Queen’s University Belfast Professor John Turner, co-author of The CEO: The Rise and Fall of Britain’s Captains of Industry, will join other leading business figures and academics later this month at Belfast Chamber’s Productivity Summit to explore how stronger leadership, skills and workplace culture can help tackle Northern Ireland’s productivity challenge.
The annual summit, held in association with Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and supporting partner AAB, will take place at Riddel Hall on Wednesday 23rd September.
Centred on the theme of people and leadership, the event will examine how organisations can create workplaces in which people thrive, leaders inspire and businesses unlock greater productivity through culture, capability and performance.
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Drawing on his research into the history and influence of Britain’s leading business figures, Professor Turner, Professor of Finance and Financial History at QUB, will explore the changing role of the CEO and what the successes and failures of some of the country’s most prominent business leaders can teach today’s organisations about effective leadership.
Special guest Dr David Jordan, Lecturer in Economics at Queen’s University Belfast, will also examine the current productivity landscape in Northern Ireland and the critical role that effective management and leadership can play in driving long-term economic growth.
Speaking ahead of the event, Lynsey Mallon, President of Belfast Chamber, said:
“Productivity is one of the defining challenges facing our economy, but enhancing productivity is not only about technology, investment, or processes. It is also about people - how we lead, how we develop talent, and how we create working environments in which individuals and teams can perform at their best.
“The Productivity Summit provides an important opportunity for business leaders to step back and consider what more can be done to build the skills, culture and leadership capability needed to create more productive and resilient organisations. By sharing insights and learning from one another, we can all play our part in strengthening productivity across Belfast and the wider Northern Ireland economy.”
Attendees will also hear from business leaders on the importance of putting people and leadership at the heart of high-performing organisations, with discussions exploring how businesses can build stronger teams, develop effective leaders and improve performance.
The first of two panel sessions, ‘The Productivity Trap – How are leaders enabling high performance?’, will include contributions from Feargal McCormack, Senior Partner and Head of Family Business at AAB, Maeve Monaghan, CEO of NOW Group, and Joe O’Neill, CEO of Belfast Harbour. The second, ‘Investing in skills to unlock the productivity hiding within your workplace’, will feature Tony Marron, Managing Director at Liberty IT, Rajesh Rana, Director at Andras Hotels, and Michele Hanley, HR Director at Energia Group.
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Dr David Jordan, Lecturer in Economics at Queen’s University Belfast, added:
“Northern Ireland’s productivity challenge is complex, but the quality of management and leadership is an important part of the picture. Events such as the Belfast Chamber Productivity Summit enhance understanding of how organisations can better support their people, strengthen capability and improve performance to close the productivity gap and support sustainable economic growth.”
Emer Hinphey, Partner at AAB, said:
“AAB is pleased to support Belfast Chamber’s Productivity Summit and to be part of an important conversation around the role of people and leadership in building stronger, more productive businesses. Bringing together business leaders and academic experts provides a valuable opportunity to share ideas, learn from one another and consider how we can collectively address Northern Ireland’s productivity challenge.”
The summit will provide attendees with a valuable opportunity to explore practical approaches to leadership, people development and organisational performance, while considering the wider role businesses can play in unlocking Northern Ireland’s productivity potential and supporting long-term economic growth.
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