Outgoing IDA chief will address Galway Chamber business lunch

Departing IDA chief executive Barry O’Leary is the guest special at the Galway Chamber Summer Business Lunch today (Thursday) in the Radisson Blu Hotel, Galway at 12.30 pm.

The role of IDA is key to balanced regional development and President of Galway Chamber Frank Greene has referred in the media to the figures of Foreign Direct Investment in the West vis a vis Dublin or Cork as ‘stark’ and he believes that there should be more of a weighting at government level towards the ‘disadvantaged’ West and North West.

The retiring IDA CEO Barry O’Leary has been deeply involved in changing the profile and raising the value of Ireland’s inward investments over the past ten years focusing on building capability in strategic sectors such as lifesciences and information and communications technology.

Prior to his appointment to the role of CEO IDA in 2008, Barry O’Leary was Divisional Manager of the IDA’s LifeSciences and Information and Communications Technology business units. He has worked in IDA for over 30 years in most of its business areas including two periods, 1983-1991 and 1995-2002 in Germany, latterly as Director of Europe.

On his return to Germany in 1995 he was responsible for running IDA’s offices in Stuttgart and Düsseldorf which covered Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. He subsequently became Director of Europe and centralised IDA’s German offices into Frankfurt. During this period he was closely associated with winning major projects from companies such as Bertelsmann, SAP, Deutsche Bank, Lufthansa, Kostal, Allianz and a number of key Italian financial services Institutions.

On his return to Ireland in late 2002 Mr. O’Leary was initially appointed Divisional Manager Pharmaceuticals and Biopharmaceuticals and a member of the IDA’s Executive Committee. His responsibilities were increased in 2004 to include the LifeSciences and Information and Communications Technology areas.

Under his leadership in 2010, IDA launched its strategy blueprint, Horizon 2020. The strategy document articulates how IDA will attract the next wave of sophisticated FDI over the coming decade. It highlights the importance of global mega-trends, economic geopolitical changes and technology roadmaps which will influence where IDA can capitalise on the opportunities that they present.

To attend the Galway Chamber Summer Business Lunch, contact Elaine Murphy on 091 563536 or email Elaine@galwaychamber.com