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Newsletter Q3 & Q4 2024
Dear Members,
It has been a hectic two quarters since our summer changeover and exceptionally we are merging our last two newsletters. We will get back to normal scheduling in 2025 with four newsletters a year.
As was to be expected, our summer months had a definite sporting feel with a Lunch with the Taoiseach in August for Pioneer members followed quickly by La Rentree Event at the CCI in September hosted by Options Technology. Both of these events revolved around the presence and participation of Paralympics Ireland at the Paris Games.
We then moved to Lyon where we celebrated La Rentree with Worldskills Ireland on September 9th and were back in Lyon, and continuing our sporting feel, on October 18th for a tour of the Adequat Tony Parker Academy followed by lunch at the Lou rugby club. This was to mark the occasion of the Pan Euro GAA Finals taking place in Lyon on Saturday OCtober 19th.
In the interim the annual Pioneer Lunch at the Embassy took place on October 11th and was hosted this year by Owen Feeney, Charge D'Affaires.
November was taken up with the 2024 Ireland France Business Awards which followed hot on the heels on the same day as the inaugural Ireland France Economic Forum - a wonderful day for everyone involved in Franco-Irish trade and business.
Christmas kicked off early for NetworkIrlande as we were the first event of the season at the Embassy. Carols accompanied some wonderfully festive fare and this well-attended event seemed to be very much appreciated by all our members.
Looking ahead to 2025, the events calendar is starting to settle! We will be in Lyon for a Lunch and Learn in February, back to online Speed Networking in April, and a cross chamber event in May. Other speaker events are confirming and we will keep you informed on our return in January of what is happening and how to participate.
If you are a business or pioneer member of NetworkIrlande and would like to share an aspect of your business with your fellow members at one of our upcoming lunch and learns please let us know at admin@networkirlande.com.
NetworkIrlande would like to take this opportunity to thank our members and our larger community for your support in 2024 and wish you all the best for the season and a happy and healthy 2025.
Your NetworkIrlande Team
UPCOMING EVENTS
Mark you calendars for the return of our Speed Networking event on April 08th. More details and information will follow in the New Year!
Our calendar of events is currently being finalised for 2025, so keep an eye on your inbox and on our website to learn about them as they confirm.
Recent Events
Lunch with An Taoiseach, August 27th, 2024
NetworkIrlande were delighted to team up with the Irish Embassy to organise a lunch meeting with An Taoiseach Simon Harris during his visit to Paris for the Paralympics on August 27th.
Several of our Pioneer and Board Members were in attendance around the table where a rich discussion on the growing trade and business relations between Ireland and France took place. Mr Harris referenced his discussions with the Irish business community in France when he met with French President Emmanuel Macron later in the day at the Élysée in Paris for a bilateral meeting.
La Rentree at the CCI, September 05th, 2024
NetworkIrlande Pioneer Member Options Technology kindly sponsored our Rentrée event which was held in the beautiful Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris' fifth arrondissement in conjunction with Paralympics Ireland and Sport Ireland.
The rain held off and so our reception took place outside, stepping inside for speeches and some paralympic watching. H.E. Ambassador Niall Burgess opened the evening and welcomed everyone to the event which was a timely bookend of 18 months of sport in France, starting with Paralympics Ireland President Eimear Breathnach addressing the NetworkIrlande community at the Embassy in December 2022. At that time Eimear announced a countdown of 619 days to the arrival of the Irish paralympic athletes to Paris!
Lisa Clancy, Vice President of Paralympics Ireland, then spoke on behalf of the delegation and the athletes, bringing us all into the experiences of the past days and weeks and highlighting the importance of networks and the warmth of the Irish community in general. Dr. Una May, CEO of Sport Ireland, then addressed the group and spoke of the challenges Paralympians face on a daily basis in a city such as Paris and the many fond memories she will take back to Ireland of the Rugby, Olympics and Paralympic experiences with the Irish community in France. We were delighted to have Paralympics Ireland board member John Bolger, and former Paralympian and Sport Ireland board member Deirdre Mongan among the group.
Everyone then joined in the excitement to watch double-Paralympic medallist Róisín Ní Ríain compete in the Women's 100m Breaststroke final, and tension was high as she came in fourth in her race. Afterwards it was networking and chatting in the courtyard over refreshments to round out a full and enjoyable evening. Many thanks again to the Centre Culturel Irlandais for hosting us.
