October brought us (or me, anyway) the long-awaited return of the face-to-face, in person, meeting real people, event in the form of the excellent #FinanceLeadershipSummit2021.
I attended as a speaker and sponsor but I was just glad to be there, meeting people, swapping stories and discussing general trends in the finance industry. My tongue-in-cheek title for this month’s newsletter reflects the awkward moments we all felt when meeting new and old friends, hands were tentatively offered, along with knuckles, elbows and even the odd hug!
Anyone who wondered if people would return to travel once restrictions eased have their answer! People have taken to the skies in their droves. Anyone I know who has flown anywhere has reported virtually full aircraft. Soon the US will reopen (with conditions) which should see a further increase in business and recreational travel westward. However, we are once again having to retrace our steps at home and delay some hoped-for freedoms.
Was anybody else struck by the relatively low key passing away of Ireland’s 12.5% corporation tax rate? After so many years defending, we moved to 15% in the equivalent of a bloodless coup. Let’s hope it doesn’t impact our competitiveness in the FDI market and does actually generate additional tax revenues with which we can address our housing and infrastructure needs.
Liverpool fans have another great day to live on in their memory and folklore following a 5-0 thrashing of Man Utd which has put an end to the Ronaldo-hype, for now anyway! Calls for change in the GAA Championship have gone unheeded for another year while congratulations are due to the Ireland Ladies Hockey Team after they qualified for the 2022 World Championship.
The entertainment world was rocked by the shocking and unfortunate death of a camera woman on-set in Hollywood with Alec Baldwin at the heart of the controversy. Like most people I would imagine, I just wonder why a gun capable of killing someone is even on a movie set!? In a related story, the Heartless Swine award goes to Donald Trump Jr. for selling tee-shirts with the logo “guns don’t kill people, Alec Baldwin kills people” – classy guy...not!
On a much lighter note we all watched Squid Game - unusual, violent yet with a heart, which was all a bit weird. And Ted Lasso (very easy watching, if a tad schmaltzy!). I missed 4 hours at the Capitol which was supposed to have been brilliant.
Getting back to the #FinanceLeadershipSummit2021 I really enjoyed the day and there were some terrific speakers. I have to call out the gender balance on the day which was excellent too. The theme of the day was digital transformation and it was fascinating to look at it through the eyes of the finance professionals.
The key take-way for me was that the finance function needs to be at the heart of the digital transformation and not just signing off on the budget. Digital literacy is going to be a key skill in the future and we are already seeing it as a requirement for senior level appointments. Adapt or die! I also posted this on LinkedIn which generated a few comments!
Is there still any room for debate regarding the perilous state of our planet and the legacy we are leaving for future generations? When it comes to COP26 there are only two things I will be watching out for. In reverse order of importance, they are; what they say, and what they do!!
If you are contemplating ‘doing up’ your CV, this article could come in handy…
Each month we ask our readers to answer a question for a chance to win €100 One4all voucher.
Our question for September was:
Counter offers are on the rise, which means many people would stay in their current role for more money. If you were offered more money when handing in your notice, would you stay? Yes/No
The surprising result was – 77% Yes 23% No
And the winner of our voucher is – Donal Neville – we’ll be in touch!
Is Ireland doing enough to address climate change? Yes/No
The winner will be chosen at random and will receive €100 One4All voucher. Enter here to be in with a chance to win.
We post regular updates on our LinkedIn page, follow our LinkedIn company page.
If you are considering a move or would just like to find out where we believe the finance recruitment market is at, give us a call. In the meantime, here is a sample of live roles which might be of interest…
Have a good month all and if you have any questions, contact Rachel Tubridy rtubridy@peoplesource.ie or call 086 662 9674
PeopleSource is a specialist finance & accounting recruitment firm.
