Executive Chair: Ryan Lasmaili of Vaultree
Joining Mandy Johnston to for this week's Executive Chair is Ryan Lasmaili, Chief Strategy Officer & Co-Founder of Vaultree.
May 10, 2025•11 min
Down To Business
Join Bobby Kerr for Ireland's premier business show covering all enterprise-related topics from personal finance to business news.
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Episodes
Conscience Incorporated: Pursue Profits While Protecting Human Rights
While protecting human rights and recognising the importance of marginalised cohorts of societies were features of how society operated in the 2000s, the return of President Trump has ushered in an era where the importance of human rights have taken a back seat. Michael Posner, Lawyer and former United States Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor & author of 'Conscience Incorporated: Pursue Profits While Protecting Human Rights', joins Mandy to discuss.
May 10, 2025•13 min
Industry Review: Whiskey Bars
For this week’s Industry Review, Mandy Johnston wanted to find out about the growth of the “Whiskey Bar”, the idea of a separate bar within a pub tailored to the needs of Irish whiskey fanatics. Joining Mandy to discuss is: · Micheal Casey Manager of The Habour Bar In downings Co.Donegal · Willie Ahern Owner of the Palace Bar Dublin · Eoin Ó Catháin Director of the Irish Whiskey Association
May 10, 2025•20 min
Arnotts' Pitch '24 competition winners, Wink with Mink Lashes
Wink with Mink Lashes won Arnotts' Pitch '24 competition, securing their brand's place in-store and online at Planet Beauty in Arnotts & Brown Thomas, allowing customers to experience Wink with Mink's innovative lash solutions firsthand. Shona Mahon, the owner of Wink and Mink, joins Mandy Johnston to chat about how things are going so far. Pitch ’25 is open to founders, makers, and innovators living in the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland, across fashion, beauty, jewellery, lifestyle...
May 10, 2025•7 min
Weight Watchers files for bankruptcy
This week Weight Watchers filed for bankruptcy. At one point Weight Watchers was the go-to place for those looking to shed the pounds but that was before the advent of Ozempic. Writer with the Guardian Doona Ferguson has been looking at this and joins Mandy Johnston to discuss.
May 10, 2025•11 min
Down to Business Paper Roundup
Joining Mandy Johnston to run through the main stories in the Saturday papers is Linda Daly, Business Reporter with the Sunday Times & Robert Whelan of Rockwell Finance.
May 10, 2025•23 min
Executive Chair: Ashley McDonnell, founder of Ireland Fashion Week
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair this week is Ashley McDonnell, Founder of Tech Powered Luxury & Ireland Fashion Week.
May 03, 2025•12 min
Out & About: The Flight Club
Bobby was out & about at The Flight Club, an establishment that combines a fine cocktail & food menu with high-tech social darts.
May 03, 2025•9 min
Industry Review: Garden Design
When it comes to our green spaces, the more attention we give them, the more we get out of them. And what with the nice weather we’ve been having this week, Bobby thought it would be timely to explore the realities of working in garden design with three of Ireland’s leading lights in this space. Joining Bobby is: Renowned garden designer, Diarmuid Gavin Ingrid Smyth of Ingrid Smyth Garden Design Alan Rudden of Alan Rudden Garden Design...
May 03, 2025•20 min
NASA’s first chief economist, Alex MacDonald
The Global Economic Summit 2025 is taking place at The Europe Hotel in Kerry on 26-28 May. The weekend retreat will host a number of economic heavy hitters from around the globe, including NASA’s first chief economist, Alex MacDonald, who joins Bobby to chat about the economics of space flight.
May 03, 2025•13 min
How is the banking sector faring in these uncertain times?
It's an uncertain time for business with talk of tariffs and trade wars, not to mention that businesses are finding that they need to focus on sustainability, but how are businesses interacting with banks? Michael Lauhoff, Head of Specialist Banking - Corporate & Commercial Banking at Bank of Ireland.
May 03, 2025•8 min
Bobby's Business Roundup with Joan Mulvihill & Stephen O'Leary
Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Stephen O’Leary of Olytico & Joan Mulvihill, Digitization Lead at Siemens.
May 03, 2025•23 min
Industry Review: Bookshops
Bobby's guests this week were Vinny Browne from Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, Liam Donnelly, Bookshop Manager with Hodges Figgis & Louisa Earls, General Manager of Books Upstairs.
