Business

Economy 'will be driven by leaders who see uncertainty as exciting'

Kevin Kelly (right) from the Management & Leadership Network is joined by Dr Judith Gillespie CBE and Professor Neil Gibson, who will both speak at the Management & Leadership Summit (www.mln.org.uk/summit) at Titanic Belfast this Friday. Photo: Michael Cooper
Kevin Kelly (right) from the Management & Leadership Network is joined by Dr Judith Gillespie CBE and Professor Neil Gibson, who will both speak at the Management & Leadership Summit (www.mln.org.uk/summit) at Titanic Belfast this Friday. Photo: M Kevin Kelly (right) from the Management & Leadership Network is joined by Dr Judith Gillespie CBE and Professor Neil Gibson, who will both speak at the Management & Leadership Summit (www.mln.org.uk/summit) at Titanic Belfast this Friday. Photo: Michael Cooper

LEADERS who see challenges as exciting will be the ones that deliver economic success at times of uncertainty, EY's Ireland chief economist Neil Gibson will tell businesspeople in Belfast this Friday.

He will chair the SuMMit event at Titanic Belfast (www.mln.org.uk/summit), which has been organised by the Management & Leadership Network (MLN) as the pinnacle of the 2019 Management Month Festival.

Areas the event will focus on include opportunity-seizing, resilience, change, and agility with key contributors including Ryder Cup winning captain Paul McGinley, former senior PSNI officer Dr Judith Gillespie CBE and international cyber security expert Paul C Dwyer.

Mr Gibson said: “It may feel like businesses are operating in an unprecedented era of uncertainty but, in reality, the business world is always uncertain.

“New threats are emerging to business models and new competitors are appearing from all corners of the globe requiring increased levels of vigilance and preparedness.

“The one constant in dealing with a lack of certainty is the need for strong leadership, indeed it is strong leaders who can help navigate through periods of uncertainty and turn apparent challenges into opportunities.

“The data tells us that most people who want a job now have one, and the data also tells us there are a long list of economic and social problems that need addressed in Northern Ireland and across the world.

“Leaders who view these problems as exciting problems to solve, who can think innovatively about where to find the talent their businesses need and who can inspire people to perform better than they believed possible will be the leaders that will drive the economy forward and through whatever choppy waters lie ahead.”

MLN’s Kevin Kelly said: “The successful organisations and leaders, locally and internationally, look at uncertainty through a lens of opportunity. Now is not a time for our managers and leaders to be watch, wait and worry. It is a time for seeking out fresh perspectives and acting upon them.

“We have put together a line-up of world-class performers, disruptive thinkers and resilient leaders who will share insights and experiences designed to help attendees shift perspective, see the opportunity and then galvanise them to seize it."