Planet announces 100 New Jobs for Galway

Global software and Payments leader, Planet, has announced it will create 500 new jobs globally, over the coming months of which 100 will be based in Ireland. The new jobs in Ireland will be a blend of hybrid and remote working roles across a variety of sectors including Product Development, Technology and Finance and will be located in Galway, Kilkenny and Dublin.

Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Minister Hildegarde Naughton said: “This announcement is great news for the city of Galway, where Planet is headquartered. We expect these 100 new jobs will have a great impact on the city and further excel Galway’s reputation as a great city for business and innovation.”

Planet was founded in Galway in 1985 by Aidan Daly, Jim Ward & Gerry Barry as Cashback Ltd. The founders worked together at NUIG, a connection which fostered a spirit of innovation and development that facilitated the group’s development. Their headquarters in Galway, from where the business was established in 1985, serves as the base of many core group functions including Product Development and Testing, Quality Assurance, Legal, HR, Treasury, Finance and Marketing Functions.

Planet was initially created to help international shoppers get their money back when they shopped overseas, simplifying a previously complex payment process and becoming the first company to introduce the innovative Double Sale System that completely eliminates back office admin for merchants. The 90s saw the business expand throughout Europe, launching in France and then opening operations in the United Kingdom, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and Poland. This expansion continued at an impressive rate across Europe and Globally for the next three decades, acquiring several other payment services along the way, eventually unified under the name Planet in 2018.

In recent years Planet has spearheaded the creation of a single end-to-end digital platform that allows retail and hospitality businesses support unified shopper journeys across all channels, including complex processes, such as click and collect, shop and ship, and advanced return management. This unique ability to deliver all a business’s payments requirements on a single device and under a single business offers the ability to reduce costs and drive revenue and has set Planet apart from traditional acquirers in the field.

In 2021 Planet secured investment from Private Equity Payment Specialist Advent International and Eurazeo valuing the business at €1.8 Billion and in 2022 have combined with Proximis, Datatrans, protel Hotel software and Hoist Group, to create a unique vertical technology provider for commerce enablement.

Galway native and President of Retail at Planet, Peter Daly said: “We are delighted with this expansion, and proud that our teams in Ireland will continue to be driving force developing the most innovative solutions for merchants globally.”

The enlarged group now employs more than 2,500 staff in 120 markets. It serves more than 600,000 merchants and 100 partner banks, managing in excess of 800 million transactions worth more than €50 billion in value. Their partner brands include The Radisson, Hilton and Marriot Hotels as well as International Retailers such as Gucci, Giorgio Armani, Furla, Bottega Veneta, Coach, Ecco Shoes and Hugo Boss as well as the majority of retail businesses and tourist attractions on the Island of Ireland.