Business Plus – Issue 3 2026

Summary

CPM International CEO Lorraine Butler proves that putting people first delivers results, and Business Plus Issue 3 2026 profiles her leadership style in the cover story "CEO Who Puts People First." The issue also covers protecting Ireland's ATMs from extinction, Center Parcs' expansion plans, and how Appleby Jewellers is managing family succession. Gavan Reilly reports on the arguments for a mini-budget, and Jordan Mooney meets the sisters behind award-winning chocolate company Bean and Goose.

The cover story (p.8) traces Butler's journey from HR manager to CEO of CPM, a sales and marketing services company with 800 employees across Ireland and the UK. She reduced annual staff turnover from 28 percent to 12 percent by implementing flexible scheduling, a 4-day workweek option, and a profit-sharing scheme. The cash-on-delivery article (p.26) reports that Ireland has lost 40 percent of its ATMs since 2018, and a proposed Cash Infrastructure Bill aims to protect access.

Regular sections include Editor's Note, Executive Chair, Tech, In the Lead, Politics, Hungry Work, Commercial Property, Frame by Frame, Up to Speed, Out of Office, Markets, Wine, and Motoring.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Leadership

p.8 · CEO Who Puts People First — CPM's Lorraine Butler
Butler reduced staff turnover from 28 percent to 12 percent in 3 years. CPM's revenue grew from 45 million to 68 million euros over the same period. The profit-sharing scheme distributes 10 percent of annual profits to all 800 employees. CHROs can use the 28-to-12 percent turnover reduction and its revenue correlation as a data point for employee-experience investment business cases.

▸ Finance / Policy

p.26 · Cash on Delivery — Protecting Ireland's ATMs from Extinction
Ireland's ATM network shrank from 3,200 machines in 2018 to 1,920 in 2025, a 40 percent decline. The proposed Cash Infrastructure Bill would require banks to maintain ATM coverage within 5 kilometres of any residence. The article reports that 1.2 million Irish adults still use cash for most weekly transactions. Retail banking strategists should monitor the Bill's progress as it could affect branch-network planning.

▸ Leisure / Hospitality

p.12 · Park Life — Center Parcs' Plans for Expansion
Center Parcs Ireland at Longford Forest reported 95 percent occupancy in 2025, with revenue per available lodge up 12 percent year-on-year. The company is scouting 2 additional Irish sites, representing a combined investment of 400 million euros. Hospitality investors can use the 95 percent occupancy and 12 percent RevPAR growth to model similar woodland-resort concepts.

▸ Family Business / Retail

p.70 · Jewels in the Crown — How Appleby Jewellers Is Planning Its Family Succession
Dublin-based Appleby Jewellers, founded in 1964, is preparing its transition to the third generation. The current CEO outlines a 5-year succession plan that includes bringing the 32-year-old granddaughter onto the board and establishing a family constitution. Revenue reached 15 million euros in 2025, up 8 percent year-on-year. Family business advisors can use the 5-year timeline as a template for client succession planning discussions.

▸ Politics / Economy

p.16 · Arguments for a Mini-Budget
Gavan Reilly reports that coalition backbenchers are pushing for a mid-year mini-budget, citing a 4-billion-euro corporation tax windfall. The finance department is resisting, warning that the windfall may be temporary and that recurring spending commitments would be unwise. Public finance analysts can use the 4-billion-euro windfall figure in debates about temporary vs permanent tax revenue classification.

▸ Food / Entrepreneurship

p.19 · Hungry Work — Bean and Goose
Sisters Karen and Natalie Keane founded Bean and Goose in 2018, producing single-origin chocolate bars in Wexford. The company grew revenue to 2.3 million euros in 2025 and now exports to 12 countries. Their salted caramel bar won a Great Taste award in 2024. Food entrepreneurs can use the Ireland-to-12-countries export path as a template for scaling artisanal food brands.

▸ Motor / Electric Vehicles

p.86 · Mazda6e — All-Electric Test
Shane O'Donoghue puts the all-electric Mazda6e to the test, reporting a real-world range of 420 kilometres from its 75 kWh battery. The car is priced at 42,000 euros in Ireland, positioning it against the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i4. Fleet managers can add the 420-kilometre range to their electric vehicle shortlist comparison sheets.

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Editor's Take

Business Plus Issue 3 2026 is a well-balanced edition covering leadership, policy, leisure, and family business. The Lorraine Butler cover story is the standout — the 28-to-12 percent turnover reduction correlated with revenue growth from 45 to 68 million euros is exactly the kind of data that makes a leadership profile credible. The ATM extinction article is a genuine public-interest piece with a strong legislative angle. The Appleby succession feature adds valuable family-business content. The weakest section is the Wine column, which has no business purpose. The Center Parcs article is interesting but reads more like a press release than journalism. The advertising density is moderate for an Irish monthly.

Strengths
• Butler cover story with turnover-revenue correlation data
• ATM article with specific legislative and usage data (40 percent decline, 1.2 million cash users)
• Appleby succession framework is useful for family business advisors

Weaknesses
• Center Parcs piece reads as advertorial
• Wine column has no place in a business magazine

Verdict: Recommended — The Butler profile and ATM policy article make this a strong issue for Irish business readers and family business practitioners.