Jump Back
May has been a whirlwind of activity for the Barden team! From the CAI Leadership Summit to TechFest, our team continues to forge connections with industry leaders and stay ahead of the curve on the latest trends that impact their talent communities.
Here, our team share their insights and learnings from the events:
May 9th – CAI Leadership Summit
Several of the Barden team had a fantastic day at the Chartered Accountants Ireland Leadership Summit. Some of the wisdom imparted from the impressive lineup of speakers included:
📝James McSporran emphasised nurturing cross-generational relationships for continuous learning and growth.
✨Brendan McGurgan spoke about evolving as a leader and his quote “Purpose without vision is huge potential unrealised” really resonated with our team.
⏳Emma McEvoy championed trusting your intuition and avoiding sharing ideas prematurely, concluding that “Nothing ruins a good idea like telling the wrong person!”.
The day concluded with an inspiring entrepreneur spotlight on Aimee Connolly, founder of Sculpted by Aimee, who shared an honest and open account about the challenges, realities, and successes of starting & growing a business.
May 9th – Women in Tax in Ireland
Siobhan Sexton and Aideen Murphy attended The Women in Tax in Ireland event at The Crawford Art Gallery in Cork. Both reflected on the event as being “insightful, motivating, and empowering”. Caroline Reidy’s talk on building winning teams resonated, highlighting the power of vision, asking the right questions, and seizing opportunities.
May 10th – PwC IMAGE Media Businesswoman of the Year Awards.
We are incredibly proud of our Managing Partner Elaine Brady who was awarded 1st Runner Up in the ‘Entrepreneur of The Year’ category at the annual PwC IMAGE Media Businesswoman of the Year Awards. Read the full story here>>>
May 14th – TechFest 2024
How did our Barden Technology team sum up their experience of the Tech Industry Alliance TechFest in Cork?
“A tremendous event – provocative, eye-opening, and inspirational!”
Some particular highlights included:
💡Sarah Porter from Inspired Minds discussed her insights into the good and the not-so-good of the potential of AI. She spoke about how there should be more press on the incredible things that are happening right now as a balance to all the negativity.
🌍Future Planet’s CEO’s, Donal Daly, highlighted empowering businesses to be environmentally responsible. This was further emphasised by the successful green transformation at Astellas Pharma, presented by Eamonn Foley. If a large pharmaceutical company can achieve this, all workplaces, big or small, can implement measures for a more sustainable future.
✨Nikki Bradley, an adaptive adventurer and one of Ireland’s leading female motivational speakers, shared her personal story. Her ability to overcome challenges and leverage her positive mindset to seek the edges of human capabilities left our team inspired.
🔓The Diversity & Inclusion panel discussion, which our very own Ed Heffernan was a part of, examined the need to change our working ecosystem, and not the individual, to create a more equitable environment for all.
15th May – Dublin Chamber, Dublin 2050
Kate & Dave attended Dublin Chamber’s “The Future of Work” briefing. An expert panel shared their fascinating insights on talent retention, integrating AI, and navigating remote working opportunities and challenges.
A prominent topic of discussion emerged: the evolving power dynamic between employers and employees regarding remote work.
The tight labour market currently favours employees seeking flexibility in location and schedule. While some employers maintain in-office requirements, the trend suggests employees may hold the upper hand in negotiations.
Beyond this issue, Kate & Dave gathered Key Insights that can help you, your team, and organisation successfully evolve in an ever-changing work environment:
📌 AI in Action: Stop talking, start doing! Organisations need to experiment with AI to understand its impact.
📌 Building the Future Workforce: Invest in developing your employees’ meta-competencies like resilience, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence to navigate the changing landscape.
📌 Growth Mindset Matters: Foster a culture of continuous learning and growth to thrive in the future of work.
15th May – Barden Brekkie
🍞 Toast-ing our team with Barden Brekkie! 😁
Barden Brekkie is a long-standing tradition that is still going strong. Coffee, good food, laughs, and chats add fuel to our morning – There really is no better way to kick off the day! Niall & Brian decided to rock the sunglasses look inside – our future is just that bright?!… 😎 😄
24th May – Tech FoundHer
Catherine thoroughly enjoyed the TechFoundHer event which spotlighted investment opportunities for female-founded tech companies in Ireland. The event featured insightful panel discussions and a screening of ‘Show Her the Money’.
Some of Catherine’s key takeaways included:
🔸Know Your ‘Why’ and Higher Purpose: Understanding your mission is crucial for driving your startup forward.
🔸 Master Your 30-Second Elevator Pitch: A compelling and concise pitch is essential for capturing interest quickly.
🔸Leverage Your Network and Relationships: Many opportunities arise from the connections you already have. Keep building and nurturing your network.
🔸Mutual Support is Key: Today’s founders can become tomorrow’s investors. Supporting one another is essential for long-term success.
29th May – IOB
Elaine and Jennifer were delighted to be guest speakers at the IOB Careers and Connections evening.
🔎Elaine shared her insights into the current recruitment landscape, with a focus on the broader economy and its impact on recruitment trends in Ireland, especially in banking and financial services. She also discussed the external economic forces, both domestic and international, affecting employment, and the increasing importance of DE&I and ESG policies in recruitment.
📱Jennifer Brennan followed with an engaging presentation on how to build your online presence and professional brand, highlighting the importance of this especially when it comes to your career.
Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room, however mastering your professional brand can be a challenge! Jennifer shared her top tips and key insights to help those attending to create and develop their professional brand.
What a month!
We have had incredible opportunities to engage with thought leaders, gain new insights, be inspired, and inspire one another. We look forward to continuing this momentum into June and beyond.
Watch this space!…