Former rugby pundit Brent Pope with Jim Barry.

New captains take the helm

Taking place on 20 & 21 October in Ballymaloe, it’s an event for 24 emerging entrepreneurs to gain unparalleled access, advice and mentoring from 24 of Ireland’s most successful business leaders over 24 hours.

Jim Barry of The Barry Group and Rena Maycock of Cilter Technologies will take on the role of captains of the 2023 Entrepreneur Experience. They replace Pete Smyth of Broadlake who captained the Entrepreneur Experience for the past 10 years.

Larry O’Donoghue, CEO, CorkBIC commented that “CorkBIC couldn’t be happier with our new Entrepreneur Experience captains. Jim has been a long-time supporter of the Entrepreneur Experience, mentoring numerous companies during and after the event. Rena is a past participant of the Entrepreneur Experience and hugely passionate about the impact the event can have on emerging entrepreneurs. Jim and Rena will make a formidable team.”

Jim Barry, Barry Group said: “I am delighted to be co-captaining the 2023 CorkBIC Entrepreneur Experience with Rena Maycock. This is an event that I’m passionate about and have immensely enjoyed over the years. I look forward to leading the established entrepreneurs and sharing our wisdom and guidance, while encouraging the emerging entrepreneurs to challenge their business strategies and open their minds to new possibilities.

“This is an incredible opportunity for any business founder to learn from the experiences of some of Ireland’s most successful entrepreneurs and further propel their business in its journey to success. I look forward to participating in this high energy event."

Rena Maycock, Cilter said: “When I attended the Entrepreneur Experience, I couldn't have imagined how it would accelerate my journey in business through guidance, information and connections. It is an incredible honour to be asked to take over from Pete Smyth and I can only endeavour to fill those big boots and do justice to the role.”

For the Entrepreneur Experience, CorkBIC has partnered with Cork City Council, Cork County Council, Grant Thornton, Broadlake, William Fry and The Currency. Applications are now open.