A lot happens at Ibec. From the events and VIP briefings we host with political and business leaders to our political engagements and campaigns we run on your behalf. Here we show some recent updates from our CEO, Danny McCoy.
CEO Update: Shaping Our Future in Europe
Friday, 30 January
The latest CEO Update to Ibec membership from Danny McCoy
Dear member,
In his remarks at Davos last week, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney caught the moment when he referred to the rupture of the current world order. Political leaders across the globe are now strategically determining how to align, navigate, and protect their interests within this "new world order." While the true impact of these shifts is still unfolding, it may take some time to fully grasp the long-term consequences for international relations.
Geo-political uncertainty is often the enemy of enterprise. The central question for Europe, and in turn Ireland, is how we protect our interests, align our values and derive strategies to thrive under these conditions.
The EU-India trade deal reached this week serves as a timely reminder that bilateral agreements, underpinned by the values of open and free trade, can create significant opportunities for the European economy. These global challenges were front and centre this week at the Brussels launch of Ibec’s EU Presidency campaign, where we were delighted to welcome over 130 stakeholders. Ambassador Aingeal O'Donoghue, MEPs Billy Kelleher and Regina Doherty, and our EU and International Committee Chair Miriam Ryan (daa) contributed to an impactful event.
Ireland’s upcoming EU Presidency- where security and defence have been identified as business priorities- presents a vital opportunity to shape the European conversation through the lens of enterprise and competitiveness. As you know, Ibec has been vocal in actively shaping the business dialogue on resilience, security, and defence, both in Ireland and at a European level, for over a year.
Throughout January, we held several important engagements with members to further develop our position, particularly regarding cyber, energy, and infrastructure security. The current disconnect between the investment being made and the resources required to protect them is unsustainable. This point was echoed by General Seán Clancy, Chairman of the European Union Military Committee, when he addressed Ibec’s National Council last week.
Ibec’s position is clear, defence and security are fundamental to the resilience of the Irish and European economy and the question is not whether this agenda matters, but how we engage with it in a way that is credible, proportionate, and aligned with Ireland’s economic model and values.
Across Europe, security, defence, industrial capability, and economic resilience are increasingly treated as interconnected issues. This shift is already influencing regulation, funding, innovation, and public investment. Therefore. we are encouraged to have received such a strong mandate from our members to lead this work on behalf of the Irish business community as it relates within an Irish context.
Regards,
Danny McCoy
CEO
Ibec
Walk the Walk / with Reputation Inc
“Walk the Talk”, a new series from Reputation Inc featuring conversations with leaders in business and broader society, delving into the intersection between business and reputation.
The episode, featuring Ibec CEO Danny McCoy, is presented in in four bite-sized video clips, exploring a range of topics including strategy, reputation, leadership, sustainability, and culture.