Lyon Rentree Evening with Worldskills, September 09th, 2024
On a wet September evening about 50 people, members and friends of NetworkIrlande and the Consulate General of Ireland and the Worldskills Ireland delegation, gathered together in the beautiful Musée des Beaux Arts de Lyon to celebrate the Worldskills International Competition and the Rentrée!
Consul General Ciara de Mora opened the reception by introducing NetworkIrlande President Richard Dujardin who thanked the consulate for their ongoing support of NetworkIrlande and the Irish business community in the region. Richard outlined some of our recent and upcoming events and introduced the new General Manager Cliodhna Fullam who was in Lyon in her new capacity for the first time.
Michael Hourihan, Official Delegate with WorldSkills Ireland then took everyone through the fascinating history of Ireland's involvement in the WorldSkills competition in which Ireland has competed since 1957! Since then Ireland has competed at every international competition winning 63 Gold medals, 53 Silver and 80 Bronze, with 174 diplomas/Medallions of Excellence from 732 Ireland competitors overall. With a team of 17 competing in the bi-annual competition starting the next day in Lyon, and a host of supporting colleagues from Education & Training Boards from across Ireland and Representatives from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research innovation and Science, it proved to be a most interesting evening of exchange and learning.
Ireland would go on to win five Medallions for Excellence in the competition.
Pioneer Lunch at the Embassy, October 11th, 2024
On Friday 11th October, Owen Feeney, Chargé d'Affaires, and the team at the Embassy of Ireland in Paris welcomed a group of NetworkIrlande Pioneer members for a working lunch discussing the Franco-Irish trade relationship in general and the various industries represented by our members present in particular.
Lively discussions around green transition and decarbonisation in particular highlighted some challenges and interesting ideas going forward. Owen also led the conversation about the follow up to the Ireland -France "Together in Spirit and Action" strategic plan which goes up to 2025. This was followed with a vibrant exchange which kept everyone engaged and proved to be very informative for all attendees.
Lyon Pan-Euros GAA Event at the Adéquat Academy, October 18th.
NetworkIrlande were delighted to be hosted by Pioneer Member Groupe Adéquat in the Tony Parker Adéquat Academy followed by lunch at the Lou Rugby Stadium on Friday October 18th.
Along with the Consulate General of Ireland, Lyon, and ahead of the ahead of the Pan-European GAA Gaelic Football Finals which took place in Lyon on Saturday 19th October, just short of forty guests from Lyon and GAA teams across Europe took part in a most enjoyable few hours where we discussed sports, community and business.
It was a perfect occasion for participants from across Europe to mingle with the local business community and discuss the role that sports play in forging business networks as part of the Irish diaspora experience.
Christmas Reception, December 03rd 2024
Over 70 members of NetworkIrlande gathered at The Embassy of Ireland on Tuesday December 03rd for our annual Christmas Reception. Guests arrived to the dulcet tones of carollers from the Irish Church at the Centre Culturel Irlandais. Owen Feeney, Chargé d'Affaires, opened the evening by officially welcoming everyone to the Embassy and looked back at the many events and highlights of the year and of recent months. He emphasised once again the importance of Franco-Irish business and the support the Embassy puts behind NetworkIrlande.
President Richard Dujardin thanked guests for coming and for their support, encouraging them to remain with us into 2025. He handed over to Andrew Coffey of Smurfit Westrock, winners of the Best Irish Company in France at the recent Ireland France Business Awards, to say a few words about their year. We wish to thank Smurfit Westrock once again for their support of the evening. We were treated to some wonderful food from the Embassy kitchens, including delicious mince pies and Christmas Cake! Music was heard again later in the evening as Sean Ryan led the group shortly before departure in a few festive carols.
Welcome To Our New Members
BUSINESS MEMBERS
Junk Kouture is an international competition that combines creativity and circularity, challenging young people aged 12-19 across schools in Ireland, France, Italy, the UK, UAE and NYC to design and create wearable art using only recycled materials. Originating in Ireland in 2010, it has since grown into a global phenomenon, promoting environmental awareness and inspiring innovative thinking.
Participants repurpose everyday junk—such as discarded plastics, metals, fabrics, and paper—into high-fashion outfits. These designs are showcased in live national and global finals, often accompanied by performances that highlight the designer's creativity and storytelling. The competition celebrates young peoples talents, giving them a voice through the platform while addressing the urgent need for sustainable thinking in fashion and beyond.
