Listen in to a wide-ranging, open and honest fireside chat between ICBA Chair Dr. Deirdre Giblin and Canadian Ambassador to Ireland, Dennis King. It was recorded at a live audience event hosted by FFH Management Services in Dublin, which is part of the Fairfax group.

The conversation spans many topics including Ambassador King’s journey from provincial politics to diplomacy, his first year in Ireland and how he has settled in to life in a new country, the impact of Prime minister Mark Carney’s speech in Davos, Canada’s evolving global role and why the Ireland Canada relationship matters more now, than ever.

For photos of the event visit the ICBA website

The Ireland Canada Connection is brought to you by the Ireland Canada Business Association. We are the voice of the Ireland Canada Business community.

Our membership is composed of chief executives and senior management of Canada's leading enterprises who have located their European operations in Ireland.

Since 1978 we have been connecting executives and organizations in Canada and Ireland for the purpose of bilateral investment, trade and entrepreneurship. As a membership organization, our members make our mission possible. They span over 20 business sectors and directly and indirectly support more than 20,000 jobs across the country and hundreds of small businesses.

Our partnerships with the Canadian Embassy and the Ireland Canada Chambers inform our work.

In the final episode of our mini-series ‘Navigating the Irish Market’, Joseph Quinn and Brian Keenan of Klohn Crippen Berger (KCB) join Patrick Haughey to share their experience of setting up an office in Ireland.

KCB is a global award-winning engineering, geosciences and environmental consulting firm headquartered in Canada, and with a number of international offices around the globe, the most recent being in Naas, Co Kildare.

Joe and Brian talk about why the company made the decision to establish a base in Ireland, what they did in those early stages that gave them a successful start, what their experience has been so far, and advice they would share with other Canadian companies planning to open a base in Ireland

‘Navigating the Irish Market’ focussed on what Canadian companies need to know about doing business in Ireland. We’re analysing the Irish business landscape from a number of perspectives, including the tax system, the legal system, employment and HR, banking, government supports, networking and business culture, and more. And we are doing so In the company of some of Ireland’s leading experts in these areas.

Alison Hodgson is Partner for Transformation, HR and Change Practice at RSM Ireland. In this episode Alison talks about the employment and HR landscape in Ireland and what Canadian companies need to know about employment law, the importance of those first hires and the types of employee benefits that will make them attractive to an Irish workforce in a very competitive employment market. We also discuss very important factors around communication styles in Ireland and what works best when giving feedback and trying to build rapport.

'Navigating the Irish Market' is a special series designed to help Canadian companies that are setting up operations in Ireland, or are considering doing so.

The series analyses the Irish business landscape from a number of perspectives, including the tax system, the legal system, employment and HR, banking, government supports, networking and business culture. Host Patrick Haughey is joined by leading experts in the key areas that Canadian companies need to be familiar with in order to successfully operate in Ireland.

This podcast is brought to you by the Ireland Canada Business Association. If you would like to find out more about the ICBA and how we can help you to successfully navigate the Irish market, please visit us at Irelandcanada.com