10 March 2017
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Cork’s global international financial services (IFS) solution highlighted in Boston and New York
Ireland is recognised as a global international financial services hub, and Cork offers a high-quality solution within the overall national IFS 2020 strategy. This week, Cork’s strengths as an investment location for International Financial Services (IFS) are being highlighted through the partnership of Connecting Cork with Irish Funds Industry Association (Irish Funds) at a series of industry briefings in Boston and New York.
Connecting Cork’s 2017 strategy builds on the international activities of 2016 with a particular focus on IFS given the scale of the opportunity for Ireland currently. Connecting Cork is a Cork Chamber-led initiative which involves targeted international engagement with business organisations and individuals, highlighting the factors that make Cork a top-class location for business and investment.
Speaking from the US, Barrie O’Connell, President of Cork Chamber said: “Connecting Cork is highlighting the capacity and capability that Cork offers as a location for IFS. In particular, Cork’s talent pool is continuously cited as one of its top attractors – CIT and UCC produce a pipeline of high-calibre, industry-ready graduates, and UCC boasts four financial services research centres which support the development of the IFS sector in the region. In addition, our international connectivity, strong track record, competitiveness and quality of life offering are all very attractive both for employers and employees.”
Pat Lardner, CEO of Irish Funds, added, “There is already a well-established cluster of diverse players in the IFS sector located in Cork, including several well-established names such as BNY Mellon and Citco which have been located there for over 10 years. These have been joined in the last few years by a number of other strong players, particularly in the asset and fund management space.”
The Connecting Cork activities this week include a schedule of meetings with organisations and individuals in the IFS sector, and others who promote Ireland in the US, including IDA, Enterprise Ireland, Consuls General, Irish Network USA, Irish Funds, New York Digital Irish and IIBN.
