Dublin Chamber Annual Report 2009

2009 Dublin Chamber of Commerce

Annual Report

100 Networking Events | 10,000 Guests

300 New Members

40% More Media Coverage

Bord Gáis Energy is delighted to be associated with the Dublin Chamber. Both organisations are committed to meeting the needs of business of all sizes and continuing to expand the number of businesses they serve in 2010.

David BunworthManaging Director Bord Gáis Energy

Bord Gáis Energy, the retail arm of Bord Gáis is a leading dual-fuel supplier serving over 900,000 gas and electricity customers across Ireland. As Irelands fastest growing energy company we supply gas and electricity to business and residential customers, with related activities including call centre management, billing and sales and marketing.

Becoming a Bord Gais Energy business electricity customer is an easy process, here are the steps involved:

Get a quote by fi lling in our online form (bordgaisenergy.ie) and tell us about your business and your requirements. You can also contact our Electricity Sales Department by telephone at 1850 405 805 or email at [email protected].

We will then contact you to confi rm the appropriate tariff for your business and at your request send you a Customer agreement form and Direct Debit mandate for you to fi ll in and return to us. You may also download the Customer agreement form and Direct Debit mandate.

On receipt of the Customer agreement form we will apply to register you as a Bord Gáis Energy customer and send you information to help you understand your bill and answer some frequently asked questions.

You will be registered as a customer from the date of your next meter reading.

After the second meter reading you will receive your fi rst bill from Bord Gáis Energy.

“

”

David Bunworth, MD of Bord Gáis Energy,

addresses guests at the Dublin Chamber

Business Breakfast in November.

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President’s Address 2

Chief Executive’s Report 4

Council Listing 6

Infrastructure & Transport, Taskforce report 7

Competitive Economy, Taskforce report 8

Communications, Taskforce report 9

Governance, Taskforce report 10

Business Opportunities , Taskforce report 11

Membership, Taskforce Report 12

Our Sponsors 13

Accounts 14

Staff Listing 16

Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

Contents

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Little did I think when I set upon my presidential journey back in 2005 that our economy was to suffer a stunning reversal of fortune in my year as President of the Chamber.

The return of emigration, serious unemployment, deflation and asset declines was certainly not expected. The greatest pain of this adjustment has been shouldered by those who have lost their jobs, their business and sometimes their pensions and their home equity.

This is the new business environment and companies have sought to adapt swiftly by cutting costs, managing cash and restructuring their business. The good news is that, as businesses become leaner, fitter and smarter, our economy is becoming more competitive and better prepared for a positive future.

The Chamber has sought to help you and your business by providing more opportunities to develop your business, and by firmly putting the business agenda to Government. We called on Government to recognise the damage being done to business across the country and to bring forward initiatives which would both protect jobs and stimulate confidence. We highlighted that the global financial markets would punish us if Government did not right size and reform our public sector and set out a clear pathway towards fiscal responsibility. We also called on Government to be entrepreneurial and deliver the smart economy and the much needed transport infrastructure our capital needs.

Dublin Chamber successfully lobbied on your behalf in 2009:

1. We sought and gained from Government departments a commitment to pay all their bills to suppliers within 15 days of their invoicing;

2. The proposal for a 24/7 bus gate at College Green was abandoned in favour of public transport priority access during morning and evening peak times, Monday to Friday;

3. We successfully campaigned for a yes vote for the second Lisbon referendum; and,

4. On foot of the recommendations outlined in our 2010 Budget submission:

Excise duty on beer, cider, spirits and wine was reduced;

Public sector wages were reduced, and a new pension scheme for all new public servants was introduced;

Government reconfirmed its commitment to public transport projects (Metro North and the Dart Underground); and

The Government signalled the broadening of the tax base of local government beyond business rates, while not increasing personal or corporate tax rates.

Overall, the Chamber was please to note the balance of spending cuts and tax increases in Budget 2010, and the continuing message that Government will balance its books by 2014.

At a national level, our Budget submission called for a Bord Snip for Local Government to identify and cut waste and duplication. Government will now report on the efficiencies of Local Authorities by mid 2010.

