What's New
at CluneTech

At CluneTech, continuous learning is at the heart of our culture. In 2025, CluneTech’s subsidiary Fintua launched the Fintua Tax Academy, a comprehensive training programme designed to equip colleagues with deep knowledge of EU VAT, practical skills, and the confidence to tackle complex challenges in their daily work.

The goal of Fintua was to create an internal training series that goes beyond theory. While external courses exist, developing an in-house programme allows the content to be tailored to real-life scenarios and business-specific challenges, ensuring every session is directly relevant, practical, and immediately applicable.

“Our aim was to show that behind the Excel tables and daily routines, there is so much more to understand and appreciate. Participating in this type of training reshapes the way colleagues think about their work, the value they create, and how they collaborate across teams,” explains Péter Árpás, the main driver of the programme.

From April to October 2025, the Academy hosted seven sessions - two in-person and five online, covering the EU VAT system, legal background and EU Court decisions, and practical examples from advisory experience. The series concluded with a final exam in late November, consisting of more than 60 questions. Out of 70 participants from Bulgaria, Ireland, and Hungary, 40 successfully participated in and passed an exam, with 21 achieving results above 80%.

A graduation ceremony in Varna this February marked the successful completion of the exam, with top performers recognized for their exceptional achievement.

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Building on the success of the first year, Fintua is already preparing its 2026 programme. The next edition will be even more practical, featuring new lecturers and an open invitation for anyone who wants to participate, regardless of previous involvement.

Beyond its global reach and automated, highly integrated platform offering a full suite of indirect tax solutions, Fintua’s VAT Academy adds one more key advantage: the deep VAT expertise of its long-term professionals, handling complex VAT cases for clients such as Nestlé, Google, IBM, Mondelez, and many others.

The Fintua Tax Academy demonstrates CluneTech’s commitment to investing in our people. Beyond providing essential knowledge, it fosters professional curiosity, strengthens collaboration across teams, and empowers colleagues to step into advanced roles.

At CluneTech, growth is a team effort, and initiatives like the Fintua Tax Academy ensure that every colleague has the tools and confidence to progress their development.  

Fintua are currently hiring in various roles across our global teams in Tech and Finance. See their current vacancies at https://fintua.com/careers/.

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Friday, February 6th 2026. CluneTech was proud to celebrate the achievements of Kilkenny’s emerging young talent as it hosted the Kilkenny GAA and Camogie Academy Awards at its Kilkenny HQ on January 27th and 28^th. Held over two evenings, the awards recognised the dedication and commitment of theU16 Kilkenny GAA hurling and football squads, alongside the U15 Kilkenny Camogie Academy and Development squads.
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Over both evenings, a small number of players from hurling, football and camogie were also selected for the Driver of Excellence Awards, recognising individuals who demonstrated outstanding commitment, leadership and determination throughout the season, both on and off the pitch. Players were joined by their families, coaches and mentors to mark an important milestone in their development journey.
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Special guest speakers across the two nights included CluneTech’s Derek Lyng for hurling, Christy Walsh for football and Aoife Prendergast for camogie. Each shared valuable insights and encouragement with the young athletes as they continue their progression within the academy pathways.

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CluneTech has been the main sponsor of both the Kilkenny GAA Academy (Na Cait Óga) and the Kilkenny Camogie Academy since 2024, under a three-year partnership supporting more than 500 players across both pathways. The sponsorship helps fund essential operational and player-welfare costs, including transport, equipment, nutrition and medical supports, ensuring a high-performance environment can be sustained for young athletes across the county.
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Terry Clune, Founder and CEO of CluneTech, said:

“We were delighted to host the Kilkenny GAA and Camogie Academy Awards at our Kilkenny HQ and to celebrate the hard work and commitment shown by these young players throughout their academy journey. CluneTech is proud to support both academies and to play a role in developing the next generation of Kilkenny athletes. We would like to thank the coaches, mentors, parents and all involved for the dedication they continue to show year after year.”
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This sponsorship forms part of CluneTech’s award-winning CSR programme, CluneTech Cares. Established in 2007 and created by its people, for its people, the programme supports charities and causes worldwide while having a strong local impact in Kilkenny and in the communities where CluneTech operates.
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Speaking at the event, Sean Kelly, Kilkenny GAA Performance Lead, said:

“The Academy Awards are an important point in the development pathway, giving us an opportunity to recognise the work and commitment shown by our players throughout the year. For our U16 hurlers and footballers, this marks a key stage as they continue to progress within the Kilkenny system, building strong habits around preparation, discipline and performance.

Nights like this reflect the high standards being set across the academy and the collective effort of players, coaches and families in supporting long-term development both on and off the pitch.”
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Tommy Farrell, Kilkenny Camogie Development Officer, added:

“This was a really special evening for Kilkenny Camogie, bringing players, families and coaches together to celebrate the progress made by our U15 academy and development squads. It’s important to take time to acknowledge the enjoyment, confidence and personal growth that comes from being part of the academy journey.

The awards night captured the positive atmosphere around the programme and highlighted the strong sense of community that supports our young players as they continue to develop and enjoy the game.”
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PJ Kenny, Chairman of Kilkenny GAA, said:

“The Academy Awards are an important occasion in the underage calendar, giving young players the opportunity to be recognised for their commitment and effort throughout the year. It is a proud moment for players, families and coaches, and a reminder of the standards being developed within the Kilkenny academy pathway.”
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Theresa Aylward, Kilkenny Camogie Chairperson, added:

“Kilkenny Camogie is delighted with our partnership with CluneTech, as we share many common values, standards and a strong sense of identity. Their support allows us to continue developing and supporting our young camogie players, and occasions like the Academy Awards are an important opportunity to recognise their progress and encourage them as they work to reach their potential within Kilkenny’s high-performance environment.”

The two awards evenings reflected the strength of the partnership between CluneTech, Kilkenny GAA and Kilkenny Camogie, and a shared commitment to providing young players with a supportive and high-quality development environment. As the academy programmes continue to grow, the focus remains on nurturing talent, building character and ensuring that young athletes across the county are given every opportunity to reach their potential both on and off the pitch.
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For more information, please contact:

Lauren Cleere, CluneTech, lauren.cleere@clunetech.com  

Mary Morgan, Kilkenny GAA PRO, pro.kilkenny@gaa.ie

Aoife Lanigan, Kilkenny Camogie PRO, pro.kilkenny@camogie.ie

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At CluneTech, we have an extensive Milestone Recognition Program that rewards employees that choose to build a long and successful career with us. As part of this programme, we love celebrating and sharing the stories of those reaching major milestones with the company.

This month we caught up with Fintua's Chief Financial Officer Edward Furlong who has been a part of the team for the last 15 years.

What is your favourite thing about working in CluneTech / Fintua?

The people. In Fintua, we have a core of really good people that have been here a long time.

What has been your biggest achievement or highlight since joining CluneTech / Fintua?

My appointment as Chief Financial Officer.

Who or what has inspired you the most during your time here?

The dedication of our staff, in particular the Bulgarian based employees. The level of effort and automation they have brought into work practices over the past number of years has been remarkable.

What is the biggest change that you have witnessed in your time here?

The automation across lots of processes during my time here at Fintua.

