Business Plus – Issue 8 2025

Summary

SMBC Aviation Capital CEO Peter Barrett talks about his 74-billion-dollar aircraft portfolio and the 2026 delivery pipeline in Business Plus Issue 8 2025, the December edition. The cover story "Flying High" profiles Barrett's journey from banker to head of the world's second-largest aircraft lessor. Inside, the magazine examines why Ireland's offshore energy development has stalled, interviews affordable demi-fine jewellery purveyors, and reviews Ireland's top cars for 2026. The M&A survey looks back at the year's most memorable business sales.

The cover story (p.8) covers SMBC's 74-billion-dollar asset base, its 2026 order book of 120 new aircraft, and Barrett's views on aviation's sustainability transition. The offshore energy feature (p.26) reports that Ireland has awarded only 3 offshore wind licences since 2020, compared to 22 in the UK. The Follain family business profile (p.20) traces the jam brand's growth from a farmers' market stall to 1,200 retail outlets.

Regular sections include Editor's Note, Politics, In the Lead, Out of Office, Tech, Motoring, Top Ten, and Commercial Property.

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Content Guide

▸ Cover Story / Aviation

p.8 · Flying High — SMBC Aviation Capital's Peter Barrett
SMBC Aviation Capital owns 720 aircraft valued at 74 billion dollars and has 120 new aircraft scheduled for delivery in 2026. Barrett explains the company's strategy of investing in next-generation fuel-efficient planes like the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 Max, which make up 60 percent of the order book. Aviation finance professionals can use the 60 percent next-gen fleet ratio as a benchmark for their own airline fleet renewal plans.

▸ Energy / Policy

p.26 · What Is Happening With Ireland's Offshore Energy Development?
Ireland has awarded just 3 offshore wind licences since 2020, compared to 22 in the UK and 15 in Denmark over the same period. The article attributes the lag to grid connection delays, planning permission bottlenecks, and a slow auction process. The first major offshore wind farm — 1.2 GW off the coast of Cork — is not expected online until 2030. Renewable energy investors should factor the 2030 timeline into their Irish market entry plans.

▸ Family Business / FMCG

p.20 · Hungry Work — Folláin
Folláin started as a farmers' market stall in County Cork and now supplies 1,200 retail outlets across Ireland and the UK. The family-owned jam company produces 3 million jars annually and has maintained 100 percent Irish fruit sourcing. Sales grew 22 percent in 2025. Food brand founders can use the 100 percent local sourcing model as a differentiation strategy in the premium market.

▸ Retail / Interview

p.36 · Ireland's Purveyors of Affordable Demi-Fine Jewellery
The interview covers 3 Irish jewellery brands that have grown by targeting the 200-to-500-euro price bracket — a gap between high-street costume jewellery and luxury fine jewellery. Combined revenue for the 3 brands reached 18 million euros in 2025. Retail investors tracking the affordable luxury segment can use the 200-to-500-euro price band as a market-sizing reference.

▸ Automotive / Reviews

p.78 · Top Cars 2026
Ireland's main distributors reveal their best drives for the year ahead. The article covers 8 models across electric, hybrid, and petrol segments, with pricing starting from 28,000 euros for the electric MG4 to 145,000 euros for the BMW i7. Each model includes a road-tax and insurance-group rating. Fleet managers can use the 8-model comparison table for their 2026 company car policy updates.

▸ M&A / Finance

p.59 · M&A Survey — The Most Memorable Business Sales of the Year
The survey covers 15 notable Irish M&A deals completed in 2025, with total transaction value exceeding 4.5 billion euros. Sectors represented include pharma, tech, food, and commercial property. Corporate finance advisors can use the deal list as a comparables database for Irish mid-market transactions.

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Editor's Take

Business Plus Issue 8 2025 is a solid year-end edition that covers aviation, energy, family business, and Irish M&A with adequate depth. The SMBC Barrett interview is the standout — 74 billion dollars in assets, 120 aircraft on order, and a clear sustainability investment thesis. The offshore energy piece is a necessary corrective to Ireland's green-energy narrative. The Follain family business story is well-reported and genuinely inspiring. The weakness is the commercial property spread, which reads as a paid supplement. The Top Cars section, while well-produced, runs too long at 8 pages for a business magazine. The M&A survey is useful as a reference but lacks analytical insight.

Strengths
• SMBC Barrett interview with 74-billion-dollar asset data
• Offshore energy article provides a hard-hitting policy critique
• Follain profile with measurable growth data (22 percent, 3 million jars)

Weaknesses
• Commercial property section reads as advertorial
• Top Cars feature overstays at 8 pages

Verdict: Recommended — Buy for the SMBC interview and offshore energy analysis; the Follain profile adds a strong family-business angle.