The CEIA held its 40th AGM on Wednesday Feb 12th at Maryborough House Hotel, Sherrard Suite, 64% of the membership were represented at the Meeting
Alan O’Flynn, GM of Dell Technologies and current Chairperson of the CEIA, outlined the achievements of the association over the past 40 years, “2024 was an exciting milestone year for us and it is an honour to have past officials who helped establish the association attend our 40th AGM.” Our Monthly Business briefings continue throughout the year and focus on association members, showcasing the significant range of Technical & Shared Services skill base in the High-Tech Manufacturing & Development sector in Cork.” Alan spoke about the impact of the CEIA over its 40-year history and the innovations it has made throughout the Cork region. Outlining the biggest contribution the CEIA has made to the High-Tech industry in Ireland, he spoke about the co-operation and common goals of the members who are involved in the organization. “What is notable about the CEIA is that it is not simply an industry association, rather it is a convergent working group of industry leaders, public sector and academic institutions working towards shared interests who actively partake and give of their time for the betterment of industry as a whole.”
Despite having a successful 40 years behind it, there are challenges that present themselves to the CEIA. Some of the biggest challenges the CEIA have overcome in the industry include the constant development and innovation of the High-Tech Manufacturing & Development sector. The characteristics of this industry Sector continues to evolve, merging technologies blurs the line between industrial sectors e.g. Medtech and ICT which we see as an opportunity rather than a challenge The association will be required to embrace these changes and develop its appeal to new sectors, said Alan. The 40th anniversary is the biggest milestone reached by the CEIA and marks the long-term commitment and longevity of the High-Tech Sector in Cork
Alan spoke about how he hopes to see the CEIA seek to extend its focus and hence growth into new technology and manufacturing sectors while retaining and strengthening the level of commitment we already demonstrate within the industry.” The industry has had a long and impressive legacy and hopes to go on a further 40 years and continue on its success in the High-Tech Manufacturing & Development industry in Ireland.
A new Chairperson and Board were elected at the 40th AGM:
Mr. Pierce McCormack, Network Strategy Program Director, J&J MedTech, Ringaskiddy, was elected Chair of CEIA, Alan wished Pierce much success in his new role and advised he will continue to support him. Details of the board members can be found 2025 CEIA Board Members
The Executive Guest for the evening was:
Sean Sheehan,
Founder of Wisetek Solutions Ltd.,
Cork-born entrepreneur Sean Sheehan was inspired to start Wisetek after working at data storage company EMC. He founded the Cork-headquartered company, a global provider of end-to-end IT asset disposition services, in November 2007 and since then the company has grown exponentially, expanding its international footprint to include facilities in Ireland, the UK, the USA, the Middle East, and Thailand. The company specialises in ITAD, secure data destruction, reuse and technology manufacturing services worldwide and employs up to 450 people which had annual revenues of over €88M. Wisetek was an early adopter and then leader in providing an alternative to landfill for used equipment at a time when the majority of perfectly reusable product ended up there. In 2021, the company launched an e-commerce business selling high-quality refurbished IT equipment and accessories including laptops, phones, tablets and keyboards.
In 2024 Wisetek was acquired by Boston firm Iron Mountain who specialise in records management, information destruction and data backup. Iron Mountain is listed on the New York Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of $35bn (€31.3bn). Financial details of the acquisition were not disclosed but is understood to be one of the largest acquisitions of an Irish firm in 2024 by value. A spokesperson for Iron Mountain commented on the acquisition: “This strategic move and Wisetek’ s expertise strengthens our ability to deliver innovative solutions for our customers. We look forward to working with and learning from the Wisetek team as our integration gets under way.”
Sean is an experienced Owner, CEO and past Chairman of the CEIA, he has a demonstrated history of working in the information technology and services industry. Skilled in Negotiation, Business Planning, Operations Management, International Business, and Manufacturing. Strong business development professional with a Postgraduate Diploma focused in International Sales from Dublin Institute of Technology. MSc in Business Practice (Operations Management) from Middlesex University. Green Belt and advocate of Lean Six Sigma methodology. He guided Wisetek to leading the charge in transforming electronic waste into eco-friendly, cutting-edge solutions. Sean’s revolutionary strategies in IT disposition and sustainable technology offer invaluable guidance for aspiring business leaders, tech enthusiasts, and sustainability advocates. It was a real honour to have Sean speak with us on our 40th anniversary and we thank him for the involvement and guidance he gave the CEIA over many years, whilst a CEIA Board member and in his roles as CEIA vice Chair and CEIA Chair.
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