Breakfast Business

Private markets contain less well known companies which do not float on the stock exchanges and are therefore not subject to filing quarterly returns nor some other rules.   But according to Elkstone’s State of Private Markets report, the giant private equity houses such as Blackstone and KKR are getting the lion's share of all investment flowing into these private markets.  Speaking to Joe this morning was Karl Rogers the Chief Investment Officer for Elkstone. 

Tuesday's business news review along with Joe Lynam,

There aren’t many kitchens in Ireland that don’t have devices or machines made by DeLonghi. The Italian coffee machine-maker also owns global brands such as Kenwood and Braun. They have benefited from the surge in popularity of frothy coffees. Susan Coleman is the Chief Executive of Delonghi Ireland and Susan joined Joe this morning on the show.

You’ve heard of the Cat laughs in Kilkenny and you may have heard of Kilcenomics which merges comedy with Economics but now you may need to get your head around comedy and the legal profession because this coming weekend will be the first Kilkenny Law Festival. The idea is to bring the law to a wider audience and perhaps dispel some of its reputation for stuffiness and being aloof. One of the main organisers is Mark Tottenham, who presents the podcast: The Fifth Court and Mark joined Joe on the show this morning,

Monday's big business stories along with Joe Lynam and Ross Mould.

Artificial intelligence is fuelling a rise in hard to detect bots, that now make up more than half of global internet traffic. That's according to the 2025 Imperva Bad Bot Report.Speaking to Emmet this morning was Rob Elliss, Vice President of EMEA for Thales Cybersecurity Products. 

Aidan Donnelly from Davy takes a look at Friday's business new headlines along with Emmet Oliver.

The UK and US have agreed trade deal terms with Keir Starmer's government agreeing to concessions on American food and agriculture to ease tariffs on car exports   Speaking to Emmet Oliver this morning with more on this was Professor of Finance Valerio Poti, Academic Director of the UCD Smurfit School Doctoral Program and Doctoral Research Centre.

Sinead Donovan used to chair Grant Thornton under whose tenure the consultants went from 60 to 3000 staff.  Sinead Donovan was also the president of Chartered Accountants Ireland as it merged with CPA Ireland and now she’s with the headhunters Barden as a non Executive Director.  I’ve asked Sinead to join us to talk about what boardrooms in Ireland should be thinking about amid some of the most uncertain economic environments since Covid shut us all down 5 years ago. 

This time 5 years ago most of us were working from home and amazingly it worked. Technology enabled us to do jobs without being face to face.  But now that the virus has abated many employers want their staff in the office.  But they have to offer incentives and make the workplace more attractive - especially Gen Zs.  Savills have carried out a comprehensive survey of what people want at work and how much commuting they will tolerate.  To discuss the survey findings was Shane Duffy is a Director with Savills Ireland. 

Thursday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

An Irish founded company Limbo has a new weight loss scheme which involves monitoring your glucose levels and food consumption tailored to each individual’s biology. And it claims that you will lose 12% of your body weight over 3 months.  They’re chaired by the serial entrepreneur Pat Phelan and have the backing of the basketball giant Shaquille O’Neal and the former rugby captain Jamie Heaslip.  Rurik Bradbury the Chief Executive of Limbo joined Joe on the show this morning.

Wednesday's business news headlines along with Joe Lynam.

Do you feel 78% wealthier than just before the Celtic Tiger crash?  Well you should because on average on paper you are.  That's according to research from the consultants Fordel, who also say that the average household has net wealth of €663,000.  Of course much of that wealth is tied up in housing and that’s why no country in Europe has grown its average wealth as fast as Ireland over the past 11 years.   Speaking to Joe this morning was Stephen Felle the Chief Executive of Fordel. 

The international film making circuit was rocked over the weekend when Donald Trump said he would be slapping 100% tariffs on US-owned TV and film production companies who don't make their movies in America.  The American filming making sector made a $15.3bn surplus last year.  There are plenty of people in Ireland worried this week.  Speaking to Joe this morning wasJohn Gleeson is tax partners with Saffery which advises the likes of Netflix and Disney on filming in Britain or Ireland.  

Tuesday's business news review along with Joe Lynam.

To the surprise of almost no one in the pensions industry, Ireland’s auto enrolment scheme has been delayed again.  This time to the start of next year. It’s designed to get the less well off saving for their retirement. But a new survey from Red C suggests that women are far less likely to have heard of the new scheme than men and they are the ones who will need more money in their dotage. With more on this Joe spoke to Teresa Kelly Oroz, Head of Public Policy and Governance with Irish Life.

The sustained cost of living increases in recent years have changed how consumers behave. They are increasingly looking for so-called “private labels“ to find value and quality. And a survey from EY suggests that consumers still like shopping in the traditional bricks and motorway rather than online. Joe discusses these findings with Colette Devey, EY. Consumer Partner.

John Cashman is the first legal whiskey maker from Co Wicklow.  He makes the Fercullen 15 year old single grain whiskey on the Powerscourt estate and that’s now a recent award winner of the prestigious Worlds Best Grain category.  But with Donald Trump slapping tariffs on all European imports and threats out there to hike that up to 200%, many in the whiskey sector are pausing or reducing output all over Ireland.  John Cashman the Head of Brand at the Powerscourt distillery and a recent whiskey Hall of Fame inductee spoke to Joe this morning all about this business.

Friday's business news headlines and markets along with Kate English from Deloitte and Joe Lynam.