More than 2,000 people are expected to gather at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre this Thursday and Friday for sci-tech and arts conference Inspirefest.
The event will discuss issues as diverse as the potential of philosophy to improve health services, the opportunities presented by the convergence of arts and technology, the changing nature of the media landscape, the rapidly evolving world of work and how the collaborative economy is changing our lives quite dramatically.
Diversity and inclusion will be core themes. Ellyn Shook, chief leadership and human resources officer at Accenture, will be joining Dropbox global head of diversity, Judith Williams, to discuss how inclusion drives innovation and improves organisational performance.
Adrienne Gormley, global head of customer experience at Dropbox, will look at how the best digital companies will provide outstanding workplaces, while Zipcar founder Robin Chase will discuss the ability of the sharing economy to alter established business models, the way people live and work.
Other speakers include Hassle. com co-founder Jules Coleman, Enterprise Ireland chief executive Julie Sinnamon, Sodexo Ireland president Margot Slattery, Nuritas founder Dr Nora Khaldi and SNP Communications chief executive Maureen Taylor. Irish psychologist Dr Maureen Gaffney will close out the conference with a masterclass on the science of happiness.
Inspirefest founder Ann O’Dea said Ireland’s unique advantages in being able to combine an enormously rich and vibrant artistic and creative heritage, with the very latest technological advances, made Dublin an ideal location for a festival such as this.
“We look forward to bringing new perspectives to science and technology and how they can impact positively on society, business and our lives as individuals in the future,” she said.
