Chambers Ireland CEO Forum

BIBA (Boston Irish Business Association) visits Kildare

The Boston Irish Business Association (BIBA) visited Kildare in November. Our relationship with BIBA continues to flourish and following an invitation by our former President Luke Hanahoe in June this year, a delegation from BIBA enjoyed a day in Kildare where the Chamber organised visits to Pfizer, CarveOn, The Irish National Stud, Kildare Village and an overnight in Kilkea Castle.

Delegates from Boston included:

• Laura Hamilton Vice President of Health Beacon • Steve Brackett: Shepherd Kaplan & Krochuk • Kerrie Doyle: National Grid • Paul Dwyer: Fidelity Investments • Kathryn Ellis: UMass Innovation Institute • Michael Fechter: Independent Advisor and Investor • Kathleen Healy: Boston University Academy & New

England Aquarium • Paul Jennings: Silicon Valley Bank – Head of Foreign

Exchange (retired) • Noreen Kelly: Commonwealth of Massachusetts -

Division of Licensure • Brittany McDonough: Abu Dhabi Investment Office -

Innovation & Ecosystem Section Head

County Kildare Chamber are heavily invested in promoting business activity for our membership in Boston. Our relationships with Boston businesses continue to grow, and recently the Chamber signed a MOU with Quincy Chamber which has 4 commitments

• Encourage, promote and facilitate effective cooperation in relation to trade, economic, education and industrial activities

• The two Chamber’s will exchange visits of delegations for the purpose of activating relationships and expanding trade cooperation between their members, they will provide assistance to each other on trade meetings, project seminars and exhibitions

• The two Chamber’s will develop appropriate means to facilitate networking among their respective membership and to circulate information on business and economic opportunities available in the jurisdiction of their respective organisations

• The two Chamber’s will assist their members to overcome the difficulties that may arise from trade and exchange operation

In November we had a member of the Chamber engage with Quincy Chamber and in January another member will visit Quincy to avail of network opportunities and introductions that Quincy Chamber are organising for them.

Allan Shine, “Our ongoing efforts are to raise Kildare’s profile internationally, to improve the already-strong bilateral trade and investment linkages with Boston, and to provide a forum for Kildare companies active in the Boston area to develop their relationships with customers, partners, and other stakeholders. Our regular trade visits to Boston are also part of our business agenda to increase the export market penetration and diversification of Kildare companies post Brexit.”

“Our regular hosting of visiting delegations is extremely important and we are very thankful that companies such Pfizer, CarveOn, The Irish National Stud and Kildare Village are on hand to host and engage with the delegations. Kilkea Castle is always an excellent host as it is owned by the Cashman Family who are from Boston.”