Down To Business

Bobby is joined by the Ambassador of Ireland to Japan, Damien Cole. Together, they discuss Ireland House, a new centre for Ireland’s presence in Japan, as well as the opportunities for Ireland to develop relationships and partnerships in the region

Joining Bobby from Tokyo, Japan, as part of this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year CEO Retreat is:Aine Kennedy, CEO & Founder of The Smooth CompanyCaitriona Ryan & Nicola Ralph from The Institute of DermatologistsLaura Dowling, Founder and CEO fabÜ

This week, Bobby and the team were broadcasting from Japan as part of this year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year CEO Retreat. Here, Bobby speaks to Professor Hiroshi Fujikawa from Hitotsubashi University Business School about Japan's ageing population and the potential consequences for their economy.

Lisa Brankin, Chair and Managing Director of Ford Britain and Ireland, joined Bobby Kerr in this week’s Executive Chair. She told the story of the first foreign Ford factory founded in Cork in 1917 and the automaker's expansion plans here

Now, home is where the heart is, but at the heart of every home is the kitchen. For this week’s Industry Review, Bobby chatted to three people who make it their business to make your kitchen everything you’ve ever dreamed of…·        Pat McGrath, MD at Kube Kitchens & Interiors·        Stephen O’Beirne, The Kitchen Doctor·        Deirdre Duffy of Dee Design, Kitchen Design Specialist

One of Ireland’s most famous artists during the boom years, attracting fans and income from A-listers. Then the boom stopped, and he found himself becoming just another artist trying to get noticed and sell some work. Rasher joined Bobby to discuss  his latest exhibition, ‘Don’t Anger the Gods’, which opened last Thursday at the Flux Gallery on Chatham Row

Next week, Down to Business will be broadcasting from Japan! Yes, that’s right. As you know,w we have a long association with the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Award,s and like we’ve done for the last 10 plus years, we’re travelling as part of this year’s CEO Retreat, which will see us join 140 entrepreneurs in the Far East. You’ll be hearing all about it next week. Joining Bobby to give us a little flavour of what we might expect was Roger Wallace, Partner Lead of the EY Entrepreneur of the Year Program.

Sunday Independent Columnist and Leadership expert Gina London and Lorcan Allen of Keating and Associates. Join Bobby Kerr on Down to Business to break down the biggest business stories of the day. Get all the week’s business news here.

Father and son team John and Gerard Loughran join Bobby Kerr in this week’s Executive Chair to tell the story of Dublin’s longest-running family-owned hotel, The Sandymount Hotel.Listen here.

Bobby looks at the music and arts festival business in this week’s Industry Review.He sits down with Declan Forde from Beyond The Pale Festival; Co-Founder of Night and Day Festival, Brendan Hurley, and John Crumlish, CEO of Galway International Arts Festival.Listen here.

Maddy Alexander-Grout, author of Mad About Money, joins Down to Business to talk about running a business as a neurodiverse entrepreneur, parenting with ADHD, and turning challenges into strengths.Listen here.

Damien McCarthy of HR Buddy and Chris Kane, author of Where’s My Office?, join Down to Business to debate Denis O’Brien’s claim that working from home has hurt Ireland’s work ethic.Listen here.

Tech commentator Andy O’Donoghue joins Down to Business to explain why subscription-based models aren’t just for streaming — and why small businesses should consider them for sustainable income.Listen here.

Louisa Meehan of Woodview HRM and Bob Hoffman of Vista Executive Search join Bobby Kerr to review the biggest business stories making headlines this weekend.Listen here.

Joining Mandy Johnston to for this week's Executive Chair is Ryan Lasmaili, Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder of Vaultree.

While protecting human rights and recognising the importance of marginalised cohorts of societies were features of how society operated in the 2000s, the return of President Trump has ushered in an era where the importance of human rights have taken a back seat. Michael Posner, Lawyer and former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor & author of 'Conscience Incorporated: Pursue Profits While Protecting Human Rights', joins Mandy to discuss.

For this week’s Industry Review, Mandy Johnston wanted to find out about the growth of the “Whiskey Bar”, the idea of a separate bar within a pub tailored to the needs of Irish whiskey fanatics.Joining Mandy to discuss is: · Micheal Casey Manager of The Habour Bar In downings Co.Donegal · Willie Ahern Owner of the Palace Bar Dublin · Eoin Ó Catháin Director of the Irish Whiskey Association

Wink with Mink Lashes won Arnotts' Pitch '24 competition, securing their brand's place in-store and online at Planet Beauty in Arnotts & Brown Thomas, allowing customers to experience Wink with Mink's innovative lash solutions firsthand. Shona Mahon, the owner of Wink and Mink, joins Mandy Johnston to chat about how things are going so far. Pitch ’25 is open to founders, makers, and innovators living in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, across fashion, beauty, jewellery, lifestyle, food, circular goods, or technology. You must have a developed product or service, and the ability to scale for the peak Christmas season. Apply now to pitch your brand and bring your vision to life at Arnotts this Christmas.

This week Weight Watchers filed for bankruptcy. At one point Weight Watchers was the go-to place for those looking to shed the pounds but that was before the advent of Ozempic. Writer with the Guardian Doona Ferguson has been looking at this and joins Mandy Johnston to discuss.

