Aviva Stadium, the home of Ireland’s world class rugby and soccer international teams, recently played host to Ireland’s leading location information and address data supplier, GeoDirectory, when they held their first annual conference since the pandemic hit.
A great crowd turned up for the event which was chaired by company CEO, Dara Keogh. Those in attendance were treated to insights on various topics from how the census is collated and how Leinster Rugby prepare for big games. Business news and trends were also discussed from freshly prepared take away meals being delivered to people via drone and how satellite technology is being used to inform politics and decision making at government level.
First to take the stage was Kathleen Hennessy from the Central Statistics Office. Kathleen outlined why it was important that the Census is conducted and how they collate the information that is gathered in the forms. Emphasis was put on the important role the Census played in the decision making and planning that was undertaken to meet the needs of the state into the future. The statistician also spoke about how invaluable GeoDirectory’s software tools have been in enabling the CSO to carry out the work they do.
To follow that, Dominic Fahey, CTO of Geodirectory and Dr. Jonathan Pratsche then spoke about the new and exciting products on offer from GeoDirectory and the benefits they can offer companies that use them. These include GeoBuilding Intel and GeoNewBuild.
Just before the break, Emer Phelan from Scurri – a delivery management platform for merchants - spoke about how their products made it a lot easier for companies to fulfil the end to end, supplier to customer engagement process. She outlined the enormous benefits of having a proper I.T. infrastructure in place.
The break was an opportunity to both network and take some photos pitch side before Rita Malosti from Irish space technology company, Skytek, kicked off the second half of the conference. Rita spoke about the key role satellite imaging has played in the battle to tackle Climate Change, and showed us before and after images of the disastrous consequences various extreme weather events are having on our planet. Rita explained how such imagery can help us better prepare for any future dangers that lie ahead.
A big hit on the day was Head Performance Coach at Leinster Rugby, Emmett Farrell. Sports loving audience members were transfixed as he gave a detailed analysis of how professional rugby teams generally prepare for upcoming matches and seek to successfully manage the strains and stresses that pop up over the season. Emmet outlined the key role that data analytics plays in ensuring players are fitter for longer, recover from injuries faster and are better prepared for any upcoming tussles on the pitch.
Last but not least, those present heard from one of Ireland’s foremost Technology Journalists, Adrian Weckler of Independent Newspapers. Adrian gave us a glimpse into the future, and what he sees coming down the line across the IT landscape. From the so-called Metaverse to having your Chinese takeaway delivered by a drone, technology will become an ever greater presence in our daily lives. Adrian also touched on the concerns many have regarding the invasion of privacy and the risks that technological innovations pose. He spoke about how legislators in the EU and elsewhere were seeking to regulate this area even more tightly going forward.
The buzz after event lunch was very palpable, as attendees spoke of the many positive observations they took from the conference. Many also expressed a firm interest in adding more GeoDirectory products and services to those they were already using.
As the ground staff further prepared the pitch below for an eventual successful Leinster victory, GeoDirectory staff were departing onto Lansdowne Road, also knowing the ground has been prepared for further success in the future.
So if you want your company to become the top dog in your field, talk to us in GeoDirectory about how our software and services can ensure you get more sales and customers over the line. Contact us at info@geodirectory.ie / 01 705 7005 or visit www.geodirectory.ie