By Business & Finance 
Business & Finance brings you the day’s Irish business news in brief.
Wednesday, September 28th 2016
YapStone opens international HQ in Drogheda Leading US-based fintech company YapStone has announced the opening of its international headquarters at a new office in Drogheda, Ireland. Having significant US and international growth in the past three years, YapStone is forecasted to process over $15bn in electronic payments in 2016. The company has approximately 400 full-time employees in the US and Ireland and is setting the stage for continued international expansion. The company forecasts 40 to 50 new hires in the Drogheda office. “We selected Drogheda as home to our international headquarters because of the tremendous support we’ve received from IDA Ireland and of course, the incredible talent pool in this country,” said Tom Villante, YapStone CEO. “We are proud to partner with IDA Ireland to contribute to the sustained growth of Ireland’s local and regional economy and look forward to our continued success.” Bord Bia launches state-of-the-art research centre This is all thanks to a new integrated, state-of-the-art consumer research and market insight centre launched by the organisation at its HQ in Dublin today. The Thinking House will play a potentially transformative role in helping it to develop and differentiate its offerings in the global marketplace. In addition to meeting the challenge presented by Brexit, achievement of the industry’s 10-year target is expected to require a step change in export growth to Europe and a trebling in its exports to international markets, including a quadrupling of its presence in Asia’s growth markets. The Thinking House will be managed by Helen King, director of Consumer Insight, and a team of 11 professionals, with backgrounds ranging from psychology to librarianship.
Ireland’s food, drink and horticulture industry will for the first time enjoy unrestricted access to the latest global trends, research, consumer insights and industry innovations, according to Bord Bia.
Majority of techies plan to change jobs in the next year
Over 80% of tech professionals in Ireland plan to change jobs in the next 12 months, and they will be most attracted to workplaces with family friendly policies and opportunities to travel according to a Career Zoo survey released today.
Career Zoo is a career networking event, taking place twice each year at The Convention Centre Dublin, attracting leading tech employers and over 7,000 attendees.
To coincide with the launch of the next event, which takes place on October 15th, Career Zoo released the results of a survey of over 200 tech professionals. Commenting on the survey findings, Jackie Slattery, director of Career Zoo, said: “The majority of those who completed our survey are highly experienced tech professionals: 45& are in the 32 to 40 age-bracket, and half have more than five years’ experience in the sector.
“Our survey also shows that tech professionals are highly mobile, with the vast majority planning to change jobs in the coming year and to continue moving from job to job in the years to come. This mobility – and the global nature of the tech industry – is further evidenced by the fact that over half of those who completed our survey hail from outside Ireland originally, with high response levels from tech professionals from Brazil, India, Spain, the UK and Italy, in particular.”
EPIC programme assists over 2,600 in finding employment and training
The EPIC programme, which is run by Business in the Community Ireland, brings government, business, state agencies and NGOs together to assist immigrants to gain employment by providing training and support.
Since 2008, EPIC has worked with over 2,600 unemployed people from 101 countries, building their skills and confidence and helping them integrate in Ireland. Over 1,000 of these have progressed into paid employment, with a further nearly 700 taking up training, education, intern and volunteer roles, all of which are recognised as important progress towards employment.
EPIC has had participants from 101 different countries including Nigeria, Brazil, Romania, Poland, Spain and Lithuania. A number of top businesses support the programme by providing training, interview skills or work experience placements.
The programme targets immigrants that experience difficulties accessing appropriate employment and supports them in the process by providing individual guidance, specialised training and personal development opportunities. EPIC is funded by the Office for the Promotion of Migrant Integration under the Department of Justice and Equality together with the European Social Fund and is run by Business in the Community Ireland.
Irish Life pays €35m for Dublin office it previously sold for €100m
Ten years ago Irish Life sold Hume House in leafy Ballsbridge in Dublin 4 for more than €100m. Now, the organisation has bought back Hume House in a shrewd deal for €35m.
The location of Hume House is ideal, close to a major new mixed-use urban centre.
Irish Life previously owned Hume House from the 1970s until 2006.
Ireland rises on Global Competitiveness Index
Ireland’s ranking in the Global Competitiveness Index has risen by one place to 23rd out of 138 countries surveyed – the third year in a row that Ireland has moved up in the index.
Switzerland, Singapore and the US are ranked as the top three countries, followed by the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden. On pre-Brexit data, the UK is in seventh place. The index is compiled by the World Economic Forum.
