For this week's Executive Chair Bobby was joined by Nissan Ireland CEO, James McCarthy.

Together they discuss James' path through business, how the current Covid-19 crisis has affected sales, and look to the future of transport in Ireland and the role of the electric car in Nissan's plans.

Image: flickr.com

Down to Business with Bobby Kerr

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We’re hearing all sorts of forecasts about recessionary economies and dour predictions of Economic Growth.

But what about the Stock Market? How is that behaving and is it possibly a good time to invest in stocks?

Bobby was joined by Rory Gillen who  is the founder of 'GillenMarkets' to find out.

Image: pikist.com

Down to Business with Bobby Kerr

Listen and subscribe to Down to Business with Bobby Kerr on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Now, one of the people many of us will be seeing a lot of these days is our local courier driver who seems to be working overtime on our local streets and neighbourhoods.

So much so, that Ireland’s largest courier company, DPD had to take on an extra 100 staff due to Covid-19 and the surge in online sales.

Des Travers is the CEO of DPD and he joined Bobby to discuss the incredible work he and his staff have been doing under extremely trying and challenging conditions.

Image: commons.wikimedia.org

Down to Business with Bobby Kerr

Listen and subscribe to Down to Business with Bobby Kerr on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

Now, with everyone looking to the horizon and the gradual easing of restrictions, people are beginning to get back on their feet slowly and cautiously.

Business owners all across the country will be hoping to re-establish themselves as well and one area we thought we would look at in the context of battling through the Covid-19 crisis is Florists. 

Joining Bobby for this week’s Industry Review

 

Renate Buckley - Owner of AprilFlowersCork.ie

JP Tanner - Owner of Arbour Blooms in Dublin

Image: publicdomainpictures.net

 

Down to Business with Bobby Kerr

Listen and subscribe to Down to Business with Bobby Kerr on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

This week we heard from a newly formed group called ‘SME Recovery’ who have come together to launch a National Small Business Recovery Plan which is asking the government for a serious investment to the tune of 15 Billion to help protect the SME Sector.

The group includes Business Post Publisher Enda O’Coineen and former head of Microfinance Ireland, Michael Johnson who is a veteran of working with small business.

Both join Bobby to disuss the initiative and getting Ireland's SMEs back on their feet

Image: flickr.com

Down to Business with Bobby Kerr

Listen and subscribe to Down to Business with Bobby Kerr on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

  

Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.

  

You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.

For this week's Executive Chair Bobby was joined by Adrian Crean , non-Executive Chair of Leon Group Ireland.

Together they discuss Adrian's origins in business, his travels to Australia with PwC, and his work with McDonalds which has now led him to where he is with Leon.

Image: commons.wikimedia.org

Phillip Matthews was a former Irish rugby international, President of National College of Ireland for six years and is now currently a Business Coach and Leadership Consultant.

He was due to speak at this year’s Pendulum Summit, on the Pendulum Inspired Leadership Programme, and he recently shared a video with tips on how to stay positive at home.

Phillip, who has many years of experience, mentions different ways of how to stay focused and faithful during this time - he joined Bobby to discuss further.

Liam Griffin, former Wexford Hurling player & manager and of course well-known hotelier, is an old friend of the show and is well placed to give a view on the current Covid-19 crisis.

Outside of his business interests Liam is in his 70’s and so has been cocooning for weeks - he joined Bobby to chat about how he has been getting on over the last few weeks and look at the challenges we face economically going forward.

With bars and pubs remaining closed, overall alcohol sales have fallen by around 30% since COVID-19 related business restrictions were introduced.

Off-licences on the other hand have been allowed to stay operational though, so Bobby thought for this week’s Industry Review he would speak to two people involved in the off-trade to find out how things are going.

Joining Bobby was

Eoin Shiel - Beer Manager at Blackrock Cellar in Dublin

Gary O’Donovan - Chairman of NOffLA and owner of the O’Donovan’s Off Licence Group

Image: www.wallpaperflare

RAP (Rapid Action Packaging) Ireland is a company based in Gweedore, Co. Donegal that normally produces packaging, but is now making up to one million face shields a day in the fight against the coronavirus.

James Neville, Sales Manager for RAP Ireland joined Bobby to tell us about the story behind how the company began production of these disposable face shields.