The next IEA Food and Drink Council meeting is to take place  on Thursday February 25th. The venue for the meeting is the Teagasc Food Research Centre in Ashtown, Dublin 15.

The event is broken down into three themes. These are: Channel Clusters update; branding; and the Sterling issue It will begin with an update on the progress of companies involved in the Channel Clusters programme. Following this there will be a presentation on branding by Paul Moran, whilst Niall Haughey will discuss the Sterling Issue. There will be also plenty of time for networking

Below is a note on the keynote speakers:

Conor Hyde, Bullseye Food Marketing - Profile

Conor founded Bullseye Food Marketing in 2001 to service a growing demand for expert, best practice, business marketing support for owner-managed FOOD companies on an outsourced basis. ( www.bullseye.ie ).

Bullseye Food Marketing is a full service marketing & training consultancy which offers “real world” experience of marketing fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) on national and international markets to Multiples, Wholesalers, Convenience chains, Independents, and the Foodservice Sector. There are currently four employees at Bullseye Food Mark eting with a +20% business growth rate year on year.

Bullseye runs a number of food training programmes on an annual basis for the Enterprise Boards, the IEA, LEADER, and BIM. Conor Hyde has over twenty years food marketing management and food Category management experience having held senior Marketing manager positions with Golden Vale/Kerry & Dairygold Co-op.

Ronan Gillespie, Next Step International - Profile

Ronan Gillespie established Next Step International, a sales, marketing and business development consultancy, in May 2007. Next Step International specialises in advising firms in the international food and drinks sector.

He is an experienced business coach and mentor. Since 2007 Ronan has been a member of the team of Advisers and Coaches used by Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) on its Enterprise Ireland funded International Selling Programme, and FÁS funded SalesWISE Programme. Working on these 2 DIT programmes Ronan has successfully coached and advised people from 19 different companies over the last 3 years.

In addition to being a member of the Enterprise Ireland Mentor Network, Ronan has mentored a number of companies through Irish Exporters Association business development programmes.

Ronan’s experience includes 16 years in the international drinks business with Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, where he played a major role in the success of Jameson Irish Whiskey. As Regional Director Developing Markets, Ronan had responsibility for sales development, profit, and the implementation of Jameson marketing strategy, in  number of significant markets EMEA and Australia. His last role in Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard was Business Development Director (International).

He holds a B.A. (hons.) in International Marketing & Languages from Dublin City University, and speaks French, German, Italian and Spanish.

Mediaworks

Mediaworks:  Set up in January 1996, Mediaworks is part of  "OwensDDB Advertising & Marketing" which in turn is affiliated to the International DDB network and is fully Irish owned with all shareholders working in the group.

Mediaworks offers a fully integrated media service, across all traditional and new media channels.  The parent agency - OwensDDB - is among the top three creatively awarded agencies in Ireland.

Paul Moran is the Managing Director of Mediaworks and has over 20 years experience working in advertising media in Ireland.

Blue FX Markets

Blue FX Markets was established in 2008 and is Ireland’s leading corporate foreign exchange specialist. The company accesses wholesale markets in London and New York to get the best exchange rates for clients compared to their banks.

Blue FX Markets participates in several schemes to familiarise small and medium sized businesses with their foreign exposure, most notably through Inter Trade Ireland’s First Stop Shop programme. Through this, Blue FX Markets aims to educate businesses new to exporting on how to manage their risk, maximise returns and improve cashflow.

Blue FX Markets was established in 2008 by Niall Haughey and is based in Dublin.