GlobalWelsh, the non-profit Welsh diaspora organisation, has announced that it has relaunched its global hub in Ireland. Previously GlobalWelsh Dublin, GlobalWelsh Ireland is a ‘virtual’ hub led by long-time Dublin resident and businesswoman, Teresa Lewis. The hub will focus on growing and connecting the business diaspora network in Ireland and facilitating opportunities for mutual growth between Wales and Ireland.
Through their shared Celtic history, Wales and Ireland are culturally and geographically very similar but economically very different, a factor making it a desirable destination for many Welsh people to emigrate. Ireland also has a long history of diaspora engagement success. Leveraging a clear global identity and national pride, Ireland has built strong foundations on which to engage their diaspora for economic benefit also managing to attract some of the world’s leading technology and financial firms to their shores.
Heading up the new GlobalWelsh Ireland hub will be Teresa Lewis. Teresa was born and raised in Ebbw Vale and went on to study in Cardiff University, following two years of travelling in South East Asia and Australia she moved to Dublin and spent ten years working in market research. Teresa is now the Country Rep & Business Development Executive for Mauve Group, a global employment solutions and consultancy firm. Teresa provides businesses with strategic advice on global business development, helping them navigate new territories and witnessing their transformative growth.
Teresa will be connecting with fellow Welsh diaspora and senior business leaders across Ireland and uncover business and collaboration opportunities between Wales and Ireland. Initially focused in the following areas:
- Supporting GlobalWelsh business members who are exploring Ireland as a market
- Growing the Welsh in Ireland business community on behalf of GlobalWelsh
- Engaging with key Welsh and Irish stakeholders to uncover any opportunities for collaboration
GlobalWelsh Ireland will launch with an online event on 4th November where GlobalWelsh will be joined by Elen Mars from Mauve Cymru and Iain Quick from the Welsh Government’s international office in Ireland.
Teresa said: “I’ve been based in Ireland now for over 20 years and I’ve also spent time in Australia and Japan. There’s a lot that Wales and Ireland share as nations, and I see this as a strength that we should be tapping into. The culture here is very ambitious and the market is very entrepreneurial so it’s a great foundation for collaboration. I am really excited to start tapping into the Welsh business network here and start supporting Welsh businesses through GlobalWelsh.”
GlobalWelsh Ireland aims to work closely with existing Welsh communities, networks and government organisations in Ireland to collaborate and bring about opportunities for people to reconnect with each other, Wales and other Welsh people globally. Walter May, founder and CEO of GlobalWelsh, commented:
“Ireland is fascinating from an economic standpoint. A nation that’s faced many challenges in the past and bounced back earnestly. A nation that’s hugely proud of their heritage and has successfully mobilised its diaspora to become masters of global branding and economic success. The Irish were a huge inspiration to me in the early days of GlobalWelsh. They wrote the playbook for what Wales should and, most importantly, could be doing to engage our diaspora. We are delighted to have Teresa take the reins of our relaunched and rebranded hub in Ireland and to see how we can leverage our Welsh networks in Ireland to support Wales.”