Social Media Links :
Instagram, TikTok, YouTube
For further information please contact : Troy Armour, Founder and CEO - troy@patralgroup.com - LinkedIn
Junk Kouture - info@junkkouture.com
Protostars ensures accountability with EU Cybersecurity regulatory compliance. We help Boards and Leadership teams with tailored security audit reporting and secure code analysis using our AI-powered Cyber Resilience Platform. Unlike traditional approaches, Protostars LLM technologies bridge evidence-scanning and code testing with compliance controls. That offers increased efficiency, reduced risk and improved compliance.
Visit https://protostars.ai
For further information please contact Kim MCKAYED : Kim.mckayed@protostars.ai
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
Grainne Carroll
Nicolas Deseaux
Adam O Ceallaigh
Brian O'Sullivan
Jane Kearney
Aileen McCormack
Remi Esclattier
Patrick Larkin
Kieran Canny
Remember to consult the member directory in your member portal to find contact details for all your fellow members.
Ireland France Business Awards 2024
On Thursday 14th November, 270 guests from the Franco-Irish business community gathered on the quays of the Seine to celebrate the 2024 edition of the Ireland France Business Awards. This event is the highlight of the year and takes place on alternating years in Ireland and France.
Kicking off the evening on dry land in the Salon Nework just beside the Statue of Liberty Paris, a networking cocktail set the scene for the Awards Ceremony. Master of Ceremonies and President of NetworkIrlande, Richard Dujardin, welcomed distinguished guests, the official partner Kingspan and award sponsors, shortlisted companies and the business community at large and brought guests up to date on developments in NetworkIrlande in the two years since we last hosted the event in The Ritz in 2022. He also evoked the extremely successful Ireland France Economic Forum which had taken place earlier in the day, organised by both Embassies and semi-state agencies, and which had been attended by the majority of the attendees of the event.
Minister Paschal Donohoe, unable to attend in person, beamed across the giant LED screen with a warm address to the Franco-Irish business community.
Then onwards to the raison d'être of the evening – the awards themselves.
The nominees and winners were:
Best Irish Company in France sponsored by Primark: Amarenco, Novum, and Smurfit Westrock. Winner: Smurfit Westrock. The award was presented by Christine Loizy, Directeur Générale Primark France to Andrew Coffey, Chief Executive Officer, Smurfit Westrock France.
Best French Company in Ireland sponsored by IDA Ireland: AXA, CACEIS, and Decathlon. Winner: AXA. The award was presented by Bernard Smith, Director of Europe, IDA Ireland to Des Crowley, Chair of AXA Insurance Dac & Helen Browne, Group Legal and Compliance.
Franco-Irish Business - Newcomer of the Year sponsored by Stripe: Access Earth, AQMetrics, and Kavaleer Productions. Winner: Access Earth. The award was presented by Barbara O'Beirne, CEO of Stripe Technology Europe Ltd. to Alanna Clarke of Enterprise Ireland who accepted it on behalf of Matt McCann, CEO of Access Earth who was unable to attend.
We then moved to the second part of the evening – the Gala Dinner and Cruise along the Seine. We were lucky with a dry evening and low water levels which enabled Paris to shine in all its splendour for the enjoyment of the guests. Le Paquebot, the largest of the fleet of yachts on the Seine, welcomed the French Olympic team earlier in the year for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. Tom Dolan, winner of La Solitaire du Figaro Paprec, rivited guests over dinner with an emotional speech about his journey and Aine Murray, President of the France Ireland Chamber of Commerce, closed out the evening's remarks by inviting guests to Dublin for the next edition of the awards on November 13th 2025.
The inaugural Ireland France Economic Forum took place in tandem with the business awards in Business France premises. Building on the current momentum in our economic and trade relationship, this first forum was a valuable exchange between Irish and French senior policymakers and business leaders, exploring new avenues for Franco-Irish cooperation towards a more innovative, green and competitive European future. It builds towards Irelands next Joint Plan of Action with France.
Among key participants in the dialogue were Mathieu Landon, economic advisor to President Macron, former French Minister for Ecological Transition Barbara Pompili, Ireland's Secretary Generals for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Declan Hughes, and for Environment, Energy and Climate, Oonagh Buckley. Stripe, ECOCEM, Amarenco, Akara Robotics, AQMetrics brought perspectives from the Franco-Irish business community.
Other News
Tom Dolan for the win!
Pioneer Member Name Change
In July, Smurfit Kappa and WestRock completed their transaction to combine, forming Smurfit Westrock, a global leader in sustainable packaging. Smurfit Westrock will have a primary listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and secondary listing on the London Stock Exchange (LSE).
Our Pioneer Members
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