Mike Cronin and Mark Duncan’s new book Revolutionary Times looks at the revolutionary period in Ireland. In this podcast he talks to Dion Fanning about the stories we tell ourselves, the problem with reunification and why Irish history remains such a hot topic to debate.
Australian agribusiness veteran John Rich chairs MHP, Ukraine's largest farming and food processing company. On a visit to Dublin, he told Thomas Hubert about the challenges of running a business when staff are mobilised into the army, export routes are closed and capital restrictions lock it out of money markets. From paying veterans' salaries to raising equity from a Saudi sovereign wealth fund, Rich discusses how a modern listed company trades through "World War Three in Europe" and defends the future integration of the Ukrainian agricultural superpower into the European Union.
A new report by PwC and SustainabilityWorks and PwC identified the potential of the Climate Tech sector in Ireland. In this episode of The Tech Agenda, David McGee, PwC’s ESG leader, explains how Climate Tech could be a “double win” for Ireland - helping the country achieve its climate emissions targets while developing a vibrant new economic sector. To help make it happen, McGee tells Ian Kehoe that funding and supports for developing climate technologies should be focused on areas where there is a competitive advantage, instead of trying to address decarbonisation challenges across all economic sectors. This podcast series is sponsored by PwC.
With his business partner Michael Kearney, Ed Murphy turned the Snap Printing franchise into a high street success. They then repeated the trick with Home Instead Senior Care. Murphy succeeded with the video game retailer CeX, but, by his own admission, struggled with Contours Express, a female-focused gum brand. So, what makes a good franchise? And how can a master franchisee ensure they secure the right people on the ground?
In the latest episode of Franchise Matters, Murphy talks to Alison Cowzer about the lessons from his own career, why he believes in the franchise model, and the difference between building a franchise and launching a business from scratch.
With O’Briens Irish Sandwich Bars, Brody Sweeney created a global brand with 340 outlets around the world. When he ceded control of the business during the financial crisis, he dusted himself down and started again. The fast-growing Thai restaurant and delivery business Camile Thai was born. In this episode of Franchise Matters with Alison Cowzer, he talks about his journey and the lessons he learned along the way. It is a journey, he admits, that has both successes and failures.
The world of work is changing. Some of these changes are obvious such as flexible working, hybrid offices and working from home. Others such as automation and GenAI are less clear. The relationship between the employer and the employee, for so long clearly defined, is changing, and those changes are having massive implications for businesses and their most important resources – their staff. In this episode of The Tech Agenda, Susanne Jeffery, director, workforce consulting with PwC, talks to Ian Kehoe about how technology is impacting workplace trends and offers advice on what companies can do to harness the power of their workforce. This podcast series is sponsored by PwC.
Franchising is a huge phenomenon globally. The sector currently has revenues of about one trillion dollars and it is forecast to triple by 2032. It brings global and sometimes local brands to the market, offering entrepreneurs an opportunity to join a group and mould the business around a proven model.
But how does a company know when to adopt a franchise model, and what business person makes a good franchisee? In the first episode of Franchise Matters, Alison Cowzer talks to Dr Rosalind Beere, an expert on the business of franchising. She shares her own experiences in the sector and talks about when the model makes sense, how to avoid trouble, and why franchisees are entrepreneurs in their own right.
All the major Irish team sports wrestle with their relationship with the country in a way that isn’t unique to Ireland but is certainly peculiar in its relentlessness and refusal to settle.
Hurling brings out the self-congratulation; Gaelic football the self-loathing. Football and rugby are often viewed in comparison to Gaelic games, with the historic accusation, implied or explicit, that these games — and more importantly — those who played them — were somehow less Irish.
For Liam O’Callaghan, author of the new book Blood and Thunde, rugby has the most interesting story to tell of all the sports
His book makes a compelling case for his point of view, spanning as it does how rugby was seeded in Ireland, the political tensions, its role north and south and the class element which ultimately may be more important than the nationalist position. He speaks with Dion Fanning.
When Ian Kehoe last met Noel Anderson three years ago, the Dublin publican was navigating his group through the pandemic and recovering from a bruising, but successful, court battle with FBD over disputed business interruption cover. Since then, along with his former rugby-playing backers, he has opened a new restaurant, launched a pub in Blackrock, and recently acquired McSorley’s in Ranelagh for €5.5 million. In this podcast, he explains how the deal came about, outlines his plans for the group, and talks about the glut of closures in the hospitality sector.
Patsy McGarry's career as the Irish Times Religious Affairs correspondent spanned the implosion of the Catholic Church in Ireland. His new memoir details those extraordinary and distressing times. In this podcast he talks to Dion Fanning about why his father stopped going to mass, the bloodless genocide of Protestants in Ireland and the intransgience of the Catholic Church.
Economist Danny McCoy has spent the last 14 years leading the employers' group Ibec, and understands the intersection of business and politics better than most. He has been a vocal critic of government in the past. Now, however, he is siding with the Government over its fiscal advisers, arguing that the coalition is right to breach the National Spending Rule. In this podcast with Ian Kehoe, McCoy explains why and also sets out the details contained in Ibec’s pre-Budget submission.
