Cork business leaders to learn keys to successful decision making in the digital age

Cork’s business leaders are to learn the keys to successful decision making in today’s complex, fast-moving digital age at the CIMA annual conference on Saturday, 7 May in Douglas, Co Cork.

Titled “The future of finance; leadership challenges in a digital world”, the conference, sponsored by IT multinational EMC and recruitment company Morgan McKinley, will focus on the findings of two recent CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant) reports that cite collaborative partnership between management accountants and business managers as drivers of innovation, increased performance and evidence-based decision making in changing technological environments.

Speaking ahead of the conference, Sheila Lewis, Chair, CIMA Ireland, said: “In today’s Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous (VUCA) world of business, it is the quality of decision making that allows a business to respond to threats and opportunities more swiftly than its competitors. Digitisation both threatens and transforms business models and will change the world of work. How we integrate it into our decision making is key to unlocking business success.”

The conference will be chaired by Gerard Walsh, Director, Grant Thornton; and feature talks from Simon Henry, CFO of Three Ireland; Aongus Hegarty, President of Dell EMEA; and Deirdre O’Connor, MD of Global Asset Management and former MD of Goldman Sachs.

Bob Savage, Vice President and Managing Director of EMC Centres of Excellence EMEA and head of EMC Ireland, said: “Today’s technology-driven world is complex and fast-moving. To succeed in such an environment, companies and their leadership teams must focus on pooling knowledge and resources to develop business in the most efficient and effective ways.

“By collaborating with experts, businesses in Cork and across Ireland are likely to be much more informed in their decision making and more keenly aware of factors influencing business, like new technology. This will allow them to remain competitive on a national and global stage.”

Bryan Hyland, Operations Director, Morgan McKinley, said: “Morgan McKinley are again delighted to be associated with CIMA’s annual conference in Cork. We have a long-standing partnership with the Institute and are always impressed by the work the Institute does in developing young professionals through their training and continuous development programs. CIMA has and continues to be recognised as an Institute that produces well trained accountancy professionals who are qualified academically and practically. Employers know when they hire a CIMA-qualified accountant they are hiring a commercial and qualified professional who will add value to their organisation in the ever-changing and challenging business world. ”