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Business Summit

Accelerating Business: Tech, Scale & Finance

Thinking Beyond.

An Event Series for the Public Good at J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics

Date: Friday, 22nd March 2024
Time: 08.30-am to 1.30 pm, official start is 9.00 am (lunch included)
Location: Bailey Allen Hall, University of Galway – see here for directions.

J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway, in collaboration with itag, Galway Chamber and Data 2 Sustain is delighted to host this regional event as part of our Thinking Beyond event series. The event will, together with industry and academic thought leaders, showcase how businesses can innovate and accelerate their Tech, Scale and Finance operations in the West of Ireland. Using business cases and panel conversations, the event will provide participants with research-informed and practical insights to help them address current and future business challenges

Event Programme Overview

08:30 – 09:00 Registration, Tea/Coffee & Networking

09:00 – 09:45 Welcome Addresses

Professor Alma McCarthy, Dean, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway
Cllr. Eddie Hoare, Mayor of the City of Galway
Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President, University of Galway
Keynote Address: Reflections on an international career, Irial Finan

09:45 – 10:30 Digitalisation at Speed: Responsible Technology in an Accelerated World

The Digitalisation panel will make us rethink responsible design, use, and regulation of technology in our accelerated world. The panel, consisting of industry and academic representatives, will challenge current assumptions around digital responsibility and will present leading practices such as AI, analytics, and cybersecurity. Examples of leading research in this area from J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics will be highlighted including the newly funded ROSETTA (RespOnSiblE Time and Tech in an Accelerated Digitised World) Research and Training programme. The panel will also explore the diverse challenges in achieving a responsible agenda from the unique perspective of small companies in the West of Ireland to the forefront of digitalisation efforts in global multinationals.

Chaired by: Sharon Walsh, SVP Technology, Fidelity Investments & Chair, itag

Western Development Commission: Ian Brannigan, Head of Regional Development
PennEngineering: Mary Ann Fleming, President
Centripetal Europe: Dave Silke, CMO & MD
J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway: Dr Kieran Conboy, Professor in Business Information Systems & Co-Principal Investigator in the Lero Irish Software Research Centre & Dr Anastasia Griva, Assistant Professor in Business Information Systems & Programme Director of the MSc in Business Analytics

10:30 – 11:00 Tea/Coffee & Networking

11:00 – 11:45 Scaling a Business: Lessons from Indigenous and FDI Companies

The scaling panel brings together leading experts in business scaling from business, enterprise support agencies and academia, representing both the indigenous and foreign-owned business sectors in Ireland. Following a brief introduction to the work of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Growth & Scaling (CEGS), the panellists will debate the critical ingredients for successful business scaling, including what’s needed from senior management teams, and whether more can be done to generate synergy between the indigenous and foreign-owned sectors to build strong sustainable businesses in Ireland.

Chaired by: Prof. Jonathan Levie, Professor of Entrepreneurship & Regional Development & Co-founder of the Centre for Entrepreneurial Growth & Scaling (CEGS) & Prof. Esther Tippmann, Professor of Strategy & Co-Director of CEGS at J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway.

Signify Health: Elaine Murphy, Site Lead & AmCham President
IDA Ireland: Denis Curran, Head of Regional Enterprise Development and Strategic Property
Aerogen, Ireland: John Power, Founder & CEO
Enterprise Ireland: Leo McAdams, Investment Services & Entrepreneurship Divisional Manager

11:45 – 12:00 Comfort break

12:00 – 12:45 Sustainable Finance: Mobilising Change

The sustainable finance panel will address the challenges of integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) considerations into financial systems and directing investments towards more sustainable economic activities. J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics has been at the forefront of climate change risk and integrating sustainable finance into our teaching and research agenda. The panel brings together multiple perspectives - banking, business, and academia - to address the critical drivers, implications and importance of accessing finance based on sustainable practices. The panel will also discuss the introduction of the new MSc Fintech by University of Galway, which represents a significant step forward in financial education, marrying financial technology with sustainable practices to prepare graduates for the future of finance.

Chaired by: Cian Twomey, Lecturer in Economics & Programme Director of BSc in Financial Mathematics and Economics degree programme at J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics, University of Galway

Deloitte: Caítlín Flanagan, World Climate Lead
SkySpecs: John Harney - VP of Financial Operations
Banking & Payments Federation of Ireland: Louise O'Mahony, Head of Sustainable Banking
Sustainability & Sustainable Finance Specialist: Barry Gavin, Adjunct Lecturer, J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics

12:45 – 13:00 Reflection points for businesses in the West of Ireland: Kenny Deery, CEO Galway Chamber

Closing Remarks: Professor Alma McCarthy