Forum established to drive digital transformation across economy. 

Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy TD, has established and chaired the new Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum.

The forum will support the government in driving the digitalisation of enterprise across Ireland. The forum brings together representatives of indigenous enterprise, multi-national enterprises, and experts in digital technologies and their adoption by enterprise.

'Huge opportunities'

Minister Troy said: “Digital technologies are more and more becoming part of our everyday lives. The digital economy presents huge opportunities for Irish SMEs to improve services, enhance customer experience, and increase competitiveness.

"I want to support those Irish businesses to make that transition; to build on the positives of the past two years and continue to embrace digitalisation and all it can offer. By doing this, we can future proof our economy in the years ahead.

“I am determined to drive a real step change in the level of digitalisation across all enterprises - by 2030, I want 90% of SMEs to have achieved basic digital intensity. I look forward to chairing the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum which will be crucial to supporting government to encourage this change. With the insights of the experts on the Forum, we can work to help realise the benefits of those technologies for Irish enterprise of all sizes.”

The establishment of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum is a commitment in both the 'AI – Here for Good: A National AI Strategy for Ireland' and Ireland’s National Digital Strategy, 'Harnessing Digital: The Digital Ireland Framework'.

The forum will also support the implementation of the enterprise aspects of an overall national digital strategy. It will provide an important setting for enterprise to be able to provide feedback to government on various challenges and opportunities they identify in relation to digitalisation. This information can then be shared across government using the structures provided for in the National Digital Strategy.

Positions on the Forum were filled following an open expression of interest call and assessment process.

Members of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum

Name

Job Title/Role

Organisation

Allan Beechinor

CEO

Altada Technology Solutions

Aidan Kehoe

CEO

Skout/Barracuda

Terri O’Donovan

Digital & Technology Site Lead

Janssen Sciences Ireland UC

Barry O'Brien

Government & Regulatory Affairs

IBM

Barry O'Sullivan

Director

Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, UCC

DC Cahalane

Partner

Jolt Venture Studio

Edward McDonnell

Director

CeADAR

Eoin Costello

Project Director

Digital HQ

John Clancy

CEO

Chatspace

Kathryn O'Donovan

Government Affairs & Public Policy

Google

Kieran McCorry

National Technology Officer

Microsoft Ireland

Lorraine Higgins

Secretary General

Digital Business Ireland

Patricia Scanlon

Founder

SoapBox Labs

Shona D'Arcy

Founder

Kids Speech Labs

Tanya Thompson

CTO

Sluamor Ltd

Erik O’Donovan

Head of Digital Policy

Ibec

 

  • Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation (Chair)
  • Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
  • Department of the Taoiseach
  • IDA Ireland
  • Enterprise Ireland
  • LEO Centre of Excellence