08:15 Registration with Refreshments & Networking
09:00 Welcome & Housekeeping
Keenan Stack, Transport & Infrastructure Policy Executive at Ibec
09:05 Opening Remarks
Jackie King, Executive Director at Ibec Global
09:15 Keynote Address
Internal Market Emergency & Resilience Act, EU & Trade Regulation Division, Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment (DETE)
09:35 Building to Last: Resilient Infrastructure for our Supply Chains
This panel will discuss the capital investments required to future-proof Ireland’s critical enabling infrastructure, the interconnectedness of our supply chains with our Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) model, raise awareness of the time-sensitive nature of Ireland’s on-time logistics networks alongside the role of our air freight and maritime network.
The panel will also examine how we build anticipatory resilience, integrate new technologies in response to ageing infrastructure, how organisations can respond best to shocks i.e. geopolitical, inclement weather, cyberattacks, adopt international best practices, and cultivate the lifelong learning and skills necessary to safeguard the trade that underpins the Irish economy.
10:15 Weathering the Storms: Skills for Operational Resilience
This session shifts the focus to the day-to-day realities of supply chain resilience. Highlighting the expertise across Ibec’s various Supply Chain Groups, this panel will unpack the on-the-ground considerations necessary for maintaining operational resilience while sharing strategies for emergency preparedness, which sectors are most vulnerable to these sudden shocks and reveal best practices for crisis communications, dynamic risk management, and avoiding overdependence on single points of failure.
Panelists will discuss real-world case studies, including the sectoral response to Storm Éowyn and the immediate operational fallout from unexpected port closures, how major organisations navigate Yellow, Orange, and Red weather alerts while ensuring business continuity when critical utilities and digital infrastructures are compromised. We will discuss the human element at the heart of this work required to execute these strategies, discussing the specific skills needed to adapt to Ireland's current infrastructural constraints and the skills gaps that must be addressed to bolster our supply chain resilience.
10:55 Closing Remarks