Down To Business

Join Bobby Kerr in this engaging episode as he delves into the world of corporate culture with playwright Catriona Daly and HR expert Louisa Meehan. Catriona shares insights about her new comedy, "The Lunch Punch," which humorously critiques the often absurd jargon and flawed hierarchies of modern workplaces. With sold-out performances already, she reveals the inspiration behind the play and how it reflects everyday office life. Louisa adds a layer of expertise as she breaks down the difference between corporate culture and the "felt culture" experienced by employees. Together, they explore how language can often confuse and mislead, leaving many feeling disconnected in their work environments.

In this episode of "Down to Business," Bobby Kerr sits down with Hari Abburi to delve into his thought-provoking book, "Ideas Don't Die, Companies Do." Hari challenges the prevailing notion of customer obsession, arguing that the future lies in organizations that prioritize innovative ideas.He shares insights on how many companies focus on efficiency but neglect the importance of curiosity and imagination in driving true innovation.

In this episode, Bobby welcomes Donnchadh Casey, CEO of Calypso AI, who shares his fascinating journey from a petrol forecourt in Cobh to leading an innovative cybersecurity firm. Donnchadh reflects on his diverse career in engineering, including his time at McKinsey and Qualtrics, before diving into the world of AI and its transformative impact on business and society. Discover how Calypso AI is safeguarding organizations as they harness the power of artificial intelligence, and hear insights on the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape.

Bobby Kerr dives deep into the evolving landscape of Ireland’s hotel sector with three industry leaders. Join Bobby as he chats with Allen Flynn from the Flynn Hotel Collection, Paul Gallagher of the Irish Hotels Federation, and Dee Nix, CEO of Lawlor's Hotel in Naas. They discuss the current state of the industry, the impacts of tourism fluctuations, staffing challenges, and innovative steps being taken to attract guests.

Former Airbnb executive Aisling Hassell now leads Daha Wellness. She sits down with Bobby to talk about leaving the corporate world behind and building something with purpose.Listen here.

Aidan O'Shea from Otonomee, Caitlín McConn, Operations Manager at Grow Remote, and Dee Coakley, Co-founder and CEO of Boundless, join Bobby to explore how remote working has evolved from a pandemic fix to a permanent fixture.What will employers' new approach to work mean for productivity, culture, and the future of business?Listen here

Rafe Uddin of the Financial Times joins us to explain how autonomous taxis are gaining ground in Silicon Valley and what it might mean for cities around the world.Listen here.

Declan Murphy, Founder and Chair of Allsorter, talks about how AI-generated CVs are flooding recruitment and how his company is helping separate fact from fiction.Listen here.

Bobby is out and about to visit Éist Coffee in a Glenegeary to find out if coffee and commuting really go hand in hand — and what it takes to run a business in a unique location like a train station.Listen here.

Lorcan Allen of Keating & Associates and Joan Mulvihill, Digitisation Lead at Siemens, join Bobby to run through the top business headlines from the weekend papers.Trump tariff talks continue, and Intel's troubles are among the stories in the headlines this weekend.Listen here.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Luke Hanlon, Managing Director of SuperValu & Centra.

Charlotte Otter is the author of 'We Need New Leaders', a book that helps aspiring CEOs from diverse backgrounds land and keep the top jobs. Charlotte joins Bobby to discuss.

This week marks the 25th anniversary of Lidl's arrival in Ireland. Conor Pope joins Bobby to discuss the impact Lidl has made on the Irish supermarket sector and more.

For this week's Industry Review, Bobby is joined by three leading voices in Ireland’s digital marketing and transformation space. Caroline Dunlea is the CEO and Co-Founder of Core OptimisationJane McDaid is the Founder of ThinkhouseSeamus White, Co-founder & Head of Digital Marketing at Granite DigitalTogether, they explore how their companies have evolved in recent years, how they’re responding to changes in client needs and consumer behaviour, and where the digital marketing landscape is headed next.

Bees On The Roof was established in 2019 by Emma Finn, a professional beekeeper with a passion for nature, biodiversity, and making a real difference to Ireland’s declining bee population. Bobby popped out to her earlier in the week to find out what all the buzz was about.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Doug Keatinge of Avolon & Linda Daly, Business reporter with the Sunday Times.

Conserving the environment, supporting local communities, and providing meaningful experiences for visitors - it’s all part of ‘Ecotourism’ - a fast-growing arm of Ireland’s tourism strategy for the future. Joining Bobby to discuss is:· Paddy Mathews, Head of Operations for Ireland's Hidden Heartlands with Fáilte Ireland · Liam Feeley, Chief Executive Officer at Mountaineering Ireland · Niamh Lunny, from the Irish Landmark Trust · Jarlath O’Dwyer, CEO of the Burren Ecotourism Network

Things may be getting serious for Ireland’s pharma industry after Tuesday’s threat by Donald Trump to impose a 200% tariff on US pharma companies who fail to repatriate their production within a timeline. What would that mean for Ireland? Bobby is joined by economist Cormac Lucey & David Anchell, the founder and managing director of Camida.

Joining Bobby in this week's Executive Chair is Jayne Owen–Gauld, Market Manager for IKEA Ireland.

Bobby is joined by James Eagle, author of 'From Chaos to Clarity: How Data Visualization can Save the World'.