It was announced today that over 80 Irish entrepreneurs are travelling to San Francisco for the largest unofficial trade mission to leave Irish shores – the annual EY Entrepreneur of the Year (‘EOY’) CEO Retreat.
Taking place from the 29th of May until the 2nd of June, the Retreat will focus on the theme of ‘Leading through Change’, particularly exploring how other world leaders have coped with and capitalised on change within their industries.
Irish entrepreneurial businesses will be drawn from a wide range of sectors including technology, healthcare, manufacturing, FMCG and retail, this year’s 24 finalists collectively employee over 5,000 people and have revenues of over €475 million.
The entrepreneurs will hear from decision makers at the helm of San Francisco’s most successful start-ups and globally renowned brands, as well as leading academics from Stanford University. The agenda includes master classes with entrepreneurs and business leaders, as well as leading academics from Stanford University. Notable speakers include the Mayor of San Francisco, Ed Lee and Director of Product Management at Google, Jim Marggraff.
Speaking ahead of the trip, Partner Lead for EY Entrepreneur Of The Year, Kevin McLoughlin said, "This is our second time to travel to San Francisco for the CEO Retreat and is significant as we are now in our 20th year of the EOY programme in Ireland. The city was chosen because of its reputation as a hub for business and innovation and its links to Ireland, with many successful Irish businesses currently located there."
He added, "The Retreat provides some of Ireland’s leading entrepreneurs with the opportunity to step away from their day jobs and learn from the very best in business, entrepreneurship and academia. Being an entrepreneur can sometimes be create a sense of isolation so this network of support in the shape of the other entrepreneurs on the trip is invaluable."
Source: www.businessworld.ie