Thought Leadership News

The Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Peter Burke recently announced the development of a new whole-of-government Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, together with a range of measures aimed at enhancing business resilience and fostering competitiveness. The Programme for Government mandated the development of the Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity and by expediating this plan, the Government intends to align key decisions with the upcoming budgetary process.  The Government has also approved certain high-level short-term measures for implementation by May 2025, some of which are mentioned below: Enhancing International Trade Promotion: Actions will include a focus on implementing enhanced advisory supports for exporters facing disruption, developing a strategic approach to market diversification, and bringing forward a National Semiconductor Strategy. Addressing Business Costs:  Measures announced include adjusting the implementation timeline for the Living Wage to 2029 while outlining the Government’s continued commitment to the introduction of a Living Wage during its term. Amongst other measures announced, a new Cost of Business Advisory Forum will be established, and a Small Business Unit will be created. Improving Energy Infrastructure: Steps are to be taken to provide policy certainty regarding data centres, publish plans for connecting large energy users to the grid and to accelerate the deployment of critical electricity grid infrastructure. Commenting on the Action Plan, Minister Burke said: “We are living in a time of significant global change, marked by growing geopolitical tensions, trade uncertainties, and persistent cost pressures affecting businesses both large and small. To safeguard our economic future and support our enterprises, we must act decisively on the domestic factors we can influence. Therefore, the government has today agreed to fast-track the creation of a vital Action Plan on Competitiveness and Productivity, aiming to produce a draft within 12 weeks for discussion at a Ministerial Summit in July. This plan will identify concrete, actionable reforms across government to enhance our competitive edge. As part of this plan, we are implementing a range of immediate, targeted measures by May 2025. These actions focus on key areas including enhancing international trade promotion supports for firms facing disruption, addressing business costs through regulatory adjustments and targeted initiatives, and improving energy security and infrastructure delivery.”

Moira Grassick explores the implications of the new gender pay gap reporting portal set to launch in Autumn 2025 Norma Foley, Minister for Children, Disability and Equality, has announced that a gender pay gap reporting portal will be launched in Autumn 2025.   This is a significant update for Irish businesses, as the Department estimates that about 6,000 companies will need to submit a gender pay gap report to the online portal this year.   Foley also indicated that the reporting deadline is expected in November.  Gender pay gap reporting to date The Gender Pay Gap Information Act 2021 requires businesses to publish a report detailing the hourly gender pay gap in their business, across a range of specified metrics. The Act is part of a wider initiative to improve gender equality in Ireland and, more specifically, aims to bring about greater pay parity between men and women.  Initially, when the requirement was introduced in 2022, only companies with 250 employees or more were required to submit a gender pay gap report. This threshold has been increasing gradually each year and, in 2025, any company with 50 employees or more will be required to file a report.    The portal: what you need to know  Up until this point, companies have been required to post their gender pay gap reports either on their own website or somewhere else accessible to the public.   As well as submitting statistics and figures on gender-based pay information within the business, employers have also been required to publish an explanation for any gender pay gap that does arise from those findings.   With the introduction of the new portal, this system will change.   Once launched, employers will be required to upload their pay gap reports directly to the portal, and not just on their own website.   New reporting deadline  As well as announcing the upcoming launch of the portal, the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality also suggested that the reporting deadline this year will take place in November, and not in December as was the case in previous years.   Employers will be required to gather their gender pay gap data on a ‘snapshot’ date in June, and to publish those results in November. The exact reporting date will depend on the snapshot date selected by the employer. For example, if a business chooses 5 June as their snapshot date, they will be required to publish the results on the portal by 5 November.   Transparency and accountability If your business employs 50 or more staff and you need to file a gender pay gap report in November, it's essential to understand the required publishing method. Once launched, you must submit your report directly through the online portal.  The portal's design could enhance public access to gender pay gap reports compared to before. Individuals will be able to search all gender pay gap reports on one platform, facilitating easier comparison of multiple reports simultaneously and enabling clearer conclusions and comparisons. Moira Grassick is Chief Operating Officer at Peninsula