At a local level, we have run an aggressive campaign directed at Dublin T.D.’s, Councillors and local officials to cut commercial rates. This campaign has been successful across the four local authorities in Dublin to varying degrees - Dublin City Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council reduced their rate by 2%, Fingal County Council reduced their total rates income by 10.5% and South Dublin County Council reduced their rate by 2.9%.

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Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

Clockwise from top left:

Denis O’Brien, Chairman of Digicel Group; Denis O’ Callaghan, General Manager for Retail Banking East, AIB Bank; Gina Quin, Dublin Chamber Chief Executive; PJ Timmins; and Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan TD.

An Taoiseach, Brian Cowen TD; PJ Timmins, Dublin Chamber President; and Robert Gallagher, Chief Executive, Ulster Bank Corporate Markets.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD, PJ Timmins and Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Billy Kelleher TD.

PJ Timmins and Michael Cheika, Coach of the Leinster Rugby Team

Since 2000, the Chamber has campaigned for leadership and good governance across the Dublin Region through the creation of a directly elected Mayor. This office is now to be created in 2010. Our role will be to help shape this important leadership position so that it can deliver the vision for the kind of city we aspire to achieve. My speech at the annual dinner proposed that: Leadership is the engine of a business; Leadership is the engine of the economy; and, Leadership will be the engine behind the transformation of Dublin into a competitive, functioning and attractive city region on the global stage.

Within the Chamber we set out to strengthen our foundations for more challenging times ahead. Our balance sheet is strong. We adopted a new code of Governance. We reviewed how we recruited and retained members and are now strengthening this activity. We reviewed our communication strategies and how we make the Voice of Dublin business more relevant to all stakeholders. We also made major progress in the implementation of our digital strategy. I firmly believe that the changes which have been agreed by Council, and which will become more apparent over the coming year, will strengthen the Chamber in the future.

I would like to say a big thank you to all the officers, executive committee members, taskforce chairs and their colleagues, and to Gina and the Chamber staff, who have been a magnificent support to both me and the Council in performing our duties over the past year.

I would like to thank you for your excellent contributions over the year, whether it was in responding to the online surveys or attending the Chamber’s growing number of networking events. It is because of you that the Dublin Chamber is the premier networking organisation in the city and the powerful voice of Dublin business. Thank you sincerely for your continued participation and support.

Warmest Regards,

PJ TimminsPresident

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Chief Executive’s Address

With a great team here at the Chamber and the help of our sponsors throughout the year, we have continued to improve our events, deliver more business information and strengthen our position as the ‘voice of Dublin’ business.

The business environment throughout 2009 has been extremely challenging for every size of business in every sector of the economy. For its part, Dublin Chamber has significantly ramped up the volume of services we run for you - our members – to help you respond to these challenging times. With a great team here at the Chamber and the help of our sponsors throughout the year, we have continued to improve our events, deliver more business information and strengthen our position as the ‘voice of Dublin’ business.

Attendance at Chamber functions was at record levels in 2009, with 10,000 attendees at the 100 Chamber events held, which included Business After Hours, Breakfast Briefings, Speed Networking Lunches, the Business Owners Network, the Lunch and Dinner in Camera series, policy taskforce meetings, ‘Network and Getwork’ and ‘Enterprise Europe Network’ meetings, the Hong Kong Forum and Ireland India Business Association events. Members got to hear from a range of prominent political and business speakers at our feature events - Taoiseach Brian Cowen, Minister Brian Lenihan, Denis O’Brien and John Pearson from Virgin Radio. The Chamber also ran regular free courses throughout the year on how to improve your networking skills, so you could make the most of the opportunities our events programme offered for personal and business development.

A key addition to the Chamber’s offering this year has been the development of online business networking. Using LinkedIn, the Chamber harnessed the powerful tool of digital technology to help members develop their contacts and businesses. Over 650 of you have joined our LinkedIn Group and are constantly active on the site. In addition to providing greater business details, members are sharing expertise, insight and access to their wider contact network enabling you to have an edge over your competitors. The Chamber also extended its communications and

marketing reach throughout the year using Twitter, where we now have over 500 followers. In the New Year, a new ‘member only’ online service will be launched as part of our continuing online strategy.