I have also witnessed the growth in many of our businesses from the foundations of being mainly an income tax refunds business  which was very manual to being a key player in the Fintech space.

What is the greatest challenge that you have faced in your time here and how did you overcome it?

Covid completely changed the focus of our business. The majority of what we did prior to that was based around travel. This presented huge challenges from a budgeting and cashflow perspective.

In the same period Comply was also being developed.

What has been your favourite project to work on?

The rebrand project led by the marketing team was interesting to be involved in.

There are lots of elements of automation that we are working through at the moment so hard to choose a favourite.

If you had to swap roles with someone in the company for a week, who would it be and why?

Anywhere within the Sales function. I get lots of Sales phone calls so would be nice to be on the other side of the fence, for just a week!

Do you have advice for someone who is just starting their career in CluneTech / Fintua?

Don’t be afraid of change and embrace new ways of doing things.

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On February 17th, CluneTech, a fintech group with over 1,200 employees worldwide, received the "Employer Supporting Parents with Children" award by the Bulgarian Parents' Academy.

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The Academy is one of the country’s largest communities, uniting specialists and organizations that support families. The inaugural edition of the awards seeks to highlight best practices in creating work environments that support parents with children.

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With over 300 parents among its employees in Bulgaria alone, CluneTech was recognized in two categories: "Employers Offering the Most Flexibility" and "Employers with Innovative Ideas for Future Parenting Policies."

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What sets CluneTech apart from other employers in the country is its high level of flexibility. In Bulgaria, 40% of employees work fully remotely, 45% follow a hybrid model, and only 15% work exclusively from the office.

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Some of the benefits CluneTech offers its employees to support work-life balance and childcare include extra annual leave days, flex hours, which allow employees to complete their weekly hours over 4.5 days, and Lifework Days —a half-day each quarter employees can use to take care of personal matters.

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“Besides the long list of traditional employee benefits such as additional health insurance, sports cards, and food vouchers, we are deeply committed to providing social and emotional support for our employees. Naturally, this support extends to parents as well. In addition to the fun celebrations and initiatives we organize for the children and families of our employees, we also support our colleagues during life's difficult moments. This includes miscarriage leave, extended leave for the loss of a loved one, and an Employee Assistance Program, providing free 24-hour psychological support for employees and their family members," shared Ekaterina Hristova, HR Manager at CluneTech in Bulgaria.

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This is CluneTech’s second accolade in Bulgaria in 2025, after climbing to number 14 in the prestigious Top 100 Best Employers Ranking by Career Show Index.

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CluneTech is proud to announce its 14th-place ranking in the "Top 100 Best Employers in Bulgaria" for 2025, as recognized by the annual Career Show Index in Bulgaria.

This achievement marks a significant advancement from our 46th position in 2023, reflecting our dedication to continuous improvement. Our success is attributed to several accolades received over the past few years, including Best Employer in Fintech, Work-Life Balance Strategy, and Employee Benefits Strategy.

The Career Show Index honours employers who demonstrate consistent efforts in providing excellent working conditions and enhancing the workplace atmosphere. CluneTech's recognition highlights our successful adaptation to the evolving expectations of the employees.

"We congratulate CluneTech on their success in the 2025 Top 100 Best Employers in Bulgaria ranking! It is an honour for us to highlight employers who have demonstrated successful practices and strategies for employee development and care. We are pleased that through the Bulgarian awards for best employer, we can present innovative, creative, and effective employee care and working conditions improvement projects that would otherwise be unseen by the public. Participation in awards and making it to prestigious rankings is an excellent opportunity to give voice to good examples in the work of a company," shared the organisers.

The "Top 100 Best Employers in Bulgaria" ranking is part of Career Show's annual initiative, which includes the largest career expo in the country and the Career Show Awards, the leading awards for best employer and employer brand. The ranking is based on the awards CluneTech received in this esteemed competition.

The full list of the top 100 employers can be found on the Career Show website.

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Monday, 19th February 2024. Kilkenny-headquartered software technology group, CluneTech, has been recognised at the 2024 b2b Media Employer Branding Awards at a Gala Awards ceremony held in the Astoria Garden Hotel, Sofia last Friday.

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Now in its seventh year, the b2b Media Employer Branding Awards celebrate the achievements of the HR and Communications departments of companies that are focusing on creating a positive employee experience and driving talent development. The awards are vital for promoting best practice in HR and employer branding, as they enable Bulgaria’s leading employers to showcase the unique and innovative ways in which they are creating industry leading cultures for their people.

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This is CluneTech’s sixth year participating in these awards. At a captivating ceremony in Bulgaria’s capital city, Sofia, Kristina Ilieva and Niya Boncheva from CluneTech’s Marketing & Communications Team accepted two awards on behalf of the company.

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CluneTech were thrilled to be recognised in two categories:

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Our Management of New Employees award goes for the company’s enhanced onboarding process, which features a Workvivo New Hires Space, a series of step-by-step guidance emails for candidates and new starters, and the implementation of a brand-new e-signature solution for all employee-related documents which has reduced the paper usage by 30,000 sheets annually in Bulgaria alone.

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CluneTech were also awarded in the category Employer Branding Idea for their CSR Spotlight Charity of the Month initiative which resulted in a significant amount of donations for a wide range of charitable causes in the past year. CluneTech’s Spotlight Charity of the month is fully driven by their employees across the globe, who actively participated by sharing photos of their physical activities on their internal communications platform, Workvivo, over the past year.  For every employee who participated in the initiative, CluneTech donated between €5 and €50 to selected charities and causes each month. The initiative is part of the company’s global CSR Programme, CluneTech Cares, which sees the company support the charities and causes their employees hold dearest to their hearts.

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Following the recognition, Ekaterina Hristova, HR Manager for CluneTech in Bulgaria, said:

“We are truly over the moon to have won the Management of New Employees Award and we are proud that the progress we made in improving our onboarding process in the last year has not gone unnoticed. This recognition is a huge team effort by both our HR and Communications teams, and represents our commitment to creating a top-notch experience throughout the whole employee journey with CluneTech.”

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Kristina Ilieva, Marketing and Communications Specialist at CluneTech’s Team added:

“Our people are the driving force behind all the amazing changes in our workplace. It is their feedback and participation that continues to shape our CSR and Great Place to Work programmes, and our overall #OneTeam culture. There is no doubt that each one of us plays a fundamental role in making CluneTech a great place to work and recognitions like this prove we are on the right track.”

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Learn more about CluneTech’s career opportunities and our amazing #OneTeam culture here.

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At CluneTech, continuous learning is at the heart of our culture. In 2025, CluneTech’s subsidiary Fintua launched the Fintua Tax Academy, a comprehensive training programme designed to equip colleagues with deep knowledge of EU VAT, practical skills, and the confidence to tackle complex challenges in their daily work.

The goal of Fintua was to create an internal training series that goes beyond theory. While external courses exist, developing an in-house programme allows the content to be tailored to real-life scenarios and business-specific challenges, ensuring every session is directly relevant, practical, and immediately applicable.

“Our aim was to show that behind the Excel tables and daily routines, there is so much more to understand and appreciate. Participating in this type of training reshapes the way colleagues think about their work, the value they create, and how they collaborate across teams,” explains Péter Árpás, the main driver of the programme.

