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 Boardmatch Ireland Information

The MBA Association, which represents business people holding the Masters in Business Administration (MBA) qualification in Ireland, announced its plans to match the skills, expertise and experience of MBAs to the needs of start up businesses through the First Step programme and to non-profit sector boards through the Boardmatch Ireland programme.

MBAs work at every level of management in Ireland and across all business sectors. The MBA is the highest level general business qualification in Ireland and is well respected internationally.

The MBA Association/First-Step Initiative will allow companies supported by First-Step to avail of the business experience and expertise of MBA business leaders in a mentoring arrangement. "Many start-up companies have expertise in making or selling a product or service but perhaps don't have general management skills." Liam Fennelly, President of the MBA Association of Ireland explains. "In that context, the broad suite of business skills MBAs can bring to start up companies - financial, marketing and operational experience – should be invaluable."

Norma Smurfit, Chairperson of First-Step, commented "First-Step has developed an innovative lending model to financing start-up and developing enterprises in Ireland designed to help support micro-entrepreneurs and contribute to job creation and protect job losses.  Understandably there has been a strong demand for mentoring from such business start-ups. First-Step is delighted to be part of the new MBA Association initiative and the opportunity it presents for its clients to benefit from the business experience and expertise of MBA leaders in a mentoring arrangement."

The MBA Association partnership with Boardmatch Ireland will facilitate the matching of seasoned MBAs to non-profit sector boards that would benefit from the external perspective, expertise and balance that a suitably qualified businessperson can bring. "Community and voluntary sector organisations often have very effective, committed and hard working operational people on their boards and but need strategic advice and good governance guidance" commented Mr Fennelly. "This is where MBA Association members can help, with their broad base of management and strategic competences, and their familiarity with good governance principles." 

Fiona O'Connor of Boardmatch Ireland explains "Not-for-profit organisations, charities and NGOs in Ireland are often started by people who become passionate about a particular issue through personal experience. These organisations can grow to a size where in order to become more efficient and effective they need to access additional skill sets at board level (such as strategic planning and implementation, marketing, HR, legal, or accounting.) Boardmatch Ireland has a database of over 1200 highly qualified people who wish to volunteer at strategic level and now we have the opportunity to strengthen this database in the form of highly qualified MBA's who have experience, skills, drive and ambition and who, most importantly, want to create change and give something back to civil society. We are really delighted to be collaborating with the MBA Association to develop these links and to help organisations to access these skills"
 
To mark the launch of both initiatives, Senator Shane Ross was Guest Speaker, and shared  his perspective on boards and governance, at a launch reception at the offices of CMC Markets in Dublin.

Interested in getting involved?

First-Step was set up in 1991 as a not for profit organization by Norma Smurfit and a group of like-minded individuals. The objective of First-Step is to provide microfinance loans (i.e. loans less than €25,000) to start up or expanding small and medium enterprises for job creation or protection.  Loans are targeted at people who have difficulty securing finance from traditional banking sources. To date First-Step has assisted 1,500 projects. It is estimated these projects have created in excess of 3,000 employment opportunities.
First-Step's revolving loan funds are supported by the Social Finance Foundation, Enterprise Ireland through the EU Seed & Venture Capital Fund and Private Sector sponsorship.

Ms. Pauline Irwin O'Toole
info@first-step.ie
http://www.first-step.ie
telephone: +353 (0)1 2600988

Boardmatch Ireland supports the development of the community and voluntary sector (the not-for-profit sector) by strengthening boards and management committees. Boardmatch does this primarily through:

• Building links between corporate, public and not-for-profit sectors, by encouraging people from corporate and public sectors to sit on not-for-profit boards.

• Enhancing skills sets on not-for-profit boards.

• Developing and providing training packages and other supports for boards and board members.

• Building the governance capacity of not-for-profit boards.

Boardmatch Ireland is a company limited by guarantee not having a share capital, registered in Dublin, Ireland (company number 400151). Boardmatch Ireland is also a registered charity (CHY number 16398).

Ms. Fiona O'Connor
fiona@boardmatchireland.ie
http://www.boardmatchireland.ie
telephone: +353 (0)1 6715005