New York New Belfast celebrates a decade of bridge building between Ireland and USA

Premier NYC Irish American business and development conference, New York New Belfast, celebrates its 10th anniversary this June

A decade of bridge building between Ireland and the US will be marked in NYC next month as the New York New Belfast business and development conference celebrates its tenth year at the American Irish Historical Society and Pier A, Harbor House.

The premier conference for Irish America and its friends in the business, political and cultural spheres, will take place between Wednesday 12 and Friday 14 June and will once again lead the way in creating connections and cementing relationships between these two great cities.

New York State Comptroller Tom di Napoli, Council Member and Chair of the Finance Committee on New York City Council, Daniel Dromm and Suzanne Aquino, the Global Category Head of Chain IQ, will be some of the US-based voices leading the discussions at the event themed ‘Be The Bridge’.

They will be joined by President of the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce Rajesh Rana, who will lead a trade delegation from Belfast along with a host of academics, investors, community builders, and artists.

Rana, who is a director of the leading hotel and property development company, Andras House said the event was ‘invaluable’ in terms of business contacts and networks.

“When (Andras House Ltd) attended the New York New Belfast event we made a number of valuable contacts. In particular, we met CIE Tours representatives in the US, and as a result, we are now working with CIE Tours to accommodate tour groups from the US in our Belfast hotels. This is a positive example of the quality of business contacts at NYNB.”

The event, whose lead business supporter is KPMG, will begin on Wednesday evening with a reception for the Belfast delegation at the oldest Irish American business chamber in New York, the Irish Business Organisation. The official opening reception will take place on Thursday evening at the American Irish Historical Society and will feature a transatlantic celebration of culture and arts.

The ‘Be The Bridge’ business conference will take place on Friday and will feature leading influencers in the business, tourism, arts and development from both sides of the Atlantic.

Shaun Kelly, Global Chief Operating Officer of KPMG International said the company was delighted to support such a gathering of ‘dynamic bridge-builders’.

 “As lead business supporter of this groundbreaking transatlantic initiative, KPMG has been delighted to see lasting, mutually beneficial alliances in the fields of sport, culture, and commerce emerge from contacts and friendships forged at this annual conference.”

Friday’s business and development conference will also host the ‘Be The Bridge’ Awards which will honor exemplary bridge builders between Belfast and NY over the past decade.

The Irish Echo Irish American of the Year Award will later be presented to Mae O’Driscoll at the Farewell Finale.

For more information visit Aisling-Events.com.