Northwest Connects 2009 brought together over 120 entrepreneurs, innovators and business people

Speed-networking kicked off the day

Speed Networking continues

Signing up for the 5x5 talks

Speaker Seamus Farrell of SF Engineering during his talk

Rob Martin of Infacta speaking on e-mail marketing

Johnny Beirne speaking to audience at NWC09

Thanks to Colin Gillen of Framelight.ie Photography for covering the event. We will be uploading pictures to a permanent spot on the site shortly

The one-day conference aims to connect local creativity, innovation and regional networks and will showcase the expertise in the region through panel discussions and seminars.

Seamus Farrell, MD of SF Engineering, and Sligo Chamber of Commerce Business Person of the Year, is today confirmed as another speaker for the event. Farrell adds to an impressive and dynamic range of speakers that have been confirmed so far including Drury Communications MD, Padraig McKeon; Robert Martin, CEO of local award-winning e-marketing solutions company Infacta; Innovation and Social Media Consultant, Johnny Beirne; Surf Seeds MD, Tim Rooney; and Justin Knecht of the Centre of Design Innovation.

Northwest Connects acts at a grassroots level to promote innovation, learning and networking for the region. Entrepreneurs, innovators and people with business ideas are registered to attend the event this Saturday in Sligo.

The conference has a strong education and innovation theme, with many networking opportunities set up, three streams of speakers throughout the day and informative and set-to-be lively panel discussions throughout the afternoon.

The conference is being organised by members of Open Coffee Sligo, a casual networking group who are eager to highlight the creative and innovative work of companies and individuals in the North West Region.

Padraig McKeon is Managing Director of Drury, one of larger public relations and communications companies in the Irish market. He has worked as a communications advisor for almost 25 years both in Ireland and overseas during which time he has advised and represented companies in almost every sector, of every size and every profile of ownership or management.

He looks on communications not just as the publicity piece ‘at the end’ but actually as a core skill that should be planned into every part of any business from the smallest to the biggest and which will hugely benefit those businesses that do.

’Farming Out’ – Cultivating a product design and manufacturing network in the northwest.
11.30am//Share Stream//Full Schedule

Leo Scarff Design is a creative studio involved in lighting, furniture and sculptural structures. We work to commission for architects, interior designers, commercial business and private clients as well as promoting a collection of in-house products available to order direct from the studio.
Established in 1997, we have completed a diverse range of projects from office, retail, hospitality, display, and domestic furniture as well as many lighting installations. Ingenuity, quality, functionality, cost effectiveness and environmental responsibility are some of our design criteria.