24 September 2015

The Ireland India Business Association (IIBA) conference ‘Culture, Diversity and Women in Business’, will take place on September 24th in UCD, Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. The conference will look at how creating and maintaining balance in culture, diversity and gender, is smart economics that helps to increase profits and encourages innovation and problem solving in bilateral trade.

 

Conference speakers include Minister for Health, Leo Varadkar, HE Mrs Radhika Lal Lokesh, Ambassador for India to Ireland, Bibi Baskin, broadcaster RTE and BBC, Sheetal Mehta Walsh, Founder and President of Shanti Life, Maeve Collins Department of Foreign Affairs, .Andrew Kavanagh, Kavaleer Productions, Paul Rowe, Educate Together.

 

These speakers will focus on the bigger India-Ireland picture and will examine the history and richness of bilateral links between India and Ireland, as well as looking forward to the future of our bilateral business relationship.

 

The IIBA conference is to commemorate the centenary of the departure of Irishwoman Margaret Cousins to India. She became the first female District Judge in India, went on to found the Indian All Women’s Conference and is attributed to have composed the tune of the Indian National Anthem, which is still used today. The conference highlights the long history of engagement between India and Ireland.

 

Speaking about the conference, Nilakanthi Ford, Chairperson of IIBA (Ireland India Business Association) said, “Ireland and India have always shared many things in common including history, language, legal systems and values but despite that, trade and business between the two countries has remained well below its true potential. India is poised to become the third largest ecconomy in the world and economists estimate that India will have the largest number of middle class people in the world by 2020, which will create significant opportunities for exporters from Ireland.”

 

Ms. Ford continues, "Leading Irish exporters are now turning to India as China wobbles and there is opportunity for Ireland’s, now recovering, economy to capitalise on India’s opportunities. The IIBA conference will examine, not just the historic ties between India and Ireland but the significant potential trade opportunities for the two countries.”

 

The IIBA is a member-driven non-profit organization which provides an online membership database and regular networking events in Dublin and Cork, bringing together Irish and Indian businesses for the purpose of exploring opportunities and making contacts. The Association also provides a program of seminars and networking events in the form of business briefings with guest speakers.

 

IIBA membership is open to public and private sector organisations ranging from large corporations and government agencies, to small and medium enterprises as well as, individual professionals and students. Members include successful Irish businesses representing all facets of the business community including accountancy firms, bankers, consultants, distributors, exporters, high-tech companies, life science firms, legal advisers, manufacturers, marketing firms, trade specialists, venture capitalists and various other sectors.

To register for the conference visit www.iiba.ie