DIGITAL
Pat Daly Director of Economic Development at Limerick City and County Councils, Mike Cantwell CEO Innovate Limerick, Niall O’Callaghan Managing Director at Shannon Heritage, Heather Brunner CEO WP Engine, Stephen Keary Mayor of Limerick City and County, Paul Ryan Director Technical Support WP Engine, Conn Murrary Chief Executive of Limerick Council, Pat Fitzgerald Senior Executive Officer, Economic Development and Planning at Limerick City and County Council
SUPPORT STRUCTURES Throughout
the entire
process from discovery and
consideration, right through to the execution and launch of WP Engine’s Limerick office, IDA Ireland was a vital partner along the entire journey. “Starting an international office anywhere across the
globe can be a daunting endeavour, so you really need a trusted partner to help you navigate the local waters,” states Dobie. “Once we made the decision to locate in Limerick, we
worked closely with IDA Ireland to help us identify the right location, source our talent and work with local government authorities to partner on a number of other strategic and tactical opportunities. Through our partnership, we met with community leaders
in each of the major cities in Ireland and, from those relationships, we gained access to community, university and other business leaders. IDA Ireland was instrumental to our success here and we
are so thankful for the valuable expertise, support and resources that they provided to us. Having just celebrated our first anniversary in Limerick, we look forward to a continued relationship to help accelerate the growth of our team here.”
PROMOTING STEM WP Engine, where women hold five of the eight positions on the leadership team, is a shining example of a company working to address gender inequality. The organisation employs a significant number of women in managerial positions and when asked if enough is being done to encourage women into STEM roles, Brunner believes the challenge is ongoing. “One of our core beliefs
is that companies have to
intentionally embrace diversity,” she says. “This means it has to be an integral part of the DNA of the company, and that includes making sure diversity is represented in roles across the organisation, including engineering and R&D teams.” Brunner adds: “We encourage our team members to
participate in local and industry efforts to build awareness and interest in STEM careers with young women. On a local level, our engineering team in Limerick is involved with local schools to promote an interest in STEM skills for all students.” The company has implemented a peer reviewed ‘double-
blind interview process’ for its engineering and R&D teams to help prevent discrimination when considering applicants. “We pride ourselves on hiring the best employees, facilitating an awesome work environment and encouraging career growth and opportunity,” enthuses Brunner.
intentionally embrace diversity... it has to be an integral part of the DNA of the company.”
10 INNOVATION IRELAN REVIEW “One of our core beliefs is that companies have to
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