From April to October 2025, the Academy hosted seven sessions - two in-person and five online, covering the EU VAT system, legal background and EU Court decisions, and practical examples from advisory experience. The series concluded with a final exam in late November, consisting of more than 60 questions. Out of 70 participants from Bulgaria, Ireland, and Hungary, 40 successfully participated in and passed an exam, with 21 achieving results above 80%.

A graduation ceremony in Varna this February marked the successful completion of the exam, with top performers recognized for their exceptional achievement.

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Building on the success of the first year, Fintua is already preparing its 2026 programme. The next edition will be even more practical, featuring new lecturers and an open invitation for anyone who wants to participate, regardless of previous involvement.

Beyond its global reach and automated, highly integrated platform offering a full suite of indirect tax solutions, Fintua’s VAT Academy adds one more key advantage: the deep VAT expertise of its long-term professionals, handling complex VAT cases for clients such as Nestlé, Google, IBM, Mondelez, and many others.

The Fintua Tax Academy demonstrates CluneTech’s commitment to investing in our people. Beyond providing essential knowledge, it fosters professional curiosity, strengthens collaboration across teams, and empowers colleagues to step into advanced roles.

At CluneTech, growth is a team effort, and initiatives like the Fintua Tax Academy ensure that every colleague has the tools and confidence to progress their development.  

Fintua are currently hiring in various roles across our global teams in Tech and Finance. See their current vacancies at https://fintua.com/careers/.

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At CluneTech, we have an extensive Milestone Recognition Program that rewards employees that choose to build a long and successful career with us. As part of this programme, we love celebrating and sharing the stories of those reaching major milestones with the company.

This month we caught up with Viktoria Kurteva, Front End Developer at Sprintax. She has been on our team for the last 5 years.

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What is your favourite thing about working in CluneTech / Sprintax?

My favorite thing about working in CluneTech is the team I work with. We’ve built a strong and open way of communicating, with a lot of mutual understanding and trust. Everyone is approachable, open to questions, and always willing to help when needed. Beyond the professional environment, I’ve also had the chance to build meaningful connections and friendships that extend outside of work, which makes the experience even more valuable.

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What has been your biggest achievement or highlight since joining CluneTech / Sprintax?

‍Having been with CluneTech for five years, my biggest achievement has been my professional growth within the company. I joined shortly after graduating, and through continuous learning and commitment, I was able to demonstrate my potential and take on increasing responsibility. This journey eventually led to the opportunity to step into a Team Lead role, which I see as both a personal milestone and a reflection of the trust and support I’ve received along the way.

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What is the biggest change that you have witnessed inyour time here?

‍The biggest change I’ve witnessed is the growth and evolution of the team I’m part of. When I joined, the team consisted of just three people, and today it has grown to twelve. Along with this growth came new dynamics, stronger collaboration, and a more structured way of working together. It’s been interesting to see how the team has evolved while maintaining open communication and a supportive environment.

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What is the greatest challenge that you have faced inyour time here and how did you overcome it?

‍One of the greatest challenges I’ve faced has been growing both professionally and personally. From the very beginning, it required stepping outside my comfort zone to communicate with more experienced colleagues, ask questions, and actively learn.

Over time, I needed to take on more responsibility and make decisions on my own, which was initially intimidating. Today, many of the things that once felt challenging are now part of my everyday work.

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What has been your favourite project to work on?

I’ve really enjoyed projects where I could both contribute technically and support the team’s growth. Working on challenging front-end tasks while also helping colleagues solve problems, share knowledge, and improve collaboration has been very rewarding. I particularly value opportunities where I can learn new approaches and see how our work positively impacts the product and the team.

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Do you have advice for someone who is just starting their career in CluneTech / Sprintax?

My advice would be not to be afraid to reach out to your colleagues and communicate openly in the workflow. Ask questions whenever you have them, seek feedback, and don’t hesitate to share your ideas or suggestions. Make the most of your time, stay curious, and take every opportunity to learn as much as you can from those around you.

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At CluneTech, we have an extensive Milestone Recognition Program that rewards employees that choose to build a long and successful career with us. As part of this programme, we love celebrating and sharing the stories of those reaching major milestones with the company.

This month we caught up with CluneTech's Head of Design, Elena Stefanova who has been on our team for the last 15 years.
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What is your favorite thing about working in CluneTech?
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The opportunity to work in an international environment and meet people from different cultures.

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What has been your biggest achievement or highlight since joining CluneTech?
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One life-changing achievement was the opportunity to upskill from a graphic designer to a motion designer, using After Effects. It had been a childhood dream of mine to create motion graphics and animations. However, my biggest overall achievement within the company has been progressing through every career stage—from junior designer to Head of Design.

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What is the biggest change that you have witnessed in your time here?
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Relocating the office from Tsar Simeon to Bacho Kiro and changing the company name to CluneTech.

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What is the greatest challenge that you have faced in your time here and how did you overcome it?
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Without a doubt, it was the renovation of the new Lounge and Meeting Space in the basement (formerly the Martini Bar)—from the interior design concept to full realization. It required countless hours of research into commercial space requirements, including layout planning, lighting, safety, and dimension regulations, along with completing a six-month Interior Design course at SoftUni. It was a huge commitment for everyone involved, sometimes exceeding 10 hours of work per day, seven days a week.

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What has been your favorite project to work on?
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Creating videos with Zory for company parties— the videos on the Brick Port walls in recent years and the CluneTech event videos from previous years.

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Do you have advice for someone who is just starting their career in CluneTech?
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The company offers great opportunities for career growth and job security—be wise and make the most of them.

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At CluneTech, we have an extensive Milestone Recognition Program that rewards employees that choose to build a long and successful career with us. As part of this programme, we love celebrating and sharing the stories of those reaching major milestones with the company.

This month we caught up with TransferMate's Financial Crime Subject Matter Expert, Nelda Montalvo who has been on our team for the last 2 years.
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What is your favorite thing about working in CluneTech / TransferMate?
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I love that every day is different. I get to work on interesting cases and learn something new all the time. Plus, the teamwork here is great! Everyone is so willing to help out.
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What has been your biggest achievement or highlight since joining CluneTech / TransferMate?
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Moving into the Financial Crime Subject Matter Expert role has been a big highlight for me. It’s been really rewarding to grow in this area and work on some challenging investigations.
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Who or what has inspired you the most during your time here?
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Definitely the people I work with. There’s so much experience and knowledge in the team, and everyone is so open to sharing what they know.
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What is the biggest change that you have witnessed in your time here?
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I’d say the way our processes and systems have evolved. It’s great to see how we’re improving all the time, especially in how we handle financial crime risks.
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What is the greatest challenge that you have faced in your time here and how did you overcome it?
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Some of the complex cases I’ve worked on were definitely challenging, especially when quick decisions were needed. I just focused on staying calm, asking the right questions, and working closely with the team. 
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What has been your favorite project to work on?
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I’ve enjoyed the investigations where I could really dig into unusual activity and spot patterns. It’s challenging work, but it’s really satisfying.
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Do you have advice for someone who is just starting their career in CluneTech / TransferMate?
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Be curious and don’t be afraid to ask questions and take every chance to learn from the people around you.
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At CluneTech, we have an extensive Milestone Recognition Program that rewards employees that choose to build along and successful career with us. As part of this programme, we love celebrating and sharing the stories of those reaching major milestones with the company.

