AmCham’s 2025 Global Business Conference Explores Key Challenges and Opportunities for Business

AmCham’s 2025 Global Business Conference took place in Croke Park this week with more than 300 business leaders in attendance. Against the backdrop of political change, this year's conference explored topics including how we strengthen Ireland-US relations in a post-election environment, delivering infrastructure for continued FDI growth, Ireland as a hub for RD&I and Ireland as a European leader in digital and artificial intelligence.

In a fireside chat, AmCham’s 2025 President, Liz Cunningham, and AmCham 2025 Vice President, Mark Cockerill spoke with AmCham CEO, Paul Sweetman about their plans for key engagements in the US for the annual St. Patrick’s Week celebrations and Ireland’s key competitive advantages for businesses.

Liz said: “I think Ireland and Irish companies and Irish businesses really have unrivaled access and I think that is well-deserved and well-placed.” She said that it is “astounding” that Ireland is the 6th largest investor in the US and that the engagements over St. Patrick’s Week will be essential to maintaining relationships with “key business stakeholders and policymakers.”

“We should be very ambitious about the future and these weeks and these engagements are really key to fostering that growth and opportunity", she added.

Mark Cockerill, noted that “what is competitive in this world is always moving and shifting” and that any company that is “thinking about expanding its international operations from the United States is effectively looking at the world and looking at a number of different factors” to decide where the most competitive location will be for their business. He said that Ireland has had a “blessed position” in this regard because of its stable, pro-business Government, its position as the only English-speaking, common-law jurisdiction in the EU and its highly skilled and educated talent pool.

“Making the decision to invest in Ireland is one thing, but the decision to grow in Ireland and expand the operations is purely coming from the talent they see.” Mark noted the “explosion of growth” that we have seen across industries including tech, life sciences, med-tech and manufacturing.

“The growth has been because of our talent, because of our people, because of the key global roles that are here in Ireland, that people see the benefit of from the US. I think as long as we continue that, that’s going to be our secret sauce."

In a panel discussion on Ireland’s role in the future of FDI, Aileen Daly, Partner - International Tax Services, EY Ireland, said that while Ireland’s tax policy is important to Ireland’s competitiveness it is not the only factor “Infrastructure and the right talent pool is key". However, without a competitive tax regime “you’re absolutely going to be on the backwash in terms of your ability to attract and retain FDI”.

Aileen also highlighted the importance of the continued stability and certainty of Ireland’s tax policy “certainty has always been a cornerstone of Irish tax policy.” This has left investors with “huge confidence when they’re coming to make capital”.

In a panel discussion on Ireland's potential as a European leader on digital & A.I., Anne O'Leary, Head of Meta Ireland, said: “I am hugely excited about the opportunity that digitalisation and A.I. can bring and I think it’s a pivotal moment.”

She continued “Irish businesses that want to scale, that want to find new audiences, that want to find new businesses using the A.I. tools that are built can help them do that.”

AmCham’s Global Business Conference was sponsored by Bank of America Business, with the The Irish Times as the official media partner and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce of the US conference partner.