‘Kerry businesses are nothing if not resourceful and self-reliant’

BROADCASTER IVAN YATES WILL BE GUEST SPEAKER AT THE UPCOMING KERRYMAN BUSINESS AWARDS. REPORTER STEPHEN FERNANE CAUGHT UP WITH HIM AHEAD OF HIS VISIT TO DISCUSS LOCAL BUSINESS...

BROADCASTER, business man and former politician, Ivan Yates is the guest speaker at The Kerryman Business Awards 2017 which will be held in The Ballygarry House Hotel & Spa, Tralee, on Friday, October 13. Ivan is very much looking forward to visiting the Kingdom where he will discuss a range of topics that he feels are pertinent to the future success of businesses in Kerry. The implications arising from Brexit and the need to enhance digital strategies are of major importance in Ivan’s view.

“This idea that we can carry on regardless with our European membership and not understand the vulnerability and dependence on the UK market is maybe okay for Dublin, but it’s not okay for places like Kerry,” Ivan said.

He stressed our approach to Brexit means we must now view Britain as ‘a Siamese twin’ for if the EU decides to administer punishment to Britain, this will inevitably have repercussions in Ireland.

“Our policy has to be less Europhile because there’s no way that Europe’s position, as it now stands with Britain, can do anything other than obstruct the Kerry economy significantly. This is an application of national policy that is absolutely critical to the situation in terms of places like Kerry,” Ivan added.

The future welfare of Kerry’s infrastructural spending, broadband, tourism and Agri-food sector are among Ivan’s key priorities in a post-Brexit scenario – all of which will form the basis of his talk on October 13.

“Local businesses must embrace new digital strategies. All businesses now need to be more adaptable in the way they communicate. Kerry people have been very resourceful at doing their own marketing, but I think they’re going to have to find different ways of doing it. The way businesses communicate is utterly changing because of the millennial generation who have completely different consumer habits to my age group. They live life on their smart phones and their spending patterns are dictated by being on-line.”

He added: “My advice to businesses is that they simply have to embrace digital strategies. I think Kerry people and Kerry businesses are nothing if not resourceful and self-reliant. I recently spoke at an event in Tralee and I was very struck by just how entrepreneurial people are there.”

As for Kerry as a destination? “Kerry is almost like a Republic of its own. The people are incredibly friendly and don’t get me started on that cuteness and Kerry humour. I love it. I really get the whole Kerry culture thing. I’m really looking forward to this event,” said Ivan.

Broadcaster Ivan Yates will be guest speaker at The Kerryman Business Awards.