This month we caught up with Kristina Ilieva, Marketing & Communications Specialist at CluneTech, who has been on our team for the last 10 years.

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What is your favorite thing about working in CluneTech?

Time flies when you're having fun and surrounded by great people. I feel really lucky to have spent these ten years working alongside incredibly smart, down-to-earth, and supportive colleagues. This sense of camaraderie is truly one of the best things about the group, and it remains unmatched by any other team I’ve encountered in my career so far.

What has been your biggest achievement or highlight since joining CluneTech?

It’s definitely not the awards, no, no!

At the end of the day, my highlight is helping to create and foster a workplace where we support each other and gravitate toward the same values: respect, innovation, and passion for what we do. And let’s not forget all the great moments and parties we’ve shared, too.

What is the greatest challenge that you have faced in your time here and how did you overcome it?

As an introverted person, my role as a Communications Specialist has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone. It’s taught me that being in the spotlight isn’t an act of selfishness, especially when you have something meaningful to say. The same goes for my amazing colleagues, whose knowledge, successes, and inspiring stories we’ve shared with the wider audience over the years. Highlighting these great examples, inspiring others, and keeping people’s spirits high is a success I’m proud of.

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What has been your favourite project to work on?

There’s no single task or project I admire above the rest. Everything—from communications and writing to events, charity work, educational programs for students, and even marketing and organizational tasks—serves as an outlet for my personality. I’m deeply curious about human nature and what drives us, and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to work with so many people from diverse backgrounds, nationalities, and personalities.

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Do you have advice for someone who is just starting their career in CluneTech?

Dive deep into your role, and be open to learning from your mentors. Don’t give up easily when you face challenges. Instead, try to be creative, learn, and find your way through!

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At CluneTech, we have an extensive Milestone Recognition Program that rewards employees that choose to build along and successful career with us. As part of this programme, we love celebrating and sharing the stories of those reaching major milestones with the company.

This month we caught up with Rory Lynskey, Senior Content Creator at Sprintax, who has been on our team for the last 5 years.

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What is your favorite thing about working in CluneTech / Sprintax?

It’s difficult to name just one thing, but if I had to pick then my favorite thing about working here has to be the people and the culture (that’s one, right? 😅).

Everyone here is so supportive, talented, and passionate about what they do. It’s great to be part of a team where innovation and teamwork go hand in hand.

What has been your biggest achievement or highlight since joining CluneTech / Sprintax?

The Taxback blog restoration project was a big highlight, reversing the decline in page views on the blog site, and the Content and SEO teams deserve a lot of praise for finding a way to do that and putting the hours into make it happen.

Personally, being promoted to Senior Content Creator was also a great moment.

Who or what has inspired you the most during your time here?

It’d be hard to pick just one person! Working with such a talented and supportive team makes every challenge easier! There’s always someone willing to lend a hand or share some expert knowledge to help with any situation.

What is the biggest change that you have witnessed in your time here?

I have seen big changes at all the brands I have worked on since I joined. Overall, I’d say each brand is now a lot more polished than when I joined, and they look better than ever.

The improvements in design, messaging, and overall presentation really make them stand out to me.
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What is the greatest challenge that you have faced in your time here and how did you overcome it?

I’d probably have to say COVID. I was only in the door of the company, getting used to the 9-5 lifestyle after fours years of college and all of a sudden I was working from home for the first time. Almost everyone else was in the same boat, however, so it made it a lot easier trying to navigate the WFH world!

What has been your favourite project to work on?

I really enjoy my work with Sprintax, there’s always so much going on and particularly at this time of year, with it being US tax season. The Dividends project as a whole is very exciting and challenging to work on so I’ll go with that.

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Do you have advice for someone who is just starting their career in CluneTech / Sprintax?

My biggest piece of advice for someone starting their career at CluneTech is to be proactive.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions - everyone here is really supportive and always willing to help. Take the time to learn about what you are working on, embrace new challenges, and get involved in different projects!

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This April, CluneTech has donated 4.5 tons of cement-based floor screed to the Center for Medical and Social Care for Children in Varna (Vinitsa District).

The donation will be used for the construction of a brand new ward for complex care for children with chronic diseases and impairments up to seven years old. The ward will include rooms where children experiencing severe and chronic health challenges with uncertain prognoses can stay with their parents. Additionally, it will incorporate facilities for rehabilitation, physiotherapy, medical manipulation rooms, and space for individual activities. This project will ensure our city has a modern medical ward that provides complex care and assists children with severe chronic diseases and their families in dealing not only with the physical pain resulting from their conditions but also the emotional suffering they endure.

Long after its founding in 1953, the Center for Medical and Social Care in Varna only provided care to children aged 0 to 3. However, at this stage, the center boasts a multidisciplinary team of psychologists, physiotherapists, doctors, nurses, and speech therapists who provide comprehensive support to a wide group of children, ranging from premature babies to those up to eighteen years old. Many of these children have severe chronic, neurological, or genetic conditions, necessitating 24/7 medical supervision.

A long-time partner of CluneTech Cares, the medical centre in Vinitsa is the largest facility of its kind in the Northeast of Bulgaria, providing medical care and rehabilitation to premature babies and children with neurological and orthopedic problems. With donations of over €12,000 which we have made throughout the years, we have helped the centre to purchase important equipment such as hospital beds, therapeutic chairs, baby monitoring devices, two air conditioning units, a portable oxygen concentrator, a neonatal pulse oximeter, a patient monitoring system and more.

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Friday 19 April, 2024 Kilkenny. Kilkenny-based software technology group, CluneTech, has been announced as the main sponsor of Kilkenny Tennis Club’s new Padel Tennis Court, which was completed in March 2024. The official opening event, which is due to take place this Saturday, April 20, will incorporate a Charity Tennis Tournament and social event, with all funds generated being donated to the Carlow Kilkenny Homecare Team.

Founded in 1879, Kilkenny Tennis Club is a not-for-profit club with all funds generated being reinvested in their tennis facilities and the development of the game. With over 1,200members, split into 700 seniors and 500 juniors, it is one of the largest and best regional tennis clubs in Ireland. It is a very active club with high grade facilities and always welcomes new members and visitors.

“Our club is very proud of our many achievements with our members winning numerous regional and national titles, our representative teams winning many Provincial Cups and a number of members having represented Ireland at international level.” Brian Doyle, President, Kilkenny Tennis Club

This sponsorship is part of CluneTech’s award-winning CSR Programme, CluneTech Cares. Established in 2007, CluneTech Cares is created by their people, for their people, and while the programme supports deserving charities and causes all over the world, it is driven by employee requests and has a momentous impact locally, both in Kilkenny, and in the various other communities where the company operates. This significant investment will enable Kilkenny Tennis Club to be the first in the region to offer Padel Tennis, the world’s fastest-growing racket sport, to its members.

