Future Talent Forum 2025

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Next-Gen Workforce: Rethinking Learning and Development for Competitive Advantage

Event Overview

The capabilities needed to attract, retain and develop talent have shifted dramatically in today’s evolving world of work. As organisations adapt to geopolitical shifts, rapid technological transformation and AI, shifting workforce demographics and the rise of conditional commitment (shift from career loyalty to work-life sovereignty), the role of Learning and Organisational Development (L&OD) is becoming increasingly central to business success. Identifying and addressing skills gaps within the workforce is a continuous challenge, especially as the demand for new skills evolves. Developing sustainable future talent pipelines for growth is now a shared priority for enterprises, individuals, and universities. 

Next-Gen Workforce: Rethinking Learning and Development for Competitive Advantage hosted by the Enterprise Academy at TU Dublin, was a half-day forum designed for L&D leaders, HR professionals, and industry decision-makers addressing key trends in learning & organisational development.  

 

 

The purpose of the Future Talent Forum is to forge transformative partnerships through innovative enterprise-led engagement and foster a community of talent development professionals from across enterprise, public policy and academia to:

Guest speakers included Steve Cadigan (Talent Strategist and LinkedIn's First Ever CHRO) and Danny McCoy (CEO, Ibec) and Helen McMahon, Skills Policy & Strategic Partnership Lead, Enterprise Ireland.and our discussion panel experts Gráinne Barry, StatsPerform and SportsTech Ireland; James Burke James Burke & Associates; and Lily Ellis, NetApp who came together to sparking meaningful dialogue and sharing practical insights to help us better prepare, empower and connect people with the evolving needs of industry and society.  

 

 

Attendees engaged with national and international thought leaders through panel discussions, Q&A sessions, and networking opportunities, gaining insights into how learning and talent development can drive organisational success. We addressed key trends in Learning & Organisational Development in 2025, including:

FTF 2025 Event Schedule

Steve Cadigan FTF 2025 Keynote Header

Steve Cadigan, Talent Strategist and LinkedIn's first CHRO

Steve's keynote address Learning at the Speed of Change: Building Talent in a Shifting World, dives into explaining how in a world where the shelf life of skills is shrinking and the future of work remains fluid; the advantage no longer goes to the most experienced, it goes to the fastest learners. The structure of work is being rewritten: roles are fragmenting, career paths are nonlinear, loyalty is shifting, people are switching careers rapidly and AI is reshaping what humans do best. For learning and development professionals, this is now the front line of strategy and building a culture of continuous learning is key to attracting and retaining talent.

Steve explored how business and education can come together to build agile learning ecosystems, why adaptability is the new foundation of performance, and how AI is presenting us with the opportunity of a lifetime to grow what makes us fundamentally human, and reshape work to be more fulfilling and productive.

Download Steve's presentation here: Leading at the Speed of Change. Building Talent in a Shifting World. TU Dublin Enterprise Academy Future Talent Forum 2025 Steve Cadigan Presentation

 

Steve Cadigan Biography

Steve Cadigan is a globally recognized talent strategist, board member, and thought leader in the future of work. As the founder of Cadigan Talent Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based consultancy, Steve provides invaluable counsel to a diverse array of innovative organisations, including tech giants, sports clubs, and financial institutions.

Steve's expertise stems from over 25 years as an HR executive across various industries. His career culminated in his role as the inaugural Chief Human Resources Officer at LinkedIn from 2009 to 2012, where he guided the company through its IPO and laid the foundation for its current success. For the past three years, Steve has been consistently recognised as one of the top 100 thought leaders in the world of Talent and Human resources.

Throughout his career, the teams, cultures, and organizations he has led and helped build have been recognised as exceptional, "world-class" performers by the Wall Street Journal and Fortune Magazine.

Steve serves on the Board of Directors for three companies, advises several progressive organisations, and  collaborates with leading venture capital and consulting firms, including Andreessen Horowitz, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, and Greylock Partners.

Steve is a frequent speaker at international conferences and a guest lecturer at prestigious universities. His work has been recognised by: Stanford University, which developed a graduate-level course based on his cultural innovations at LinkedIn. Major media outlets, including regular appearances on Bloomberg West, CBS, and CNBC.

