Down To Business

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Maurice Pratt, Chairman at Uniphar Group.

We all know life is all about choices. Those sliding door moments when we find our lives changing direction for any number of reasons, explained or not. Johan Depraetere thinks these moments can be deeply enriching and that life isn’t like a box of chocolates but more like a bag of gummy bears. He joins Bobby to chat about his new book, Pick Your Gummy Bear: Lessons from my biggest life choices.

One of the consequences of the Middle East war is the way Dubai and the wider Emirates region have fallen off an economic cliff. From its status as the premium airline hub to trying to attract world-class sporting events, the war has disrupted the Emirati economy at lightning speed. We also know that many Irish people have decided to make the Gulf region their home while building their careers. So what is it like for them as the war enters its fourth week? Paul Kearns is an Irish journalist based in the region, and he joins Bobby to discuss.

Art Evolve is Ireland's newest contemporary art fair, set for its 2nd year in Dublin at the RDS from March 27th to 29th. Bobby went out and about to find out what the dos and don'ts are when it comes to buying art.

We have a long and proud history of furniture making in Ireland - much of it defined by a balance of heritage and contemporary design. With craftspeople across the country shaping this distinctive identity, Bobby thought for this week’s Industry Review, he’d look to find out more about this fascinating line of work. Joining Bobby to discuss is: ● Dave Pettigrew of Irish Woodcraft in Meath ● Tricia Harris of Studio Harris from Killarney ● Paul O’Brien, Furniture Designer and Maker at Modet

Sean Blair is the author of the new book ‘Systems Synergy: Developing Human Intelligence That AI Cannot Replace’. He joins Bobby to tell him all about it.

Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers are Ciara McDonagh of Healy Communications and Declan Ralph of BWG Foods.

O’Flaherty Stone has been shaping, carving & creating stone for generations. Bobby took a trip out to their Wicklow workshop to find out all about the business.

This week saw a report that was looking at the future of Irish industrial policy and its reliance on FDI. Bobby is joined by John Fitzgerald, Adjunct Professor of Economics at TCD, to discuss.

Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Rory King, Founder of Rory’s Travel Club.