Established in Portadown in 1912, Irwin’s is still a family owned business, operating from a modern 100,000 sq ft bakery with over 450 staff. The company manufactures a full portfolio of breads under five brands, Irwin’s, Nutty Krust, Rankin Selection, Guinness Whole Grain and Howell House. Rankin Selection Irish breads were developed by Irwin’s bakery in partnership with celebrity chef Paul Rankin in 2001 and since then the range has gained a loyal consumer base. The firm has been deploying marketing strategies to create a strong market throughout Ireland and is successfully building its business on this basis.

KPMG is Ireland’s leading professional services firm. With offices in Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Galway it operates on an all-Ireland basis, providing a range of audit, tax and advisory services to clients ranging from major multinational household names to fast growing private and family owned business. As Ireland’s first carbon neutral professional services firm KPMG is driven by a passion for business, exacting standards and a commitment to its clients and its people. The company is also supporting a new initiative to encourage investment in the north announced on Wall Street in New York by the Irish Echo newspaper.

Ulster Bank Group is part of RBS, one of the world’s largest banking groups. Already the market leader in the north, and growing in the south, Ulster Bank has set a clear goal to be the largest bank in Ireland. Underlining this commitment, the bank has instituted a one team approach to business, with its whole organisation integrated to make it the bank of choice for customers and staff. The bank has 1.8 million business and personal customers, and 6,900 staff. It has 282 branches, 56 business banking offices, and over 1,000 ATMs, and it is committed to expanding and upgrading its branch network.

Ulster Bank Corporate Markets serves business and corporate customers as well as offering treasury and money market activities, wealth management, asset finance, inward investment, ebanking and international services. The division has 1,600 staff located at local Business Centres and branches throughout Ireland, providing sector-specific expertise and a wide breadth of products and capabilities to customers. The Corporate Markets division is structured into four business units, Commercial and Business Banking, Corporate, Property and Invoice Finance, Capital Markets and Wealth Management. The division has been extremely focused on growing its business on an all-Ireland basis, in line with group strategy.