Published "Workquake: Embracing the Aftershocks of COVID-19 to Create a Better Model of Working" in August 2021, which became a #1 Amazon Hot New Release, Delivered commencement speeches at the University of San Francisco and Stanford University in 20211

Having lived and worked in South Africa, Singapore, Canada, and the United States, Steve brings a unique, global viewpoint to talent strategy. His experience in interviewing, hiring, coaching, and mentoring thousands of professionals across various industries and geographies sets him apart in discussions about the future of work. 

Further, Steve helps a wide range of industries from construction to education to healthcare to technology and even to the public sector, he is regularly retained by a wide range of industries for his expertise.

Steve resides in California with his family, which includes four sons and two stepdaughters. When not engaged in professional activities, he enjoys coaching basketball, playing tennis, body surfing, and supporting his children's endeavours.

He holds a BA in History from Wesleyan University Master's Degree in HR & Organisation Development from the University of San Francisco

Steve Cadigan continues to be at the forefront of shaping the future of work, leveraging his extensive experience and insights to help leaders and organisations build compelling talent strategies for the evolving workplace landscape.

 

Danny McCoy FTF 2025 Keynote Header

Danny McCoy, CEO Ibec

We're honoured to hear from keynote speaker Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, presenting on "Future-Proofing Ireland: Talent, Innovation, and the Drive for Global Competitiveness at the Future Talent Forum 2025: Next-Gen Workforce.

The global stage on which Irish companies compete is intensifying. For Ireland to remain open and primed for success, we must significantly intensify our competitive offering. While Ireland has built an open, agile, and high-performing economy that attracts global investment, our future competitiveness hinges on our ability to adapt, upskill, and innovate.

A critical challenge Danny highlights is that despite Ireland ranking high in Europe for third-level education participation, we are underinvesting in the future of this sector and lagging behind competitors in lifelong learning. Many countries have already upskilled their workforces and are outpacing us in key strategic areas.

Danny is discusses how learning and development are key to staying competitive in a disruptive world. He's challenging us to rethink how we develop talent with the agility, resilience, and creativity needed to navigate tomorrow's unknowns. Greater alignment is needed between education, government, and enterprise to enable a truly responsive workforce and talent system.

 

Danny McCoy's Bio

Danny McCoy is Chief Executive Officer of Ibec, Ireland’s largest business representative organisation and one of the largest in Europe. He has been CEO since 2009, Ibec has doubled in size to be a €50 million turnover business, with 330 employees over ten locations and owning 39 trade brands.

He is a graduate in Commerce from the University of Galway  and postgraduate in Economics from University College Dublin. He has held lecturing posts at University College London, University of Oxford, Trinity College Dublin and Dublin City University. He has been senior economist at the Central Bank of Ireland and the Economic & Social Research Institute as well as being a consultant to the European Commission in Brussels and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris. 

Danny is a Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy, Member of the Royal Irish Academy, Honorary Doctorate in Economics from University of Galway, Honorary Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering, Adjunct Professor Trinity College Dublin Business School and Vice President of the Statistical & Social Inquiry Society of Ireland and Independent Non Executive Director of Iput Real Estate.

He is currently the Employer Lead on the tripartite Labour Employer Economic Forum, Executive Committee of BusinessEurope, member of the National Competitiveness & Productivity Council, advisory committee member of the Marine, Resource and Energy Institute (MaREI), member of both the State Trade Advisory Group and the Balance for Better Business group.


 

Helen McMahon FTF2025 Guest Speaker Header

 

Helen McMahon, Skills Policy and Strategic Partnership Lead, Enterprise Ireland

We are delighted to hear expert insights from Helen McMahon, Skills Policy and Strategic Partnership Lead at Enterprise Ireland at the Future Talent Forum 2025: Next-Gen Workforce.

Helen McMahon, leads on skills policy and strategic partnerships at Enterprise Ireland, engaging directly with senior leaders in government departments, agencies, and key stakeholders to address the skills and talent needs of Irish enterprises. Her work involves informing stakeholders about skills and talent issues impacting the growth of Enterprise Ireland's client companies, influencing the development of skills policies, and forging strategic partnerships to support the talent requirements to accelerate the growth of sustainable Irish businesses.

