This week on the roundup: welcomes, celebrations, conversations, exploration, workflows, resources, exchange rates, resilience, transformations, reconnecting, the economy, podcasts, memorable experiences, leadership teams, academia, leadership philosophies, rising stars, organisational performances, newsletters, and more!

But first, here are the IPBN Highlights of the week

We were delighted to welcome Otonomee as the newest Executive Partner of the IPBN and the official sponsor of the Tony Boyle Business Success Awards, taking place on January 29 at the Irish Embassy in Lisbon! Read more about it here!

We reminded everyone that registration to attend the Tony Boyle IPBN Business Success Awards at the Irish Embassy in Lisbon Jan 29 is open. We encourage members and partners to join us for what promises to be a special evening of celebration and remembrance. Register to attend the event here. Apply, register, and help us honour Tony Boyle’s legacy by celebrating the businesses that continue to move our community forward.

We introduced our partner for the new Conversation with a leader 2026 series. IPBN members will see John Byrne from the Writers’ Bloc in a new role in 2026, as part of the Network’s Conversations with a Leader series, where he will sit down with senior figures from across business and academia. “I’ll be speaking to some of the best and brightest about their businesses, how they see the world, and more," he says. "The first conversation takes place this February."

If you’ve been thinking about becoming a member, there’s no better time to explore the opportunities that come with joining. Check out all the benefits here.

Finally, we introduced our new member, Vilamoura Dream Cruises. Check out their profile here. And SAVE THE DATE: April 23 in the morning for a networking event on their boat. Details will be announced later.

And now...

IPBN Executive Partner Ardanis shared, "New Year, New Goals. Smarter delivery is a big theme for strong starts to 2026, and it doesn’t have to start with a huge transformation programme. It can start efficiently in the operational layer, the workflows, handoffs and tools that already carry most of the weight in your business. For many teams, that layer mostly works, but it’s often working harder than it needs to. If you’re planning to make 2026 the year your business runs a little smoother and moves a little faster, have a scroll and you can more detail on this topic here." 

IPBN member Tony Redondo posted, "The 2026 Hard Power Paradigm: How Resource Dominance in Venezuela and Greenland is Reshaping the World."

IPBN member Swissquote Bank Europe asked, "Are currency-hedged ETFs really protecting investors? On the surface, euro-hedged equity ETFs can look reassuring — especially when exchange rates move sharply. But beneath the promise of “reduced risk” lies a costly reality many investors overlook. In his latest article, personal finance author Andrew Hallam explains why currency-hedged equity ETFs often erode long-term returns, increase hidden friction costs, and fail to deliver the stability they promise — even in diversified portfolios."

IPBN member Elaine Godley said, "Choose Greater: Empowered resilience. Paige Speers and I had a chat recently. Amazing story here."

IPBN member Miguel Reynolds Brandão posted, "CORKBRICK Announces AI‑Powered Transformation Across All Processes — From Digital Creativity to Industrial Production."

IPBN Board member John Paul Prior shared, "It's great to be heading back to NAMM 2026 with Musicmaker Dublin in Anaheim later this month. It’s always one of the best events in the calendar to reconnect with partners and check out what’s next for the industry."

IPBN member Silvia Correia posted, "Every year, without exception, since 2001, I feel immense pride when I see our Portuguese flag in front of the Heimtextil entrance, the largest home textiles fair in the world, in Frankfurt, Germany." Read more here. 

IPBN member Carlos Justino said, "Stop treating podcasts as a side project. They are the engine for your content. Here is a practical system to turn one idea into multiple assets without the extra workload."

IPBN member Vilamoura Dreams Cruises shared, "At Vilamoura Dreams Cruises, we believe that every journey should be a memorable experience. Our mission is to provide unique moments of luxury and comfort along the stunning Algarve coast. Check more about it here."

IPBN member Liliana Domingues wrote, "The year just started and already something feels off with most leadership teams. Though many leadership teams are entering 2026 with strategies that look solid on paper. Decisions take longer than they should. Alignment across leadership teams feels harder. Execution is intense and busy, but rarely decisive. This for me is related with the lack of strategic clarity. Read more about it here."

IPBN Business Partner Algarve STP said, "At the last Algarve Tech Hub Summit, Algarve STP (Systems and Technology Partnership) promoted a conversation with Nuno Augusto, President of TecParques - Associação Portuguesa de Parques de Ciência e Tecnologia, about the impact of technology parks on regional development. There was talk of talent, investment, connections to academia and the importance of creating structures that sustain innovation, at local, national, and European level."

And the IPBN was there. You can review our event here.

IPBN member Glandore posted, "This month we are taking a look back at our 2025 series, ‘The Spaces That Shape Us’. In the series we spoke to some of our members about key spaces that have shaped their working and living environments. We kicked off the series and spoke with Glandore member, Mark Redmond, Chief Executive, Redmond Coaching for Impact, about the space that influenced his leadership philosophy. You can read the blog here."

IPBN member Karl Davidson said, "Helping people is what we do! Alex is a rising star in MMA and we are excited for his journey! Onwards and upwards!"

IPBN member and partner Techies Go Green and GEC is "delighted to support this upcoming event from The Guinness Enterprise Centre Sustainability Cluster, chaired by our co-founder Michael O’Hara. Meet James McManus. Irish high-altitude mountaineer. Business leader. One of the few people operating at the very edge of human and organisational performance. Sign up here and don’t miss it."

IPBN member DDM shared a newsletter for January 2026. Check it out here.