Who should drive your firm's growth? Mary Cloonan explores whether individual partners or a dedicated leader best fuels expansion Every ambitious firm wants growth, but who should take ownership of it? Is it down to individual partners, or does the firm need a dedicated leader to drive expansion? Many firms have treated growth as an afterthought. Yet, in today’s highly competitive market, this approach is insufficient. The firms that thrive are the ones that prioritise growth across the entire organisation, instead of depending solely on a handful of standout performers. There’s no single answer to the question of who should lead growth, but some models work, particularly in more mature markets like the US, UK, and Australia, where firms have refined their approach for years. Why growth needs to be intentional Growth isn’t just about winning new clients; it’s about maximising opportunities across the board and deepening existing relationships, expanding into new markets, and ensuring that every part of the firm contributes to revenue generation. Whether your firm is backed by private equity or partner-led, the real question is: are you making the most of the opportunities in front of you? Growth is often left to chance. Some partners excel at winning work, while others concentrate on execution. However, when growth relies solely on personal initiative, opportunities can be missed. Implementing a more structured approach ensures that business development isn’t just an added benefit – it’s built into the firm’s DNA. Three effective models for driving growth Firms take different approaches depending on their structure, leadership style, and ambitions. To ensure growth is prioritised and embedded, they use three models. 1. The Chief Growth Officer (CGO) model – a unified approach Appointing a Chief Growth Officer (CGO) can be a game-changer for firms that want a clear, structured approach to growth. This leadership role integrates business development, marketing, client experience and cross selling, ensuring that growth is planned, measured and executed effectively. Rather than simply focusing on new business, a CGO takes responsibility for the entire client journey:  Business development strategy – Aligning development, marketing and client expansion with the firm’s long-term goals. Client experience and retention – Ensuring clients receive excellent service, encouraging referrals and long-term loyalty. Cross-selling and collaboration – Breaking down silos and helping different service lines work together to identify opportunities. Market positioning and thought leadership – Raising the firm’s profile in key sectors to attract high-value clients. Data-driven growth insights – Using client and market data to identify trends and opportunities. This model works well for larger firms, particularly those with ambitious growth plans or PE investment. It ensures growth is handled strategically rather than left to individual efforts. 2. The partner-led growth model – with structure & accountability Many firms still prefer a partner-led approach to business development. This approach can work well if it has structure and accountability. Business development isn’t just left to chance in firms that succeed with this model. Instead, there’s a clear framework: Partners have individual growth targets that are measured and reviewed. Client expansion strategies are mapped out rather than being ad-hoc. There's support from marketing and business development teams to enable partners to focus on high-value relationships. Business development is built into the firm's culture, rather than being something squeezed in between client work. For this model to work, there needs to be a firm-wide commitment to growth, not just an expectation that some partners will bring in work while others don't. 3. The hybrid model – growth champions and collaboration A middle ground between a centralised CGO and a fully partner-driven model is to appoint “growth champions” within the firm. These are senior partners or directors who take responsibility for business development within their practice area or sector. They focus on: Developing relationships and identifying opportunities in their market. Encouraging collaboration between service lines to increase cross-selling. Working with marketing and BD teams to ensure the firm’s positioning aligns with market demand. This approach works well in mid-sized firms where partners are engaged in growth but need more structure and coordination. Your firm’s growth model The best approach depends on the size, ambition, and market focus of the firm: Smaller firms may not need a CGO but should have a structured growth committee. Mid-sized firms often benefit from a hybrid model that balances accountability with collaboration. Larger firms, particularly those preparing for a merger or acquisition or private equity investment, gain the most from a dedicated CGO. What matters most is that growth is not left to chance. Regardless of the model, firms that take growth seriously and build a strategy around it succeed. Your firm and culture Growth isn’t something that just happens. It’s something firms need to be intentional about. In a numbers-based world, there will only be one indicator to say what is right for your firm so tracking the growth KPIs is key to understanding what will work best in your firm with your culture. Mary Cloonan is Founder of Marketing Clever