At Bord Gáis Energy, we are dedicated to providing our business customers with the best service and support possible. We know that behind every great business is a strong leader, and successful leaders must be equipped with the knowledge and skills to drive business growth and ensure sustainability.
So we were delighted to host recently the first Bord Gáis Energy business conference, Legendary Leadership Brings Success, in the iconic Aviva Stadium.
Our aim was to provide business owners, professionals and leaders with the opportunity to learn, network and create new contacts. The half-day conference was MC’d by UTV news anchor Alison Comyn, who seamlessly linked each speaker presentation and panel discussion. Alex White TD, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, formally opened the conference and highlighted the important role Irish businesses play in the road to recovery in Ireland, as well as the role leadership has in driving success forward.
Leadership Psychology
Enda McNulty, CEO of Motiv8, engaged the attendees with a lively presentation on the psychology behind excellent leadership. He also provided practical tips that attendees could bring back to the workplace to implement themselves.
An entrepreneurial panel with top-class speakers followed, including Michael Dawson, group CEO of One4All; Sean Gallagher, Irish entrepreneur and former Dragon from TV show Dragons’ Den; and Aoibheann O’Brien and Iseult Ward, founders of the innovative company Food Cloud. Facilitated by Newstalk business editor, Vincent Wall, this panel discussion gave delegates an insight into the minds of some of Ireland’s leading business figures. Each entrepreneur delved in to their own business journey, the challenges they faced and how they overcame them. The overriding message
was one of persistence and determination.
In Association with
Surrounding yourself with a close group of like-minded people was a crucial factor highlighted by each speaker. Dr Colm Foster, Director of Executive Education at the Irish Management Institute, shared his knowledge on the role emotional intelligence plays in business. In order to lead successfully, he explained that you must understand the power and impact emotions have. How you react to anger, anxiety and stress will give you a good indication as to how you should approach similar situations with employees.
Lessons From Sport
The final specialist panel, facilitated by RTE business reporter Conor Brophy, combined the forces of Irish sporting heroes – rugby legend Ronan O’Gara, Irish boxing coach Billy Walsh and Dublin football manager Jim Gavin, each of whom brought to life the leadership lessons business owners can learn from sport.
Whether it’s encouraging self-expression and individuality, serving feedback objectively or losing control to gain control, the knowledge and wisdom from these sporting greats gave delegates a fresh perspective on the theme of leadership.
For more information, go to bgebusinesshub.ie.
From left: Eddy Collier, CEO, Bord Gáis Energy; Billy Walsh, Irish boxing coach; Ronan O’Gara, former Irish rugby player, Jim Gavin, Dublin football manager; and Dave Kirwan, Chief Operating Officer, Bord Gáis Energy
