Ireland’s North West City Region showcased in the Irish Embassy, London

, , ,

On 4th December 2023 at the invitation of Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain, Mr. Martin Fraser, an event was held in the Irish Embassy in London to showcase Ireland’s North West City Region as an innovative and attractive compelling destination to live, work, study, invest, explore and do business.

On 4th December 2023 at the invitation of Ambassador of Ireland to Great Britain, Mr. Martin Fraser, an event was held in the Irish Embassy in London to showcase Ireland’s North West City Region as an innovative and attractive compelling destination to live, work, study, invest, explore and do business. Ireland’s North West City Region is a collaborative initiative between Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council. The event was also supported by North West Regional Development Group.

The objective of this event was to promote Ireland’s North West City Region in relation to trade and investment and to demonstrate the competitive advantages of doing business in the North West City Region. This was an opportunity to continue to develop a strong partnership between the North West City Region and the City of London and wider UK and to engage with the Irish diaspora in London, further expanding the region’s reach.

Cllr Martin Harley, Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council was keen to showcase the city region to a London audience saying that “we are delighted to showcase our regional offer to important players in the London business and wider community today. The North West is ready for growth, and we have invested significant sums in infrastructure, networks and facilities to ensure we’re investor ready as a city region. The fact that so many high caliber businesses have now located in the region have invested here highlights the high quality of our investment proposition. On behalf of Donegal County Council, I would like to thank Ambassador Fraser for hosting our delegation at this wonderful event in the Irish Embassy.”

Cllr Patricia Logue, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council highlighted that place and proximity to talent has played a huge role in company success across the North West City Region, stating “We pride ourselves in our people and the role our universities and colleges play in molding that talent. Combined with a superb quality of life, the North West City Region offers a work life balance that attracts and retains the best employees. With the Common Travel Area, an exceptional talent pool can be drawn across the region.  Living and working across two jurisdictions on a day-to-day basis. We have the right kind of infrastructure, logistics and proximity to London. This is a region of untapped potential. We are already providing important and valuable support to companies such as FinTrU who have grown and prospered in this region. We are ready to capitalise on our strengths to drive economic growth and foster innovation, for our mutual benefit. With our close proximity to London. And, and by sharing the only land border between the EU and UK. We are an ideal gateway location to both these markets”.

Chief Executive with Derry City and Strabane District Council John Kelpie said it was hugely important for the North West City Region to showcase its attributes and to engage directly with key stakeholders and influencers. “It is very important for us to strengthen our links with London and to do all we can to showcase out offerings to this audience. It’s an opportunity for us to develop strong international business links and build on the existing good work that is being done to develop our key industries, the emerging fintech cluster in our region and to collaborate on shared interests in innovation, education and climate action.”

Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, John McLaughlin stated that “Ireland’s North West City Region is an excellent location for investors as it straddles two jurisdictions which provides businesses, multi-nationals and entrepreneurs the benefits of having access to both the EU and UK markets. The North West City region has established strong political, economic, and cultural linkages with London and this event further strengthens these connections. “

The event included a lively panel discussion focused on Ireland’s North West City Region, a gateway to global growth moderated by Tip O’Neill Irish Diaspora Award 2023 recipient Caroline McLaughlin, Executive Director at Morgan Stanley, UK. Panelists included Denis Curran, Head of Regions, Property and Enterprise Development at the IDA and Darragh McCarthy, CEO at FinTrU.

The event is also a fitting way to mark the 25-year anniversary of the Good Friday agreement and to share success stories of how the region has evolved since from an economic development perspective.  It also highlighted the benefit to businesses of locating in this region which can provide seamless market access to both the EU and UK.

Leading blue chip and fast-growing businesses, along with public and private sector representatives and key influencers based in and around London attended the event as well as stakeholders from across the region to provide a holistic overview of the benefits of locating in Ireland’s North West City Region.

The North West City region has a varied talent pool including a workforce which is not just highly educated but innovative, creative and loyal with Centres of Excellence in Big Data & Analytics, Health & Life Sciences, Advanced Manufacturing and the Blue Economy.

