ireland gateway to europe 2016 - a week in review

Boston Trade Mission 2016

A Week in Review

The Ireland Gateway To Europe delegation in Boston College, April 20th 2016.

About Us

Established in 2012, Ireland Gateway To Europe is a not-for-profit collective of Irishservice providers who showcase Ireland as Europe's premier investment location throughevents in the US.

Our Vision

Our vision is for US companies who are looking to expand into Europe to choose Irelandas their location of choice and to have the information, trust and contacts to executetheir plans.

Connectivity - Information - Access

Our GroupOur delegation was made up of 60 Irish business leaders representing 26 Irish Service providers.

Plus representatives from:- IDA Ireland- DFA- Boston College- World Trade Center

Our Sponsors- Aer Lingus- Newstalk- The Sunday Business Post

With thanks to our sponsors

“Ireland Gateway To Europe’s drive and passion echoes the calls of Notre Dame 'Go Irish’!”

“Ireland Gateway to Europe (IGTE) plays a critical role in facilitating connections, networks, and mutually beneficial business development opportunities between the United States and Ireland and Europe. As the premier venue to discuss transatlantic opportunities, the IGTE has made the best of Irish professional services available to the United States. The leadership exhibited by the IGTE and its members to enhance transatlantic business opportunities shapes the economies of Ireland, Europe, and the US in positive ways.

The IGTE’s most recent visit to Boston (April 2016) , Massachusetts was an electric 4-day event where leaders had the opportunity to meet, share, and exchange ideas, information, and develop meaningful relationships. For Boston College the IGTE was an exciting opportunity to enhance our already deep relationships with our Irish partners and extend those relationships into European opportunities. These relationships and opportunities will play a key role in supporting Boston College as we participate in the Aer Lingus Classic in September 2016 and will ensure that realize the vision of the game as a mechanism to raise the quality of economic, social, and political networks in Ireland and the United States. The IGTE will be key to our goal of the Aer Lingus Classic being #MuchMoreThanAGame.”

Robert Mauro,

Director at Global Leadership Institute at Boston College

The Gateway CupWilliam J. Devine Golf Course at Franklin Park

Tuesday April 19th 2016

Congratulations to the USA who won the Boston leg of the inaugural Gateway Cup. The Irish leg will take place on 3rd September 2016 in Dublin. The Irish team were captained by Irish broadcaster George Hook and the US team was captained by Robert Mauro of Boston College.

CEO BreakfastBoston College Club

Tuesday April 19th 2016

Ireland – Gateway to Europe 2015CEO Breakfast, Boston College Club

The Boston College Club is located In the heart of Boston'sfinancial district, from the vantage point of the 36th floor of100 Federal Street. It’s membership comprises of Bostonbased CEO’s and alumni of Boston College.

Format of the morning:

Welcome address

• Robert Mauro (Director at Global Leadership Institute at Boston College)

• Warren Zola (Executive Director, CEO Club of Boston College)

• Matt Mohan (CEO, The FKM Group)

Fireside discussion “Ireland – Global Center for Talent”

• Kristen Kenny (VP of People and Talent at CarGurus) in conversation with Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig (CCO, Sigmar Recruitment)

Panel discussion

• Alan Bluett (The Panel)

• Frank Keane (EisnerAmper Ireland)

• Derek Collins (Bank of Ireland)

Top (l-r): Panel Discussion with Derek Collins (Bank of Ireland), Kristen Kenny (CarGurus), Alan Bluett (The Panel), Frank Keane (EisnerAmperIreland) moderated by Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig (Sigmar Recruitment)

Bottom (l-r): Robert Mauro (Boston College), Kristen Kenny (CarGurus), Matt Mohan (The FKM Group), Warren Zola (CEO Club)

Faculty Lunch & DiscussionBoston College

Wednesday April 20th 2016

Faculty Lunch and Discussion

Boston college faculty and students joined the IrelandGateway Group for lunch and discussion oninternationalizing into Europe using Ireland as a base.

Speakers and Panellists:

• Andrew King, (Associate, Techstars) pictured left

• Professor Jennifer Erickson (Political Science, BostonCollege)

• Professor Mohan Subramaniam (Carroll School ofBusiness)

• Pat Leavy (FTI Treasury)


• Ed Hearne (Fingal County Council)

• Professor John Gallagher (Carroll School of Business)

• Philip Carney (The HR Company)

• Barry Rudden (Sigmar Recruitment)

• John Finnegan (IT Solutions)

• Robert Mauro (Director at Global Leadership Institute at Boston College)

Top (l-r): Robert Mauro (Boston College), Paul McGennis (ByrneWallace)Bottom (l-r): Panel discussion with John Finnegan (IT Solutions), Barry Rudden (Sigmar Recruitment), Frank Keane (EisnerAmper Ireland),Philip Carney (The HR Company), Professor John Gallagher (Carroll School of Business), Professor Jennifer Erickson (Boston College), EdHearne (Fingal County Council), Pat Leavy (FTI Treasury) and Professor Mohan Subramaniam (Carroll School of Business)

Campus Tour & ReceptionBoston College

Wednesday April 20th 2016

Robert MacGiolla Phádraig (right) presents a gift on behalf of Ireland Gateway To Europe to James DiLoreto of Boston College Athletics (centre left)

Battery VenturesBattery Ventures, Boston

Thursday April 21st 2016

Ireland – Gateway to Europe 2015IGTE Delegation at Battery Ventures

The Ireland Gateway To Europe group had a private engagement with Tom Crotty, Senior Advisor to Battery Ventures (top left) and Michael Brown, General Partner at Battery Ventures (bottom left).

