Business leaders call for ‘radical change’
Clarendon Executive managing partner Ciaran Sheehan with the BBC's Jim Fitzpatrick and panellists Ian Coulter, Tracy Meharg, Steve Orr, Dr Graham Brownlow, Angela McGowan and Seamus McAleavy pictured at the economic debate on Tuesday night ay Queen's University Belfast.
RADICAL change must be pursued as part of the vision and strategy for the development of the Northern Ireland economy in the next 20 years.
That was the verdict of a group of business leaders after a major debate on the future direction of the province as it seeks to emerge from recession and drive for growth.
The conference at Queen’s University, Belfast, drew an audience of close to 300 leaders from the private and public sector.
The debate – Going for Growth: Time for Radical Change – was jointly hosted by Clarendon Executive and the Chief Executives’ Club at Queen’s, and chaired by BBC Business and Economics editor Jim Fitzpatrick alongside a panel of industry experts.
“The fact that almost 300 business leaders attended the event demonstrates a very clear desire among the business community in Northern Ireland for decisive, strategic action to grow the local economy, and this was reflected in the comments from both the audience and panel,” said Ciaran Sheehan, managing partner of Clarendon Executive.
“The overwhelming theme of the night was the need for radical change in what can only be described as a cultural attitude towards risk-taking here and the necessity for a more integrated, joined-up thinking between the business community, the public sector and our schools, parents, universities and colleges.”
The discussion moved across all aspects of the economic spectrum from job creation through business growth and inward investment to the current levels of youth unemployment and the need to address issues of education and skills training.
The role of government and the responsibility of the private sector to push for innovation each featured heavily though Northern Bank Chief Economist Angela McGowan said an emerging ‘them and us’ attitude would do little to help.
However, Steve Orr of the Northern Ireland Science Park called for a culture of greater independence within the private sector and a shift from the expectation that government should fix problems.
“A very different role needs to evolve for the private sector,” he said.
“Entrepreneurs need to step up, roll up their sleeves and get to work, and this will require lots of risk-taking if we are to transform our economy.”
Summing up the debate Queen’s Vice-Chancellor Sir Peter Gregson, praised the tone and level of debate.
“This was a very lively debate and I sense a lot of ambition in this room,” he said.
“The challenge is now to turn this ambition into reality, especially in the areas over which we have influence as business leaders in Northern Ireland. We need to take tonight’s debate forward and crystallise it into clear actions for our universities, business communities, schools, parents and the public sector.”
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
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