Business Plus – Issue 2 2026
Summary
148 pages of Ireland's business landscape in April 2026: Orla O'Gorman, founder of Euronext's IPOready programme, explains how she coaches companies through going public in an interview that anchors this issue. Brexit and inflation have reset the rules, but Business Plus Issue 2 shows Irish SMEs raising debt again for M&A, digitisation and climate investment.
The cover story sends readers to P8 for "The IPO Architect," where O'Gorman discusses the magic of the deal and her push for more scaling capital in Europe. Michael Guerin, co-founder of the "Netflix of Augmented Reality" Imvizar, talks funding rounds and immersive storytelling at P25. Inside the commercial ecosystem built around slimming, P28, and a survey of Ireland's top commercial law firms anchors a 92-page pull-out starting at P94. Seán Guerin SC weighs the value of an independent judiciary at P31.
Regulars include Gavan Reilly on election betting (P16), the Executive Chair interview with DNG Financial Services' Cian Carolan (P7), and Shane O'Donoghue's test of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 at P144. The 148-page issue closes with wine at P146 and a Dublin events calendar covering the PanCeltic Festival, the Plough and the Stars centenary at the Abbey Theatre, and the Dublin Coffee Festival at RDS.
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Content Guide
▸ Cover Story / Features
P8 · The IPO Architect
Orla O'Gorman built Euronext's pre-IPO programme IPOready from scratch. She tells Sarah Freeman how Irish and European companies can raise strategic finance and why she still believes in the magic of the deal. O'Gorman's pitch is direct: any CEO planning a listing should understand the skills gap between private and public markets before talking to a single underwriter.
P25 · Brave New World
George Morahan meets Michael Guerin, whose company Imvizar has been called the "Netflix of Augmented Reality." Guerin traces his journey from the genesis of the business through successful funding rounds to his plan to keep revolutionising storytelling through immersive tech. A founder considering AR as a channel should study how Guerin built a platform, not just an app.
P28 · Weight in Gold
A reported feature on the commercial ecosystem built around slimming — from clinics to apps to food brands that have turned weight management into a full industry vertical. Anyone tracking the health-economy overlap will find at least three sub-sectors ripe for B2B entry.
P31 · The Power of Advocacy
Seán Guerin SC, chair of the Council of the Bar of Ireland, and Mark Garrett, director general of the Law Society, make the case that barristers and solicitors contribute measurable value to the Irish economy. In-house counsel can benchmark their team's advocacy spend against the standards outlined here.
P94 · Market Leaders
The annual Commercial Law Survey runs 92 pages and ranks Ireland's top commercial law firms. Leading experts assess the impact of new technology, consolidation trends and the challenges ahead. GCs and procurement officers should use the ranking tables as a starting point for panel reviews.
▸ Politics / Business
P16 · Politics
Gavan Reilly examines the rise of election betting — who places those wagers, whether the practice distorts democratic outcomes, and what regulators are (or are not) doing about it. Compliance officers in gaming and media should flag the regulatory gap Reilly identifies before it becomes a headline.
P14 · In the Lead
Philip Gardner, investment director at Foresight Group Ireland, reflects on his leadership style and the discipline of backing long-term infrastructure in a short-term economy.
P21 · Hungry Work
Jordan Mooney meets Dymphna O'Brien, managing director of Dublin's iconic Bretzel Bakery. O'Brien recounts the bakery's growth and the cult status its products have earned. Any food-business owner scaling from artisanal to national will recognise the operational squeeze she describes.
P33 · Commercial Property
Alanna Gallagher visits a refurbished flexible-working space in Dublin city centre and assesses whether the luxury-office gamble is paying off for landlords. Facilities managers should compare her square-metre cost estimates with their own portfolios.
▸ Motoring
P144 · Motoring
Shane O'Donoghue puts the Hyundai Ioniq 6 through its paces. He rates range, charging speed and cabin comfort against the growing field of electric saloons under EUR 50,000.
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Editor's Take
This is the strongest Business Plus issue of the year so far — the cover interview with Orla O'Gorman is genuinely useful for any founder who has ever muttered "we should go public," and the 92-page Commercial Law Survey alone justifies the cover price. The weak link is the slim "Weight in Gold" feature: the topic deserves more than a teaser-length treatment, and the editorial team should have given it proper reporting space. The regular columns (Politics, Motoring, Wine) are reliably competent but not this issue's reason to buy. Best suited for Irish SME owners, Dublin-based professionals and anyone tracking the Irish IPO pipeline. The speculative finance crowd gets more value than the general reader, but the breadth — 148 pages at EUR 4.95 — still rewards a casual browse.
Strengths
• Actionable IPO wisdom from Orla O'Gorman
• 92-page Commercial Law Survey with ranking data
• Strong Dublin events calendar and lifestyle supplement
Weaknesses
• "Weight in Gold" reads as a placeholder, not a feature
• Wine column feels disconnected from the business focus
Verdict: Recommended — The O'Gorman interview and Law Survey make it worth EUR 4.95 for anyone with Irish business exposure.
