CBA hunts new chief executive as recruitment drive gets underway

CORK Business Association is launching a major drive to get new members, preparing to appoint its first chief executive and commencing a series of corporate lunches featuring high-profile speakers like Ben Dunne.

CBA president Peter O’Donoghue confirmed yesterday that the organisation is in the process of recruiting its first chief executive. He said it was felt that as most of those involved in CBA were running it on a part-time basis it was time for a more formal approach. “Most progressive companies have a chief executive and we feel the time is right for us to have one too,” Mr O’Donoghue said.

Meanwhile, former president James O’Sullivan confirmed a major drive is about to get underway to recruit more members to the organisation, which was founded in 1957. Its first president was George Crosbie. There are about 200 businesses affiliated.

“When I took over as president in the early 1990s there were around 70 members. That figure has risen to around 200, but I can’t see why it can’t rise further to 250 or maybe even 300 over the next two to three years,” Mr O’Sullivan said.

Meanwhile, Linda Nolan, chairman of the CBA social committee revealed the organisation is starting corporate lunches. The first will be on April 7 at the Imperial Hotel. Tickets cost €50 each and can be purchased from the CBA offices at Winthrop Street. A reception will be held at 12.45pm that day followed at 1pm by lunch.

Meanwhile, CBA has honoured the Farmgate restaurant as its first-quarter Business of the Year winner.