People do business with people they know and trust, or are recommended by those they know and trust. I would encourage each one of you to take advantage of the range of networking events and facilities the Chamber offers. Go to events or go online; make contact with potential clients; exchange your contact information with other business people and get some valuable business for your company.

Ireland’s recovery will be driven by its ability to sell goods and services for export, so the Chamber’s International and Export Services departments have been busy during 2009 facilitating business exchanges and helping to build international networks. Members are increasingly using both the ‘Network and Getwork’ and the ‘Enterprise Europe Network’ programmes to develop business relationships and knowledge across the island of Ireland and internationally. The ‘meet the buyer’ events in ‘Network and Getwork’ have been particular successful for businesses selling or buying on an all Island basis.

Responding to the challenging environment in which businesses are operating, the Chamber has focused on communicating to Central and Local Government the critical need to reduce business costs and to address SME access to bank lending. In addition to feeding into the work of the Credit Supply Clearing Group and undertaking a campaign at local and national level to get commercial rates reduced, the Chamber continued to lobby for improvements to the Dublin City Region’s infrastructure stock and public transport network. The opening of the Samuel Beckett Bridge and the Luas Docklands line this year, and

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the opening of the Aviva Stadium, the National Convention Centre and Terminal Two at Dublin Airport early in 2010, are extremely welcome developments. They are important pieces in the completion of Dublin’s infrastructure puzzle. Going forward, we will continue to influence Government policy on your behalf to ensure it is focused on investing in vital infrastructure that allows you to grow your business, particularly in areas that will drive the transformation of Dublin into a smart, knowledge economy.

As a final note, I would like to sincerely thank each one of you for your invaluable involvement and support over the past twelve months. As a membership-based organisation we rely on your time and effort to help us successfully connect businesses and influence decision makers. I look forward to your continued engagement in 2010. And to all members of Council, Executive and our sponsors, thank you; your active participation and continued support helped to make 2009 another successful year for Dublin Chamber.

On behalf of myself and the Chamber staff, thank you!

Gina QuinChief Executive

Ireland’s recovery will be driven by its ability to sell goods and services for export, so the Chamber’s International and Export Services departments have been busy during 2009

Chief Executive’s Address

Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

Clockwise from top left:

PJ Timmins, Dublin Chamber President, Dominic Deeney, Chief Executive of Chartered Land, and Gina Quin.

Mark Cunningham, Director of Business Banking at Bank of Ireland, PJ Timmins, Dublin Chamber President, John Pearson, co-founder of Virgin Radio, and Gina Quin.

PJ Timmins, Dublin Chamber President, Martin Murphy, Managing Director of Hewlett-Packard Ireland Ltd, Gina Quin, and Alan Duffy, Head of Corporate Banking Ireland at HSBC Bank.

Gina Quin, Paddy Collins, Vodafone, PJ Timmins, Dublin Chamber President, and Lucy Gaffney, Chairperson of Communicorp.

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Council Member Title Organisation Attendance

