This week’s guest is Kingsley Aikins, CEO of the Networking Institute and formerly the President and CEO of the Worldwide Ireland Funds. Kingsley was born and educated in Dublin and started working in Enterprise Ireland but found himself wishing to be sent overseas. In 1985, his wish was granted. Kingsley was sent out to Sydney Australia, by Enterprise Ireland, to act as Regional Director. While he was in Sydney working, he also established the Lansdown Club, which quickly became the premier Irish business network in Sydney. In 1992, Kingsley left Australia and Enterprise Ireland for the position of President and CEO of the Ireland Funds in Boston, Massachusetts. He eventually found his way back to Ireland and in December 2009 stepped down as CEO to set up his own consultancy company, Diaspora Matters Limited, which would become The Networking Institute. Kingsley founded The Networking Institute in response to what he saw as a need for training in the art of networking. Having been asked to talk to many different companies over the years, he saw how the topic and act of networking made people uncomfortable. He was wanted to be able to deconstruct the association of networking with discomfort. Having lived and worked in six countries in the areas of Trade Promotion, Philanthropy and Diaspora Engagement, The Networking Institute is where Kingsley now passes on his knowledge from the experiences he had developing valuable networking skills.
