21 April 2015
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Barrie O’Connell is the new President of Cork Chamber of Commerce. He will work alongside the Chamber’s permanent CEO for the coming year.
Mr O’Connell’s day j0b is Partner in charge with KPMG.
At todays AGM of Cork Chamber of Commerce – the 196th of the respected institution – six new board members were also elected:
- Colm Leen, Carbery Group,
- Orla O’Flynn, CIT,
- David Whyte, Eli Lily,
- Bryan Hyland, Morgan McKinley,
- Cliona Murphy, Pepsico and
- Paula Cogan, River Lee Hotel.
Speaking at the AGM, Mr. O’Connell launched the Chamber Strategic Plan 2015 – 2017 and stressed the relentless commitment of Cork Chamber to promote business in Cork. Our strategic plan embodies clear, decisive and action-orientated language which manifests well with our mandate to work both collaboratively with economic-decision makers and to challenge and agitate when appropriate on issues which will prioritise and position Cork as a region of substance within a global context.”
“Cork Chamber is mindful of its position as a significant influencer, enhancing the economic development of the Cork region and as such places a strong emphasis on investigating and advocating well-researched evidence-based proposals.”
“With every challenge, comes opportunity however, and Cork Chamber have called on the Cork Local Government Review Committee tasked with carrying out on objective review of local government arrangements in Cork City and County Cork to be innovative in their thinking, to be brave with their solutions and to consider all disruptive programs for the development of this region.”
Mr. O’Connell urged all members, “To believe in the power of the collective representative business voice as the decision we are making now are for a generation or more and will have long term implications for the Cork region. Our goal is to ensure the business view is appropriately represented in making the optimum decisions for Cork.”
Mr. O’Connell concluded by saying, “I am very fortunate to be following Gillian Keating into this role. Gillian has worked tirelessly on behalf of the business community over the last two years and I very much look forward to continuing this great work in the coming years.”
Barrie O’Connell is Partner in charge of KPMG Cork. He holds a BComm from UCC and is a fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland.