By Business & Finance 
Pictured (L-R): Ian Hyland, Founder and President of Ireland INC, Co-Founder of Dublin Tech Summit and publisher of Business & Finance; Claire Cronin, United States Ambassador to Ireland; Peter Power, Unicef Ireland; Catherine Keogh, Kerry Group. Picture by Andres Poveda.
The Principals Club, an international gathering of C-suite business and political leaders, convened at the Museum of Literature Ireland in Dublin yesterday evening, 2 November.
The Principals Club, an international gathering of C-suite business and political leaders, convened at the Museum of Literature Ireland in Dublin on 2nd November to discuss Ireland’s expanding footprint across the United States and the opportunities for Irish companies therein.
Special guests and speakers included United States Ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin, who spoke about the special relationship that exists between Ireland and the US, and Catherine Keogh, Chief Corporate Affairs and Brand Officer, Kerry Group.
Ian Hyland, Founder and President of Ireland INC, Co-Founder of Dublin Tech Summit and publisher of Business & Finance. Picture by Andres Poveda.
The event opened with an address by Ian Hyland, Founder and President of Ireland INC, Co-Founder of Dublin Tech Summit and publisher of Business & Finance. He began by welcoming Ambassador Cronin to proceedings, before noting the importance of business leaders to engage with business for good.
He said: “We’re all aware of the complexities of the world, geopolitically, on a number of levels. We are delighted to have been working for the last number of years with Peter Power and the team at Unicef.”
Mr. Hyland invited Mr. Power to speak, noting “the responsibility of business people, business leaders, while we grow our companies and engage internationally.”
Peter Power, Unicef. Picture: Andres Poveda Photography.
Mr Power said: “We are delighted in UNICEF to join you, not least because you have brought together an august group of business leaders, decision makers, thought leaders that straddle the Atlantic.
“Of course, Unicef being a United States-headquartered organization, we are delighted to be associated with this eclectic group,” he continued.
Claire Cronin, United States Ambassador to Ireland. Picture: Andres Poveda Photography.
US Ambassador to Ireland, Claire Cronin, spoke about the opportunities for Irish companies in the US. She opened her speech by taking a moment to recognize “that we live in a very challenging time and we face immense global challenges.”
She continued: “I think it’s very fitting to say that our prayers go out to all the innocent civilians around the world, particularly those in Ukraine, Gaza and Israel who have been killed or injured or those who have lost loved ones to conflict.
“And it’s times like these that reinforce how important America’s relationship are with our close friends and partners, so we can continue to work together to build a better world for our children and our grandchildren.”
Pictured (centre): Barrie O’Connell, Partner in Charge, KPMG. Picture by Andres Poveda.
Ambassador Cronin noted that the US and Ireland “share a similar vision for the world.”
“We share a long history of ancestral and cultural ties,” she said.
“It is however, the outsized trade and investment relationship that is the glue that holds us together and it’s the same glue that will propel us into the future. Tonight, we are here to celebrate the success of Irish investment in the United States and show new Irish businesses what investment in the US has to offer.
“A key pillar of the work we do with the embassy is supporting Irish companies through our Select USA program. Select USA, which facilitates direct investment in the American market, is an absolutely not-to-be-missed opportunity for Irish investors.”
Pictured (L-R): Ian Hyland, Founder and President of Ireland INC, Co-Founder of Dublin Tech Summit and publisher of Business & Finance; Claire Cronin, United States Ambassador to Ireland; Catherine Keogh, Kerry Group. Picture: Andres Poveda Photography.
Catherine Keogh, Chief Corporate Affairs and Brand Officer, Kerry Group, spoke about Kerry Group’s experience in the United States.
She said: “To those of you who … we have not yet had the pleasure of hosting at an Innovation Center in Naas, chances are that this morning, if you tasted a pastry or had a yogurt, if you stopped for a coffee or snack during lunch, or if you enjoyed an alcoholic beverage or indeed a low or no alcoholic beverage this evening, chances are you were one of 1 billion people who have consumed Kerry Group ingredients.”
Reflecting on Kerry Group’s early years in the United States, she said: “I do think it’s important also to remember back in those days, the eighties and the early nineties, the sort of power of the possibility that the US offered and that culture of innovation that Ambassador Cronin referenced.
“I experienced it first hand and as a young graduate – a very young graduate – and it certainly was a game changer for me personally. I know it was for many of the young, many of the hundreds of the young Kerry graduates that went out to to build their careers in the US.”
Attendees of the Principals Club. Picture by Andres Poveda.
Launch of Ireland INC US 250 Index 2023
The event also saw the launch of the sixth annual Ireland INC US 250 Index, supported by Sia Partners.
This year’s Index, comprising 250 of the fastest growing Irish companies investing and operating in the US, truly reflects the strength and value of Irish FDI in the States which currently stands at $240 billion.
This year’s Index is presented as a Special Report. It features special guest contributions from Minister for Finance Michael McGrath TD; Leo Clancy, Chief Executive Officer, Enterprise Ireland; Lorna Conn, Chief Executive Officer, Cpl; Mike Burke, Partner, Arnall Golden Gregory; David Cass, Partner, Sia Partners; Danny McCoy, Chief Executive Officer, Ibec, and Ian Hyland, Founder & President, Ireland INC.
Mr. Hyland writes on the success of Irish involvement in America over the last number of years: “Despite the unprecedented challenges of the last few years with Brexit and the global pandemic posing particularly difficult scenarios, Irish businesses have thrived and continue to expand their investment footprint across the United States.”
2023 has seen more growth as Irish FDI across the US continues to contribute to an array of industries including financial software, life sciences, telecommunications, tech solutions, digital media, oil and gas, international education, cleantech, consumer goods, food FDI.
100,000 US workers are employed by US affiliates of Irish-owned firms with Irish-owned companies in almost 2,200 locations in the US. Approximately 900 Irish companies are exporting across the Atlantic.
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