British Ambassador visits Louth
Kara Owen met North-East entrepreneurs and business leaders
The British Ambassador to Ireland, Kara Owen, visited Drogheda yesterday for the first UK-focused Business Beyond Borders event, hosted by The Mill Enterprise Hub in partnership with Skillnet Innovation Exchange at Coca-Cola Ireland’s Drogheda Operations.
The event brought together founders, SMEs, business leaders, and organisations from across the North-East to explore opportunities for growth, investment, and expansion into the UK market. As part of her visit, Ambassador Owen met directly with local businesses to learn more about the innovation and enterprise activity happening in the region.
This 6th edition of Business Beyond Borders forms part of a wider initiative linked to The Mill’s BASSE Programme (Business Advantage Sustainability, Scaling and Expansion), which supports ambitious founder-led businesses in scaling sustainably and thinking internationally from an early stage.
Kara Owen, British Ambassador to Ireland: "The UK and Ireland have a long-standing and deeply connected business relationship, and it is inspiring to see the level of innovation and ambition coming from companies across this region."
Ronan Whitty, CEO, The Mill Enterprise Hub said: "To welcome the British Ambassador to Drogheda for our first UK-focused event was a significant moment for both the region and the wider business community."
The Ambassador later visited the Narrow Water Bridge site, a major cross-border infrastructure project connecting County Louth and County Down.
Speaking about her visit she said: “It’s a real pleasure to be in Louth today, including to take part in a UK-focused event that will support brilliant firms from this part of the county to scale and grow in the UK.
“UK-Ireland collaboration is practical and focused on supporting the real economy.
“Increasingly, region-to-region connections are powering growth both sides of the Irish Sea. I look forward to meeting Louth’s ambitious companies and the Chamber of Commerce and to understanding not just Louth’s history but also future plans for increased connectivity.”