• Talent Summit Cork

    24th September 2026 | Supervalu Páirc Uí Chaoimh

    Book Tickets

The Future @ Work

In an era powered by rapid digital acceleration and shifting local markets, an organisation's ability to adapt is no longer a luxury—it's essential for survival. Talent Summit Cork delivers a practical playbook for the "What Now?" era, equipping leaders with the insights needed to build resilient, human-centric, and forward-thinking workplaces.

  • The Cork Conversation: Move beyond generic predictions to tackle the specific economic realities, talent retention constraints, and entrepreneurial dynamics facing the Munster region today.

  • Support Your Leaders: Explore if we are setting managers up to fail with complex caring responsibilities, and learn how to shift the burden toward structural organisational change.

  • Beyond the Tech Stack: Get practical, actionable ways to start with AI—building team confidence, spotting high-value opportunities, and adopting it safely and effectively in everyday work. Discover how small, deliberate steps can accelerate adoption and unlock lasting productivity gains.

  • Embracing Skills: Discover how transitioning to a dynamic, capability-driven model helps your organisation adapt rapidly as the half-life of professional skills shrinks.

  • Feedback, Not Failure: Learn to build true resilience by decoupling self-worth from professional setbacks and fostering a culture of high accountability without shame.

2026 Speakers

Plus more to be announced shortly

  • Fiona Parfrey

    Fiona Parfrey

    Co-founder of
    Riley

  • Kate English

    Kate English

    Chief Economist at
    Deloitte

  • Michelle O'Keefe & Tracy Gunn

    Michelle O'Keefe & Tracy Gunn

    Co-founders of
    Platform 55

  • Martin Brady

    Martin Brady

    Performance Coach, Author, Former Champion Boxer & Former Irish Army Sniper & Sergeant

  • Treasa McCarthy

    Treasa McCarthy

    Group HR Manager at
    CField Construction

  • Denis Cremin

    Denis Cremin

    Associate Director - Munster,
    Sigmar Recruitment

Women attending a conference, sitting at tables, some are taking notes or using phones, and one woman is smiling and laughing.
A woman giving a presentation at a podium in front of an audience in a conference room.

Agenda

9.00 am: Registration & Networking
Teas, coffees, pastries

9.30 am: Welcome
Denis Cremin, Associate Director - Munster at 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 at 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:

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, Sigmar Recruitment

11.50 am: TBC

Speaker: TBC

12.10pm: "It’s Feedback, Not Failure" — Learning to Reset in the Public Eye
Speaker: TBC

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

12.40-1.30 pm: Lunch

Sigmar Recruitment
Black background with a heart made of small white hearts, followed by the words 'I Vhi' in white text.

Powered by

A man in a gray suit and white shirt speaking confidently at a conference called Talent Summit, with a mountain-themed presentation slide in the background.
A woman is giving a presentation or speech at a podium in front of an audience. She has shoulder-length wavy hair and is wearing a black top. There is a large screen behind her and the audience is partially visible at the bottom of the image.
People engaging in conversation at a professional event or conference.
A man speaking at a presentation in a conference room with a large screen displaying a slide that reads 30% revenue loss in 4 years, with an audience of seated people watching.
A large group of people at a professional networking event or conference, with some holding pamphlets or badges, in an indoor venue with white walls and ceiling lights.
A group of people sitting in a panel discussion at a conference, with some panelists and water bottles visible on the table, and a screen in the background displaying logos.
A group of women attending a conference or seminar, sitting at tables, some smiling and laughing, with notebooks, cups, and phones in front of them.
A man giving a presentation in a conference room with a large screen displaying a slide. There are chairs and water bottles on tables in the foreground.
A large conference room filled with seated attendees listening to a presentation, with a high ceiling, windows in the background, and tables covered with blue cloths.
A conference or panel discussion at the Talent Summit with a large screen displaying snowy mountain peaks and the event's logo. Two speakers, a man and a woman, are seated at the front, engaging with the audience. The audience is seated and listening
People attending a conference or seminar, some raising their hands, sitting at tables with water bottles, cups, and notebooks.
A woman is giving a presentation in front of a large screen displaying a slide titled "Pay Transparency: A Global Movement." The slide features a world map with various countries and informational text.
Three people sitting and talking at a panel discussion or conference. A woman with blonde hair in a black blazer and dark green top is speaking, a woman with red hair in a black-and-white dress is laughing and holding a brochure, and a man with short
An outdoor stadium scoreboard displaying a message: 'Welcome to Talent Summit,' with surrounding advertisements for SuperValu and Vodafone.

  • “A really uplifting morning at the Talent Summit in Cork — huge thanks for hosting such an inspiring and energising event.”

    Founder & CXO

  • "It was an inspiring and insightful event exploring HR innovation, AI, inclusion, diversity, and more. Grateful to have been part of such an enriching experience!”

    HR Assistant

  • "Great to attend the Talent Summit last week in Cork. Great line up of speakers as always."

    HR Manager

  • "We had the pleasure to attend the 2025 Talent Summit in Páirc Uí Chaoimh. A very insightful and engaging session exploring relevant trends as we embrace distruption in today’s working world!"

    TA Manager

Tickets