9.00 am: Registration & Networking
Teas, coffees, pastries

9.30 am: Welcome
Denis Cremin, Associate Director - Munster, Sigmar Recruitment

9.40 am: The Cork Conversation
In this session, we move beyond generic global predictions to tackle the specific economic and cultural realities facing the Munster region today. Together our panel will dissect the most pressing challenges for Cork employers, from talent retention in a highly competitive landscape to adapting to shifting workplace dynamics. Attendees will gain a macro and micro view of how global economic shifts are directly impacting Cork’s local business ecosystem and talent pool, while also exploring the power of entrepreneurial agility—delivering lessons on adaptability and innovation from the startup world that businesses of all sizes can apply.

Panel:

• Kate English, Chief Economist, Deloitte

• Fiona Parfrey, Co-founder, Riley

• Denis Cremin, Associate Director, Sigmar Recruitment (Moderator)
  
  

10.10 am: Are leaders being set up to fail in the future of work?
We’re asking more of managers than ever before. They need to deliver results, manage performance, motivate teams and hit KPIs, while also supporting people through the very human challenges that inevitably show up at work. And expectations are rising.
69% of Irish employees say workplace wellbeing has become more important to them over the past two to three years, while Platform55 research found that 8 in 10 managers don’t feel confident or equipped to navigate sensitive conversations at work. So, are we giving managers the skills they need to succeed? This practical, thought-provoking session explores how we can equip leaders to balance empathy with accountability: supporting someone through a difficult time while still managing performance, knowing what to say when conversations get sensitive, understanding where their responsibility ends, and protecting their own capacity along the way. Because the future of leadership isn’t about choosing between people and performance. Great managers need to be equipped to deliver both.

Speakers: Tracy Gunn and Michelle O’Keefe, Co-founders, Platform 55

10.30 am: The Shrinking Half-Life of Skills: How to Build Sustainable Workforce Capabilities
As technological acceleration and market disruption outpace traditional learning cycles, the shelf-life of core professional capabilities is shrinking faster than ever before. In an environment where static job descriptions rapidly become obsolete, organisations must pivot from rigid role structures to dynamic, skills-based talent ecosystems. This panel brings together senior HR and workforce strategy leaders to unpack the practical realities of building sustainable internal capability - exploring how to identify emerging skill gaps in real time, operationalise continuous upskilling without overwhelming teams, and build an agile workforce designed to adapt as fast as the market demands.

Panel:

• Treasa McCarthy, Group HR Manager, Cfield Construction

• Caroline Coughlan, Head of People, Fixify

• Mike McDonagh, Chief Operating Officer, Sigmar Recruitment (Moderator)

11.00 am: Tea/Coffee Break

11.30 am: The Anatomy of High Performance: Consistency, Resilience, and Mental Fortitude
High performance is a trainable discipline, not an accident of talent. In this high-impact fireside session, performance coach and author Martin Brady sits down with Craig O’Connell to break down the proven frameworks he uses to coach individuals and teams to elite execution. Grounded in performance coaching methodologies and reinforced by lessons from the boxing ring and military frontlines, Martin delivers actionable strategies for workplace leaders to master composure under pressure, replace fleeting motivation with systematic consistency, and build lasting resilience across their organisations.

Speaker:
Martin Brady, Performance Coach, Author & Former Irish Army Sniper & Sergeant
In conversation with: Craig O’Connell, Team Leader, Sigmar Recruitment

11.55 am: Beyond the "AI Smell": Redefining Talent, Performance, and Critical Thinking
AI is already woven into everyday workflows, but speed alone isn't a strategy. When automated systems can deliver in minutes what once took days, how do leaders measure genuine performance -and how do we ensure teams treat AI as an intellectual accelerator rather than an excuse to stop thinking critically? Drawing on cross-industry delivery at Accenture, Adrian O’Flaherty delivers a grounded roadmap for people leaders navigating the reality of AI adoption: restructuring role expectations, safeguarding human judgment, and turning emerging capabilities into sustainable enterprise advantage.

Speaker: Adrian O’Flaherty, Director in AI & Data, Accenture

12.15pm: "It’s Feedback, Not Failure" — Learning to Reset in the Public Eye
A living case study on resilience. Trisha models what it looks like to decouple your self-worth from a professional setback, showing how a culture of accountability can exist without shame.

Speaker: Trisha Lewis, Vhi Wellness Speaker

12.45 pm: Closing Words
Denis Cremin, Associate Director - Munster, Sigmar Recruitment

12.45-1.45 pm: Lunch