Joining Mandy Johnston to run through the main stories in the Saturday papers is Linda Daly, Business Reporter with the Sunday Times & Robert Whelan of Rockwell Finance.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Ashley McDonnell, Founder of Tech Powered Luxury & Ireland Fashion Week.

The Global Economic Summit 2025 is taking place at The Europe Hotel in Kerry on 26-28 May. The weekend retreat will host a number of economic heavy hitters from around the globe, including NASA’s first chief economist, Alex MacDonald, who joins Bobby to chat about the economics of space flight.

Bobby was out & about at The Flight Club, an establishment that combines a fine cocktail & food menu with high-tech social darts.

 When it comes to our green spaces, the more attention we give them, the more we get out of them.And what with the nice weather we’ve been having this week, Bobby thought it would be timely to explore the realities of working in garden design with three of Ireland’s leading lights in this space.Joining Bobby is:Renowned garden designer, Diarmuid GavinIngrid Smyth of Ingrid Smyth Garden DesignAlan Rudden of Alan Rudden Garden Design

It's an uncertain time for business with talk of tariffs and trade wars, not to mention that businesses are finding that they need to focus on sustainability, but how are businesses interacting with banks? Michael Lauhoff, Head of Specialist Banking - Corporate & Commercial Banking at Bank of Ireland.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Stephen O’Leary of Olytico & Joan Mulvihill, Digitization Lead at Siemens.

Bobby's guests this week were Vinny Browne from Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, Liam Donnelly, Bookshop Manager with Hodges Figgis & Louisa Earls, General Manager of Books Upstairs.

Joining Bobby on the Executive Chair this week is Adrienne O'Sullivan - CEO ARAG Legal Protection Ltd

It is sad to say but there is still some hesitancy around allowing women to realise their full potential in the workplace. Elizabeth Willets has made challenging these perceptions and helping women maximize their careers a passion. Her new book Flex is a practical guide in negotiating today’s work spaces where flexible work can become more than a buzz word. 

Bobby spoke to Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times about Market Turmoil in the US

Bobby went out to meet Anne Marie Feighery of Feighery's Farm

Susan Hayes Culleton and Declan Ralph sat down with Bobby to talk through all the business stories hitting the headlines.

Zoe Sinclair, founder of Employees Matter, joins Down to Business to share why companies need to take staff wellbeing seriously — and how her work helps bridge the gap between work and life.Listen here.

Paul Candon of United Hardware, Sean Moran of Home Project Centre, and Colin Baker of Decwells Expert Hardware join Down to Business for this week’s Industry Review — looking at the hardware and DIY sector amid rising costs and shifting consumer habits.Listen here.

Cathal Friel, pharmaceutical entrepreneur and founder of Raglan Capital, joins Down to Business to explain why Trump’s trade talk is making waves in Ireland’s life sciences sector.Listen here.

Bobby visits the Diamond Rocks Café in Kilkee to find out how a seasonal seaside business manages to stay open all year round.Listen here.

Norah Casey, broadcaster and businesswoman, and James Loutit of Impactful Ltd join Down to Business to review the week’s biggest business stories and what’s making the headlines in today’s papers.Listen here.

Dominc McGrath of the Business Post sits down with Bobby to go through how the UK will cope in the face of President Trump's tariffs.LIsten Here

The performance arts help us to foster creativity, communication, and collaboration while also providing a platform for self-expression and community building. We here in Ireland have a strong tradition in this space, and so Bobby wanted to get a sense of how the next generation of dancers, actors, and musicians are coming along.Joining Bobby to discuss is:Will Wollen, Director & CEO of Gaiety School of ActingAidan Curran, Music Director with the School of Rock Samantha Lyons, Artistic Director with The College of Dance

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Eamonn Brennan, former Chief Executive of the Irish Aviation Authority,

Power is something that most people strive for in their lives, but it can also be a difficult and sometimes toxic partner that changes everyone who holds it. So, how can we better understand it and have a healthier relationship with it? Nik Kinley, author of 'The Power Trap: How Leadership Changes People, and What to Do About It', joins Bobby to discuss.

Tech guru Andy O'Donoghue joins Bobby to chat about the looming sale of TikTok’s US operations.

Defying the logic of decades of economic trade policy, Donald Trump had been doubling down on his hugely damaging reciprocal tariff plans. But, in an unforeseen turn of events and with the exception of China, a 90 pause has been initiated, which has given markets a welcome reprieve. Joining Bobby to make sense of it all is Peter Goodman, Global Economic Correspondent with The New York Times & author of ‘How the World Ran Out of Everything: Inside the Global Supply Chain’.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Gina London from The Language of Leadership & Robert Whelan of Rockwell Finance.

Joining Bobby this morning in the executive chair was John F Concannon CEO JFC Group

Joining Bobby this week out and about was food futurist Charles Banks.

Joining Bobby this morning was Newstalk's own Emmet Oliver to talk about his new book.

Joining Bobby for this week's industry review was: Vincent Brady of Rathbornes Mark Van den Bergh Creative Director of Max Benjamin Lisa Barnett, Owner of The Irish Chandler

Joining Bobby this morning to recap the business stories making the headlines was Caroline Reidy and Doug Keatinge.

Joining Bobby to explain how Trump's tariffs are impacting businesses and markets was Simon MacAllister, Co Head of Geopolitical strategy at EY Ireland and Corporate Finance Partner, Economist Cormac McCarthy, and Pat Rigney of the Shed Distilery.