News & Insights

Decommuting Strategy Shines National Spotlight On Gorey

Gorey’s burgeoning reputation as an innovation hub for tech companies was showcased to a national audience on RTE’s Six One News on Friday night.

Gorey-based IT solutions company INNOVATE was highlighted by the national broadcaster for pioneering the concept of “decommuting”.

Annette Soraine INNOVATE, George Lee RTÉ, Neilus Dennehy RTÉ, Jim Hughes INNOVATE

INNOVATE hope that their decommuting concept could revolutionise working lives in similar-sized towns around the country.

Previously stressed commuters are rediscovering the joys of family life and being absorbed into the community, spurred by signs outside Gorey which urged them to stop following the daily, dismal tail-light trail.

Decommuting is part of a drive which will see the company, which has one of the most high-tech offices in Ireland, double its 40-strong workforce over the next three years.

The company began its novel recruitment drive to try and get people to join its tech hub in Gorey by advertising on roadsides asking commuters travelling from Dublin to Wexford why they were punishing themselves with hours on the road when they could be working in a growing local company.

INNOVATE provide managed IT and professional solutions in the areas of networking, security, and communications.

They are strategic partners of Cisco, Microsoft and IBM and work with household names such as Lifestyle SportsCampus OilBarnardosDCC plc and Ecovis DCA.

Chief Commercial Officer with the company Annette Soraine, originally from Wexford, says she never thought she would have the opportunity she has now working for a local company.

Joining INNOVATE a year ago, she was struck by the passion of MD Jim Hughes about building a digital hub in the south east.

They came up with the idea to tap into a huge reservoir of talent literally driving up the road every day.

Annette Soraine, Chief Commercial Officer

“Having moved back from the UK after 10 years, it was important to me to base myself in Wexford where my family is,” Annette said. 

“I was very fortunate to progress my career with companies like Cisco, Vodafone and Microsoft, but it meant commuting to Dublin. I’d be leaving the house at 6.15 in the morning and not returning until 7 at night.

“About four years ago I spotted the INNOVATE billboards and was intrigued about this cloud service provider that was based in Wexford, with a national presence and big growth plans.”

“Through my work at Cisco and Microsoft I met with (INNOVATE CEO) Jim Hughes and he approached me about joining the business to help drive the commercial strategy to double the business. The move has been amazing for me. I’ve learned a lot working with INNOVATE that I never had the chance to working at a large corporation. There are a lot of talented people leaving Wexford every morning to travel up the M11 to pursue work and career development. It’s fantastic that companies like INNOVATE are expanding and offering real career opportunities for people in the communities where they live.”