The Irish Tech News Podcast

Very informative conversation with Alex Sparrow, author of The Hempcrete Book, about what hempcrete is, and the wider benefits of building with natural materials. Alex Sparrow is founder and MD at UK Hempcrete Ltd., an English company with an international reach, specialising in the design and construction of the structural and thermal envelope of buildings from bio-based, renewable, carbon-sequestering and often recycled materials. As well as construction and specialist material supply, UK Hempcrete offers design, consultancy and training services to assist others in the use of natural materials in construction. Alongside his work at UK Hempcrete, Alex currently holds two board positions in the wider industry: - The Alliance for Sustainable Building Products (ASBP) (London) The ASBP works from a position of independence from government and from short term commercial interests. An organisation which champions construction products that are better for people and the environment, and companies and organisations prepared to push these aims forward, the ASBP seeks to support industry to make better decisions, and legislators to make better policy. Since joining the board in 2017, Alex has been working on the development of the ASBP Awards scheme which showcases construction projects that manifest the phillospohies behind the ASBP's "6 Pillars" model of sustainable construction. - YorSpace CLT (York) YorSpace is a Community-led Housing Developer building high-performance homes designed on passive solar principles and highly insulated, reducing the power they consume. The organisation is committed to using natural & low carbon building materials, helping to pioneer the urgently needed shift towards a full decarbonisation of homes and communities. By embedding fairness and cooperation in all its decision making, Torspace is creating homes that have community inclusion and cohesion embedded in their design. Alex co-authored "The Hempcrete Book; Designing and building with Hemp-lime", (pub 2014, UIT/Green Books); often cited as the definitive guide to this better-than-zero-carbon construction material. This, together with over a decade of practical experience in both hempcrete design and construction and the wider bio-based construction industry, has resulted in an increasing international demand for Alex's consultancy services and appearance at conferences, industry speaking engagements etc. In advancing the cause of natural construction methods in the UK and further afield, Alex is seeking to develop a wide network of like-minded companies in "coopetiton", to assist with the delivery of exciting future projects aimed at speeding up the decarbonisation of the construction industry.

Ronan talks to Mark Curtis the co- founder of the Fjord design agency which was acquired by Accenture in 2013 about the latest Fjord Trends report. Having spoken to Mark two years ago it was interesting to see how much the current pandemic has impacted on the latest Fjord Trends report. Mark talks about the 7 trends found on this years report, how this years trends compares with previous years trends, if remote working and automation is going to be seen more in the future, and if future trends will be as impacted by the current pandemic. More about Mark: Mark Curtis is a serial entrepreneur and innovator who has worked in media, digital, mobile and design for 30 years. In 2001 he co-founded service design consultancy Fjord with Mike Beeston and Olof Schybergson. At Fjord Mark is Chief Client Officer, and his role spans offer definition, marketing and business development. Fjord was acquired by Accenture in May 2013. Mark is also a frequent speaker at conferences and commentator in the media

Interesting and informative conversation with “the world’s most connected human”, we cover Ray Kurzweil, witches, techno pagans, Ireland's very own Newgrange and much more. Check it out, you will enjoy the ride. See more on his website here. Health and wellness pioneer, healthcare technology leader and entrepreneur, Christopher Dancy is frequently referred to as “the world’s most connected human.” Since the 1990s, when he was responsible for platform and technical development for the internet startup of WebMD, he has helped launch a number of successful startup companies in the technology and healthcare industries while serving in digital product development, senior management and leadership roles. He has been featured on the cover of Businessweek and as “patient zero in the digital health revolution” for the Showtime documentary series Dark Net, and has been interviewed by the Wall Street Journal, NPR, the BBC, Fox News and Wired. Follow him on Twitter here.

What does digital transformation really mean? Can banking truly be helpful? How can we be more thoughtful as we innovate, without leaving populations behind? For this week’s episode of One Vision, we move north across the border to Canada, where Bradley and Theo chat with Barb MacLean, Director, Application Development at Celero, on banking in Canada. Fun fact, do you know that ninety percent of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border? And stay to the end to find out Barb’s favorite Star Wars character.

Interesting conversation with Paul Handrick, founder of Ireland's first Bee Sanctuary The Bee Sanctuary of Ireland is the only dedicated native wild bee sanctuary on the planet. More about the sanctuary No hives. No honey. 55 acres – the size of 31 football pitches – of habitat which we have been returning to nature since 2012. Nestled in the foothills of the Wicklow mountains we are a pause in the chaos of modern life. We advocate for and educate about our endangered wild bee populations and are a real life real time example of the simple measures we can all take to address this serious issue. When it comes to bees, nature and the planet it’s time to start giving and stop taking. Here on THE BEE SANCTUARY OF IRELAND we give everything. We’re all in. See more on their website here https://thebeesanctuaryofireland.com

Jillian Godsil speaks with Dr Farrukh Habib, who gives a ‘101’ introduction on Islamic Finance and Shariah Compliant Financial Products - which turn out to be one and the same. I invited Dr Farrukh to explain about Islamic Finance and Shariah compliant financial products which he explains are basically the same thing. However, before he begins, he points out that Islam is actually a complete code for living that has a comprehensive set of rules and principles for each and every walk of life. “It’s not only about worship, but it governs public dealings too. In all matters, Islam provides guidance not only in regard for the man-to-God relationship, but also for the man-to-man relationships.” I interject women and children too, and Dr Farrukh agrees. “Islam extends to the whole family. It is a complete jurisprudence in the sense that it provides all the principles, including a complete alternative of conventional financial systems which is called the Islamic Financial system.” I ask about the differences between Western Financial Systems and Islamic, and Dr Farrukh corrects me on my terminology. Western Financial system is better termed conventional finance as it exists in all corners of the world. Jillian Godsil is an award winning journalist, broadcoaster and author. Her most recent book, Persons of Interest, Timestamped in Blockchain and Cryptocurrency, can be found at https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08NS1LXG8

