Financial Services Ireland (FSI)

FSI’s pre-budget submission highlights the integral role played by financial services in Ireland’s economy, and the critical part it will have in reducing our emissions by delivering financing for renewables projects, home retrofits, new infrastructure and much more.   Over the past 30 years, Ireland has become established itself as a global hub for financial services, through ongoing investment, the provision of a business-friendly environment, and its highly skilled workforce. Budget 2025, the Irish Government must deliver the necessary supports to ensure that Ireland remains a competitive location for the sector.   ✔ Enhancing Skills: Government should fund comprehensive upskilling and reskilling initiatives in emerging fields such as digital technology, renewable energy, and advanced financial technologies. This includes partnerships with educational institutions, industry leaders, and government bodies to ensure programmes meet market needs.   ✔ Digital Infrastructure: International financial services in Ireland now extends well beyond the IFSC with 30% of employment outside Dublin. To support continued growth, Ireland must lead in digital infrastructure and cybersecurity. Establishing a national cybersecurity framework and incentivising private sector investments in cybersecurity will send a strong signal to global industry as to how serious Ireland takes these issues.   ✔ Research & Innovation: Increased investment in research and development (R&D) is vital to support Ireland’s position as a global hub for financial services. Enhancing R&D tax credits and supporting the creation of a national fintech hub will help to drive innovation and attract inward investment from multinational firms. A National Fintech Hub, supported by Government, would serve as a launchpad for new fintech ventures in Ireland and a centre for research, innovation, and collaboration.   You can download our full submission here: https://lnkd.in/eSsJ35St #Finance #FinancialServices #Ireland #Budget2025 #Innovation #EnhancingSkills #Cybersecurity #DigitalInfrastructure #ResearchAndDevelopment #FinancialServicesIreland #IFSC  

Led by industry and supported by the Government of Ireland, Financial Services Ireland are a proud supporter of Ireland's Women in Finance Charter which underpins the financial services industry’s ambition to see increased participation of women at all levels, including junior, middle and senior management, leadership and board roles within financial services organisations based in Ireland.   Listen to the latest episode of Ibec Responds, where Sharon Higgins (Executive Director, Membership & Sectors at Ibec) is in conversation with Minister of State with responsibility for Financial Services, Credit Unions and Insurance, Neale Richmond TD Richmond, who recently launched the Second Annual Report of Ireland’s Women in Finance Charter. Firms interested in finding out more about becoming a signatory, please contact info@fsi.ie. The deadline to register as a 2024 signatory is 31 October 2024.

This morning, FSI members had an interesting roundtable discussion with Eric T., Head of Division Digital Euro Product Proposition at the European Central Bank, Anne Marie McKiernan, Director of Financial Operations at the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI), and members of the Digital Euro Project Unit at the CBI on the digital euro. This was a first in a series of engagements on the digital euro. Earlier this morning, Eric Tak explained to RTE’s Morning Ireland listeners the work that is underway in the European Central Bank to develop a digital euro. He explained that the digital euro will have the same characteristic of cash whilst complementing existing digital payments. The aim is that this will be available to everyone in EU, providing high levels of privacy and will be accepted across the Euro zone. Click here to listen to the full interview - https://lnkd.in/eC6W-_d5

Elena Lillo recently discussed the potential impact of the Digital Euro with Joe Brennan from The Irish Times, highlighting its implications for both businesses and consumers. We are excited to welcome representatives from the European Central Bank and the Central Bank of Ireland to our upcoming event on Friday, September 6th, at Ibec, from 11:30 to 13:00. This event will provide members with the opportunity to engage directly with key figures involved in the Digital Euro project. Speakers will include Eric Tak from the ECB and Anne Marie McKiernan from the CBI, alongside the Digital Euro Project Team. Members interested in attending are encouraged to RSVP via this link: https://lnkd.in/epzjQ4Sp