PJ Timmins President Chief Executive, Clery & Co. 9 of 9Peter Brennan Vice President and Chair, Infrastructure & Transport Taskforce Managing Director, EPS Consulting 9 of 9Imelda Reynolds Deputy Vice President and Chair, Governance Taskforce Partner, Beauchamps Solicitors 8 of 9Niall Feely Treasurer Business Markets Director, Eircom plc 7 of 9Margaret Sweeney Immediate Past President CEO, Postbank 6 of 9Dermot Breen Chair, Communications Taskforce Director - Corporate Affairs, Tesco Ireland 6 of 9Declan Lawler Chair, Competitive Economy Taskforce General Manager Human Resources ROI, AIB Group 7 of 9Pat Maher Chair, Business Opportunities Taskforce Executive Director, Enterprise Ireland 5 of 9John McGrane Chair, Membership Taskforce Director - Business Banking, Ulster Bank Ireland Ltd 9 of 9 Tony Boyle President North Dublin Chamber of Commerce 9 of 9Grainne Byrne Managing Director gbc Public Relations Ltd 9 of 9Eibhlin Byrne Lord Mayor of Dublin (up to June 09) 4 of 4Greg Clarke Managing Director Digicom Ltd 9 of 9Emer Costello Lord Mayor of Dublin (since June 09) 2 of 4Patrick Coveney CEO Greencore 5 of 9Theresa Daly Senior Director of Channel Operations EMEA Microsoft 6 of 8Michelle Daly President 2009 JCI 6 of 9Sharon Daly Partner Matheson Ormsby Prentice 5 of 9Alec Drew Managing Partner Baseline 7 of 9Desmond Fahey Chief Executive Dublin Business Innovation Centre 6 of 9Niall Geoghegan Director Pembroke Hospitality 4 of 9Jack Golden Human Resources Director CRH plc 7 of 9Derry Gray Partner BDO Simpson Xavier 8 of 9Jacqueline Hall Managing Director Political Communications Limited 8 of 9Anne Heraty Chief Executive CPL Resources plc 6 of 8Mike Jones Group Business Development Director BAM Contractors 8 of 8Liam Kavanagh Deputy Managing Director The Irish Times Ltd 8 of 9Ronan King Chairman The Amethyst Group 7 of 9Tom McAleese Strategic Advisor Covestone Asset Management 7 of 9Colm McDonnell Partner, Enterprise Risk Services Deloitte & Touche 5 of 8Regina Moran CEO Fujitsu 6 of 8Denise Moroney Chief Executive Brand Dynamics 6 of 9Declan Murphy CEO The Ecology Foundation 3 of 8Martin Murphy Managing Director Hewlett-Packard Ireland Ltd 4 of 9Brian Norton President Dublin Institute Of Technology 8 of 9Joyce O’Connor Chairperson Digital Hub Development Agency 5 of 9David O’Halloran Director & Head of Business Development Willis 7 of 9Tiarnan O’Mahoney Chief Executive Collins Steward ISTC plc 7 of 9David Pierce Director of Sales - Corporate Ulster Bank Ireland Ltd 7 of 9Michael Somers Chief Executive National Treasury Management Agency 1 of 9Peter Stapleton Managing Director Lisney 6 of 9John Tierney City Manager Dublin City Council 7 of 9

Council Listing 2009

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Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

Infrastructure & Transport: Taskforce Report

Careful and accountable management of the delivery of the major Transport 21 projects remains a key concern for the Dublin business community. So throughout 2009, the Chamber continued to engage with the transport agencies and held quarterly meeting with the Minister for Transport.

Significant developments can be reported as follows:

• The College Green Bus Corridor, the Samuel Beckett bridge and the extension of the Luas Red Line to the Docklands have enhanced the city’s infrastructure;

• A new Secretary General and management team have taken to the helm of the Department of Transport and the National Transport Authority respectively;

• The M50 upgrade, Terminal 2 at the airport, Lansdowne Road and the National Convention Centre will be completed in 2010;

• All the inter-urban roads connecting the Dublin City Region with the rest of the country will be fully open in 2010; and

• Planning for Metro North is well advanced and a Railway Application Order for Irish Rail’s DART Underground project is expected to be ready early 2010.

Despite current economic and budgetary difficulties, Government policy must continue to focus on investing in vital infrastructure that lays down the platform for future growth – so we wrote to Minister Dempsey calling for the Eastern Bypass to be moved along through the planning pipeline so that it is ready for delivery once the economic situation improves; and, responding to Indecon’s ‘Dublin Port Study’, we called on the Department of Transport and relevant local authorities to actively support future port development to ensure greater capacity and competition.

Given the central role Dublin Airport plays in the continued development of the economic, business and tourism life of the Dublin City Region and the wider economy, we made a submission to the Commissioner for Aviation Regulation regarding airport charges. Outlining our support for the DAA’s investment programme, we highlighted

that improving the operational efficiency and terminal capacity at Dublin Airport is an important step in reclaiming Ireland’s competitive position internationally. We also supported the construction of a second runway as this will enhance the attractiveness of Dublin as a major European hub.

