public services.

Siro, Vodafone’s joint venture with ESB,

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is providing the infrastructure for the connectivity required to establish the Gigabit Society. This is providing a 100% fibre to the building broadband network with speeds up to one gigabit nationwide.

At present, the company is in the process of connecting 50 towns around Ireland.

It has already connected Carrigaline and the roll-out will include many locations in the Cork region. SIRO and Vodafone have also partnered on a unique new initiative called, ‘The Gigabit Hub Initiative,’ which aims to spark a digital transformation in 15 towns across Ireland by providing Gigabit connectivity to qualifying hubs free of charge for two years to create jobs and improve local economies.

To date, Vodafone has invested €14 million specifically in Cork as part of our network refresh program to deliver improved voice and data services. This further extends our 4G footprint in the county, including providing new voice and data services to key locations such as Cork Airport, business parks as well as high profile tourist locations. As a result, all Vodafone sites in Cork have undergone major improvement works to provide superior mobile services to our customers across the county.

Additionally, all Vodafone sites across Cork city now have 100% High Capacity IP connectivity and Dual Carrier technology, enabling businesses in the region to work more efficiently. Vodafone’s ongoing investment to improve Cork’s communication infrastructure to allow for a strong and dependable network will promote business growth and deliver a better quality of service for our Cork customers.

We see ourselves as enablers of the Gigabit Society in Ireland. An element of this vision is the need to provide smart solutions to support Ireland’s ongoing journey to becoming a smart economy. We are delighted to be among the first Vodafone operating companies to launch NB-IoT to the market. The Vodafone NB-IoT network will be available commercially later this year. It will provide a kick start to Irish businesses so they can be at the forefront of developing new IoT applications secure in the knowledge that the network platform is of the highest global standard.

It is predicted to have a widespread global coverage in a matter of years.

Debbie Power – IOT Sales Manager Irish citizens will see a vast variety of ‘smart’ products, services and applications enabled by NB-IoT. This will include gas meters, smoke alarms and even car parks.

It will enable cities to become smarter and more efficient thereby benefitting the citizens that live in them. Waste infrastructure will have the potential to ‘phone-home’ when full, reducing cost and improving cleanliness. Parking bays can be fitted with censors to let users know capacity.

At Vodafone our global presence allows us to look at smart solutions from other countries and learn from them. If we are developing smart cities regionally in Ireland, it’s important that we look at case studies that have proved successful in other countries and see how we can replicate them here.

Another important factor to consider when developing smart cities is citizen engagement and citizen input into the development of regional planning. If the trend is that more people will live in cities, when we are developing our smart cities plans, we must include the feedback of that city’s inhabitants.

The infrastructure, which we build and invest in across the regions in Ireland, is essential in order to cope with the growing population and the pressure this puts on our public services including, transport, housing, health and our environment. We see connectivity as a key enabler for smart cities in Ireland to function.