Bill Archer, Managing Director eir business, discusses the growth Ireland has achieved over the last number of years and the role of foreign direct investment (FDI) within that.
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For a country of Ireland’s size, it has always stood firm against countries significantly better positioned with natural, first-hand investment and business capabilities at their disposal. Many unfamiliar with the business paradigm here may ask how. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has played a vital part in Ireland’s position as one of the leading lights in world business.
Bill Archer, Managing Director eir business, spoke to Business & Finance on the aspect of FDI and how it’s so important to the establishment of Ireland as a desirable destination for foreign business activity, and for our own domestic enterprise.
When discussing the US, Bill speaks very highly of what Ireland can offer for the States. This can also be linked to multinationals across the globe.
“There’s a favourable tax climate here, which is appealing and attractive to US businesses. There’s a great foundation in terms of education and available sophisticated workforce.
“The language is obviously an asset and I think there’s a spirit and an energy here in Ireland around supporting business activity, business growth and business investment that makes Ireland a unique and very attractive spot for significant large US multinationals.”
Not only has direct investment changed the Irish landscape, it has forced all avenues of business to adapt quickly and be constantly on their toes to meet the growing and ever-changing demands of customers.
“It’s caused us to enhance our capabilities to be responsive to [our customers’] unique needs. It’s caused us to think beyond our borders and to think about ways of providing service beyond just the borders of Ireland.
“It’s caused us to raise our performance levels, too, because their expectations for execution and delivery are very exceptional, and so to do business with them we’ve got to meet those standards.”
The importance of FDI in Ireland should never be underestimated and our ability to encourage business activity, domestically and internationally, is a testament to the influence of foreign direct investment here; Bill himself remarking that, “It’s given the country a profile and a standing on the world economic stage”.
Read more on what Bill Archer has to say on FDI in Ireland.
Connect on LinkedIn with Bill Archer.