FSI, in partnership with Accenture UK & Ireland, is preparing an in-depth report on the transformative effects of AI on the financial services sector, focusing particularly on Ireland. This report will investigate AI-driven opportunities, evaluate potential risks, propose regulatory updates for AI adoption, and analyse the evolving skill requirements in the AI-driven financial sector.   As part of this report, we are conducting a survey, and your participation would be invaluable to our research. All responses will be kept anonymous.   If you're interested in participating in the survey, please contact matthew.petherbridge@ibec.ie

Speaker Announcement: We are delighted to announce that our below speakers will be joining us at our Aircraft Leasing Ireland (ALI) Global Aviation Sustainability Day Conference at the Round Room in the Mansion House on 12 November. Donal Handley, Head of Government Affairs & Sustainability, AerCap  Jeff Engler, CEO & Co Founder, Wright Electric  Natalya Tueva, Executive Director, Head of Sustainable Finance, Loan Capital Markets EMEA, ESG Advisory & Solutions Hub, SMBC  Sebastian Borel, Chief Commercial Officer, Lilium  Thomas Fowler, Director of Sustainability and Finance, Ryanair  Xiao Liu, Head of Sustainable Loans, EMEA, HSBC The theme of this year’s conference is “Sustainability, is reality biting?”. Over the course of the last two years, aircraft leasing has familiarised itself with the Sustainability agenda. It has been a period of exploring the art of the possible, learning about sustainability regulations and frameworks and committing to an industry sustainability charter. The foundations have now been laid; Sustainability is no longer a new construct but a reality in day-to-day business operations. The goal of the 2024 GASD agenda is to reflect the reality of the opportunities and challenges that Sustainability currently represents within aircraft leasing and the wider aviation industry. Click on the below link for early bird tickets and more information. https://lnkd.in/etzhPdJh  #Sustainability #Aircraftleasing #NetZero #Aviation #Airlines #Aircraft #Aviationconference 

FSI is delighted to welcome representatives from the European Central Bank and the Central Bank of Ireland as speakers at an upcoming event on the digital euro. The event takes place on Friday, September 6th, in Ibec from 11.30 to 13.00. Members who attend will have the opportunity to engage and ask questions as this highly significant development in central bank money moves forward. Speakers on the morning include Eric Tak, Head of Digital Euro Product Proposition at the European Central Bank and Anne Marie McKiernan, Director of Financial Operations at the CBI, and members of the Digital Euro Project Team at the CBI. Further details will be shared in due course. Members who would like to attend are invited to please click on the following link to RVSP their attendance - https://lnkd.in/epzjQ4Sp FSI’s regular programme of events is tailored to offer practical and engaging insights to our members about developments in the financial services industry. We look forward to welcoming attendees to this latest addition to the programme.

A delegation from Financial Services Ireland's (FSI) Executive Board were delighted to meet with Minister for Finance Jack Chambers yesterday to present our Financial Services in Ireland - Global Reach, Local Roots campaign. Under FSI's five strategic pillars, we discussed policy measures that can help keep Ireland an attractive place for Financial Services firms: 1. Cultivating a business-friendly environment 2. Championing sustainable finance 3. Fostering diversity, equity and inclusion 4. Investing in talent development 5. Embracing digitalisation You can read more about our campaign here https://lnkd.in/ePKdAtPk

FSI, together with Insurance Ireland, was pleased to meet with Minister Peter Burke and Dr. Brian Keegan today to discuss key issues affecting the Irish insurance market, including IVASS. The insurance industry is a vital contributor to the Irish economy, both socially and economically. Ireland's insurance sector, the fourth largest in the EU, has long been an international hub, playing a significant role in the broader EU insurance landscape and leading in cross-border services. It is essential for Ireland to maintain its appeal to international insurers. Capital Market Union and a further integration of the EU Single Market are crucial for enhancing the competitiveness of both Ireland and the wider EU.

Our colleagues in IFS Skillnet today launched a new programme - Workforce Returners Programme for Financial Services. Do you know any one who looking to return to work and interested in financial services? This returners programme might just be what they are look for. See post below for more information.