Elaine Godley is the founder of The DISCPlus Academy, executive health mentor, behavioural specialist, and keynote speaker.

After more than 30 years in senior business leadership—including executive roles at EY and within the legal sector—Elaine now helps leaders and coaches understand the powerful connection between behaviour, performance, and health.

Her work was shaped not only by her corporate career but also by her personal experience overcoming serious illness, including a rare kidney disease and stage 4 cancer. Today, she teaches organisations how to build resilient teams, prevent burnout, and create healthier workplace cultures.

In this conversation, we'll explore why people behave differently at work, how authenticity can help prevent burnout, why leaders and team members often seem to speak different languages, and what Elaine has learned from her own extraordinary health journey.

In this episode of the IPBN Podcast, we bring you the recording of the second edition of the Conversation with a Leader series, featuring António Rios de Amorim, President and CEO of Corticeira Amorim — a global leader in cork production, sustainability, and innovation.

Hosted by the Irish Portuguese Business Network at the Católica Porto Business School, this insightful conversation explores leadership, innovation, sustainability, and Portugal’s future role in the global economy. António Rios de Amorim reflects on his leadership journey and shares perspectives on the evolving relationship between cork and wine, the preservation of the Montado ecosystem, and how circular economy principles are embedded at the core of Corticeira Amorim’s business model — where every by-product is repurposed to create new value, from insulation solutions to aerospace applications.

The discussion also examines broader themes shaping Portugal’s future, including leadership and management development, exports, competitiveness, and the country’s position within the European Union and the wider global market. António offers thoughtful insights into the opportunities and challenges Portugal faces over the next five to ten years and the importance of innovation, resilience, and long-term strategic thinking.

The session was expertly moderated by Sofia Salgado Pinto, Senior Affiliate Professor at Católica Porto Business School, whose extensive experience in management development and corporate governance brought depth and perspective to the conversation.

A special thank you to IPBN Executive Partner Vellozo Ferreira Advogados for making this event possible in the North of Portugal, and to the team at Católica Porto Business School for their support in delivering such a successful event. Read more and check out the photos of the event here: https://www.ireland-portugal.com/events/conversation-with-antnio-rios-de-amorim-chairman-and-ceo-of-corticeira-amorim/

Panel 3 - What’s Next? The Future of Tech-Driven Marine Protection with guest speakers:

• Lee Bristow, The Ocean and AI – Tech Driven protections
• Agostinho da Silva, Catolica Porto Business School – Board Member, MARE, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre
• Pedro Costa from the University of Coimbra
• Moderated by IPBN Board Member Mario Gago, CEO, Pink Room Software

Read more here.

Panel 2 – A conversation about real-time climate impacts on coastal infrastructure with:

• Professor Emilia Duarte – UE/IADE - "Diving Heritage: Design Innovation for Resilient Coastal Communities through Underwater Cultural Heritage Tourism"
• Antonia Correia, KiPT COLAB, CODE Blue Project
• Pedro Pardal Monteiro, Vice-President of the Portuguese Surfing Federation | Surf Project Manager | Surf Coastal Engineering Expert
• Moderated by IPBN Board Member Susan Cabeceiras, Founder & Chair KONCEPTNESS Gestão de Projetos, Imobiliária, Arquitetura, Engenharia & Design

Read more here.

A panel conversation in partnership with the Ethical Assembly about Science-driven / Innovation / Ocean climate Justice with guest speakers:

• Christopher Storey - Sea Shepherd Global, Divers For the Ocean: Project development, Partnerships Specialist, Sustainability Leader
• André Almeida Santos - Partner at Indico Capital Partners, heading Sustainability & Impact and leading the Blue Economy investments across Europe
• Henrique Folhas - Ocean and Conservation Activist, Sciaena
• Moderated by Patricia Imbarus, Climate & Sustainability Strategist & Founder, Ethical Assembly

Read more here.

In this episode, we’re joined by Andy O’Donoghue, digital health entrepreneur, technology columnist, and broadcaster. Andy is CEO and co-founder of Vård Digital Health, a company building software to modernise how hospitals and specialist clinics manage patient care, referrals, and clinical workflows.

Andy is also a familiar voice across Irish and UK media, appearing regularly on RTÉ, BBC, and Today FM, where he breaks down emerging technologies ranging from artificial intelligence to digital health.

The conversation centres on Andy’s experience chairing the 4th Investnet Technology in Healthcare Summit, one of Ireland’s key gatherings of healthcare leaders, policymakers, clinicians, and technology innovators.