Sustainable Enterprise and the Talent Pipeline: Partnership as Competitive Advantage

Helen's presentation outlined why workforce planning agility is a central response to disruption and sharing insights that confirm talent and skills are the top strategic challenge facing Irish companies today. Helen discussed current talent and skills priorities and intervention and explained how strategic university/enterprise collaboration is helping meet these needs - with a particular focus on supporting SMEs - at every stage of a company's growth journey.

Helen is guided us through the Future of Work, explaining that capability planning for driving competitive advantage must include:

  • Leadership and management development
  • Workforce planning and horizon scanning
  • Cross-industry agility in both SMEs and multinational companies
  • A design thinking approach to support HR and workforce transformation.

Download Helen's presentation here: Enterprise and University Engagement - Helen Mc Mahon, Future Talent Forum 2025 presentation

 

 

Ailbhe Roche FTF 2025

 

Ailbhe Roche, Enterprise Academy Manager, TU Dublin

Ailbhe outlines research conducted by the Enterprise Academy, Harnessing Potential: Understanding the part-time professional learner and the enterprise upskilling landscape. This research uncovers who part-time postgraduate learners are, what their motivations are, the type of educational solutions and delivery methods they require, and what personal and work challenges professional learners experience when considering a return to education. She also outlines what an excellent learning experience looks like to these professional learners and what organisations and universities need to consider and embed into their programme co-design.

Ailbhe Roche has 20 years of experience in strategic planning, working in enterprise and higher education. She joined the Enterprise Academy in 2024, having worked at TU Dublin as Strategy & Planning Executive for the previous six years. She was involved in the development and implementation of the ambitious 10-year roadmap for Ireland’s first technological university. As Enterprise Academy Manager, Ailbhe was central in conducting research into the part-time professional learner landscape through the lens of enterprise and the learner.  

Download Ailbhe's presentation here: Harnessing Potential. Understanding the part-time professional learner and the enterprise upskilling landscape. TU Dublin Enterprise Academy Research Findings

 

Future Talent Forum 2025 Panel Next-Gen Workforce: Leaders Building Talent for Change

Next-Gen Workforce: Leaders Building Talent for Change

How can organisations stay ahead in a world where skills - not job titles - define success? Join us for an compelling panel discussion where talent leaders and education partners share how they are reimagining workforce development through real-time skills intelligence, AI-enabled learning, and long-term collaboration. This conversation will explore how embedding continuous learning into the workplace and co-designing  and accrediting programmes with institutions like TU Dublin is helping to build agile, inclusive, and future-ready workforces. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear how you can build talent for change and shape the future of work.

 

Hear from:

  • Dr. Claire Mc Bride, Head of the Enterprise Academy, TU Dublin (Panel Chair)

    Dr. Claire Mc Bride has considerable experience in international business, education and industry collaboration, leads the Enterprise Academy team and drives its focus on co-developing the talent and innovation pipeline needed to support enterprises and learners in achieving their strategic growth ambitions.  

    Prior to joining academia, Claire worked in the global technology sector, holding senior positions in innovation, sales and international partnership development with AT&T, BT and Avaya based in London, Paris, Dublin, and Amsterdam. Claire joined the Faculty of Business at the Dublin Institute of Technology in 2005. As a senior lecturer, she specialised in teaching and research in Innovation and Technology Management, alongside a substantial commitment to industry engagement. Claire led the co-development of university-enterprise and industry-based partnerships building a portfolio of postgraduate, masters and CPD programmes which has enabled the upskilling, reskilling and professionalisation of hundreds of enterprise-based students, primarily in Ireland’s export and technology sectors.  

    As part of her commitment to developing Ireland’s innovation productivity, Claire is on the NSAI/TC 045 committee working to define, maintain and promote the ISO 56000 series of standards for Innovation Management.   

    With an honours degree in European Business Studies (Ulster University) and a Maitrise in International Trade (University of Caen), Claire achieved a dual master’s in Business Administration and Informatics (Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University) and was awarded a PhD in Innovation Systems by the University of Warwick in 2015. In spring 2022, she completed a Leading Innovation Executive Program at MIT Sloan School of Management.  



