Ireland Portugal Business Network Podcast series

In this episode, we explore one of the most pressing topics in today’s tourism economy — the challenges and opportunities in employment across the hospitality sector, and how new labor laws might shape its future.

Joining Ellis Dixon, Marketing and Content Manager of the IPBN, are two experts with distinct but complementary perspectives:

• Sofia Almeida, Tourism and Hospitality Coordinator at Universidade Europeia, who brings an academic and research-driven view of current workforce trends and skill shortages.
• Cláudia Póvoa, Partner at Edge International Lawyers, who specializes in labor law and the evolving legal frameworks that impact both employers and employees in Portugal.

Together, they unpack key questions such as:

• Why is the sector struggling to attract and retain qualified staff?
• Can greater flexibility through fixed-term contracts really help, or does it risk deepening instability?
• How can employers and policymakers balance short-term needs with long-term sustainability for the workforce?

From education and training to policy and practice, this conversation sheds light on how Portugal’s tourism and hospitality industries can adapt to change — while continuing to grow responsibly and sustainably.

Listen now to hear how flexibility, fairness, and innovation can work hand in hand to build a stronger hospitality workforce.

Building on his insightful contribution to last December’s IPBN discussion on business in 2025, Ricardo led a focused session on how design thinking can serve as a strategic tool for international growth. Specifically, the session explored how ethnographic research and user-centered approaches can identify complementary products and inspire alliances across international markets—not just with customers, but with partners in adjacent or even unrelated industries.

Drawing from his extensive teaching on design thinking—including an 8-hour workshop grounded in the methodology of the Hasso Plattner Institute in Germany—Ricardo helped participants navigate the shift from a VUCA (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) world to a BANI (Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear, Incomprehensible) environment. The focus was on how to design meaningful experiences that exceed expectations in both the production and consumption of products or services.

Follow along with this practical online Masterclass with IPBN member Carlos Justino, an expert in AI-driven business strategy and digital transformation. In this one-hour session entitled "Smart Growth on Social Media: Strategies, Trends and AI-Powered Automation," Carlos guides us through the evolving social media landscape, sharing actionable insights on how businesses—especially SMEs—can move beyond outdated tactics to achieve smarter, more sustainable growth.

Whether you're B2B or B2C, building brand awareness or trying to convert customers, this Masterclass can help you understand how to harness AI tools, strategy, and storytelling to drive results without draining your team’s time or creativity.

What we learnt:

• What works now on social media: Discover which platforms matter most in 2025—and why many brands are still missing the mark with organic content.
• Why authenticity beats automation alone: Learn the cost of producing generic content, and how to develop brand-specific voices for each platform.
• AI’s real role in content creation: Explore practical ways AI can support your team today, and what it still can’t do.
• How to create content that connects: Get the anatomy of a high-performing post—and how to adapt it across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X.
• The top mistake SMEs make: Understand the downsides of the DIY approach and why traditional outsourcing often leads to frustration.
• The productivity vs. performance gap: See why scheduling isn’t enough, and how a brand’s unique knowledge base drives smarter results.
• Where smart automation comes in: Learn how to combine AI, brand knowledge and best practices to consistently generate quality content.

Live Demo: Carlos also showcases how Witfy, an AI-powered content engine, creates personalised, high-performing posts with zero friction using a Virtual Brain and Knowledge Base tailored to your brand.

In this podcast, we sat down with Afghani-born Aziza Akrami and Moroccan-born Hind Falah to talk about their inspiring, remarkable journeys from their respective homelands to arrive at Porto Business School, where they currently study. We discuss their initial motivations to pursue higher education, adapting to life in Portugal, their passions and aspirations, what it’s like embracing a new culture, what keeps them hopeful and motivated, and how their idea of "home" has evolved along the way.

Hind is an investment professional specializing in frontier markets who started her career as a trader and now leads investment operations at an international asset management firm.

Aziza Akrami is a youth advocate, program leader, and risk analyst committed to promoting human rights, education, and gender equality in Afghanistan. She is the co-founder of the Empowered Circle and one of the 2021 South Asian Economic Student Meet award winners of the research competition from the World Bank.