To help realise our goal of transforming the Dublin City Region into an attractive competitive European city that is well governed and offers a high quality of life to all, we made submissions in relation to the ‘Regional Planning Guidelines for Greater Dublin Area 2010-2022’ and the ‘Dublin City Development Plan 2011-2017’. Furthermore, a subgroup of the taskforce produced two reports which reviewed the Irish planning system and made recommendations to Minister Gormley to make fundamental changes to the system in order to achieve greater clarity and consistency in the planning application process; to allow for better and timelier decisions; and, to clearly indicate most likely outcomes for both applicants and third party appellants. We sent the clear message that any review of Ireland’s planning system needs to focus on increasing forward planning.

I would like to pay special thanks to each member of the taskforce for their valuable contributions and participation throughout 2009. To Mike Jones, BAM Contractors, and members of the planning subgroup, I would like to thank you most sincerely for you significant assistance. I would also like to thank the Department of Transport, the transport agencies and City Council officials who have been most generous with their time in working with us throughout the year. And finally, I would like to recognise the sponsorship given to us by the T21 Project Office; your support is greatly appreciated by the Chamber and our members.

Peter BrennanChairman

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Competitive Economy: Taskforce Report

Competitiveness took on a whole new meaning this year for every Chamber member company.

This taskforce sought to improve not only Dublin’s competitive position internationally, but to reduce barriers to business and promote a profitable environment for enterprise.

Throughout 2009, the Chamber sought the views of its members and found three core issues which member companies wanted addressed were -• Reducing Costs;• Managing Cash-flow; and• Stimulating Confidence.

It was under these headings that the taskforce’s work was prioritised for 2009.

Reducing costs become standard practice in the private sector and was the most important issue for Chamber members. Despite this, many costs under Government control remained stubbornly high. The Competitive Economy Taskforce worked to address these.

Advocacy campaigns focused on reducing costs ranged from energy costs to local commercial rates. As a result of our rates campaign, the Chamber was able to shift the political dialogue from ‘a rates freeze’ to ‘a reduction in rates’, resulting in a reduction across all four Dublin local authorities. In addition, the Chamber achieved a long-term success with the Commission on Taxation including annual property tax and domestic water charges amongst its proposals.

Colm McCarthy’s review of spending was a necessary first step in achieving more efficient central Government. However, the Chamber felt that his group had missed the opportunity to review the efficiency and effectiveness of the €5 billion spent on local government across Ireland. Following on from our Pre-Budget Submission, the Minister for Finance announced that such an efficiency review would be undertaken in 2010.

Managing cash-flow became even tougher for some members during this year. In particular, the Chamber successfully campaigned the Government to introduce new rules to expedite due payments of creditors within 15 days. The Chamber has also been championing the Credit Supply Clearing Group and NAMA to quickly inject liquidity back into the banking institutions, so that credit can start flowing out to the businesses.

The need for Government to stimulate confidence in consumers and businesses was strongly reflected in the Chamber’s Pre-Budget 2010 Submission. The Chamber welcomed the announcement in Budget 2010 that its recommendation to reduce the incentives for cross-border shopping and to save jobs through a reduction in excise duty on alcohol towards UK levels. In addition, guarantees were made not only in the Budget but by all parties to protect Ireland’s current corporate tax rate.

We urge that this reform continues and results in a strong voice for Dublin – particularly in the creation of a directly elected Mayor for Dublin that we’ve championed for since 2000.

I wish to thank each of you who took time to point us in the right direction. In particular, I wish to thank the taskforce members for their contribution to improving the strength and impact of the Chamber’s voice - Martin Murphy, HP Ireland; Regina Moran, Fujitsu Ireland; Greg Clarke, Digicom; Colm McDonnell, Deloitte; Tom McAleese, Covestone Asset Management; Niall Geoghegan, Pembroke Hospitality; and other volunteers through out the year.

The Chamber’s business voice has been heard – our leaders recognise the growing importance of Dublin business. The battle must go on.

Declan LawlerChairperson

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Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

Communications: Taskforce Report

The Dublin Chamber tagline is connecting and infl uencing. Through its communications, the Chamber seeks to market the opportunity offered through membership to connect with other businesses and strengthen the voice of Dublin business to effect change.