Ireland’s North West City region has a proven track record in hosting international companies such as PGIM, TCS, Seagate, DuPont, Allstate, Optum, Zeus, FinTrU, Abbot and Terex Corporation. These companies are already reaping the benefits and gaining competitive advantages provided by operating in the North West City Region. Talent is also driving investment decisions and the North West City Region provides a unique location for businesses seeking competitive advantage.

The event was also supported by stakeholders including the IDA Ireland, Invest NI, Enterprise Ireland, Atlantic Technological University, Ulster University, Donegal ETB and the North West Regional College along with businesses operating in the region. The event provided a valuable platform for exchanging ideas, sharing insights, and building relationships on a cross-border basis.

/0 Comments/by

Official opening of New Gate Arts & Culture Centre’s cultural shared space

, , ,

A vibrant new arts and culture centre for communities across Derry~Londonderry to celebrate and share their unique cultural heritage officially opened in November.

The New Gate Arts & Culture Centre, located in The Fountain area of Derry~ Londonderry; close to the historic walls and the city centre marks a £2.3 million investment by The Executive Office to create an inclusive shared space for communities to host events and initiatives in a state-of-the-art community facility.

This project is part of The Executive Office’s Urban Villages Initiative aimed at providing funding for projects in five urban areas across Northern Ireland. Managed and overseen by Derry City and Strabane District Council the project is aimed at improving good relation outcomes and develop thriving places where there has been a history of deprivation and community tension. The investment will assist in fostering positive community identities, building community capacity and improving the local physical environment.

The new centre includes a performance and multi-use space, art and tuition rooms, a dance studio, offices and café.

Joan O’Hara, Director, The Executive Office’s Urban Villages programme said the newly completed New Gate Arts and Culture Centre with the adjacent site brings a significant investment to The Fountain area of Derry/ Londonderry. It has become a state-of-the-art, performance space that will create opportunity to celebrate culture and identity with the local community and much wider. Urban Villages also have a keen interest in the organisational development of North-West Cultural Partnership to ensure the capacity and sustainability of such a landmark location.

“This is a fantastic regeneration project for the Fountain area of the city and across the region to provide a shared cultural space right in the heart of the local community. The centre will invigorate the area and encourage the community to come together to celebrate their culture and backgrounds in a space that will use the arts to create new experiences and friendships. We look forward to enjoying this collaborative voice and its potential in the years to come.”

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Patricia Logue said: “The New Gate Arts and Culture Centre plays a hugely positive role in the local community through the provision of services and activities as well as improving the physical environment of the Fountain area. I am delighted that this investment has been completed successfully and that the residents of the Fountain and the wider area can now enjoy this new state of the art performance and cultural facility on their doorstep.”

Kyle Thompson from the North West Cultural Partnership who will be managing the day to day running of the centre thanked everyone involved in the project.

“We are hugely excited to see the Centre completed and the doors open to the public. This investment is a huge boost to the local community and allows us to continue with the positive work we are doing to promote the work that is going on in our community and reaching out to others to share and enjoy our unique cultures and traditions. This new state of the art building allows us to expand our ability to facilitate more activities and events and invite communities from across the city and region to participate and visit this unique shared space.”

The project is the culmination of the development of the Urban Villages Strategic Framework for Derry-Londonderry in 2016 and the preparation of the Fountain Area Strategic Overview in 2018.

As NWCP CEO, Brian Dougherty explained: “‘The centre represents the core focal point in establishing our strategic vision of ‘building a future of confident, creative, and connected people’. By providing further physical infrastructure for our six member groups and broad constituent base, it will allow us to fulfil not only an exciting and creative annual cultural programme but will provide the administrative base for our programme staff to continue developing our civic leadership initiatives.”

/0 Comments/by

Move home for the best of both worlds

, ,

Working in your dream role doesn’t have to involve a long commute, huge rents and the stresses of big city living.

A return to the North West can give you all-important career progression, AND a competitive salary, without sacrificing your quality of life.

In Derry and Strabane, you’ll find corporate positions with big-name multinationals, skilled jobs with thriving local firms, or even the support to set up your own venture.

And with shorter journeys to work than most major UK cities, you can clock off for the day and be back home – or on the beach or golf course – in no time at all.

