S&P GLOBAL RATINGS OPENS NEW EUROPEAN HEADQUARTERS IN DUBLIN

S&P Global Ratings is pleased to announce the opening of its new European headquarters in Dublin. This milestone was celebrated at an opening ceremony today, attended by senior leaders from the organization and Martin Shanahan, CEO of IDA Ireland. Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, TD, will officially inaugurate the new Dublin office at a formal reception this evening.

Welcoming the decision to locate in Dublin, Minister Donohoe said: “S&P Global Ratings is a most welcome addition to Ireland’s growing financial services community. This location decision underscores the attractiveness of Ireland for investment in highly-skilled, knowledge intensive areas of activity, particularly the financial services.

“We have put significant investment over the past number of decades into developing our stock of human capital to ensure we have the necessary skills and talent base. This is now reflected in the types of internationally focused businesses locating to Ireland, such as S&P Global Ratings, which are creating high value positions”.

S&P Global Ratings is the world’s leading provider of independent credit ratings. The Irish headquarters will be the hub of a very strong EMEA network spanning 13 offices. A mix of employees who have relocated from existing international offices and new hires in Ireland fully staff the office, which includes senior management, an experienced team of analysts, compliance and support staff.

John Berisford, President of S&P Global Ratings, commented: “We are thrilled to be in Ireland. This country has a vibrant financial services ecosystem and we look forward to playing our part in developing it further. Historically, Ireland has shown it can play a leading role in innovation in capital markets as well as in advancing new financial technology. We were attracted by the country’s talent pool, connections to the rest of our European network, and its strong track record as an operating environment. Our new Dublin office is a key milestone in our journey to expand into new markets and attract talent.”

Martin Shanahan, CEO, IDA Ireland, added: “S&P Global Ratings’ choice of Dublin to locate this strategically important investment contributes to Ireland’s reputation as a hub for the international financial services sector within the EU.”

S&P Global Ratings publishes more than 50 global-scale ratings on Irish companies, banks, infrastructure projects, structured finance transactions, and the country’s sovereign.

David Gordon, Country Head Ireland, S&P Global Ratings said: “We are delighted to be here in Dublin and have a solid base from which to continue our support for this market through multi-sector ratings, as well as providing essential intelligence and critical insights.”