From Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
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With Brexit imminent and a clear focus on diversifying Irish exports, Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, is this week leading 71 Enterprise Ireland client companies on an Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland trade and investment mission to Australia and Singapore. The trade mission is focused on increasing Irish exports to markets outside of the UK by 50% by 2020 and attracting investments from Australian and ASEAN companies to Ireland.
The eight-day trade and investment mission, covering Melbourne, Sydney, Perth and Singapore will see 71 Enterprise Ireland client companies participate in 24 business events and pre-arranged meetings with potential business partners including Telstra, Optus, ANZ Bank, CBA, Cochlear, BT Financial, NAB Bank, Deloitte, Macquarie Bank, Stone and Chalk, Amazon Web Services, ST Aerospace, Thomson Medical and Tai Sin Electric, ST Aerospace, Thomson Medical, Tai Sin Electric, Singapore Academy of Law, A-Star, Digital Realty UOB, AAIS (Association of Aerospace Industries, Singapore), AerCap, Axxess Bio, DBS, Citibank, MyRepublic. The mission will also include meetings with IDA client and target companies in Financial Services, Technology and Medtech sectors.
The Enterprise Ireland client companies participating on the Trade Mission to Australia and Singapore span a number of sectors including Fintech, Medtech, Engineering, E-Learning, Agri-tech, ICT and emerging technologies.
To further drive the growth of Irish exports to the Asia Pacific region, Minister Humphreys today confirmed plans to open new Enterprise Ireland offices in Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam), as part of the Government’s Global Ireland 2025 strategy and a key Brexit response measure to support Irish exporters to diversify into even more markets, beyond the UK.
Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Heather Humphreys TD, said: “As home to more than half of world’s population and one of the largest economies in the world, Asia Pacific is a key growth region for Ireland, so I am delighted to lead this Trade and Investment Mission to Australia and Singapore. The programme will focus on both supporting Irish companies to expand exports and attracting FDI to Ireland.
“My aim over the coming days is to build awareness and promote the ‘Irish advantage’ of the participating companies through their innovation and capability in key sectors. I look forward to engaging with key decision makers at the highest levels in Government and Industry to promote Ireland as both a source of world-class products and services and as a world-leading destination for FDI.
“I am also pleased to announce plans to open two new Enterprise Ireland offices in the region, in Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as part of the Government’s Global Ireland 2025 strategy. The expansion of Enterprise Ireland’s global footprint will further support the drive for increased exports and promote Irish business capability to even more international buyers.” added Minister Humphreys.
Kevin Sherry, Executive Director, Global Business Development, Enterprise Ireland said: “Expanding the Irish export footprint in markets beyond the UK is a key priority for Enterprise Ireland and we are working closely with Irish industry to pursue realisable opportunities to support greater market diversification throughout the Asia Pacific region. Australia and Singapore have proven to be soft landing zones for Irish companies that want to test the market with a view to targeting and growing in the wider region.
Asia Pacific was one of the fastest growing regions for Enterprise Ireland backed companies in 2017 delivering annual growth of 9% to €1.9billion in 2017. A total of 600 Enterprise Ireland client companies currently export to the region and have added €1bn in new exports to the Asia Pacific region in the last five years.
Since 2018, Enterprise Ireland has strengthened its resources in key sectors such as Digital Technologies, Financial Services, Education, Agritech, Healthcare, Construction and Food FDI across the Asia Pacific region and will add additional resources by end of 2019 including new offices in Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, as well as pathfinders in New Zealand and Shenzhen,” he continued.
Mary Buckley, Executive Director, IDA Ireland said “Asia Pacific is a priority region for IDA. Companies from APAC come to Ireland as a base to expand into the European market and to scale their European business. Ireland will remain an integral part of the European Union and will provide a stable, competitive and business friendly environment to access the single European market.
There are approximately 300 companies from Asia Pacific with operations in Ireland employing over 25,000 people. Nearly 1/3 of these companies come from Australia and ASEAN. This visit to Australia and Singapore will help enhance relationships with new clients to generate new investments for Ireland, particularly post Brexit and deepen relationships with existing client companies.
To mark St. Patrick’s Day internationally, Enterprise Ireland will host over 50 trade and business events in over 45 locations across the world for Irish businesses and their international business partners. With a focus on driving increased export growth, particularly in the context of Brexit, the events which span from Sydney to Washington will focus on marking the achievements and contribution of Irish innovation to industries and business partners across the globe.
In tandem with the international trade events, Enterprise Ireland has launched a global video, as part of its ‘Irish Advantage’ international export promotion campaign. With the theme ‘small country, big impact’ the campaign highlights to international buyers, innovations that are emerging from Ireland and are shaping the future of our world and industries.
ENDS
For further information:
Conor O’Donovan, Head of Communications, Enterprise Ireland 087-9671342
Marika MacCarvill, International PR, Enterprise Ireland 01-7272857 / 086-171 2568
Kevin Sammon, Head of Communications, IDA Ireland 087-6188564
About Enterprise Ireland
Enterprise Ireland is the Irish State agency that works with Irish enterprises to help them start, grow, innovate and win export sales in global markets. Enterprise Ireland partners with entrepreneurs, Irish businesses, and the research and investment communities to develop Ireland’s international trade, innovation, leadership and competitiveness. In this way, we support sustainable economic growth and regional development, and help create and sustain employment in Ireland. www.enterprise-ireland.com