Down To Business

Ireland’s largest manufacturer of wood packaging and Pallets is  CJ Sheeran. Showing Bobby around their base in Laois was Mark Sheeran. The two talked about creating sustainability in the wood packaging industry and what challenges such as business brings.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Keith Young, Managing Director of ATC Computer and Logistics

Whether it be a crick in your neck, or serious rehabilitation post-surgery, the world of physiotherapy provides an excellent service that is sure to get you back into shape.Joining Bobby to discuss how to the Physio industry in Ireland is getting on and how they get started and grew their careers were Physios •        David Dalton x Consultant Chartered Physiotherapist and CEO PhysioCare Ltd in Dublin·       Alison Quinn- Chartered Physiotherapist and owner of the rehab rooms in Deansgrange·       Dr Grace O’Malley - Senior Lecturer at the School of Physio – RSCI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Clinical Lead of the CHI Complex Obesity Service

This week we heard the startingly news that since 2005 over 2,000 pubs have closed. To make sense of this and to ask is the Irish Pub in real danger ? Bobby was I’m joined by economist Colm McCarthy and also by CEO of the Vintners Federation of Ireland and former publican Pat Crotty

How important is a happy workplace and can a happy work environment benefit your bottom line?Mark Price, author of Happy Economics and former managing director of Waitrose joined Bobby to explain the book and how how to create a happy but also profitable business

Joining Bobby to take a look at the business stories that are making the morning papers is Journalist and Author Valerie Cox and also by Doug Keatinge Head of Communications at Avolon

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is David Anchell, founder and Managing Director of Camida.

As the obtaining of private information has become a more sophisticated scam, how can you safeguard your online reputation and what if you’re a victim of online disinformation? Bobby is joined by Nicola Byrne from Risk Eye and by Stephen O’Leary of Olytico to discuss.

Joining Bobby to discuss the business of barbecuing is John Relihan of Pitt Bros; food writer, Ali Dunworth; and David Oelke from Bbq4you.ie.

Bobby was out & about at Kilkenny Architectural Salvage & Antiques where he caught up with owner, Harry Maharaj to chat about the business.

Dublin restaurant and karaoke bar Ukiyo is the latest in a fleet of restaurants across the country that have closed due to pressure on the hospitality sector. Bobby is joined by Independent Economist Jim Power and chef Kevin Dundon to discuss.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Susan Hayes Culleton aka 'The Positive Economist' & Paul O’Dwyer, dental surgeon from Portman Dentex.

Bakeries are a business that rank as one of the oldest in the world but between sourdoughs, velvet cakes, croissants, and cookies, how has the industry changed in recent years and how is the business of running a bakery faring in the face of rising energy and staffing costs?Joining Bobby to discuss is:Eoin Cluskey of Bread 41 in Dublin & WicklowCharlotte Leonard-Kane co-owner of Sceal Bakery in GreystonesCaryna Camerino of Camerino Bakery at IMMA

The days of doing business without engaging in what is happening in the world at large are gone but how do business owners make sure they are doing and saying the right things without sounding false? Rob Hayward, chief strategy officer with Principia Advisory joins Bobby to discuss.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Paddy Baird of Killester Travel.

Would the behaviour of a company owner affect your buying decisions? That was the conundrum facing Pilita Clark, columnist with The Financial Times - she joins Bobby to discuss.

John Larkin is the founder & chief soap maker at The Black Stuff, a handmade natural soap company, who has made it his mission to get as much handmade, natural soap into the hands of as many people as possible. He welcomed Bobby to his workshop to tell him all about it.

Joining Bobby to take a look at the business stories that are making the morning papers is Regina Mangan, CEO of Liberty Blue Estate Agents in Waterford & Declan Ralph, Retail Development Director for BWG.

For this week's executive chair, Bobby was joined by Claire McHugh, CEO of Axonista

Terence Mauri, author of The Upside of Disruption: The Path To Leading and Thriving in the Unknown joined Bobby to chat about his philosophy for a post-AI age

With the Olympics taking place in Paris, Bobby decided for this week’s industry review, to take a look into the sports centre industry.He was joined by:●      Liam Harbison, Director of the Sport Ireland Institute in Blanchardstown●      Tina Dowling, CEO of The Watershed in Kilkenny, and●      Clodagh Kilmurray, CEO of Swan Leisure in Rathmines and Crumlin

While we were enjoying last Monday’s bank holiday, stock markets across the world were plunging. The dives began on Friday as weak economic statistics involving US jobless figures spooked the market. Fears of a US recession can also cause worries for the Irish economy as we are so dependent on US multinationals so how real are these fears and is the Irish economy strong enough to withstand a US slow down?Kathleen Gallagher, Markets Correspondent for the Business Post joined Bobby to discuss.

Intel, once the world's biggest chipmaker, now finds itself squeezed by rivals Nvidia and AMD and despite its significant contributions to the industry and economy, Intel is struggling to stay relevant in the AI-driven future of chip making. With Nvidia's dominance in AI chips and AMD's solid market performance, can Intel reclaim its former glory?Adrian Weckler, Tech Editor of the Irish and Sunday Independent joined Bobby for an analysis on Intel's current performance.