Together we explore the major themes emerging from the event, including:

• Why healthcare systems are at a digital transformation crossroads

• The role of AI in improving patient care and reducing administrative burden

• Why cybersecurity is now a patient safety issue

• The challenge of moving toward integrated, paperless health systems

• How technology can help address workforce pressures and waiting lists

Andy also shares his three key takeaways from the summit and looks ahead to where Irish healthcare technology could be heading over the next year.

If you're interested in the intersection of healthcare, technology, and policy, this conversation offers valuable insights from one of the sector’s most experienced observers.

The Ireland Portugal Business Network was delighted to host the first event in its new Conversation with a Leader series, delivered in partnership with IPBN member Writers' Bloc.

The inaugural conversation took place at Unicorn Factory Lisboa's Beato Innovation District, in Praça Beato's cafe/restaurant, on Tuesday, March 3, and featured Gil Azevedo, Executive Director Unicorn Factory Lisboa.

This session offered members an inside look at one of Lisbon’s most ambitious innovation initiatives. Unicorn Factory Lisboa operates across the entire startup value chain, with a clear mission: to generate lasting economic impact for the city by building a strong, dynamic, and sustainable ecosystem where companies at every stage can thrive — from early-stage founders to globally scaling unicorns. The conversation explored the programme’s vision, the broader Lisbon innovation scene, and the strategic role Unicorn Factory Lisboa plays in positioning the city as a leading European hub for entrepreneurship and innovation.

The discussion was hosted by John Byrne, Founder of Writers’ Bloc, and went beyond surface-level commentary to focus on the realities of building and scaling businesses across borders. Together with the IPBN, John examined where real business opportunities lie between Ireland and Portugal, and what it actually takes to unlock them in practice.

This was not a keynote or a polished pitch session. Instead, the Conversation with a Leader series is designed to get into the substance behind leadership: trust-building across cultures, navigating complexity, identifying overlooked opportunities, and making the difficult decisions that define successful leadership.

The series reflects IPBN’s ongoing commitment to creating meaningful connections, facilitating knowledge exchange, and supporting members who are building, scaling, and investing across the Ireland–Portugal corridor.

The Ireland Portugal Business Network (IPBN) participated in the Webinar International Migrants Day 2025, organized by KIPT COLAB, represented by our General Manager, Arnold Delville as a panelist. We reflected on our core mission: facilitating the movement of skilled professionals—and their ideas—between two dynamic European economies.

The theme for International Migrants Day 2025—Contributions of Immigrants and Their Rights—resonated deeply with the work of the IPBN. Our raison d'être is fundamentally about connecting talent from two different countries and, in doing so, actively contributing to a more resilient, innovative, and inclusive workforce.

Our mission to develop trade between Ireland and Portugal is achieved by recognizing and encouraging inclusion, innovation, and participation across sectors and regions. We view migrants not as beneficiaries of integration policies, but as active contributors and co-creators of success. Read more here: https://www.ireland-portugal.com/news/the-ipbns-mission-building-transatlantic-bridge-for-talent-and-trade/

Check out this online Masterclass featuring key academic and business innovation leaders from Portugal. This session explored major objectives, developments, and events planned for 2026 across leading innovation hubs.

Speakers included:

• Porto Business School Innovation X Hub – Diogo Vieira da Silva, Head of Unit, Impact Centers, Innovation X Hub, Porto Business School
• UC Business – Nuno Mendonça, Vice-Rector, University of Coimbra
• UAlg TEC Campus – Jessica Costa, Executive Director, Algarve STP Association and UAlg TEC Campus

This class provided valuable perspectives on the opportunities and challenges ahead in 2026 across academia, innovation, and business collaboration.

In this special year-in-review episode, the IPBN team looks back on a busy and impactful 2025 and shares what’s ahead for 2026. Hosts Ellis and Arnold reflect on a packed calendar of conferences, masterclasses, mini-conferences, podcasts, and member spotlights that brought together business, academia, and innovation across Ireland and Portugal.

The episode highlights the Innovation, Tourism, and Sustainability Conferences, key takeaways from healthcare and investment-focused mini-conferences, standout masterclasses, and some of the most engaging Spotlight Interviews and podcast conversations of the year. The team also reflects on IPBN’s presence at major events including Web Summit, Tech Summit Algarve, and ART&TUR.

Looking ahead, Arnold outlines what’s coming in 2026, including the return of the flagship conferences, an expanded three-part sustainability series across Portugal, and a new IPBN Roadshow launching in Ireland.

A reflective and forward-looking episode that captures the energy of the network, the value of its community, and what’s next for IPBN.