Tech Mahindra, a specialist in digital transformation, consulting and business re-engineering, today opened a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Dublin. The Centre, to be operational in the first quarter of calendar year 2017 will be central to Tech Mahindra’s operations in the country and would focus on emerging technologies such as Robotics and Automation, Business Analytics, Cloud Infrastructure and Digital Services. The new centre would employ around 150 engineers over the next three years.

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Consumers encouraged to check Hallmark on precious metals

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D., today (14th December 2016) published the Hallmarking (Amendment) Bill 2016.

This Bill will update the Hallmarking Act 1981 by adding palladium and mixed precious metals to the list of precious metals that can be hallmarked by the Irish Assay Office, as well as providing for the possibility of off-shore marking by the Irish Assay Office in the future (if it so wishes) and increasing the penalties for offences under the Act.

Commenting on the publication, the Minister stated “Hallmarking of precious metals is the oldest consumer protection legislation in Ireland and dates back almost 400 years. It guarantees the consumers that the object they intend buying is, in fact, the precious metal it claims to be.”

Continuing, the Minister stated that “Expenditure on precious metals by consumers, especially in the run up to Christmas, is often one of the more significant outlays that they undertake during their lives. It is important that they are not misled into buying objects that are not what they claim to be. Consumers should demand to see the hallmark on any precious metal object they wish to buy and report any businesses that do not provide the information required under law.”

Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD today announced that MDO Management Company S.A., a privately held company based in Luxembourg, is to establish a branch in Dublin. MDO Management Company Ireland plans to create 30 roles in risk management, compliance, business development and administration over the next few years.

The company is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation through IDA Ireland.

MDO Management Company currently acts as a management company for over 50 funds (UCITS and AIFs) with assets under management exceeding EUR 22 billion. Incorporated in 2003, MDO delivers quality solutions for management company services, directorships, oversight, risk management and compliance monitoring and is one of the largest independent management companies and substance providers in Luxembourg.

Welcoming the announcement Minister Mary Mitchell O Connor said “the company’s decision to invest in Ireland and locate in Dublin and creating 30 high quality roles represents a further enhancement of Ireland’s thriving Financial Services Sector. I look forward to the success of MDO’s operations here and I am confident that they will get the specialist skills required and that Dublin will represent an exciting new base for the company”

Martin Vogel, CEO of MDO Management Company said, “We are delighted to announce that we are opening a branch of our award winning Management Company in Ireland, to provide a comprehensive range of services to existing and new clients.”

Commenting on the announcement Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland said “Over the last 20 years, Ireland has earned a reputation as a leading jurisdiction for regulated investment funds. MDO Management Company is a welcome addition to the growing cluster within IDA’s Financial Services portfolio of companies active in managing and servicing alternative funds.”

MDO Management Company, Ireland will be headed up by Richard Dinn, formerly Investor Services Sales Head for Northern and Eastern Europe at Citi. Richard, who has spent the majority of his career at Citi in London and Dublin with EMEA wide remits, brings over 20 years of experience to MDO Management Company, Ireland.

Martin Vogel added, “We are very pleased to have Richard heading up our operation in Ireland. Richard has great enthusiasm and a proven track record, successfully managing and delivering solutions to clients globally. We are looking forward to a bright future for our operations in Ireland and Luxembourg.”

BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), a leading global medical technology company, today announced its plans to open a new research and development (R&D) Centre of Excellence in Limerick and bring 100 new jobs to the city.

Attending the announcement in Limerick, Minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor said: “The Life Sciences sector makes a huge contribution to the Irish economy in terms of jobs and exports, and is one of our fastest growing sectors. BD’s decision to open this new Research and Development Centre of Excellence is a great vote of confidence in Ireland and brings an additional 100 high quality jobs to Limerick. Every job created has a positive impact on a family and wider community. This new project builds on our existing cluster of Life Sciences companies in this region and is very welcome. The Mid West has a very skilled talent pool and this amongst other benefits is attracting some of the big players to the region. I wish BD’s team every success for the future.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, who also attended the announcement, said: “Today’s announcement by BD of 100 jobs makes me very proud of Limerick. The company will now begin the process of giving 100 highly skilled workers the opportunity to improve their own lives through employment and also contribute in a meaningful way to the growth of this world class company. This is the latest in a series of quality jobs announcements in Limerick and is a further endorsement of the people of Limerick, the city itself and the top class educational institutions. I welcome BD to Limerick and wish the company and their people every success as they build and grow their operation here.”