“We are delighted to sponsor Kilkenny Tennis Club’s new Padel court,” said Terry Clune, CEO and Founder of CluneTech. “As an organisation, we are passionate about giving back and we are proud to support a number of fantastic local clubs in Kilkenny where our HQ is located. I’d like to give a special mention and thanks to our own team members, Eoin Dunphy, Éanna Brady, James Murphy, Patrick Dalton and Patrick O’Neill, who are all dedicated members of Kilkenny Tennis Club. Without them, this sponsorship wouldn’t have been possible. Padel tennis is a new and innovate sport, and we are really excited to play a part in ensuring it has a home right here in Kilkenny.”

Padel Tennis is played on an enclosed court, one third the size of a traditional tennis court. Its format is doubles and it uses traditional tennis scoring, combining action with fun and social interaction. It’s a fantastic sport for players of all ages and skills, as it is both quick and easy to pick up, with most players understanding the basics within the first half hour of play.  

Edwin Walsh, Captain, Kilkenny Tennis Club, said: “Kilkenny Tennis Club was founded in 1879 at its current location in Archersfield, Kilkenny. As one of the largest tennis clubs in the country with 1,300 members, ranging in age from 2 to over 82, Kilkenny Tennis Club is constantly reinvesting in its facilities to enhance its members’ experience. On behalf of the Committee and members of Kilkenny Tennis Club, I would like to thank Terry and all the team at CluneTech for the incredibly generous sponsorship of our new Padel Court which is part of a wider redevelopment of playing surfaces and other facilities. We are immensely proud to be associated with such a progressive and innovative team and look forward to developing our partnership over the coming years.”

Jimmy Morrow, Development Chairman, Kilkenny Tennis Club, said: "We are delighted to have CluneTech join us as Sponsor of our new Padel Tennis Court and we very much value their significant investment in our club which enables us to greatly enhance our Sporting facilities with this innovative addition.”

In addition to the innovation this sport embodies, Kilkenny Tennis Club have also launched a green energy project, which to date has seen the installation of energy saving LED tennis flood lighting, reducing electricity consumption by over 44%; the installation of 36 Solar PV panels which allows the club to generate its own power, supplying any excess to the National Grid; air to water source heat pump which uses electricity generated from the club’s Solar PV system. The club’s commitment to reducing their environmental impact is just one of the reasons that CluneTech made the decision to support the club.

“At CluneTech, we always aim to support clubs, charities and causes whose values reflect our own,” said Rachael Quinlan, Head of Employee Experience, CluneTech. “Sustainability is one of the key pillars of our CSR Programme and we are super impressed at the club’s efforts to date. In addition, we recognise the importance of work-life balance and knowing that a number of our own team are also club members, made the decision to sponsor their new Padel Club a no brainer.”

Our CSR Programme - CluneTech Cares, is a fantastic representation of what we are - a team of truly caring individuals giving our best to support and add value, not only to our customers, but also to the communities in which we operate.

As part of our CSR Spotlight, we dedicated the month of March to celebrating World Autism Awareness. With this in mind, we are delighted to share an interview with John McCarthy, Facilities Manager, CluneTech, and his son Adam, who we consider an honorary CluneTech employee. For those who have had the pleasure of meeting Adam, they will be familiar with his bubbly and outgoing personality which brings so much joy to our HQ. Adam, who’s 27, has both autism and epilepsy, and was delighted to jump on camera and give us a unique insight into his life, his autism diagnosis and some of the many things he enjoys doing.

In Adam’s words, “Love will always come from the heart”.

Our CSR Programme - CluneTech Cares, is a fantastic representation of what we are - a team of truly caring individuals giving our best to support and add value, not only to our customers, but also to the communities in which we operate. CluneTech Cares is employee-led and has three key pillars: Wellness, Culture & Community, and Sustainability. It has been a busy quarter so make sure to check out some of our latest activities below.

January’s CSR Spotlight: Supporting Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Migrants

Throughout the month of January, we dedicated our CSR Spotlight to supporting Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Migrant charities and the incredible work they do providing assistance to families and single people from a migrant or refugee background in Ireland and abroad.

Our main beneficiaries of the month were both Doras and Nasc Ireland.

Doras is an independent organisation working to promote and protect the rights of people from a migrant background in Ireland while also providing specialised support to migrant and refugee victims who have experienced human trafficking, domestic abuse and hate crime. 

Nasc Ireland works with migrants and refugees to advocate and lead for change within Ireland’s immigration and protection systems, ensuring fairness, access to justice and the protection of human rights to all. Nasc's goal is to realise the rights of all migrants and refugees within Irish society. 

Across the globe, our team came together to raise vital funds for both of our beneficiaries. Thanks to the support our staff showed throughout January, CluneTech Cares has made a monetary donation to Doras and Nasc for the crucial work they do day-to-day for all Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Migrants in Ireland.

From all here at CluneTech Cares, we want to thank our team for their incredible support and the difference they have made during the month of January.

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February’s CSR Spotlight: World Cancer Day

February marked the month that CluneTech took a stand against Cancer, dedicating our CSR Spotlight of the Month to World Cancer Day. All donations from fundraising initiatives throughout the month went towards our cancer support charities selected by our teams around the world. These charities and causes included Waterford Hospice in Ireland and Една от 8 in Bulgaria.

Waterford Hospice is a remarkable organization dedicated to providing end-of-life care, particularly to those battling cancer and giving incredible support and peace of mind to their loved ones. The profound impact of their work extends beyond the walls of the hospice, touching lives not only within our wider community, but of our teammates and their families over the last number of months.

By aligning our efforts with Waterford Hospice, we are not only contributing to the crucial mission of offering comfort and solace during life's most challenging moments but also acknowledging the impact it has on the lives of our colleagues.

Our second beneficiary for the month of February was Една от 8 in Bulgaria. Една от 8 | One in 8 was founded by Nana Gladwish in 2013. Nana is a famous TV host in Bulgaria and breast cancer survivor. The organisation works with healthcare professionals, state authorities, patient communities, and other stakeholders to improve the Bulgarian healthcare system for those diagnosed. 

The team strives for a better quality of life and outcomes for the patients they care for. Една от 8 | One in 8 is funded by company and community donations to support its existence and activities. Our team’s support during February was more important than ever, contributing to keep their amazing services running in Bulgaria.

Over the course of the month, an incredible 79 members of our team around the world took part in a walk / run / cycle in aid of Waterford Hospice in Ireland and Една от 8 in Bulgaria.

CluneTech Cares donated a total of €790 to our dedicated charities of the month. Well done to all of our amazing colleagues for their participation this month.

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March’s CSR Spotlight: World Autism Awareness

Each year, we launch our CSR request form where our staff can suggest the charity and causes they'd like to see us support throughout the year. Following their feedback, we dedicated March’s CSR Spotlight to World Autism Awareness.

The main beneficiaries of the month nominated by our team included ABACAS School Kilbarrack in Dublin, Gowran National School Autistic Unit in Kilkenny, and Autism Today in Bulgaria.

Autism is a neurological difference that many people are born with which affects how they experience the world around them and how they communicate with others. While autism awareness has greatly grown in Ireland and globally in recent years, we are still a long way from having a society which truly understands autism. 