But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of our brilliant employers say:

“We are matching Derry’s strengths with our needs. It has a fantastic educational base; it has a fantastic demographic base. There is a tonne of flexibility here.” – Modsquad

“By establishing our European operations here, we are in a stronger position to target opportunities within UK and Europe and expand sales and ensure future growth of our business.” – OneSource Virtual

“Our experience in Northern Ireland far exceeded our expectations. We came here originally for the cost savings. We find ourselves staying for the people and the talent that’s available.” Allstate NI

If you’re interested in moving back to the North West, check out the companies recruiting and explore what the region has to offer at https://investderrystrabane.com/worklife. Your journey home starts here! 

/0 Comments/by

Spotlight Interview – Brendan McNabb, CCO of Lithe

, , ,

Spotlight interview – Brendan McNabb, CCO of Lithe

Brendan McNabb is Chief Commercial Officer at Lithe, a global intelligent automation software company. The firm, which counts some of the world’s biggest brands as customers, has a base in Brendan’s hometown of Derry in addition to a Glasgow headquarters.

Brendan has more than 20 years’ experience in the IT industry; before setting up Lithe with two former colleagues in 2014, he completed stints with local software company Singularity, and the California-based multinational Kofax. He now lives in Derry with his family.

What does an average work day look like for you? 

I’m not sure there is such a thing as an average day anymore! In my role, even the best laid plans seem to get disrupted on almost a daily basis. That said, an average working week for me usually involves some home-based working, lots of remote meetings and video calls with colleagues and customers, an in-office day meeting with my team to catch up on plans and priorities, and regular overseas trips to meet with existing and prospective customers in the UK, EU and US.

Why did Lithe decide to set up a base in Derry?

Having spent more than 20 years working with colleagues, customers and partners across the globe, I have a great appreciation for the talent we have here in Derry and the North West. There is a very strong heritage here in the products and services that Lithe specialise in, so I was keen to build a strong team around me here to support our growth plan. We have around 10 people in Derry of a total team of approximately 35.

Most of our staff here are hybrid working, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive in terms of its impact on work-life balance. Certain elements of the job still require in-person working, such as meeting with customers or partners, and we have regular in-office days for our various teams, to maintain the human side of those relationships.

What makes Derry and the North West attractive to investors?

Derry has so many amazing assets which make it a very strong proposition for investors. A lot of these are very well documented – its location as a key gateway to both UK and EU markets, a university city with a top-class talent pipeline, a strong established base of companies and investors across a range of sectors, and a rich culture and heritage, among the best in the world. The common thread through all of these are the people. Having worked with thousands of people on a number of levels around the world, the people of Derry possess a fiercely strong work ethic, resilience and creativity; all of which contribute to a highly skilled and competitive workforce.

Your work involves a lot of travel. What do you miss about home when you’re away?

I love visiting new places, especially big cities, but I’m at my happiest surrounded by friends and family in Derry and Donegal. Derry is a wonderful city to call home and a brilliant place to bring up a family. There has always been great community here and Derry people have a natural kindness and empathy towards each other which creates a real sense of belonging. So, although I could list out quite a few things that I love about home – the restaurants, pubs, schools, a packed Brandywell on a match night – at the heart of it all are the people.

What message would you give to people considering a move back to the North West?

I love seeing people moving back to Derry to set up home. The world post-pandemic has become a much smaller place and it is now much easier for people across a wide range of roles and industries to work from their preferred destination. Even for those jobs which require a regular commute to the rest of the UK, Derry is very well connected to major UK cities, as indeed is Belfast International Airport. We have some stunning landscapes and coastlines – you’ll regularly find me coasteering with my friends and family all year round, or floating in the freezing Atlantic off the Donegal coast. We also have a relatively low cost of living compared to other large cities, so it’s a great place for young people and families to put down some roots.

What next for Lithe?

We’re in the midst of some really exciting developments. Our core document processing software product has continued to go from strength to strength and in the past couple of years we have added some more stellar logos including Deutsche Bank, Amazon, Zurich, BNY Mellon and Sainsbury’s to a long list of amazing companies using our product. We continue to invest in our technology and our people as we see this growth trajectory continue across the globe. We have also been embracing many of the exciting innovations in the technology market, including AI and working with our customers and partners to help them realise the amazing benefits these present. It’s a very cool time to be in the IT space, with so many fast-moving technological advancements and high-growth opportunities. Lithe are delighted to be right in the epicentre of it all and I’m very excited about what the future holds.

litheit.com

If you’re interested in moving back to the North West, check out the companies recruiting and explore what the region has to offer at https://investderrystrabane.com/worklife. Your journey home starts here! 

