New firm to create jobs in Ireland
Shock, horror a financial services firm has actually set up in Ireland - UK building society Nationwide - and has created 20 jobs in a new head office in Dublin's International Financial Services Centre. It also has plans to expand going forward.
The building society is hoping to capitalise on its reputation for offering safe investment products to lure Irish savers to its products around credit cards, mortgages and personal loans.
Though it's not planning on opening a high street network, the firm has ambitions to grow its Dublin office.
Rather than shipping in talent from the UK, Nationwide has opted to recruit 80% of its initial 20 staff members locally. And any growth of the Irish office will be done through organic recruitment rather than acquiring a rival.
"We will look to grow our way, which apart from a small level in the UK, tends not to be done through acquisition. We're not interested in taking anyone over here," said Carl Gandy, managing director of the Irish operation.
Tanaiste Mary Coughlan said Nationwide's move was a vote of confidence for the Irish economy and said she was hopeful that the number of jobs created will "increase significantly over the coming years".