  • Steve Cadigan, Talent Strategist & LinkedIn's first CHRO

    Steve Cadigan is a globally recognised talent strategist, board member, and thought leader in the future of work. As the founder of Cadigan Talent Ventures, a Silicon Valley-based consultancy, Steve provides invaluable counsel to a diverse array of innovative organisations, including tech giants, sports clubs, and financial institutions.

    Steve's expertise stems from over 25 years as an HR executive across various industries. His career culminated in his role as the inaugural Chief Human Resources Officer at LinkedIn from 2009 to 2012, where he guided the company through its IPO and laid the foundation for its current success. For the past three years, Steve has been consistently recognised as one of the top 100 thought leaders in the world of Talent and Human resources.

    Throughout his career, the teams, cultures, and organizations he has led and helped build have been recognised as exceptional, "world-class" performers by the Wall Street Journal and Fortune Magazine.

    Steve serves on the Board of Directors for three companies, advises several progressive organisations, and  collaborates with leading venture capital and consulting firms, including Andreessen Horowitz, McKinsey & Company, Deloitte, and Greylock Partners.



  • Helen McMahon, Skills Policy and Strategic Partnership Lead, Enterprise Ireland

    Helen McMahon, leads on skills policy and strategic partnerships at Enterprise Ireland, engaging directly with senior leaders in government departments, agencies, and key stakeholders to address the skills and talent needs of Irish enterprises. Her work involves informing stakeholders about skills and talent issues impacting the growth of Enterprise Ireland's client companies, influencing the development of skills policies, and forging strategic partnerships to support the talent requirements to accelerate the growth of sustainable Irish businesses.
     
    Before joining Enterprise Ireland, Helen was the Senior Executive for Business and Enterprise Skills Development at Screen Training Ireland (Screen Ireland). With over 26 years of experience in the screen industries, she has been instrumental in driving industry development and growth.

    Helen possesses extensive expertise in strategic company development and has an in-depth understanding of the screen sector, having worked across various domains including film, television, animation, sales, distribution, exhibition, VFX, and the games industries.



FTF 2025 earning that works - A lifecycle approach to collaborative talent development

 

Learning that Works – A Lifecycle Approach to Collaborative Talent Development

How can we design education and training that evolves with the needs of individuals, organisations, and entire sectors? How can we up-skill, re-skill, and attract top talent in a rapidly evolving world of work? Join us for an insightful panel discussion featuring senior talent experts who have partnered with TU Dublin to co-create dynamic, skills-based learning pathways. Drawing on real-world challenges and solutions, the conversation will explore how lifecycle programmes, from diploma to master’s, support career progression, embed lifelong learning, and scale to meet workforce and national skill demands. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear how collaborative innovation is shaping the future of talent development across the entire learning journey.

 

Hear from:

  • Dr. Róisín Murphy (Panel Chair) Senior Engagement Manager at TU Dublin’s Enterprise Academy

    Dr. Murphy is Senior Engagement Manager at TU Dublin’s Enterprise Academy, a multidisciplinary business unit taking an innovative approach to collaborative talent development for workplace learners. In this role, Róisin works with enterprises of all sizes to co-create talent development solutions in the Engineering, Construction and Built Environment sector.

    Prior to joining the Enterprise Academy, Róisín was a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment and brings over 25 years of experience in the development, design, delivery and management of education and training programmes.

    Róisín earned her BA (hons) in Economics and History from University College Dublin before completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Entrepreneurial Studies and Master of Business Studies in UCD Smurfit School. She obtained an MSc in Strategic Focus and Doctor of Business Administration from Edinburgh Business School, Heriot Watt University. Her doctoral thesis focused on Strategic Planning in Irish Quantity Surveying Firms.

    Throughout her career, Róisín has worked closely with industry stakeholders to identify future skills needs for the sector and in her capacity as Senior Engagement Manager, will continue to bridge the gap between academia and industry in the development of innovative solutions to meet those needs.