Apr 26, 2025•25 min
Executive Chair
Joining Bobby on the Executive Chair this week is Adrienne O'Sullivan - CEO ARAG Legal Protection Ltd
Apr 26, 2025•11 min
Elizabeth Willets, author of Flex, and founder of Investing in Women.
It is sad to say but there is still some hesitancy around allowing women to realise their full potential in the workplace. Elizabeth Willets has made challenging these perceptions and helping women maximize their careers a passion. Her new book Flex is a practical guide in negotiating today’s work spaces where flexible work can become more than a buzz word.
Apr 26, 2025•11 min
Market Turmoil in the US
Bobby spoke to Cliff Taylor of the Irish Times about Market Turmoil in the US
Apr 26, 2025•11 min
Beetroot Farm
Bobby went out to meet Anne Marie Feighery of Feighery's Farm
Apr 26, 2025•12 min
The Business Papers
Susan Hayes Culleton and Declan Ralph sat down with Bobby to talk through all the business stories hitting the headlines.
Apr 26, 2025•18 min
Employees Matter
Zoe Sinclair, founder of Employees Matter, joins Down to Business to share why companies need to take staff wellbeing seriously — and how her work helps bridge the gap between work and life. Listen here.
Apr 19, 2025•10 min
Industry Review: The Hardware Industry
Paul Candon of United Hardware, Sean Moran of Home Project Centre, and Colin Baker of Decwells Expert Hardware join Down to Business for this week’s Industry Review — looking at the hardware and DIY sector amid rising costs and shifting consumer habits. Listen here.
Apr 19, 2025•21 min
Cathal Friel
Cathal Friel, pharmaceutical entrepreneur and founder of Raglan Capital, joins Down to Business to explain why Trump’s trade talk is making waves in Ireland’s life sciences sector. Listen here.
Apr 19, 2025•11 min
Diamond Rocks Café
Bobby visits the Diamond Rocks Café in Kilkee to find out how a seasonal seaside business manages to stay open all year round. Listen here.
Apr 19, 2025•6 min
The Business Pages
Norah Casey, broadcaster and businesswoman, and James Loutit of Impactful Ltd join Down to Business to review the week’s biggest business stories and what’s making the headlines in today’s papers. Listen here.
Apr 19, 2025•20 min
How Will the UK Deal With Trump's Tariffs
Dominc McGrath of the Business Post sits down with Bobby to go through how the UK will cope in the face of President Trump's tariffs. LIsten Here
Apr 19, 2025•6 min
Industry Review: Performance Arts
The performance arts help us to foster creativity, communication, and collaboration while also providing a platform for self-expression and community building. We here in Ireland have a strong tradition in this space, and so Bobby wanted to get a sense of how the next generation of dancers, actors, and musicians are coming along. Joining Bobby to discuss is: Will Wollen, Director & CEO of Gaiety School of Acting Aidan Curran, Music Director with the School of Rock Samantha Lyons, Artistic Di...
Apr 12, 2025•18 min
Executive Chair: Eamonn Brennan
Joining Bobby in the Executive Chair is Eamonn Brennan, former Chief Executive of the Irish Aviation Authority,
Apr 12, 2025•11 min
The Power Trap: How Leadership Changes People & What to Do About It
Power is something that most people strive for in their lives, but it can also be a difficult and sometimes toxic partner that changes everyone who holds it. So, how can we better understand it and have a healthier relationship with it? Nik Kinley, author of 'The Power Trap: How Leadership Changes People, and What to Do About It', joins Bobby to discuss.
Apr 12, 2025•12 min
What's going on with TikTok in the US?
Tech guru Andy O'Donoghue joins Bobby to chat about the looming sale of TikTok’s US operations.
Apr 12, 2025•7 min
Making sense of Trump’s tariffs u-turn
Defying the logic of decades of economic trade policy, Donald Trump had been doubling down on his hugely damaging reciprocal tariff plans. But, in an unforeseen turn of events and with the exception of China, a 90 pause has been initiated, which has given markets a welcome reprieve. Joining Bobby to make sense of it all is Peter Goodman, Global Economic Correspondent with The New York Times & author of ‘How the World Ran Out of Everything: Inside the Global Supply Chain’.
Apr 12, 2025•12 min
Bobby's Business Roundup with Gina London & Robert Whelan
Joining Bobby to go through the main business stories from the Saturday papers is Gina London from The Language of Leadership & Robert Whelan of Rockwell Finance.
Apr 12, 2025•23 min
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