Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 19 September 2013
Public Accounts Committee
Annual Report and Accounts 2012: Discussion with IDA Ireland
11:30 am
Mr. Barry O'Leary:
We have people in Boston, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Mountain View and Irvine in Orange County, California. We base our business around global teams, with one for the technology sector, life sciences or financial services, for example. They operate under the global business head in Ireland, and that controls the strategy for the sector and resources. If somebody is working in life sciences in Mountain View, that person reports to the head of life sciences rather than a regional director. There are various geographical areas because of the sheer magnitude of the United States.
There is potential to win more foreign direct investment but it is a people-intensive activity and we must build relationships with a multitude of management and companies. We have also made choices, taking people from other areas and moving them to the BRIC countries.