Roadshow event led by Employee Ownership Ireland comes to St. Columb’s Hall

Employee Ownership Ireland, a new business alliance which launched last month, has announced it will hold a roadshow event in Derry's St. Columb’s Hall on February 25 2025 at 2.00pm. 

The group is on a mission to increase the uptake of employee ownership here and is encouraging business owners and advisors in the Northwest to come along and learn more about the benefits of Employee Ownership. 

The goal of Employee Ownership Ireland is to support the development of 10,000 employee-owners across Northern Ireland by 2029 and make this the succession model of choice for local business owners.

Supported by charitable grant-making organisation, the DLD fund, Employee Ownership Ireland’s board is comprised of business leaders who themselves have adopted the business model or supported other organisations through the process.

This includes local business leader Ronan Heenan, Director at training and employment organisation, People 1st.

Other members of the board include, Karen Maguire, Founder of Relinea, who has been appointed as chair, Joan McCoy, Director, White Ink Architects, and Anthony McVeigh, CEO, S&W Wholesale; with Employee Ownership Specialists Glen Dott and Andrew Harrison, and Aidan O’Neill, Head of the DLD Fund, who will be advising the board.

Looking ahead to the roadshow events, Aidan explains why the DLD Fund believes employee ownership presents significant benefits to the economy here.

“Essentially Employee Ownership refers to a business model where employees own a significant portion of a company either directly or through establishing trusts. All evidence shows that this approach can increase productivity and employee engagement which is obviously beneficial in terms of overall outputs and profitability.

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“But what makes it so appealing, from a DLD perspective, is that employee ownership is a much more viable way to retain businesses within local communities and secure their long-term sustainability. Many family businesses struggle when it comes to succession planning, so our goal is to present employee ownership as a feasible solution for business continuity.

“Our goal to reach a target of 10,000 employee owners by 2029 may seem to be an ambitious one but we believe that we can provide the right level of support through Employee Ownership Ireland to guide local business owners through this process.”

Speaking about his own experience with the process, Ronan Heenan said: “As a company that recently became an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) we welcome any support and information that can help other businesses navigate the journey and embrace the many benefits that can come from adopting this business model.

“From speaking with other local business leaders in the area, I know many are curious about this approach so I would encourage anyone interested to come along, meet with the board and think seriously about how an EOT can transform their own business practices.”

For more information on the roadshow events, including details on how to register visit www.employeeownershipireland.com.