/0 Comments/by

More than 100 investors attend Northern Ireland Investment Summit

, , , ,

More than 100 of Northern Ireland’s innovative businesses were showcased to more than 100 global investors at the Northern Ireland Investment Summit held 12th – 13th September in Belfast. With more than 100 investors from the USA, Middle East, Europe and Asia Pacific regions in attendance. The Summit marked a significant opportunity to demonstrate Northern Ireland’s innovation and technological strengths across its internationally renowned sectors, including advanced manufacturing, software and technology, financial and professional services, and emerging health and life sciences.

Panel sessions at the event focused on why global investors should choose Northern Ireland with breakout sessions for each of the key growth sectors. In addition, An Irish Goodbye directors and youngest ever Oscar recipients Tom Berkeley & Ross White hosted a session on Northern Ireland’s thriving creative sector.

Companies selected to showcase and speak at the event from the Northwest City Region include FinTrU, TEREX, FAST Technologies, Seagate and AFLO (Respiratory Analytics).

Northern Ireland, boasting a cost-competitive environment, attracted £19.2 billion in inward investment in 2021. This makes it an enticing hub for businesses seeking strategic growth opportunities.

The Investment Summit precedes a substantial Global Investment Summit later in the year. CEOs, investors, and financiers will converge to showcase the entire UK as an optimal investment location. The inaugural event in 2021 catalysed significant investments and job creation in green energy and tech.

To find out more about the business opportunities available in the city region https://investderrystrabane.com/

/0 Comments/by

New street art emerges in Derry city centre

, , ,

The murals were created by Peaball, a street art collective, with the hopes of bringing life to run-down parts of the city. The murals are all done in different styles, showing different images and Peaball member Donal O’Doherty says there’s ‘something there for everyone’.

The murals are part of Peaball’s street art initiative ‘Get Up’ which is intending to brighten up the riverfront and areas around it such as the Strand Road and Ebrington. Murals were recently completed on the new Ebrington Hotel, City Cabs in William Street and Quayside Shopping Centre on the Strand Road.

“We really wanted to get this right,” said Donal. “So, we brought Fintan Magee to do Ebrington Hotel. Fintan’s father was born in Derry, he left during the troubles and Fintan is a world famous, high-end street artist. We had a mural on City Cabs in William Street before and it was a bit tired looking to be honest. James from City Cabs said he wanted to freshen up the whole area to make it light and bright and welcoming for people. William Street is quite a serious street so we wanted something fun and engaging. We worked with Bonsai on that, a London-based artist who has been visiting the city and painting graffiti for over ten years. We talked about this idea over five years ago to take symbols that identify us around the world, such as the shamrock, and put a real modern street art twist on it. I have to say, I think it’s amazing. And the feedback we’ve had is phenomenal.”

“Pyke ‘n’ Pommes, Patricia’s, Primrose, are all trying to animate our riverfront and they’ve got a great scene there,” Donal said. “But, once you pass the Council offices, you navigate three car parks and the back of Quayside before you get into town. We’re hoping to take people off the quay earlier, up to the great food scene around Guapo. We found that a lot of tourists and Derry people alike were drawn over when they seen the artist and were asking questions and I was guiding them to the Mandarin Palace, a staple of Derry restaurants and all the other places around there. I think those businesses were very happy with what we were doing.”

The ‘Get Up’ festival is privately funded, with most of the money sourced by ‘knocking on doors’.

/0 Comments/by

International Chinese Students Visit City.

, , ,

International students from Northwest China and Zhejiang province visited the city in August to conduct cultural exchanges and community engagement. During their time in the city the students conducted English lessons and visited the Mayor.

/0 Comments/by

North-West Ireland City Region selected for the Intelligent Cities Challenge

, , ,

‘Innovative solutions that will place the city region at the forefront of the green and digital twin transition through Local Green Deals’

The North-West Ireland City Region has been selected for the Intelligent Cities Challenge (ICC) 2023-25 edition, a support programme spearheaded by the European Commission.