We catch up with Jim Marous, a long time supporter of Irish Tech News to discuss banking trends, the impact of the global pandemic on the move to digital first services, and what he is excited about going forwards. Jim Marous Named has been named as one of the most influential people in banking. Speaker, Publisher & Podcast Host, #banking #fintech #finserv | Co-Publisher, The Financial Brand | Owner, Digital Banking Report | Banking Transformed Podcast More about the Banking Transformed Podcast Named in the top 6 banking podcasts to follow in 2020 Are you prepared to embrace change, take risks and disrupt yourself in response to the digital disruption in banking? If not, this podcast is for you. Hosted by top 5 banking and fintech influencer, Jim Marous, Banking Transformed highlights the leadership and cultural challenges facing the banking industry. Featuring interviews with some of the top minds in business, this podcast explores how financial institutions can prepare for the future of banking. Follow him on twitter here. https://twitter.com/JimMarous/status/1360966840256708614

The fifth annual Impact Report by Irish law firm McCann FitzGerald and international audit, tax and advisory firm, Mazars was recently published. It makes for interesting reading as businesses wrestle with Brexit, GDPR and the COVID-19 pandemic. Ronan talks to Liam McKenna a Partner in the Consulting Services practice in Mazars about the report. Liam talks about the 2021 Impact Report, the emerging trends found in 2021’s report, the Max Schrems Judgement. Liam also talks about the GDPR issues they noticed for those remote working from home, and gives some tips for those who are remote working. More about Liam: Liam has significant experience in delivering large change, IT and organisational transformation programmes. These programmes have typically been driven by mandated change in regulated industries or cost reduction and performance improvement and are enabled by changes to operations, organisation structures and technology in a range of sectors including financial services, public and private sectors. Some areas of recent focus include: GDPR/DPO services; Information Security, Process Improvement including through Robotic Process Automation; Payments Services License Applications.

Frank and forthright conversation with David Katz, founder of Plastic Bank, you can also catch him speaking this week at Sangeeta Waldron's  Book Event - Corporate Social Responsibility Is Not Public Relations; Feb 18, 2021 David has been named one of the world’s most compassionate entrepreneurs by Salt magazine. He is the recipient of the United Nations Lighthouse award for Planetary Health, recipient of the Paris Climate Conference Sustainia community award, recipient of the Earnst and Young Lifetime Achievement award, is the Past President of the Vancouver Chapter of the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), and named the Entrepreneur Organizations, Global Citizen. David is the founder and CEO of The Plastic Bank, an internationally recognized solution to ocean plastic. The Plastic Bank is a global network of micro recycling markets that empower the poor to transcend poverty by cleaning the environment. The Plastic Bank is an eco-system that provides an opportunity for the world to collect and trade plastic waste as a currency. Global partners include IBM, Shell Energy, SC Johnson, Aldi, Henkel and more. His humanitarian work has earned him international recognition. David has been featured in hundreds of international news and investigative articles, including Forbes, Time Magazine, Fast Company, Business Week, and National Geographic. David can be found at TED.com, is featured in an award-winning documentary and starred in an international reality television show. David is a steward of the earth and a champion for the poor.

In the podcast today Melanie Boylan and Tonya Fitzpatrick discuss what makes World Footprints a social impact company.  World Footprints is a heart-centered Social Impact travel media company where travelers of conscience and culture can come for information, education and inspiration in the travel space. From its inception in 2007, World Footprints has revealed untold narratives and has explored places that push beyond our comfort zones by opening a window to the world through powerful written and audio storytelling. It is through these stories that World Footprints helps people overcome their fears about traveling the world. World Footprints was founded by Tonya & Ian Fitzpatrick, two media-savvy lawyers who have merged their passion for meaningful travel and their support for social justice. The multi award-winning World Footprints podcast is the cornerstone of the socially conscious company. World Footprints continues to evolve but it is unique in its consistent illumination of our common humanity. The steadfast belief in our shared humanity is expressed in the foundational principle of Ubuntu, a Zulu word that translates “I am because we are” and also the Hindu phrase Tat tvam asi – “I see the other in myself and myself in others”. The philosophy of unity guides the impactful stories that are found throughout the World Footprints multimedia platform including the website, podcast and YouTube channel. World Footprints offers a space for all voices to be heard and for fuller narratives to be shared even if they are uncomfortable because of the value those stories offer for growth and cross-cultural understanding. In addition to the philosophical mission there are two prevailing messages that are amplified through World Footprints: the importance of ground-truthing–(finding your own truth about people and places in order to debunk misinformed opinions) and the transformative power of travel. Throughout its history, World Footprints has partnered with a number of non-profit and advocacy groups like the United Nations Global Initiative to Fight Human Trafficking.  It has also welcomed world figures, thought leaders and celebrities, such as Maya Angelou, Jack Hanna, Bobby Kennedy, Jr., Ken Burns, chef Cat Cora and others to share unique insights on places and people. Travel, culture, history and social impact are foundational to World Footprints.