As AI rapidly shifts from buzzword to backbone of modern business, the need to adopt it strategically—and understand where to find investment—has never been more urgent. Therefore, we’re excited to introduce the fourth and final panel of the day, featuring case study presentations from Philippe Brodeur, Barry Flynn, and Martin Duffy—three professionals who are applying AI in practical, high-value ways across very different domains.

Philippe Brodeur, Founder and CEO of Overcast HQ, brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of video and technology. His Video Content-as-a-Service (VCaaS) platform helps distributed teams streamline video workflows—unlocking value, automating the technical heavy lifting, and building tools tailored to real-world business needs.

Joining him is Martin Duffy, a senior IT consultant and data analytics veteran with over 30 years’ experience. With deep expertise in everything from customer intelligence to fraud detection, Martin has helped organisations across financial services, manufacturing, and the public sector harness the power of data to drive smarter decisions and build analytics maturity that lasts.

Finally, Barry Flynn, Founder and Managing Director of IN2 Engineering, offers a perspective grounded in the built environment. With 25 years of experience in electrical systems and bespoke lighting design, Barry is pioneering how smart infrastructure, energy systems, and integrated engineering design are evolving through AI and intelligent automation.

Whether you're just beginning to explore AI or looking for capital to grow your next AI-powered venture, this panel will provide the clarity, connection, and confidence needed to take the next step.

Titled “How to Start with AI and Investment Opportunities for AI Startups,” the third panel will explore how founders, SMEs, and innovators can move from AI curiosity to execution, with the added lens of investment readiness. Moderated by IPBN member and Strategic Growth Advisor Carlos Justino, the discussion will feature three leaders at the forefront of AI adoption, business innovation, and scale-up strategy.

Carlos Justino, an experienced AI Adoption & Strategic Growth Advisor, will guide the conversation. With a career built on helping businesses harness data, hyper-personalised marketing, and technology to drive sustainable growth, Carlos brings a practitioner’s perspective to digital transformation. He has worked across industries to help organisations unlock potential through AI-powered insights and systems. His passion for demystifying AI and making it actionable makes him a natural fit to moderate this practical, solutions-driven session.

Joining the panel is Sam Marchetti, founder of IPBN member company ConsortiaCo and a Business Innovation Specialist known for his systems-thinking approach to sustainable growth. Sam’s work spans national and European enterprise ecosystems, where he designs multi-layer innovation models for communities, SMEs, and the public sector. His emphasis on Emotional Intelligence and Wellbeing as essential drivers of professional and organisational development brings a holistic, human-centered view to the AI conversation. With deep engagement in the EU’s Green, Just, and Digital Transitions, Sam will offer insights into where funding and innovation efforts can—and should—converge.

The panel also features Mark Kelly, a globally recognised authority on AI transformation and the founder of AI Ireland, a community of more than 10,000 AI professionals. Mark is known for his rare ability to distill the complex language of AI into clear, actionable roadmaps that empower everyone from start-ups to government agencies. With four books on AI, more than 100 five-star reviews for his speaking and consulting, and a mission to make AI accessible and ethical, Mark’s insights are grounded in real-world application and strategic foresight. As Microsoft President Brad Smith once remarked, Mark has the unique ability to “explain a complex message while holding the rapt attention of 600 people”—a skill he will no doubt bring to the stage at the GEC.

Together, these speakers will tackle the core questions facing today’s entrepreneurs: How do you begin with AI in a way that’s sustainable and scalable? What investment trends are shaping the future of AI innovation? And what role do ethics, wellbeing, and emotional intelligence play in building a responsible AI-driven business?

The IPBN's June 17th Dublin Innovation Conference featured speakers and panelists from different sectors to bridge the gap between theory and practice, the first of which focused on new EU regulations in AI legislation as a framework for SMEs to discover tools to help them remain compliant with Agatha Bulha, Stephanie Prenderville, and moderator Lee Bristow.

Agatha Bulha is a lawyer at José Bulha International Law Office from Faro, a representative to the Council of Europe, and a member of the European Young Bar Association. As a business-minded professional, Agatha has always believed in the power of creativity and connection. Her passion and strong entrepreneurial spirit led her to explore the startup world and ultimately focus on intellectual property, where innovation is born and protected.