There has been a sea change in the business environment over the past year. Government intervention in support of the economy has been essential. The Chamber’s aim is to ensure that members’ concerns are not only heard - but acted upon. To do this, the Chamber has campaigned on the key business issues and put strong pressure on Government to act. The intensity of our campaign efforts was refl ected in an increase of overall media coverage by the Chamber in 2009 to over a thousand media clips and impressions.

The effectiveness of the Dublin Chamber lobby was reviewed in 2009 by a taskforce of member experts. The Infl uencing & Communications Taskforce made a number of recommendations that will be refl ected in Chamber communications in 2010.

The Dublin Chamber has conducted a select number of focused campaigns this year, leading to a number of successes that are detailed elsewhere in this Annual Report. From cutting the cost of local commercial rates to cutting VAT and excise, the Chamber has championed successfully for the needs of businesses. The Chamber’s victories also included measures to speed up payments to businesses from Government departments, a ‘Bord Snip’ style review of local government spending, and mitigating the impact of the bus corridor on College Green. The Chamber will continue to use its infl uence to deliver results for Dublin businesses, working with Government, local TDs and Councillors, senior civil servants and the media.

Dublin Chamber wants to thanks members for their strong response to requests for feedback. This allows the Chamber to be more effective in its lobbying campaigns. We have had over 1,300 survey responses in 2009. The Chamber has also extended its use of social media tools to help members connect to one another. In March of 2009, the Chamber established its own group on LinkedIn, a business-oriented social networking site, which has grown to 700 members and is LinkedIn’s largest business group in Dublin.

The Chamber will be making further improvements to its online communication channels for members in 2010. These improvements will be paralleled by a review of the Chambers regular series of publications - Dublin Business Newsletters, quarterly Business Ireland magazines, and the Annual Membership Directory.

By constantly improving communications with members and better leveraging members combined strengthen, the Chamber will ever-increase its ability to improve the way in which Dublin serves those who live and work here.

I would like to thank the members of the Infl uencing & Communications Taskforce for their support and contributions in developing the Chamber’s Infl uencing Strategy.

Dermot BreenChairperson

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Governance: Taskforce Report

The Governance Taskforce was charged with updating and improving the current operations of the Dublin Chamber.

As part of its examination, the taskforce reviewed the governance of other chambers (both in Ireland and internationally), structures of other membership organisations, and best practice guidelines for Governance.

Following numerous considered consultations with Council - the membership’s directly elected representatives - over the last quarter of 2009, the final Code of Governance was adopted by the Council of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce at its meeting on 19 January 2010. The Code of Governance, which is available to members of the Chamber, is intended to act as a Code of Business Conduct for the Chamber’s Council and Staff. It sets out recommended operation guidelines for the Council and Council Sub-Committees, to support the effective running of the Chamber.

The Code supplements the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Chamber and constitutes by-laws for carrying on the Chamber’s business. They are designed to ensure flexibility and may be amended in future by the Council of the Chamber to reflect changing organisational requirements. They will be reviewed at least annually by the Council and a record of changes and deviations will be made annually in the Annual Report of the Dublin Chamber.

The Code of Governance outlines the:• Roles and Responsibilities of Council;

• Role and Responsibility of Council members;

• Operating Guidelines for the Council;

• Roles and Responsibilities of Honorary Officers, the Chief Executive Officer and the Company Secretary;

• Terms of Reference of Council Sub-Committees, to include the Role of Chairs, procedures at Council Sub-Committees, the Executive Committee, the Audit Committee and the Remuneration Committee;

• External Representation; and

• The Code outlines the procedure for the election of the Deputy Vice President.

The development of the Code of Governance will provide essential guidance to the operation of the Chamber and strongly reflects the input of Council and members of the Chamber.

The Governance taskforce comprised of Derry Gray, BDO Simpson Xavier; Jacqueline Hall, Political Communications; Liam Kavanagh, Irish Times; Gina Quin, Dublin Chamber; Margaret Sweeney, Postbank; and with administrative support from Sandra Farrell, Dublin Chamber. Particular thanks go to them for all the hard work put into making this a meaningful and effective document, which will assist the Chamber in achieving its objective to continue to be the premier networking organisation in the Dublin region and the voice of Dublin business.

