The Ireland Alberta Trade Association is delighted to bring you our next expert event:
Your Path To Global Trade
March 2, 2022 || 12:00 PM (MST)
Zoom details will be sent to registered attendees.
.png)
Now, more than ever, businesses are looking to expand outside their domestic markets and take advantage of the opportunities brought to them through international trade. From increasing revenue, reducing risk and driving increased innovation, organizations are looking outside their geographical borders to new markets for growth.
Do you want to expand your company into new markets in 2022?
Join our expert panelists for this informative discussion on how to set your path to global trade. Panelists will discuss why businesses are going global, how they are able to expand to new markets around the world and what the extensive supports available are that help to create success.
Sponsors
.jpg)
Moderator
.jpg)
Deirdre Moran
Canada Country Manager
IDA Ireland
​
IDA Ireland’s main objective is to encourage investment into Ireland by foreign-owned companies. IDA is the oldest inward investment agency of its kind in the world, celebrating 70 years in 2018. The IDA operates through a network of offices around the world. Deirdre is based in Toronto, where she works with a portfolio of large enterprise technology, consumer and business services companies, from high growth start-ups to well established multinationals. Canadian companies with operations in Ireland include Shopify, Telus International, OpenText, Clio, Blackberry Cylance, RBC, TD Bank, Constellation Software & many more.
​
Deirdre moved to Toronto in 2019 to set up the office, which is IDA’s first in Canada. Prior to this role, she was based in San Francisco for 8 years, working with high growth tech companies advising them on their international expansion strategies.
Panelists
Sam Lin
Senior Trade Finance Specialist
RBC Global Trade
​
As a Senior Trade Finance Specialist, Sam is dedicated to supporting Canadian businesses in expanding their reach on a global stage. RBC Trade has been named The Best Trade Finance Bank in Canada for ten consecutive years by Global Finance Magazine.
In his role, Sam helps Canadian businesses to diversify their supply chain, providing proactive advice in an effort to identify and mitigate risk.
Before joining the Trade team, Sam was a Senior Commercial Account Manager with RBC commercial banking. Before immigrating to Canada, Sam operated a successful import/export business, and Sam leans on this experience to support businesses across Alberta.
Shona Reilly
Manager, Trade
Calgary Economic Development
Shona Reilly is a vibrant, Calgary enthusiast and business professional building a community of companies interested in growing their businesses globally. Shona’s diverse experience has helped her develop a network of tourism, sales, marketing and economic development contacts throughout the community. She provides support, mentorship and programming for companies interested in export development. Shona has worked at Calgary Economic Development for 6 years and launched the Southern Alberta cohorts of the Trade Accelerator Program in 2018.
Michael Ansara, CITP® | FIBP®
Senior Account Manager
EDC
​
Michael Ansara is a Senior Account Manager and Technology/Digital industry Lead for the Alberta Market at Export Development Canada, supporting all commercial business sectors.
​
Having worked in Trade finance for the last 12 years, Michael’s focus is on helping commercialized Canadian companies expand their business footprint cross border.
His expertise in financial trade and credit insurance solutions offered by EDC and his understanding of the trade ecosystem helps him advise and assist Canadian companies to go, grow and succeed internationally either directly through EDC’s own solutions or via connection to partners or related external parties that can also look to help based on the companies maturity , needs and eligibility.
.png)
Cheryl Lockhart, CMC
Trade Advisor
Edmonton Global
​
Cheryl Lockhart, CMC, delivers the Global Growth Trade Service for Edmonton Global and is a Partner with Omni Management Consulting Alliance. She had been guiding Canadian businesses in international trade since 1998, first with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada as the Trade Officer for the Middle East and Africa and since 2002 as an independent consultant. Cheryl supports entrepreneurs international expansion by collaborating with clients to develop realistic, actionable international expansion and market entry plans based on solid market research and customized to the company and its overall corporate strategy, capacity and capabilities. She supports implementation of those plans by offering project management support, coaching and practical advice.