Welcoming the new project, Minister of State Pat Breen TD said “We are very keen to pursue opportunities for Investment and Job Creation in the medical technologies sector. Here in the Mid West we have an exciting cluster of such companies and BD is blazing a trail with this new expansion project. Today’s announcement represents further instalment in a sequence of a terrific run of job creation announcements in this region over recent months. These projects reflect the ongoing success of the Government’s Regional Action Plan for Jobs for the Mid West, which is delivering strongly for this area”.

Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland said: “I’m delighted to see BD expand its operations in Limerick, establishing its first Centre of Excellence in Ireland at the National Technology Park. It’s a strong endorsement of Limerick and the Mid West region as an excellent location for global Med Tech companies. The 100 new jobs being created will be a significant boost for the city and region. I wish BD every success with this new project.”
BD has invested significantly in Irish Jobs and the Irish economy since 1964 with two sites in Drogheda and Dun Laoghaire, employing more than 500 people in highly skilled positions. With the recent acquisition of GenCell Biosystems Limited in Limerick, the number of BD employees in Ireland has risen to nearly 600.

The €21 million investment in the new Centre of Excellence includes an extensive renovation of the former UniGolf facility in the National Technology Park. Once completed, it is planned to house more than 200 high-tech positions, which includes more than 100 BD jobs that already exist in Limerick and the 100 new positions.

The project is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation through Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Ireland.

The BD Limerick Centre of Excellence will initially be focused on product and software development, clinical research instrumentation and prototype development, primarily for the company’s Life Sciences businesses.

Ellen Strahlman, MD, MHSc, Executive Vice President R&D and Chief Medical Officer for BD said: “Ireland is an important part of our growth plans, and the Limerick Centre of Excellence is foundational in our objective to build an agile, world-class global organization to deliver an R&D portfolio that drives growth. This will require significant hiring of R&D associates, collaboration with local universities and the development of new technical capabilities.

“Areas served by activities and products arising from our new R&D Centre of Excellence will include the fields of microbiology and molecular biology, clinical and cellular research analysis, and industrial microbiology.

“Customers will include hospitals, laboratories and clinics, reference laboratories, industrial laboratories, physicians’ office practices, alternate site health care, academic and government institutions, and research facilities. Limerick will be very important for our strategic growth.”

Acacia Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACIA), a leading provider of high-speed coherent optical interconnect products, today announced that it has established headquarters in Limerick, Ireland, for its Europe, Middle East, Africa, Asia Pacific (EMEA-APAC operations. The company anticipates that its EMEA-APAC headquarters will create thirty new jobs in Limerick. The project is supported by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation through the Industrial Development Agency (IDA) Ireland.

Acacia’s corporate headquarters are located in Maynard, Massachusetts, and its workforce is predominantly located in the United States. The Limerick facility will offer geographic diversity making it easier for Acacia to interact with its customers and suppliers in the EMEA-APAC regions. As such, the Limerick facility will primarily support functions such as sales, supply chain, and finance.

“Ireland’s highly-skilled workforce, expansive infrastructure and pro-business environment, specifically in the Limerick area, makes it an ideal location for Acacia’s EMEA-APAC headquarters,” said Colm Cryan, Managing Director of Acacia’s Irish subsidiary. “We are delighted to be here and appreciate the welcome that we have received from the local agencies and companies.”

Welcoming the new investment by Acacia Communications, Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation, Mary Mitchell O’Connor said, “This is a great boost for Limerick and the Mid West region and it fits well with my remit to ensure a good spread of jobs across Ireland. These are exactly the kind of high quality technical jobs that we seek to attract and it is a strong vote of confidence for Ireland that Acacia has decided to establish its headquarters for the EMEA-APAC area here. We have a thriving ICT sector here, which we are keen to expand, especially into new niche areas and Acacia’s decision fits perfectly with the Government’s job creation strategy.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland, said: “IDA is delighted to see this growing and highly innovative company establish its EMEA-APAC headquarters in Limerick. This investment represents a valuable addition to the telecommunications sector in Ireland. It also enhances Limerick’s reputation as an excellent location for high growth technology companies, which increases the potential for future such investment in the region. I wish Acacia every success.”

The Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Ms. Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, today officially launched a new Employment Permits Online System (EPOS).

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