During the month of March, not only were we delighted to make a monetary donation to all three charities and causes, but we also had the pleasure of interviewing John McCarthy, Facilities Manager, CluneTech, and his son Adam, who we consider an honorary CluneTech employee.

For those who have had the pleasure of meeting Adam, they will be familiar with his bubbly and outgoing personality which brings so much joy to our HQ. Adam, who’s 27, has both autism and epilepsy, and was delighted to jump on camera and give us a unique insight into his life, his autism diagnosis and some of the many things he enjoys doing.

In Adam’s words, “Love will always come from the heart”. A massive well done to all who took part in last months CSR Spotlight of the Month and a special thank you to John and Adam for a truly inspiring interview in celebration of World Autism Awareness.

You can catch the full interview here today.

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CluneTech Cares: Supporting Kilkenny Ladies Hockey Club

At CluneTech, we're passionate about giving back to our communities and we are proud to support a number of fantastic local clubs in Kilkenny where our HQ is located, one of those being the Kilkenny Hockey Club's Ladies' Team.

Paddy Dalton, Business Development Manager at TransferMate has been coaching for the club for over three years:

"I've been working with CluneTech for 10 years now and started as a coach with the hockey club back in 2021. I really enjoy coaching because of the buzz seeing the girls reach and exceed their goals. It gives me great satisfaction to see the group training, playing matches, and sticking to the structured game plan. We're delighted to have had CluneTech on board as sponsors for the last 3 years and it has enabled us to grow our women's section to 3 teams. We can now pride ourselves on being one of the biggest female adult sporting clubs in the county, providing hockey for all levels ages and abilities."

Thanks to the club for giving us the opportunity to get behind them and a huge well done to Paddy Dalton who not only goes above and beyond in his role with CluneTech, but within his local community too.

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CluneTech’s I.T Equipment Donation to St. John of God Primary School, Kilkenny

As part of our CSR Programme, CluneTech Cares, we were delighted to donate laptops to St. John of God Primary School.

Recognising the importance of technology in education, we have repurposed these devices to support the learning needs of students within our community.

This aligns with our dedication to sustainable practices, as we strive to effectively extend the life cycle of our technology resources while also supporting the next generation with the tools they need to thrive in their education.

A massive thank you to Norm Power for arranging this donation and to St. John of God's principal, Conor Gorey, and some of the school's pupils who visited CluneTech HQ to collect the donation.

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Martenitsi Charity Bazaars in Varna and Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

On the 1st of March, our colleagues in Bulgaria celebrated Baba Marta, a Bulgarian holiday deeply rooted in folklore and culture, symbolising the arrival of spring and the wish for good health. 

To mark the holiday, our teams in Varna and Veliko Tarnovo organised annual charity bazaars in support of children with special needs. 

Thanks to our employees' contributions, a donation of 780 BGN was made to Karin Dom – a long-term CSR partner of CluneTech and one of Bulgaria’s most modern centres, providing a range of social, health, and educational services for children with special needs. 

Additionally, 600 BGN was donated for craft materials for the children at the Day Center for Disabilities ‘Daga’ in Veliko Tarnovo, ensuring that children and young people with disabilities receive rehabilitation and engaging activities that support their development and social integration.

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CluneTech Continues to Raise Awareness of Crucial Stroke Symptoms

'Fast Heroes 112' is a prevention program with one grand mission - to educate the world about the symptoms of stroke and the need for immediate action.

After the successful launch of the award-winning educational program in Varna last year, in 2024 we will continue our mission to raise awareness of stroke symptoms in another well-known school in Bulgaria’s sea capital – Foreign Language School Alexander S. Pushkin. The second edition of Fast Heroes 112 will take place from February to April involving 150 students from first to fourth grade who will share their knowledge about stroke symptoms and first aid with parents and grandparents.

Last May, 150 first graders from Geo Milev school were officially named Fast Heroes 112 ambassadors as they learned the symptoms of stroke and raised awareness of stroke prevention among their loved ones.

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Volunteering at CluneTech

Introduced in 2021, our CSR Volunteer Day empowers each employee to give back to the charities and causes closest to them. Since the inception of Volunteer Day, 160+ CluneTech employees have contributed to causes which they find meaningful, and this number keeps growing. See what they had to share with us about their experience this quarter:

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Baba Marta at CluneTech

In preparation for this year’s Baba Marta celebrations, over ten colleagues in our Varna offices joined forces using their CSR volunteer day to hand-craft some martenitsi that were later sold at our in-house and other local charity markets in aid of children with special needs. A great tradition and a great use of their Volunteer Day as our colleagues managed to make 1,690 martenitsi in just one day!

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Daffodil Day 2024 with Claire McBride, Financial Services Account Manager at TransferMate

Speaking about her Volunteer Day, Claire said:

"Daffodil Day is a special day where we all unite to remember the loved ones we’ve lost to cancer, to honour the people in our lives who are facing cancer and to acknowledge the bravery of those that have fought and won their battle with cancer. I am very fortunate to work for a company that affords and encourages staff to use their volunteer day to get involved in fundraising activities of all kinds. I am proud to play my part today for the Irish Cancer Society."

Well done to Claire on her involvement in this incredible volunteering activity.

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CluneTech are absolutely delighted to be supporting Ronald McDonald House Ireland as part of our CSR Programme, CluneTech Cares. Ronald McDonald House Ireland have been caring for families in Ireland since 2004 and since then, have provided accommodation, care and support for in excess of 4,200+ families from all over Ireland.

We recently paid a visit and saw first-hand the tremendous work that their team does to support families through the toughest of times in the most loving, homely, and peaceful way.

“We call ourselves the invisible family that wraps ourselves around mum, dad, brothers, and sisters. We provide them with a home and the security and safety net they require while facing, quite often, a long period of time when their child is sick in the hospital” said Louise Quail, Corporate Relationship Manager with The Ronald McDonald House Charity. “It’s never going to be their home, and we never want it to the be their home, but it has to be the next best thing.”

CluneTech’s donation will see us sponsor a bedroom in the new Ronald McDonald House which will be built on the campus of the new National Children's Hospital. With 52 bedrooms spread out over four floors, the new house will be a vital home for families from every county and every town in Ireland. We are honoured to be sponsoring a room, and playing a role in supporting such an incredible charity.

“Outside of just providing extra bedrooms, there’s going to be so much more communal spaces allowing us to possibly extend our programmes or offer additional core programmes or services that can really support the wellbeing of the overall family.”

Ronald McDonald House Charities are actively seeking sponsorship and donations towards their new house build. To learn more, please visit https://www.rmhc.ie/about-us/new-house.

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About Ronald McDonald House Charities Ireland

The mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities Ireland is to provide a Ronald McDonald House to support families whose children are seriously ill in hospital. The Ronald McDonald House provides accommodation and a caring and supportive environment for families whose children are seriously ill and are hospitalised or undergoing medical treatment at Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin.

The Ronald McDonald House Position Paper 2021 outlines who we are, the impact we make and where oursupport comes from. To find out more about our New 52-bedroom RonaldMcDonald House alongside the New Children’s Hospital click here.