     

  • Gráinne Barry, SVP Global Operations at Stats Perform & Co-Founder / Director of SportsTech Ireland

    Gráinne Barry, Senior VP of Global Operations at Stats Perform and Co-Founder / Director of SportsTech Ireland is a entrepreneurially spirited, commericially minded and delivery focused leader revolutionising sports data and intelligence with AI. Gráinne is a passionate advocate for SportsTech and HealthTech, her strategic vision, coupled with a deep understanding of the sector's evolving skills demands and talent development needs, actively driving initiatives like the new Postgraduate Diploma and Masters in Sports Analytics, Technology and Innovation at TU Dublin with Technology Ireland DIGITAL Skillnet, aimed at fostering a community of Irish SportTech leaders. 

  • James Burke, Founder and Senior Consultant in Food and Retail Sectors

    James started his Food and Retail career working part-time in SuperValu Bantry. He subsequently studied Retail Management in DIT and joined Superquinn in 1984. He holds a degree in retailing and wholesaling from Stirling University in Scotland.
     
    In his current role as Business Consultant, James provides strategic advice and business planning for some of Irelands best known companies within the food and retail sectors. 

    James Burke has worked in the food sector for over 40 years and his specific areas of focus are topics like food startups, route to market planning, export strategies, product costings, food and drink marketing etc.
     
    His core expertise lies around helping food and drink producers to grow their business. James is also expert in cross sector retail from fashion to food, and the foodservice sector e.g. café, restaurants etc.

  • Lily Ellis, Director of Workplace Experience, NetApp

    Lily Ellis In her role as Director of Workplace Experience, EMEA & APAC at NetApp. Lily leads a dispersed and diverse team in curating workplace experience to support flexible, hybrid, people centred workplaces of the future.  

    A Property Economics Graduate with an MBA in Construction Real Estate, Lily is a Chartered Surveyor and Fellow of SCSI/RICS and Board Member of SCSI.  

    She was recognised by her peers as a Top Workplace Leader in 2025 and has consistently led her teams to win and retain industry accredited awards year on year.

Thank you for attending the Future Talent Forum 2025. We would love to hear how we did and welcome your feedback. Your feedback is invaluable for us so that we can enhance our future events. 

If you have any specific observations or suggestions, feel free to share them.

 

Enterprise Academy Logo Small

About TU Dublin Enterprise Academy 

The Enterprise Academy is a multidisciplinary business unit at TU Dublin taking an innovative approach to Collaborative Talent Development. It offers a single-access point for enterprise to partner with TU Dublin on their talent development and long-term skills strategy. We work with enterprises across all sectors and business types to create flexible, scalable, accredited solutions that address sector-specific, cross-sector and transversal skill needs. Our work is informed by the latest research on future skills and relevant frameworks such as micro-credentials, mentoring, Work-Based Learning and Recognition of Prior Learning, as well as key drivers of change such as sustainability and digital transformation.

The Enterprise Academy is supported by Convene, a collaborative project with TU Dublin and UCD funded by the Irish Government’s Human Capital Initiative under Pillar 3 – Innovation and Agility.

Logos; Convene; Government of Ireland; Human Capital Initiative

TU Dublin Campus Map

The event is located in TU Dublin Grangegorman in the East Quad on the First Floor in the Concert Hall. Registration will take place in the lobby on the ground floor.

 

Where are we located?

The University's Grangegorman Campus is located in Dublin 7, about 1 km from Dublin City Centre. The campus is surrounded to the south-east by Smithfield, to the west by Stoneybatter, north by Cabra, to the north and east by Phibsborough / BroadstoneOur Eircode is D07H6K8. View our location on Google Maps.

TU Dublin Wayfinding

Download Grangegorman Wayfinding Map

Parking in Grangegorman

The Grangegorman Campus is car-free, and there are no parking spaces available to students or visitors. However, Pay & Display spaces are in the North Circular Road and the Park House car parks. The University has also agreed on a special all-day rate of €9 per day in the Parkrite car park in Smithfield, and a validator is installed in Rathdown House. 

Public Transport 

TU Dublin Grangegorman is easily accessible by bus or Luas. The TU Dublin website had a list of bus routes and information on time tables. 

Grangegorman is just a few Luas stops from O'Connell Street, and the quickest way to get to campus is by taking the Green Line Luas. Broadstone - University or Grangegorman stops are closest to the campus. If you are near the Red Line, you can also take that to the Smithfield stop, and Grangegorman is just a ten-minute walk away.