GROWING and sustaining jobs in Kerry will be the focus of a one-day, joint event featuring some of the county’s leading financial experts at Ballygarry House Hotel, Tralee from 9am to 12 noon on Tuesday 14th January.
Organised by Kerry County Enterprise Board in association with Tralee Chamber Alliance the Fresh Thinking on Finance event will bring together key business people to discuss the best conditions for business growth and the creation of sustainable jobs in Kerry.
The informative event will also focus on alternative sources of investment and funding to complement existing sources.
A keynote address will be delivered by Kingsley Akins CBE who is Chairman of the Ireland Fund which has raised hundreds of millions for community and charitable causes through wealthy Irish Diaspora.
He is considered a guru of global philanthropy, a networker par excellence. Last year he became chairman of Linked Finance – the country’s first Crowd Funding platform for SMEs which is going from strength to strength.
Linked Finance is an online marketplace that matches small businesses looking for loans with private individuals who are willing to lend money for a good return.
Since March more than one million euro has been bid on the marketplace, it has helped create 65 jobs, sustain hundreds of existing jobs and help small businesses all over the country bypass the banking system.
Looking forward to the event, Kingsley Akins said: “I am delighted to attend this event and to also get an opportunity to discuss alternative sources of finance such as Linked Finance, which not only provides investment, but builds strong business relationships, as a company’s lenders become its customers, ambassadors, and sales people in effect. With Linked Finance, bankers get bypassed, the wheels of business are kept turning, and everyone wins.”
He will talk about the use of collaboration and connectedness as business tools, reflecting on his work with the diaspora community and his role with the Ireland Fund. He will also share his thoughts on how we can use collaboration and networks to sustain and grow the SME sector in Ireland.
Chairman Linked Finance & Chairman of the Ireland Fund
Other speakers will include:
- Neil Gordon, Halo Business Angels on how to attract outside investment for your business
- Lorna Coleman, Microfinance Ireland on securing business loans for businesses who have been declined bank credit
- Peter O’Mahony – Founder, Linked Finance on offering a new, viable alternative to borrowing from banks
- Tomás Hayes, Kerry County Enterprise Board on the range of financial support packages to qualifying small businesses
Tomás Hayes, CEO of Kerry County Enterprise Board, said: “We are delighted to be involved in this joint event and to be beginning 2014 on such a positive note. There is an extensive range of resources available for SMEs in Kerry. The businesses in our community, provide sustainable jobs and are an inspiration to other potential start-up businesses and expanding businesses all over the county. Local businesses will be our future lifeblood in rural economies and we must provide an environment which encourages growth.”
Kieran Rutledge of Tralee Chamber Alliance said: “We are absolutely delighted to be working on this exciting joint event with Kerry Enterprise Board. Here at Tralee Chamber Alliance we have some very exciting plans for 2014 for our members supporting them in the new business year. The speakers are top of the range and we would encourage business owners to come out and take advantage of this unique event.”
There will be networking opportunities and also a question and answer session. Admission is free, but space is limited and prior registration is essential through the website at the following link:
http://www.kerryenterprise.ie/Book-Training-Online
The event on January 14th is free of charge, but as space is limited SME owners and decision makers in the Kerry region are advised to book their places as quickly as possible.
If you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact Fiona Leahy on 066 7183502
