Irish companies must embrace constant change in order to remain competitive, Tom McCarthy, chief executive of the Irish Management Institute (IMI) said yesterday as he outlined the agenda for this year's IMI conference.

The focus of the two-day event, now in its 50th year, will be how Ireland can engineer faster productivity in order to remain competitive.

The main debate, facilitated by industry representatives including Danuta Gray, chief executive of O2 Ireland, Michael Brennan, head of Eagle Star Life, and Noel Dempsey, Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources, will examine whether Ireland has chosen regulatory models that restrict competition and increase costs.

"This year's conference will explore some of the critical issues facing business leaders in Ireland and internationally today," said Mr McCarthy. "Remaining competitive in a changing world is a challenge that faces us all." He said the aim of the conference was to foster debate about how Ireland can build a framework for continued growth.

Speakers at the conference, which will take place in Wicklow on April 6th and 7th, will include Willie Walsh, chief executive of British Airways and former head of Aer Lingus; Joe Macri, managing director of Microsoft Ireland; and Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.