Summer Shorts: Dominic Kearns of Fibrus and his £845 million gamble
In this episode of Trading Up, Jim Fitzpatrick interviews Dominic Kearns, founder and CEO of Fibrus, discussing the company's significant investment in building a fibre telecoms network in Northern Ireland and Cumbria. They explore the challenges of raising capital, the impact of government support, and the competitive landscape in the telecoms industry. Dominic shares insights into the operational challenges of building infrastructure, the transition from a build phase to focusing on customer acquisition, and his ambitious goals for the future.TakeawaysFibrus has invested £845 million in fibre telecoms infrastructure.Dominic initially raised £100 million with a slide deck presentation.Government backing was not initially part of the funding strategy.Project Stratum - which was government backing - was a significant competitive win for Fibrus.The company is expanding into Cumbria, focusing on hard-to-reach areas.Customer acquisition is a key focus as they transition from building to operating.Dominic emphasises the importance of understanding infrastructure investment.The company aims to reach 200,000 customers in the next two years.Fibrus operates both an open access network and a commercially integrated retail model.Dominic's accounting background aids in managing the financial aspects of the business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Founders: How Declan Keeney Built The Most Advanced Virtual Effects Studio In the World
Declan Keeney grew up with broadcasting in his blood. His Dad was the driving force behind a revolution in local radio in Ireland. Recognising a demand from rural communities whose stories needed to be told and shared, he lobbied the Irish government to change the broadcasting law and founded Highland Radio in Donegal. It became hugely successful and was the catalyst for a new ecosystem of local radio broadcasting in Ireland that changed the national conversation. Declan is now implementing his own revolution and building a new ecosystem at the cutting edge of the creative industries. Studio Ulster, of which he is co-founder, is a £72 million investment in virtual production located in Belfast Harbour. This technology allows film and television producers to create virtual sets that blend with the real so that fully visualised environments can be captured on camera in real-time without the need for laborious post-production. Goodbye green screens. Hello giant "tv" screens. The new facility also has the very latest in motion capture technology on a scale that's not found elsewhere. There's nowhere else like it, in the world. But what Declan's building is more than a studio: with a network of talent and support across government, academia and industry, he's developing that new creative industries ecosystem. As a Professor at Ulster University he has been instrumental in developing the courses and training for the talent to enter the industry. Studio Ulster is also a key research centre - a CoStar Screen Lab, one of five government-backed centres across the UK, each with a different specialism. And the studio is also hosting and incubating a new generation of companies to work with the global film and television industry. The economic payback for the regional economy could be immense. One of the first productions on site was a docudrama about the Titanic. The production was initially slated for a studio in South Africa with a huge water-based set. But Studio Ulster's virtual environment provided a solution that was closer to home. Rebuilding the Titanic wasn't tempting fate, but instead felt like an appropriate first project - keeping millions in local economy - and the order book for the months ahead at Studio Ulster looks pretty full. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Thinkers: John Ryan on How Health Really Does Mean Wealth
For years, issues like health and wellbeing have been the preserve of corporate HR departments. John Ryan is on a mission to change that. His approach is radical and based on data. His own wake-up moment was uncovering the shocking evidence that too many workplaces are simply killing their employees. His challenge to organisations is at all levels - some of the worst health is found on the executive floors. But with a rigorous approach he believes he can help companies become healthy places to work and contribute not only to the health and wellbeing of all, but make a real and sustaing difference to the company performance and the bottom line. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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EMERGENCY EPISODE. Unpacked: Spending Review, UK Growth, US-China Deal, Water Charges in Northern Ireland
It's been such a busy week for economic news that we needed another Unpacked episode of Trading Up. Once again, seasoned business journalist Jim Fitzpatrick is joined by economics professor Richard Ramsey as they take a detailed look at everything from a potential breakthrough in US-China trade relationships; the UK Chancellor's spending review sums; and the thorny issue of water charges in Northern Ireland. They get help from fictional detective Charlie Cale of Pokerface whose special power is being a human lie detector and calling "bullshit" whenever she hears it. So, expect a few "bullshits" throughout the programme as Jim and Richard evaluate what our politicians have been saying about the big economic choices of the day. And do public sector economists really have posters of Sir Robert Chote on their walls? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Brewing Beer, Building a Business, Innovating Every Day
Bernard Sloan studied chemical engineering at Queen's University but found his true calling when he moved to Nigeria with his wife Kerry to run a brewery. He decided to bring that job to an end when a neighbouring business was robbed at gunpoint and his security team took fright and disappeared. But he'd got the beer bug, so he persuaded his dad to let him turn an old cottage on the family farm in Attical, County Down (that had been a potato store) into a brewery. A river, the Whitewater, ran past the house. So, Whitewater brewery was born. Equipment was added as funds allowed with Bernard working as a college lecturer, and later industry consultant, to pay the bills. But 30 years later, Whitewater is going strong in a new 15,000 square foot facility in Castlewellan. Its beers are sold throughout pubs and restaurants across Northern Ireland, with export markets in the US and Japan opening up. Meanwhile, engineer Bernard is constantly adding to the production facilities with bespoke solutions that allow him to offer canning and bottling services to other drinks companies. It's still a team effort with wife Kerry, especially on pizza night when it's all hands to the beer pumps and ovens in the brewery's welcoming beer hall. After 30 years in business, Bernard reflects on how he has constantly pivoted to stay in business and has no intention of slowing down any day soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Trading Up hosted by Jim Fitzpatrick and produced in association with EY, delves into the real businesses, personal stories, and remarkable journeys of entrepreneurs. Discover insights on risk, resilience, and business growth from diverse founders and leaders in businesses big and small across various industries. Tune in weekly for inspiring entrepreneurial learnings. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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