Fostering the growth and success of Irish companies is imperative

The Irish International Business Network (IIBN), a not-for-profit organization which brings together leading Irish business men and women, announced today that Grant Thornton, Bank of Ireland and Matheson are the primary sponsors of the OpportUnity conference, its fourth annual global conference taking place on November 6 and 7 in New York City. Click here for tickets.

“Fostering the growth and success of Irish companies is imperative to the continued prosperity of our community, both domestically and abroad.”

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This is the first year the IIBN OpportUnity conference will be held in New York City. The event will feature over 30 speakers including executives with the world’s leading financial services, digital media, film, technology and retail firms addressing topics ranging from tourism, media, foreign direct investment and entrepreneurship. The conference supports IIBN’s greater mission of connecting Irish entrepreneurs and business leaders globally to facilitate greater communication and connectivity between successful Irish business people throughout the world.“A conference of this shape and size that celebrates Irish in a business sense has never been done in New York City. In November, we begin a long overdue conversation and write the first line of the next chapter of Irish in America and Irish in the global economy,” said Sean Gaffey, Chairperson of the IIBN New York Board. “Under the title of OpportUnity, and with the sponsorship support and shared enthusiasm from Grant Thornton, Bank of Ireland and Matheson, we will show the world that the Irish community can unite using modern day technology and have business act as the glue that binds us.”

Grant Thornton, one of the world’s leading organizations of independent assurance, tax and advisory firms, Bank of Ireland, a leading commercial bank in Ireland, and Matheson, the law firm of choice for international companies and financial institutions doing business in and through Ireland, are sponsoring IIBN’s OpportUnity conference to drive the growth and connectivity of Irish businesses globally as well as support future Irish business leaders and entrepreneurs.

“International business has played a vital role in Ireland’s recent economic growth,” said John Ryan, Head of Matheson’s U.S. offices. “Ireland continues to offer remarkable opportunities to international businesses seeking to access the EU’s 500 million strong internal market. We look forward to bringing people together to explore ways to further enhance Ireland’s position as the pre-eminent European location for international companies and financial institutions.”

“The OpportUnity conference is a unique event in that it gathers the world’s most prominent Irish professionals across all verticals including finance, technology, retail and more,” said Dara Kelly, Director, U.S. Irish Business Group at Grant Thornton. “Through bringing together these industry thought leaders for the first time in New York City, the OpportUnity conference aims to spark innovative ideas, connections and ultimately pave the road for the next generation of Irish entrepreneurs.”

“Fostering the growth and success of Irish companies is imperative to the continued prosperity of our community, both domestically and abroad,” said Joe Connolly at Bank of Ireland. “We are proud to do our part to help bring together some of the most influential Irish minds to share their experiences and collaborate with peers across all industries who share the same passion of driving our community forward.”

The IIBN 4th Annual Global Conference ‘OpportUnity’ will take place in New York on Friday, November 7th 2014 at the Convene Center, 730 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10017. The OpportUnity conference will bring together the most successful and preeminent leaders of the Irish business and political community, with the goal of highlighting areas of OpportUnity that are ripe for collaboration.

OpportUnity is a chance to begin and continue establishing synergies and uniting the Irish community with a common agenda through business communication. Through engaging presentations by prominent speakers, OpportUnity will both inspire and better connect like-minded professionals who share a commitment to building the strongest business network in the world.

Colman Lydon, Serial Entrepreneur, IIBN Board & Vice President, Everwise

Colman is a successful technology entrepreneur. He sold his first business, an international telecoms company, in 2012 and remains active in the start-up space. He served as Chairman of IIBN NY 2011 – ’12, overseeing a period of prolific growth and establishing a sustainable framework for the future of the chapter. Colman joined the executive team at Everwise in 2014, where he works with governments, enterprise and non-profits on capacity-building in the areas of professional development, entrepreneurship, through large population mentoring programs.