Work life balance has never been so important.

It has been some billions of years in the making — and with the relentless Atlantic Ocean continually pounding our western shores, it might well be classed an ‘ongoing project’—but it wasn’t until the advent of a rather inspired Fáilte Ireland (FI) tourism branding campaign that the wider world woke up to the true magnificence of one of the most elemental and ruggedly beautiful stretches of coastline to be found anywhere in the world, the Wild Atlantic Way.

The extensive information that is featured on the ‘We Are Cork’ website gives a great sense of why the Life Sciences companies featured in this publication have chosen Cork as their location.

With the intense proliferation of multi-national companies based in the region, Cork is, inevitably, a particularly busy destination for relocating employees.

Cork's busy skyline tells the tale of a vibrant local economy.

IDA Ireland: regional picture

IDA Ireland: national overview

It is the beating heart of Ireland’s pharma and life sciences sector, with almost a fifth of the estimated 25,000 people employed in the sector nationally working for companies based there.

Employing more than 30,000 people in Ireland and worth some €45 billion in exports, the Life Sciences sector is a high-profile as well as an extremely important element of the Irish economy.

Matt Moran, director of BioPharmaChem Ireland, looks at the rise and rise of the Irish life science industry.

Good health is vital to all of us, and a sustainable solution to the most pressing health care challenges of our world cannot wait.

Overseeing the progress of a €300 million expansion at the Ringaskiddy base of pharmaceutical giant Janssen Supply Chain Ireland, together with recruiting some 200 employees to service the new facility, will be keeping general manager, Kyran Johnson busy for some time to come.

2019 will be a very significant year for Hovione the contract pharmaceutical manufacturing company which helps bring new and off-patent drugs to market celebrates 10 years Irish-side.

Recordati is an Italian-headquartered pharmaceutical group dedicated to partnering, discovering and developing innovative, value-added products that improve the quality of life and help people to enjoy longer, healthier and more productive lives.

As 2018 winds to a close, BioMarin International Ltd is looking to the future with great confidence and excitement, particularly given the recently announced investment in a new Drug Product Filling Project at its Shanbally, Co Cork, facility.

We sat down with Barry Mulcahy, site lead, MSD Brinny and asked him some questions.

Gilead Sciences is a leading biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercialises innovative medicines in areas of unmet medical need.

As a leading global medicines company, Novartis uses innovative science and digital technologies to create transformative treatments in areas of great medical need, and consistently ranks among the world’s top companies investing in research and development.

Irish life sciences investment firm Malin completed its initial series of asset purchases with two more investments, yesterday, and confirmed that director and former Elan boss Kelly Martin would take over as chief executive.