Format of the morning:

A round table exploring the driving forces behind international investment, Ireland’s value proposition and how to support FDI expansion across EMEA from Ireland.

A number of Battery Venture portfolio clients have invested in Ireland, including Glassdoor, Nitro and Guidewire.

Internationalization Roundtable LunchSeaport Hotel, Boston


Internationalisation Roundtable Lunch

Professor Jeffrey Bergstrand (University of Notre Dame)and Frank Keane (EisnerAmper Ireland) shared insightsand findings from an ongoing study of trade betweenthe US and Ireland and implications for trade in 2016and beyond.

Venture CaféCambridge Innovation Center


Venture Café – How, when and why to Internationalize

The Ireland Gateway To Europe delegation hosted an eventat “Venture Café Thursdays”, a weekly gathering for theinnovation community held at the 5th Floor of theCambridge Innovation Center.

Speakers Included:

• Jim Kelliher, CFO, Actifio (pictured left)

• Andrew Singleton, Venture Café

• Sarabeth McGuire, EisnerAmper Ireland

• Adrian McGennis, CEO, Sigmar Recruitment

• Ciaran Hynes, CEO, Cosimo Venture Partners

• Brian Seidman, Founder, Seidman & Co. Limited

• John Pennett, EisnerAmper LLP

Top (l-r): Sarabeth McGuire (EisnerAmper Ireland), Jim Kelliher (Actifio), Adrian McGennis (Sigmar Recruitment)Bottom (l-r): Panel discussion with Adrian McGennis (Sigmar Recruitment), Jim Kelliher (Actifio), Ciaran Hynes (Cosimo

Venture Partners), John Pennett (EisnerAmper LLP), Brian Seidman (Seidman & Co. Limited)

IGTE Investment SummitSeaport Hotel, Boston

Friday April 22nd 2016

Ireland – Gateway to Europe 2015C-level Investment Summit Breakfast on Setting Up In Ireland

The Ireland Gateway To Europe investment summitwelcomed 120 guests to the Seaport Hotel.


• Congressman Richard Neal, U.S. Representative for the 1st Congressional District of Massachusetts

• Fionnuala Quinlan, Consul General

• Brian Halligan, CEO, HubSpot (pictured left)

• Maureen Pace, World Trade Center

• Paul Swift, IDA Ireland

• Frank Keane, EisnerAmper Ireland

• Mark Schwartz, CEO, Palladin Capital

• Dr. Ronnie Farquhar, Morningside Ventures & ArtugenTherapeutics Ltd.

• Adrian Mc Gennis, Sigmar Recruitment

• Mick Murray, AIB

Congressman Richard Neal, U.S. Representative for the 1st Congressional District of Massachusetts

Top (l-r): Brian Halligan (Hubspot), Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig (Sigmar Recruitment)Bottom Left: Paul Swift (IDA Ireland) Bottom Right: Fionnuala Quinlan (The Consul General)

Top (l-r): Dr. Ronnie Farquhar (Morningside Ventures & Artugen Therapeutics Ltd), Mick Murray (AIB), Mark Schwartz (Palladin Capital), Adrian McGennis (Sigmar Recruitment)

Bottom Left: Frank Keane (EisnerAmper Ireland) Bottom Right: Maureen Pace (World Trade Center)

International Challenge AwardSeaport Hotel, Boston


The International Challenge Award

The International Challenge took place on April22nd 2016 at the Seaport Hotel in Boston. Fivefinalist companies pitched to an internationaldelegation to be in with the chance of winning thecoveted title of “Company Most Likely toInternationalise”.

The International Challenge Award was foundedand is now managed by EisnerAmper Irelandand EisnerAmper LLP in collaboration with IrelandGateway to Europe.

Joint Winners 2016 :

People Hedge, OnCorps

Runners up 2016:

Celect, Upchannel, Crowd Comfort

Bridging the AtlanticSeaport Hotel, Boston


Bridging the Atlantic

Bridging the Atlantic was a gala reception held inthe Seaport Hotel to celebrate 100 years of Irish-American relations.


• Fionnuala Quinlan, Consul General

• Professor Kevin Whelan (University of Notre Dame)

• Professor Oliver Rafferty (Boston College)

• Kevin Cullen (The Boston Globe)

• Robert Mauro (Boston College)

• Professor Jeffrey Bergstrand (University of Notre Dame)


• Paul McGennis (ByrneWallace)

• Moderated by Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig, (Sigmar Recruitment)

The evening featured a special musical performancefrom Ciaran Nagle, founding member of the ThreeIrish Tenors (pictured left).

Top (l-r): Paul McGennis (ByrneWallace), Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig (Sigmar Recruitment), Fionnuala Quinlan (Consul General) Bottom (l-r): Professor Kevin Whelan (Notre Dame), Robert Mac Giolla Phádraig (Sigmar Recruitment), Robert Mauro (Boston College), Frank Keane (EisnerAmper Ireland), Professor Jeffrey Bergstrand (University of Notre Dame), Kevin Cullen (The Boston Globe), Professor

Oliver Rafferty (Boston College)

Live Broadcasts

George Hook and his team from Newstalk were broadcasting live from the Ireland Gateway To Europe events in Boston for the fifth year running.

For radio interviews with Ireland Gateway To Europe members, guests and speakers visit:

http://bit.ly/IGTEradio

www.gatewaytoeurope.org