Business leaders gather to talk internationalisation

Addressing the Beyond Borders event which was hosted by UCD Smurfit School as part of its Growing Ireland series, An Taoiseach Brian Cowen assured Irish businesses that the Government will play a key role in providing a sound basis for an export-led recovery.

“This Government will continue to intensify marketing and promotion efforts and we will make every effort, in partnership with other key players, to secure business development opportunities for Irish companies," he said. "We will position ourselves for that upturn when it comes and will take this opportunity to make our economy more competitive."

CEO of Glen Dimplex, Sean O'Driscoll, told delegates that Irish business people "need a strong jab of adrenalin" in order to boost the economy and look to overseas expansion. Other leading business figures who spoke at the event included Liam O'Mahony, Chairman, Smurfit Kappa Group and formerly CEO of CRH, Michael Cawley, Deputy CEO, Ryanair, John Moloney, Group Managing Director, Glanbia, and Colm Lyon, Founder & Managing Director, Realex Payments.

Proactive leadership
"If you don't believe in internationalisation, then it won't work. We are out there because there is a market for our products. Being international is part of our DNA," said O'Driscoll. "People say that this is not a good time to internationalise. There is never a perfect time to do it. CEOs need to be proactive. If you don't free up your personal capacity to lead the effort, then it won't work. Wearing out the shoe-leather - that's what it's about. 70pc of the route to success is hard work. "

 All speakers acknowledged that the road ahead will be difficult, but there was general agreement that Irish businesses have a competitive advantage due to their nationality. "The Irish are underestimated but liked abroad," said Ryanair's Cawley. "Our historical status of being colonised helps us. We are the underdog and we should maintain this perception. This is a key competitive advantage. We are immediately welcomed into markets but still have to offer something that is significantly better than our competitors."

The line-up also included Frank Ryan, CEO of Enterprise Ireland. "The world has changed and we can't go back," he told delegates. "New markets might be difficult at first but that is where the growth is going to be."

The keynote academic speaker was Thomas Lawton, Professor of Strategic Management at Cranfield University. "Do not only chase the obvious but also seek out markets where there are growth prospects," he cautioned. "While ten years ago it may have been sufficient to look to UK or other EU markets, Irish firms need to get creative and start considering options such as India and Nigeria."

It was a sentiment echoed by the Taoiseach. "Another key challenge will be to keep pace with the challenges in international trade patterns and to follow the growth of the future. The projected growth in the Chinese economy is, perhaps, the most obvious example of this. But there are other countries, such as Brazil and India, whose economies are projected to grow rapidly in the years ahead. We must be active in seeking out opportunities and consistently strive to diversify our export markets. This involves breaking free of traditional patterns and comfort zones."   

Pictured left to right were: Frank Ryan, John Moloney, Sean O Driscoll, Professor Patrick Gibbons, Colm Lyon and Liam O Mahony