Ahern to assess Irish business prospects at IMI conference

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern will deliver the keynote speech at the annual Irish Management Institute (IMI) conference in Killarney, Co Kerry today. Mr Ahern opens the conference with an overview of Irish business and the current political environment.

He will also discuss enterprise and innovation in Ireland. The conference Enterprise and Innovation, Meeting the Challenge will also be addressed by leading business academics and leaders from the corporate world.

Attended by up to 250 senior executives the conference, chaired by IMI chairman, Iona Technologies chief executive Chris Horn, will discuss the most important issues facing Irish managers today. The issues include:

Strategies that see 'Ireland Inc' moving up the value chain and evolving to become an enterprise and innovation-led economy.

Developing and retaining business leaders capable of aligning their companies with the challenges of a dynamic and global marketplace.

Investigating the explosion of global commerce and how Ireland can maintain competitive advantage as a knowledge economy.

Engaging stakeholders across the corporate spectrum to ensure today's economic performance is the starting point for tomorrow's success.

Key speakers include from the academic world include US economist, Ken Goldstein, Swedish political analyst Johan Norberg, and professor of management Henry Mintzberg.

As lead author of the Help Wanted index and other key economic commentaries from the prestigious Conference Board, Ken Goldstein will give his view of where the global economy is heading in 2004 and beyond.

Johan Norberg, head of political ideas at the free market think-tank Timbro, in Stockholm, champions free markets that promote economic and political liberalisation.

Henry Mintzberg will argue that globalisation is the model for development today and asks: "Is it time for indigenous development in Ireland?"

From the corporate world the conference at the Great Southern Hotel will be addressed by Liam Fitzgerald, chief executive of United Drug, Mike Shearwood, managing director of retail giant Zara UK, and Michael Loftus chief executive of Becton Dickinson BD Ireland.

Mike Shearwood will outline fashion fads and the rags to riches story of his Spanish company. Liam Fitzgerald will give an outline of the development strategies of United Drug plc in the current healthcare environment.

Michael Loftus gives the Irish perspective on his global company and outlines how BD Ireland will play a key role in the realisation of BD's global strategy.