About CluneTech Cares

CluneTech’s CSR programme was established in September 2007in response to a tragic flooding disaster in Tsar Kaloyan, Bulgaria. Deeply saddened by the news, our Bulgarian employees decided to help and within 48hours, they had rallied together and organised 3.5 tonnes of food and 12,000litres of water for the village. After this event, we formalised our CSR activity to give it a global reach, ensuring to support each of the communities in which we operate and giving back to our local communities.

The amazing thing about our CSR Programme is that it’s created by our people, for our people. Each year employees are given the opportunity to request which charities we support and the programme’s global reach results in us having appositive impact in each of the communities we operate in.

As part of CluneTech Cares, in 2020 we introduced our Volunteer Day which empowers our people to give back within their local communities during working time, ensuring that even our smaller teams can get behind the charities and causes closest to their hearts.

In 2022, we donated over €75,000 and supported over 55 charities, causes and fundraisers.

Further Information:

Rachael Quinlan, Head of Employee Experience, CluneTech

rachael.quinlan@clunetech.com

Tel: +353873450595

Louise Quail, Corporate Relationship Manager, RonaldMcDonald House Charities Ireland

louise.quail@rmhc.ie

Tel: +353868659116

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CluneTech’s award winning employee wellbeing programme offers a range of supports and initiatives including corporate health insurance, a Global Employee Assistance Programme, Life Work Days and much more, ensuring that health and wellbeing of our people is always a priority. In recent years, we expanded our offering to include fertility support and paid leaves for both IVF / pregnancy support and miscarriage / pregnancy loss, helping our people and / or their partners through all stages of their fertility journey.

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With this in mind, we are honoured to announce that this summer, CluneTech has made its first donation towards the I Want a Baby Foundation in Bulgaria. This donation will directly assist the facilitation of psychological support groups for those experiencing infertility in Bulgaria’s sea capital Varna, where the large majority of our Bulgarian workforce is based.

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The I Want a Baby Foundation launched its psychological programme in 2007. The programme is the first of its kind as it has been thoughtfully crafted to run in tandem with the medical procedures a couple is going through.

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Following the donation, Katya Simeonova, who is the psychologist conducting the support groups in Varna, shared:

“When families start their infertility path, we always notice a feeling of social isolation. Their families and friends usually have children, and this is something that upsets them very much. They start distancing themselves emotionally. They usually don’t have someone to share the things they are going through and at some point, they start feeling isolated. The work in such groups is very precious to them as it gives women with infertility a chance to meet people with similar problems, to talk things through, each one of them to share the challenges they have been through. They get great feedback and in addition, they start getting closer to each other. They keep nurturing the friendships they create throughout our support groups even after the end of the program. I’m confident to say that group therapy is working really well.”

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The donation was made following an employee's suggestion

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At the beginning of 2023, in addition to the many amazing initiatives we already support, we opened our global CSR request form, where our employees from all over the world have the opportunity to submit requests highlighting which charities and causes they would like to see us support. This year saw the highest number of requests to date, with our employees eager to see us support the charities and causes closest to their hearts.

Following an open vote on our internal communications platform Workvivo, the I Want a Baby Foundation which was put forward by Iglika Raeva, was chosen as the next CluneTech Cares beneficiary.

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Following her nomination, Iglika Raeva from our Veliko Tarnovo office shared:

“The reason I want to support 'I Want a Baby' is because it is a cause very close to my heart. The volunteers there give their time and endless effort to support the families that are listed in the program. They support them not only financially, but also mentally, and emotionally and become their second family. All the parents of the babies born with the help of the foundation are also volunteers and they give back time and effort invested by others previously for them. I see great value in their cause as it brings happiness to people that have wanted this for years.”

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About the I Want a Baby Foundation

The I Want a Baby Foundation coordinates reproduction, fertility treatment and psychological support programmes for childless couples.  

The foundation’s efforts led to the creation of Bulgaria’s National IVF Fund and there are now IVF Funds in over 45 municipalities in the country. These funds sponsor up to four IVF procedures per couple. In addition to the foundation’s psychological support programme, the I Want a Baby Foundation also operates a genetic material donor programme for all couples who, after multiple unsuccessful procedures, are unable to conceive and require a donor.

In 2023 the organization celebrates its 16th birthday. In those sixteen years they have welcomed 3,500 babies in Varna and 20,000 babies in other locations, which would easily fill a whole town!  

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About CluneTech Cares

CluneTech’s CSR programme was established in September 2007 in response to a tragic flooding disaster in Tsar Kaloyan, Bulgaria. Deeply saddened by the news, our Bulgarian employees decided to help and within 48 hours, they had rallied together and organised 3.5 tonnes of food and 12,000 litres of water for the village. After this event, we formalised our CSR activity to give it a global reach, ensuring to support each of the communities in which we operate and giving back to our local communities.

The amazing thing about our CSR Programme is that it’s created by our people, for our people. Each year employees are given the opportunity to request which charities we support and the programme’s global reach results in us having appositive impact in each of the communities we operate in.

As part of CluneTech Cares, in 2020 we introduced our Volunteer Day which empowers our people to give back within their local communities during working time, ensuring that even our smaller teams can get behind the charities and causes closest to their hearts.

In 2022, we donated over €75,000 and supported over 55 charities, causes and fundraisers.

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Welcome to our CluneTech Social Spotlight Series – a fortnightly roundup of the best social media activity from across our group of global companies. Want to stay in the loop with everything happening in CluneTech? Here’s the place to do it! Click the title of each entry to view the original post.

..And don’t forget to like and share the wonderful content being produced across the Group!

Don’t Miss Out on Claiming your Work from Home Tax Relief! – Taxback.com

In the Irish Examiner last week, Barry Cahill and Taxback.com discussed the findings of their recent survey which revealed that only 17% of respondents have claimed their work from home tax relief. The relief allows people to claim back 10% of electricity and heating, and 30% of their broadband costs, apportioned over the number of days worked from home over the course of the year. The article also debunks widespread myths such as the relief not being available to those that share bills.

“Almost half of those who took the survey believed that the relief wasn’t available to those in house shares." – Barry Cahill, Taxback.com

Lastly, the article talks about how to claim back your tax relief, detailing all the steps involved.

Driving Merger & Acquisition Success – Immedis

To boost revenue, acquire a competitive advantage, target new prospective customers, and widen access to the talent pool, an increasing number of businesses are pursuing global expansion. Consequently, mergers and acquisitions are becoming increasingly common.

But how does M&A activity impact global payroll and how can payroll teams assist in the expansion process? Those questions and more are answered in Immedis’ latest e-book “Driving Merger &Acquisition Success: Leveraging Global Payroll as a Strategic Asset”. This e-book provides payroll professionals with practical tips and best practices that help ensure success, compliance, and timely payroll delivery.

New Year, New Look. Reintroducing Sprintax! – Sprintax

Have you noticed something a little different about Sprintax lately? Towards the end of last year, the Sprintax team launched their new brand to great excitement and wonderfully positive feedback. The aim behind this rebrand being to reflect the growth that has occurred within their products, technology, and team over recent years, as well as their proven customer centric approach. Check out Sprintax’s latest blog post for more information on their recent changes and why they made them.

