Minister Troy appoints Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum
- Published on: 4 May 2022
- Last updated on: 12 April 2025
Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy, has today established and chaired the new Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum.
The Forum will support the government in driving the digitalisation of enterprise across Ireland. The Forum brings together representatives of indigenous enterprise, multi-national enterprises, and experts in digital technologies and their adoption by enterprise.
Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation, Robert Troy, said:
"Digital technologies are more and more becoming part of our everyday lives. The digital economy presents huge opportunities for Irish SMEs to improve services, enhance customer experience, and increase competitiveness. I want to support those Irish businesses to make that transition; to build on the positives of the past two years and continue to embrace digitalisation and all it can offer. By doing this, we can future proof our economy in the years ahead.
"I am determined to drive a real step change in the level of digitalisation across all enterprises - by 2030, I want 90% of SMEs to have achieved basic digital intensity. I look forward to chairing the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum which will be crucial to supporting Government to encourage this change. With the insights of the experts on the Forum, we can work to help realise the benefits of those technologies for Irish enterprise of all sizes."
Notes
The establishment of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum is a commitment in both the AI –Here for Good: A National AI Strategy for Ireland and Ireland’s National Digital Strategy, Harnessing Digital: The Digital Ireland Framework.
The Forum will also support the implementation of the enterprise aspects of an overall National Digital Strategy. It will provide an important setting for enterprise to be able to provide feedback to Government on various challenges and opportunities they identify in relation to digitalisation. This information can then be shared across Government using the structures provided for in the National Digital Strategy.
Positions on the Forum were filled following an open expression of interest call and assessment process.
Members of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum
| Name | Job title/Role | Organisation |
| Allan Beechinor | CEO | Altada Technology Solutions |
| Aidan Kehoe | CEO | Skout/Barracuda |
| Terri O’Donovan | Digital and Technology Site Lead | Janssen Sciences Ireland UC |
| Barry O'Brien | Government and Regulatory Affairs | IBM |
| Barry O'Sullivan | Director | Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics, UCC |
| DC Cahalane | Partner | Jolt Venture Studio |
| Edward McDonnell | Director | CeADAR |
| Eoin Costello | Project Director | Digital HQ |
| John Clancy | CEO | Chatspace |
| Kathryn O'Donovan | Government Affairs and Public Policy | |
| Kieran McCorry | National Technology Officer | Microsoft Ireland |
| Lorraine Higgins | Secretary General | Digital Business Ireland |
| Patricia Scanlon | Founder | SoapBox Labs |
| Shona D'Arcy | Founder | Kids Speech Labs |
| Tanya Thompson | CTO | Sluamor Ltd |
| Erik O’Donovan | Head of Digital Policy | Ibec |
- Minister of State for Trade Promotion, Digital and Company Regulation (Chair)
- Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment
- Department of the Taoiseach
- IDA Ireland
- Enterprise Ireland
- LEO Centre of Excellence
The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (DETE) plays a key role in implementing the government’s policies of stimulating the productive capacity of the economy and creating an environment which supports job creation and maintenance. The department has lead responsibility for Irish policy on global trade and inward investment and a remit to promote fair competition in the marketplace, protect consumers and safeguard workers.
For further information please contact Press Office, D/Enterprise, Trade and Employment, press.office@enterprise.gov.ie or (01) 631-2200.