A spokesperson for ICC said the city region, which consists of Derry / Strabane and Donegal, will now start its “two-year journey to create an impactful strategy and develop innovative solutions that will place the city region at the forefront of the green and digital twin transition through Local Green Deals”.

“The ICC programme will help cities to harness the power of cutting-edge technologies, while improving their economic competitiveness, social resilience, and the European citizens’ quality of life.

“They will receive high quality, tailored guidance, expert support, access to advisory and city peer networks, and capacity building tools, to drive their city closer towards the twin transition.”

Derry City and Strabane District councillor Conor Heaney (Sinn Fein) and vice chair of ERNACT (European Regions Network for the Application of Communications Technology) said: “I welcome this opportunity for the City Region to continue on the Intelligent Cities Challenge journey, to access expert guidance for green-digital transition and to learn from other EU cities.

“These supports will help us to face increasing constraints on resources and progress our desire to provide attractive, enjoyable places to live, work and visit, in an inclusive, sustainable way.”

Commenting on the announcement, Donegal County Council Cllr Rena Donaghey (Fianna Fáil), chair of ERNACT, said: “We look forward to being part of the ICC and boosting our progress towards a sustainable and low carbon region guided by our Local Green Deal, the North West Regional Energy Strategy of Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council.”

The previous ICC edition (2020-2022) saw €1.9 billion earmarked for ICC cities’ actions and €247 million in public funding from EU, national and regional sources was leveraged which helped facilitate 336 actions planned by the 136 Core cities.

This new edition will build on the success of the previous ICC programme (2020-22) and Digital Cities Challenge (2018-20) and provide an extensive high-profile network, solid methodology framework and strong support mechanisms.  

Dana Eleftheriadou, Head Cities and Proximity Team, DG GROW at the European Commission, said: “Cities are the beating heart of Europe’s economy.

“The new phase of the Intelligent Cities Challenge offers cities with the prime opportunity to put themselves on the map as a European Intelligent City and to turn their sustainability and technological ambitions into action, especially by launching their own Local Green Deals across city departments and with the local businesses.

“These will put your cities firmly on the path towards making the European Green Deal and the Green Deal Industrial Plan a reality, while scaling-up Europe’s net-zero industry.”  

For the latest developments and more information, visit intelligentcitieschallenge.eu. 

/0 Comments/by

FinTrU named in The Sunday Times 100, Britain’s fastest-growing private companies

, , ,

FinTrU has been listed in The Sunday Times 100, Britain’s fastest-growing private companies

The Sunday Times has named FinTrU in its list of Britain’s 100 fastest-growing companies. The list celebrates and applauds Britain’s 100 leading entrepreneurial business, shining a light on the people leading these private companies.


FinTrU Founder & CEO, Darragh McCarthy, said: “To be recognised in this list is a huge achievement for every one of us at FinTrU, and something which we can all be proud of. It’s testament to the hard work every FinTrU employee puts in across the organisation, from here in Belfast to our offices in Porto.”

FinTrU placed 78th in the list and is also the only Northern Ireland headquartered company to feature.

The Sunday Times Business Editor, Jim Armitage said: “The founders of these exciting businesses are vital job creators and innovators. The top 100 performed exceptionally during the pandemic and are proving resilient in the face of inflation, higher interest rates and a weaker domestic economy.”

The complete The Sunday Times 100 2023 list can be viewed here.

/0 Comments/by

Turkish Aerospace Industries exchange knowledge with NWRC.

, ,

Over the past 2 years Northwest Regional College have been collaborating with Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) on a digital skills project funded by Erasmus+. A number of NWRC staff were in Turkey in May 2023 and visited TAI.

TAI have continued this collaboration and are currently working with NWRC on a Horizon Europe submission. A formal staff/student exchange training programme is also in development.

During the visit the TAI delegation exchanged

  • Experiences of project-based learning to further develop delivery of project-based learning
  • Experiences of the high-end 3D printing TAI uses in production, to assist NWRC’s Product Design Centre’s development of it’s 3D printing capability
  • TAI’s development of Virtual Reality for staff training, to assist NWRC’s development of VR and the NWRC XR (Extended reality) Centre.
/0 Comments/by