IIEA Talks

Against the backdrop of a more turbulent geopolitical environment. the European Union has increased its effort to ensure that its citizens are protected. In his remarks to the IIEA, Guillaume de la Brosse, Head of Unit for Defence Policy and Innovation at the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space at the European Commission (DG DEFIS), discusses progress on the implementation of the White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030, as well as the work of the EU in meeting the challenges of an increasingly insecure world.   

About the Speaker:

Guillaume de La Brosse is currently Head of Unit, Defence Policy and Innovation at DG DEFIS. Previously, he was Head of Unit in charge of Innovation and New Space - Space Defence in the Commission (Direction-General for Defence Industry and Space). Guillaume joined the Commission in 2016, as member of the Commission’s think-tank and member of the UK Task Force, where he dealt with security, defence, and space.

Following on from the recent announcement by the Tánaiste, this event looks to build on the recent proposals and the recommendations set out in the IIEA–BNY White Paper. An expert panel examines the product features and practical steps necessary to launch in 2027. The discussion focuses on how to operationalise a PIA scheme swiftly and effectively, the range of investment options that should be available to participants, and ides to promote financial inclusion, for the benefit of Irish society.

This event includes the following speakers:

Professor Niamh Moloney, Professor of Law at the London School of Economics and Specialist in EU Financial Markets Regulation
Anna Marie Finnegan, Head of Function in the Cross-Sectoral Policy of the Central Bank of Ireland
Paul Kilcullen, BNY Ireland Country Manager
Dan O’Brien, IIEA Chief Economist

Emily Portney, BNY Executive Committee, Global Head of Asset Servicing provide opening remarks.

The event was moderated by Leo Varadkar, former Taoiseach of Ireland.

'Security, Strategy and Statecraft'

Former advisor to four British prime ministers, Prof John Bew, joins this edition of IIEA Insights to discuss the strategic predicament of Europe, the UK, and Ireland. He explores how Britain’s national security strategy has evolved, along with the implications for Ireland, the risks of a full-scale European war, and possible future security architecture for the continent. He also examines current and future transatlantic relations and what sort of equilibrium might emerge in EU-UK relations.

John Bew CMG is Professor of History and Foreign Policy at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London and former advisor to four British prime ministers. He served as penholder on the last three UK national security strategies and was closely involved in the shaping of the most recent NATO Strategic Concept. In 2012, he became the youngest ever holder of the Henry A. Kissinger Chair at the Library of Congress and in 2015 he won the Philip Leverhulme Prize for International Studies. The Ulsterman is the author of five books, many academic articles, and a number of edited collections.

In the second in a series of short interviews, the IIEA’s Director of Research Barry Colfer talks to Minister for European Affairs Thomas Byrne about his priorities and hopes for the forthcoming Irish President of the Council of the EU. The Minister shares his views on the single market, competitiveness, EU enlargement, EU-UK and EU-US relations and more.

The global economy has endured multiple shocks in recent years and is currently coping with a fresh surge in energy prices as a result of conflict in the Middle East. In this edition of IIEA Insights, Dr David Kelly will assess the implications for inflation and economic growth from his position on Wall Street. He will also discuss a range of other issues, including the potential productivity gains from AI, the medium and long term effects of tariffs and the efficacy of monetary policy.

David Kelly is the Chief Global Strategist and Head of the Global Market Insights Strategy Team for J.P. Morgan Asset Management in New York. His research focuses on the investment implications of an evolving economic environment, while his proprietary U.S. economic forecasting model helps shape his views on both the economic landscape and prospective asset class returns. He is a frequent keynote speaker at investment conferences in the US and a regular guest on CNBC, Bloomberg, and other financial media outlets. He previously served as a senior strategist/economist at SPP Investment Management, Primark Decision Economics, Lehman Brothers and DRI/McGraw-Hill. Born in Dublin, he is a graduate of U.C.D. and Michigan State University.