Imelda ReynoldsChairperson

The development of the Code of Governance will provide essential guidance to the operation of the Chamber

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Business Opportunities: Taskforce Report

The International and Special Projects Department offers members invaluable and unique opportunity to access a global network

The International and Special Projects Department offers members invaluable and unique opportunity to access a global network and to expand and develop their business by collaborating with International Chambers of Commerce (ICC), World Chambers Federation (WCF), agencies, embassies and other business organisations worldwide and locally.

In 2009, we held meetings and hosted events with incoming delegations and consular representatives from Spain, Canada, Zambia, Slovakia, Romania, Croatia, Albania, and China to name but a few. Such meetings and events offer an ideal forum for the exchange of ideas and contacts which aim to develop long term business relationships.

As partners in the Ireland Hong Kong Business Forum and the Ireland India Business Association, we organised a number of strategic events. Such associations offer members key opportunities to expand their business into high potential and emerging markets.

The International programme also encompasses events which focus on providing members with relevant information on specific markets worldwide. These events are designed to engage business, policy makers and decision makers focused on business opportunities.

A key event of 2009 was the Embassy Networking Evening hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs in conjunction with the Dublin Chamber. Welcomed by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Micheál Martin TD, Irish business leaders were offered a unique networking opportunity to meet high level Embassy officials based in Ireland.

Each year we look at how we can expand and improve the services of the Chamber. In 2009, our Taskforce focused on providing business opportunities and intelligence to members through the expansion and refinement of the programmes the Chamber offers. Key programmes include the Enterprise Europe Network and Network & Getwork Programme.

The Dublin Chamber runs the Enterprise Europe Network in partnership with Enterprise Ireland and other leading Chambers in Ireland. Established by the European Commission, the network aims to address the business needs of SMEs. There are over 600 local centres in more than 40 countries in the EU Member States and beyond. Our centre covers the Eastern region of the country and offers support and advice to businesses and helps them maximise the business opportunities in the countries operating the Network. Services include business partnering, assistance with internationalisation, information on funding opportunities, advice and information on EU Legislation and market information/feedback to the Commission.

Business information seminars have included topics such as employment law, intellectual property, EU funding programmes, public procurement and an open day, promoting trade across Europe.

The Network and Getwork Programme in collaboration with InterTradeIreland, Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and leading chambers around the country aims to facilitate cross border trade development across the whole island of Ireland. The programme provides a unique opportunity for businesses to pitch to major buyers in the North and South of Ireland.

The Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) and Network and Getwork Programme offers companies a chance to quickly find new business partnerships, discover innovative new solutions and engage in trade.

Finally, on behalf of myself and the wider Chamber membership I would like to thank the members of the Taskforce for their time and expertise. I would also like to thank the International Department Team for their commitment during a very busy year.

Pat MaherChairperson

Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

www.een-ireland.iewww.networkandgetwork.comwww.iiba.ie

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Membership: Taskforce Report

Retaining and growing membership is fundamental to Dublin Chamber’s effectiveness and development. Chamber is first and foremost a membership organisation, wholly concerned with delivering for its members, not least in a climate where so many businesses face unprecedented challenges themselves.

In 2009, the Membership Taskforce convened to determine membership strategy consistent with Dublin Chamber’s overall vision. The group focussed on increasing member engagement, adding value to the proposition and growth of the customer base .

In order to remain the top business representative body in the region, the Taskforce recommended internal process changes and heightened Council engagement with the membership. The Taskforce also proposed clearer callout of the tangible benefits of membership and the enabling of sub-groupings to develop affinity networks.

Engagement is fundamental to the success of any member-based organisation; engaged members are quantifiably more likely to renew their membership and refer new members. After an extensive benchmarking and consultation process, a retention strategy was devised by the Taskforce. This detailed strategy incorporates a dedicated customer care focus to really drive engagement on both the networking and advocacy levels.

Among the important innovations in 2009, the new Business Owners Network created a focussed and mutually beneficial platform for B2B opportunities. This and similar new tailored structures will become an intrinsic element of the events programme going forward. The utilisation of our upcoming member engagement CRM platform will facilitate greater tracking of member activity levels and subsequent engagement pathways. The highly successful utilisation of digital media by Dublin Chamber members proves that embracing new ways of developing relationships and doing business will be core to our future engagement strategies.

