Mark Kellett, chief executive, Magnet Networks
3rd February 2010
All roads lead to ‘smart economy’.
The term ‘smart economy’ is an overused term, an ill-defined term. I go back to Henry Kissinger and his quote ‘if you don’t know where you’re going, then all roads lead to nowhere’. I think we have to stop using the term smart economy as liberally as we do.
We need to take a step back and, as any business leader has to do, identify what is the vision for the country, what are we trying to achieve. From an Ireland Inc perspective, we need to ask where do we see Ireland in five, 10, 15, 20 years’ time, that’s the challenge. I think in the current political climate we tend to be very reactionary, and ‘smart economy’ rolls off any politician’s lips as if it’s an easily understood term, but I’ve yet to hear anybody actually define what the term means.
Ireland needs to focus on areas where it can lead. I call it selective negligence. I think we as a nation need to choose where we’re going to be weak but, more importantly, where we’re going to be focused and strong.
So what is the opportunity, what is the competitive play for Ireland Inc? I think we need to be looking very strongly at the software industry, particularly in the gaming space. We need to be looking at green tech, of course.
I also think you need to look at our legacy and history in software development and bring it right back to the future, become the leaders in software development, particularly in the gaming space.
Mark Kellett's biography
Mark Kellett has held the position of CEO for Magnet Networks since November 2007. Previous to his appointment, Kellett was Group Finance Director for Yahoo! Europe where he served from 2004 to 2006 as a member of the European Executive Board and chairman of the Irish Board of Directors, providing organisational leadership to a worldwide finance and operations team. A key achievement at Yahoo! was the establishment of the European Shared Services Centre and securing the necessary IDA backing/funding.
Other career highlights include a senior role as Worldwide Finance Director for Network Appliance based in California and a position as EMEA Finance Manager for SUN Microsystems based in the UK.
Kellett is a keen sportsman and was part of the first Irish Expedition to Mount Everest in 1993, and subsequently went on to train as a mountain leader. Kellett was also selected to play representative rugby in England.
Kellett is a qualified accountant and holds an MBA from Manchester Business School.
