Ibec welcomes Pat McCann as its new President for 2019 – 2020

Ibec, the group that represents Irish business, today announced Pat McCann, CEO of Dalata Hotel Group plc, as its new President for 2019 – 2020.

In an address to Ibec’s annual President’s Dinner at the RDS in Dublin this evening, Mr McCann said the Irish business community supported the Government’s efforts to ensure that maintaining the Good Friday Agreement and All Island economy are central to the outcome of the Brexit process. 

“Business is resilient once it has certainty. Whilst the detail on the future trading and regulatory environment is critical, we all know business needs a stable political and social environment from which to operate. That is why the Irish business community stands with our Government in insisting that the Good Friday Agreement is maintained to protect the peace process – because it is a process not an event – and the All Island economy that underpins it.” 

Mr McCann also said Ireland needs to be more ambitious by investing in innovation, education and world class infrastructure to put the economy on a long-term sustainable course. In particular, he called on Government to respond with policies designed to arrest the slide in the international rankings of Ireland’s universities. 

“The latest Times Higher Education ranking has just one Irish university in the top 200. The business community is extremely concerned at the international perception of third level institutions as reflected in the global rankings of our universities. We need greater autonomy for university leadership and more direct funding and investment to redress this ranking crisis, for that is what we consider it to be, and this must be a priority if a doom loop is to be avoided.”

Mr McCann is a leading figure in the hotel and hospitality sectors in Ireland including as founder and CEO of Dalata Hotel Group in 2007, which floated on the Irish and London Stock Exchanges in 2014. Prior to that he was CEO of Jurys Doyle Hotel Group plc. 

He succeeds Paraic Curtis, SVP and General Manager, TE Connectivity.

With thanks to our partners A&L Goodbody and Facebook for their support on this year’s President’s Dinner.