Following conclusion of the work of the Membership Taskforce, the executive team is currently implementing its comprehensive action recommendations for the benefit of all members.

Dublin Chamber of Commerce would like to thank the Taskforce members – Derry Gray of BDO Simpson, Ron Immink of Bookbuzz, Sean Weafer of Sean Weafer Consulting, Kieran Murphy of Zurich, Greg Clarke of Digicom and Alec Drew of Baseline.

A big thank you to the following sponsor companies for supporting our engagement programme in 2009!

John McGrane, Ulster BankChairperson

Join our LinkedIn group to strengthen your business connections in the region and beyond

Dublin Chamber members proves that embracing new ways of developing relationships and doing business will be core to our future engagement strategies.

Dublin Chamber would like to thank the following companies for valued support throughout 2009.

Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

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Accounts 2009

Consolidated Income and Expenditure Account

As at 31st October 2009

Notes 2009 2008 € €

IncomeSubscriptions 1,330,052 1,334,718Export documentation 264,269 285,657Membership services (net of direct costs) 2 399,529 349,491

1,993,850 1,969,866ExpenditureStaff costs (net of allocation to membership services) 3 1,146,620 1,104,426Promotion and public relations 118,147 245,207Financial and administration expenses 176,726 201,701Establishment costs 140,943 134,812Depreciation 124,561 115,040

1,706,997 1,801,186

Net surplus 286,853 168,680Interest income 20,386 34,784

Net surplus on ordinary activities before taxation 4 307,239 203,464Corporation tax on interest income 5 (5,700 (8,270)

Net surplus on ordinary activities after taxation 301,539 195,194

Accumulated surplusSurplus in the year 301,539 195,194At beginning of year 1,098,500 903,306

At end of year 1,400,039 1,098,500

The surplus on a historical cost basis would be greater for the year to 31 October 2009 by €37,514 (2008 €37,514) due solely to the charge for depreciation on the revalued amount included in land and buildings.

The company has no recognised gains or losses other that the result for the year as set out above.

On behalf of Council

PJ Timmins PresidentPeter Brennan Vice-President

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Consolidated Balance Sheet

As at 31st October 2009

Notes 2009 2008 € €

Current assetsDebtors 438,663 737,737Bank and cash – carnet deposits 250,166 311,647 – other 1,231,747 993,511 1,920,576 2,042,895Current liabilitiesCreditors (693,989) (919,125)

Net current assets 1,226,587 1,123,770

Fixed assets 7 2,672,258 2,742,153

3,898,845 3,865,923

Represented by:Capital reserve 8 1,875,742 1,875,742

Accumulated surplus 1,400,039 1,098,500 3,275,781 2,974,242

Income received in advance 623,064 891,681 3,898,845 3,865,923

On behalf of Council

PJ Timmins PresidentPeter Brennan Vice-President

Dublin Chamber of CommerceAnnual Report 2009

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Gina QuinChief Executive

Aebhric McGibneyDirector of Policy and Communications

Jean HoeyDirector of Business Development

Richard BrownExport Services Manager

Sandra FarrellPA to Chief Executive

Patrick KingPolicy and Communications Manager

Aideen RyanMembership Development Manager

Ruth SpainExport Services Executive

Ruth EdwardsReceptionist/Administration

Catherine McCabePolicy and Communications Executive

Donal MiltonMembership Development

Michelle BerryFinance Manager

Linda McNultyInternational and Special Projects Manager

Ciara DuncanEvents Manager

Joanne DoranFinance Assistant

Sam BowmanProject Facilitator - Network & Getwork Programme

Marie WalshEvents Executive

Kay GibbonsCredit Controller

Marion JammetEnterprise Europe Network Executive

Dublin Chamber of Commerce Staff Listing

16

Dublin Chamber of Commerce

7 Clare Street, Dublin 2

Tel (+353-1) 6447200

Fax (+353-1) 6765433

Email [email protected]

www.dublinchamber.ie

Our Customer Care team is there to help you get the most

from your membership call Aideen Ryan on 644 7240.

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