Picture: Peter Mc Grane -BASSE Program Manager, The Mill Enterprise Hub, Shona McManus, Osborne Recruitment and Board Member The Mill Enterprise Hub, Ambassador Kara Owen and Ronan Whitty CEO The Mill Enterprise Hub
British Ambassador to Ireland Kara Owen visited Drogheda on Thursday to take part in the first Business Beyond Borders UK event.
The event was hosted by The Mill Enterprise Hub in partnership with Skillnet Innovation Exchange at Coca-Cola Ireland’s Drogheda Operations office.
It brought together founders, SMEs, business leaders and organisations from across the North East and beyond to explore opportunities linked to growth, investment, innovation and expansion into the UK market.
The event marked the sixth edition of the Business Beyond Borders series organised by The Mill Enterprise Hub and the first to focus specifically on the UK market.
The Business Beyond Borders series forms part of a wider initiative connected to The Mill’s BASSE Programme, which stands for Business Advantage Sustainability, Scaling and Expansion.
The programme is designed to support ambitious founder-led businesses across the North East region through scaling, sustainability, leadership development, and international growth opportunities.
As part of the visit, The Mill Enterprise Hub organised for Ambassador Owen to spend time in Drogheda and connect directly with local businesses and entrepreneurs from the region.
Ambassador Owen expressed a strong interest in visiting Drogheda and engaging with the local business community to better understand the innovation, ambition and enterprise activity taking place across the North East.
During the event, Ambassador Owen met with a wide range of ambitious Irish companies spanning sectors including technology, manufacturing, food and beverage, engineering, sustainability and digital innovation.
British Ambassador Kara Owen said:
“The UK and Ireland have a long-standing and deeply connected business relationship, and it is inspiring to see the level of innovation and ambition coming from companies across this region.”
Owen Desmond, Strategic Finance Director at Coca-Cola, said:
“We are delighted to support initiatives that bring businesses and communities together. It was a pleasure to welcome so many business leaders and entrepreneurs to Coca-Cola Drogheda today, and we are proud to support The Mill Enterprise Hub and the Skillnet Innovation Exchange in the important work they are doing to help businesses grow and scale across the region.”
Ronan Whitty, CEO of The Mill Enterprise Hub, said:
“Business Beyond Borders was created to help ambitious Irish businesses build meaningful international connections and explore real opportunities for growth. To welcome the British Ambassador to Drogheda for our first UK-focused event was a significant moment for both the region and the wider business community.”
Sinead O’Riordan, Head of Channel Partnerships at Skillnet Innovation Exchange, said:
“Business Beyond Borders continues to create valuable opportunities for ambitious Irish businesses to connect, collaborate, and explore new markets. We are delighted to partner with The Mill Enterprise Hub on this initiative and to support businesses across the North-East.”
Picture: Melissa Murphy Senior Director, Coca Cola, Ambassador Kara Owen, Owen Desmond Strategic Finance Director, Coca-Cola:
BASSE North East is supported by Enterprise Ireland through the Smart Regions Enterprise Innovation Scheme and co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Southern, Eastern and Midland Regional Programme 2021–2027, Southern Regional Assembly, and Northern and Western Regional Assembly.