Joining Bobby to go through the top business stories in the Saturday papers was Louisa Meehan of Woodview HRM, and Jon Ihle, Deputy Business Editor with The Sunday Times Ireland

The restaurant industry has experienced a boom in Ireland in recent years. That isn’t to say that it’s all plain sailing. Joining Bobby to discuss their experience in the restaurant industry for this week's Industry Review was●       JP McMahon, culinary director of the EatGalway Restaurant Group, which comprises Aniar, Cava Bodega, and Tartare café + wine bar●       Gina Murphy, the owner of the long-standing and much-loved restaurant Hugo's●       Richie Barrett, Restaurateur and General Manager of Kicky’s on Dame Street in Dublin

Investing in the stock market can be confusing and intimidating. Joining Bobby to offer some advice, knowledge and some investing strategies was Paddy Stronge Author of 'Successful Investing: How to Make Money in the Stock Market'

Even though we’re in that time when politicians are on holiday, we are also in the run into that most dangerous of events: the pre-election budget. Cormac Lucey, Economic Commentator, Author & Columnist wants the government to be on the side of caution when it comes to what the include in the budget on October 1st. He joined Bobby on the program to outline his argument and analyse the current economic situation.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Kieran Ivers of Green Rebel, Irish based, complete offshore survey service who support offshore wind energy projects.

Joining Bobby to go through the top business stories in the Saturday papers was Bob Hoffman of Vista Executive Search Caroline Bocquel, CEO of Bord Iascaigh Mhara

Booby indulged his sweet tooth by chatting with Sarah O’Sullivan, Founder of SOS Cookies on the importance of social media as a marketing device and how it helped her business grow.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Suzanne Ryan, Managing Director of Bluebird Care Ireland.

NAMA is a four-letter word synonymous with the dark days, months, and years following the 2008 financial crash, but in 18 months, it will disappear. One man who has been following its life from the very beginning is Matt Cooper, presenter of the Last Word on TodayFM - he joins Bobby to discuss.

Harland & Wolff is perhaps the most famous industrial name on the island of Ireland with connections to the most famous ship in history. But there is now a fear that its glory days are in the past and its future in real jeapordy. Margaret Canning, Business Editor with the Belfast Telegraph joins Bobby to go through what the shipyard is facing.

As more and more of our personal and professional lives are based online, we are under increasing threat of cyber attacks.But what is it like for the people and companies at the coalface of cybersecurity in Ireland right now?Joining Bobby to discuss this is: Raluca Saceanu, Chief Executive Officer at Smarttech247 Gary Melvin, Security and Compliance Director at NostraPat Larkin, President of Ekco Security & Chairperson of Cyber Ireland

Bobby was out & about this week at Explorium in Sandyford, Ireland's National Sport and Science Centre.

Joining Bobby to go through the top business stories in the Saturday papers is Ronan Reid, CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald Ireland & Caroline Reidy, Managing Director of the HR Suite.

Laura Weber is a Dublin-born designer behind Team Ireland’s official uniform at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She talks about the how she got the contract, her design process, and more.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Emma Maye, CEO of Corebuild and Ardale.

Bobby is joined by Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times to discuss what we can expect once Dublin’s proposed traffic plan is implemented.

For this week's Industry Review Bobby speaks to three people who are in the coach hire business:JJ Kavanagh, Director of JJ Kavanagh CoachesPaddy Matthews, Owner of Matthews CoachesCathal O’ Connell, Owner of Paddy Wagon

Joining Bobby to run through the top business stories from the Saturday papers is Susan HayesCulleton, Managing Director of the Hayes Culleton Group & Rebecca Harrison, Managing Director of Fishers of Newtownmountkennedy.

Bobby was out & about this week at the Clayton Hotel where he caught up with one of the longest serving barbers in the city, Gerry Downey of Gerrards Barber Shop.

Wine bars have long been popular among our European neighbours. But how do they fair in Ireland, where the traditional pub is king? Joining Bobby for this week's Industry review were three wine bar operators from around the country.

Joining Bobby for this week's edition of the executive chair was Accountant and CEO of Xeinadin Group, Derry Crowley.

Tech, which was touted as a way of helping free up time, is now bombarding us with messages, mail and reminders of what we need to do. To discuss whether technology inhibits our productivity more than enables it. Bobby was joined by Chris Griffiths, co-author of The Focus Fix: Finding Clarity, Creativity and Resilience in an Overwhelming World.

Earlier in the week the government predicted that they would be spending over 8bn in their last budget later in the year. Is this excessive spending or worse still ‘electioneering’? Can the state’s coffers be in that good shape? Conall MacCoille, the Chief Economist with Bank of Ireland, joins Bobby to tell us more.

Did you know that milk is usually always at the back of the supermarket and that conveyor belts are getting bigger. These are just some of the ‘tricks’ or ‘retail hacks’ supermarkets employ to get you to buy more. Conor Pope and Retail Consultant Eddie Shananhan discuss.

Joining Bobby to run through the top business stories from the Saturday papers is Linda Daly, Business Reporter with the Sunday Times and Stephen O’Leary of Olytico.

Bobby was out & about this week where he met up with Luke Joyce, Managing Director of TheCleaningCompany.ie.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Peter Flanagan & Damian Kerins from Flanagan Kerins.