Stephanie Prenderville, the Founder of SP Consulting and new IPBN member, helps develop strategy and transformation toolkits for companies to succeed, thanks to her over 20 years of experience leading small and large-scale change and people programs through in-house consultancy and advisory roles in various organizations. Her energy and deep strategic understanding of how to build common visions and problem-solve have helped organizations and leaders make measurable improvements to productivity, engagement, employee experience, and cost savings.

Finally, moderator and IPBN member Lee Bristow, Human AI Alliance Author, advocates safe, ethical, and transparent AI in his work as a Tech Entrepreneur and Risk & Compliance Innovator. As a self-proclaimed serial founder, Lee drives innovation in RiskTech, AI, and Automation solutions. With expertise in business strategy, product development, information security, and beyond, he is passionate about simplifying risk through the Human AI Alliance.

Panel 2 of the IPBN Innovation Conference focuses on AI case studies regarding sustainability and data analysis.

JC Durbin, Head of Innovation and AI at IPBN Executive Partner, Ardanis, introduces the panel and delivers a case study from the company. JC is a seasoned leader and engineer with broad experience guiding projects from design to production. With a robust technology background and diverse industry experience, he excels at identifying and solving complex challenges, inspiring high-performing teams, and driving ambitious goals to success.

The next case study centered around “Decarbonising Business: AI Solutions for Net-Zero Goals” with IPBN member Liliana Domingues, founder of Amarna Vida. With over 20 years of experience across heavy industries, Liliana brings a rare combination of analytical depth, strategic insight, operational resilience, and human-centred leadership. Thanks to her experience in STEM, she currently helps business leaders of stagnant or transitioning companies realign their strategy, culture, and positioning, especially those navigating low revenue, siloed thinking, and a lack of sustainability integration.

Finally, we hear from Killian O'Neill, Chief Data Strategist at Clear Strategy, IPBN Member, and recipient of this year’s IPBN Business Success Award. With over 20 years of experience in data warehousing, business intelligence, and complex technologies, Killian explored the theme of 'Impacting Sales.' His in-depth understanding of business processes across various domains allows him to effectively analyze, interpret, and communicate key metrics to drive results. Killian is particularly skilled in delivering advanced analytical solutions, including churn prediction modeling, customer-level P&L scoring, next best activity scoring, and customer segmentation.

In this episode, we spotlight the powerful keynote statements delivered at the Second Innovation Conference in Dublin by two thought leaders shaping the future of AI: Lee Bristow and Martin Duffy.

Lee Bristow, author of "The Human AI Alliance" and serial tech founder, explores what it means to build responsible AI. With expertise spanning RiskTech, automation, and information security, Lee advocates for transparency, ethics, and safety in AI adoption. In his keynote, he challenges us to think beyond the hype and focus on a more human-centered approach to technology. Lee recently led an insightful IPBN Masterclass, and his keynote builds on that vision.

Martin Duffy, Head of GenAI at PwC Ireland, draws from over three decades of experience in analytics to discuss the real-world impact of generative AI. His talk dives into how Irish organisations are adapting, what’s next for GenAI in the workplace, and why strategic data leadership is essential in this new era. Referencing findings from PwC’s recent GenAI report, Martin highlights the transformation already underway across industries.

Whether you're just starting your AI journey or leading digital transformation efforts, this episode offers valuable insights on ethical implementation and practical strategy.

Subscribe and join the conversation.

Special thanks to the Guinness Enterprise Centre and Director Niamh Collins for hosting us once again—and to our conference sponsors: IPBN Executive Partner Ardanis, and IPBN members VMotion IT Solutions, Daylight, and Marina Vilamoura.

AI is everywhere—but is it truly a strategic priority for your business, or just another tech trend? In this practical and insightful masterclass, Stephanie Prenderville, Founder of SP Consulting, cuts through the AI hype and helps you assess whether AI can meaningfully accelerate business results, reduce operational friction, and enable future agility.

The Masterclass, entitled "Is AI a Strategic Imperative – and If So, Why Now?" will allow listeners to get clarification on AI queries through real-world case studies and a clear, business-focused framework.

• The three core lenses for AI value: business growth, operational efficiency, and future agility.
• The five essential enablers for AI success, from people and skills to governance, safety, and strategic focus.
• How other organisations have achieved tangible results through AI-powered initiatives.
• Common barriers to AI adoption and how to overcome them.

This session was designed for business leaders who are curious about AI’s potential but want clarity on how to turn ideas into action.