Registration is now closed
Wed 21st Jan, 2026
08:30 – 10:30
Ibec Offices, Baggot St., Dublin
Free and in-person
Join us at techBREK: Leading in the Age of Intelligent Work.
The future of work isn’t just about tools – it’s about how leaders think, how teams learn, and how culture enables intelligent decision-making.
Organisations are entering an era of intelligent work – where digital systems increasingly shape how decisions are made, work is organised, and value is created. Yet, many leaders are being asked to move faster than their organisations are ready for.
Our upcoming in-person techBREK event, in partnership with Technology Ireland Ibec, brings together leaders and change-makers to explore how to effectively navigate this new landscape.
This 90min in-person session offers senior leaders and HR and L&D professionals a clear, practical view of how intelligent work is reshaping leadership expectations, skills requirements and organisational culture. It explores why technology initiatives often stall, not because of the tools themselves, but due to gaps in leadership readiness, capability development and cultural alignment.
Through a keynote presentation and panel discussion, we will examine what leaders need to have put in place before implementing AI and advanced digital technologies, and how understanding current talent maturity enables more confident, evidence-based decisions about what to prioritise next.
Intelligent work is here. The organisations that thrive will be those whose leaders invest in readiness, not reaction.
Who is this for?
This techBREK session is for CEO/COO, CHRO, Transformation/Innovation leaders, senior leaders, and HR/L&D professionals seeking practical insight into preparing their organisation’s people, culture and talent strategy for the next phase of digital change.
Why attend?
- Learn why many organisations struggle with digital transformation – not because of technology, but because of leadership and talent readiness.
- Gain clarity on the skills, behaviours and cultural shifts organisations must develop before introducing advanced digital technologies.
- Understand how ‘intelligent work‘ is reshaping leadership, decision-making and accountability – and what this means for you as a leader today.
- Discover how to assess your organisation’s talent maturity before investing in large-scale digital or AI initiatives.
Event agenda
8.30am – Networking followed by opening remarks
9.00am – Keynote: “Leading in the Age of Intelligent Work: How Roles, Skills & Culture Are Changing”
Carmel Somers, Chartered Work and Organisational Psychologist & Director, CSCL
9.20am – Panel Discussion: “Preparing People and Organisations for Intelligent Work”
Geraldine Magnier, Director, Idiro Analytics
Susan Dermody, Learning & Development Manager, Ericsson
Linda Davis, Co-Founder / Founder, OXygean / Next Gen
Carmel Somers, Chartered Work and Organisational Psychologist & Director, CSCL
Moderated by Paul Hearns (MC), Content Strategist, PJH Consulting
10.05am – Audience Q&A
10.20am – Summary of key themes and taking the first step
10.30am – Event close
Event speakers
Geraldine is co-founder and director of Idiro Analytics, pioneers in AI and Advanced Analytics for over 20 years. As a full-service award-winning data analytics company and experts in compliance, they deliver AI strategies for clients, journeying through AI adoption, implementation and beyond, as embedded AI partners.
Being an advocate for ethical AI, Geraldine was instrumental in founding the Idiro AI Ethics Centre. She was ‘’Technology Ireland Person of the Year’ for 2022/23. Geraldine is a Board member of Technology Ireland (IBEC) representing Ireland’s tech sector and is chair of the Small Firms Association (SFA).
Susan Dermody is Learning & Development Manager at Ericsson, where she has built her career since 1998, beginning her Ericsson journey as a Technical Trainer. Based in Athlone—the global R&D headquarters for Ericsson’s Network Management portfolio and home to 1,300+ employees. Susan’s work spans technical and professional upskilling, leadership development, and onboarding at scale. She is passionate about ensuring a learning culture of continuous learning, making learning practical, accessible, and tied to outcomes—so people build skills that matter for their careers and for the products our customers rely on.
As a Chartered Work and Organisational Psychologist, Carmel partners with organisations to transform their talent strategies into competitive advantages. She brings deep expertise in workforce planning, helping businesses align their human capital with rapidly evolving market demands. By analysing organisational DNA and future skills requirements, Carmel enables companies to build resilient teams that drive strategic objectives forward.
As Co-Founder of OXygean, Linda Davis is driven by the vision of transforming how we connect and create value in the digital age. With 5+ years in Web 3.0 innovation and expertise in talent development, she believes in empowering individuals to unlock and trade their untapped digital assets using OXygean’s 1-Minute Action Model and HumanThink™ Technology.
Paul Hearns is a journalist, editor, and presenter with more than 20 years’ experience in technology. Having edited Ireland’s IT professional journal for 15 years, he currently provides content strategy and services to the tech sector, working with multinationals, indigenous companies, and start-ups. Paul is a Fellow of the Irish Computer Society.