300 firm bosses for IMI seminar

MORE than 300 key chief executives, senior managers and public servants converge on Killarney today for the Irish Management Institute’s (IMI) conference.

IMI chief executive Barry Kenny says the conference will be a vital opportunity for managers to benchmark their performance in these uncertain times and to learn from leading Irish and international practitioners and academics.

"The fallout from the divergence of views on Iraq, between many in Europe and the US, will persist long after the Iraqi question has been resolved. This may present particular difficulties for us in Ireland, perched as we are on a bridge between Europe and the US. We are members of the EU, yet we operate a US-style flexible labour market and business culture, and an investment friendly tax regime.

"We have been very successful in attracting US direct investment to Ireland, but may need to rethink our strategy in the face of poorer US-Europe relations, and strong competition from low-cost base countries in the enlarged European and Far East. We all know the answer we must nurture innovation, move up the value chain, and locate added value research, design, and marketing activities in Ireland as manufacturing operations with a high labour content migrate to countries at an earlier stage in the development cycle," he said.

IMI chair and chairman of Iona Technologies Chris Horn will be hosting the conference with the theme Back to Basics: Survive and Thrive, which takes place in the Great Southern Hotel, featuring Irish and international management speakers and practitioners.

Among the speakers are representatives from the travel and tourism sector.

Aer Lingus chief executive Willie Walsh, who recently reported strong results, and Alan Stewart of Thomas Cook, a company which has undergone its own transformation process, will share their thoughts with delegates.