Taxback International and Flexso Partnership – Taxback International

Some very exciting news emanating from Taxback International last week as they announced their brand new partnership with Flexso. Flexso is a strategic end-to-end partner for smart SAP solutions, both on-premise and in the cloud.  This partnership will see the integration of Flexso’s end-to-end SAP implementation management solution with Taxback International’s VAT reclaim and VAT compliance automation platforms.

“We feel very fortunate to be working with Flexso. We know the team at Flexso are passionate about delivering digital transformation to their clients and I feel both our clients will benefit greatly from this partnership”. - Todd Brennan, Head of Business Development Central Europe, Taxback International.

For more on this announcement check out Taxback International’s LinkedIn post by clicking the title of this entry.

The Value of a ‘Gift with Purchase’ Campaign – Benamic

In a recent update Benamic, our award winning promotions agency, discuss the positive impact on consumer brand loyalty that can be derived from running a ‘Gift with Purchase’ campaign. Expanding on research conducted by Harris Interactive where 90% of consumers that received a free gift stated that they be ‘somewhat likely’ to purchase from that brand again, Benamic discuss how to effectively run such a campaign. Read about what our promotions experts have to say before running your next ‘gift with purchase’ campaign.

And that’s this week’s Social Spotlight roundup… Head over to www.clunetech.com to learn more about CluneTech and our amazing group of global companies. And check back in two weeks’ time for the next CluneTech Social Spotlight!

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Diana Brainova, Learning & Development Expert at CluneTech, sat down with Economy.bg to discuss the impact of our recent rebrand, and the improvements that CluneTech has made to its employee benefits package, including increasing the annual leave allowance for all Bulgaria-based staff. Check out her interview below!

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How will the recent rebrand affect the group as a workplace and employer?

For prospective employees, our new brand, CluneTech, clearly signals the focus on technology across our brands. It reflects our evolution and progress since 1996, when the group was first established, to what we are today – a hub for technology innovation, dedicated to making business better.

While our parent group has been rebranded from Taxback Group to CluneTech, we are still home to the same suite of innovative companies that continue to grow and attract more talent.

Part of our aim with the rebrand is to support our #OneTeam culture and approach with our employees. It applies to all employees and businesses across the group. CluneTech is about brilliant people and technology and our people remain at the core of everything we do. We rely on them to help us provide great customer experience and exceptional technology solutions to our customers, helping us to make business better.

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What measures has CluneTech taken to support your employees in 2022?

We continue to improve our compensation package. After the recent upgrade announced in the summer of 2021, which included adding an Employee Assistance Programme and Life Insurance to our benefits package,  we have decided to introduce an additional two days of annual leave, for all of our Bulgarian staff. These two days are in addition to the extra annual leave days given to long-term employees as part of our Milestone Recognition Programme, and they will apply to all staff from their first day of service in the company. The decision to increase the number of annual leave days aims to reward our employees for their continuous hard work and dedication. This new addition to our benefits package has been warmly welcomed by our people.

The pandemic conjured major changes to the way we work, ultimately leading to a future of flexibility at CluneTech. The transition to remote working was supported by our brand-new Flexible Working Policy which aims to give our employees more freedom and increased flexibility, helping them to achieve a better work-life balance. Our recent Pulse Survey data highlights that we made a step in the right direction – where 70% of staff expressed satisfaction with their work-life balance in Q1 of 2022, this figure had increased to 78% by the year’s end. We expect this additional leave will further help our people to balance their work and home lives.

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What feedback have you had from employees?

Facilitating and responding to employee feedback is imperative to us here at CluneTech and many of the improvements we have made have been inspired by said feedback. 

For instance, our employees, through various feedback channels, routinely expressed a need for a greater focus on learning & development. In response to this feedback, we introduced a brand-new Learning & Development strategy in 2021. This programme has been steadily gathering steam and improving the learning opportunities available to staff and this year will continue to focus on some key projects: our People Manager Development Programme, employee led career pathing, improving the new hire onboarding process, coaching and mentoring, and last but not least – LinkedIn Learning accounts to help our employees access the knowledge and skills they need to further their careers.

Our move to remote working has allowed us to place a greater emphasis on recognizing and rewarding our employees, and given us the opportunity to dramatically improve employee wellbeing and our benefits offering. We have successfully adapted our wellbeing and learning and development offerings to the online environment, helping us to stay competitive and to attract and retain the best talent.

How many employees are currently working for CluneTech in Bulgaria?

Last year marked 20 years since the opening of our first office in Bulgaria. The company started with a small team of 15 employees and we are proud to say that, twenty years later, the majority of those employees are still working with us. Over the years our businesses have developed and the number of employees has increased tremendously. Currently, we employ nearly 1000 staff in Bulgaria alone. We have offices in Varna, Veliko Tarnovo and Shumen, but our current remote working model allows us to hire candidates from other locations too.  IT and software development, finance and international taxation, customer care, marketing and human resources, are just some of the main areas for career development in CluneTech.

What are your recruitment plans for 2022?

In the past year we hired nearly 200 new employees across Bulgaria. We expect to maintain these hiring rates in 2022. Although there is an increase in recruitment for IT and software development positions, we will continue to hire for finance and customer service roles too.  Employees that are highly skilled in these areas are crucial to the success of our Bulgarian teams. We also continue to actively collaborate with local universities to advertise our internships and junior roles to prospective candidates.

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CluneTech is today celebrating the recognition it received as one of Bulgaria’s Best Employers! CluneTech was listed as the 14th best employer in Bulgaria by the prestigious Career Show Index 2020.

Headquartered in Ireland, and employing more than 1000 people in Bulgaria, CluneTech is the parent company of Ireland’s most successful and groundbreaking Fintech brands – including, TransferMate Global Payments, Immedis, Taxback International and Taxback.com. In an ultra-competitive Fintech sector, CluneTech's companies are all at the very cutting edge of financial innovation exported to the world’s largest multinational clientele.

“We would like to congratulate Taxback Group (now CluneTech) on their success as being recognised as one of the 50 best employers according to the Career Show Index 2020. All great initiatives, strategies, and practices that the company shared over the past few years, puts them on par with the strongest employer brands in Bulgaria. We are delighted that, even in tough times like this, we can continue to evaluate and appreciate the hard work and dedication of companies in Bulgaria” said Simona Harizanova, co-founder of Career Show.

Career Show Index honours the best employers in Bulgaria. The index collects the results of employers based on their performance in various business awards over the last 3 years. Commenting on being recognised as one of Bulgaria`s Best Employers, Ekaterina Hristova, our HR Manager in Bulgaria, said: “At Taxback Group (now CluneTech), we try our very best to ensure a great employee experience for our people. We’re absolutely thrilled that our hard work has been recognised! This accreditation shows us that we’re certainly on the right track, and that we’re making huge progress towards building a unique #OneTeam culture.”

This recognition is based on the accreditation that CluneTech has received over the last few years at the Career Show Awards. Notably, CluneTech was awarded “Best Health and Well-being Programme” for GroupLife at last year’s awards. GroupLife, which forms part of a wider employee engagement strategy, was launched in 2017 and centres around three key pillars: mind, body and work-life balance. The programme offers employees monthly activities including monthly seminars and information sessions, fitness classes and sports memberships and internal recognition programmes. The Career Show Index 2020 takes into consideration the awards received by local companies, from either of the following: Career Show Awards 2019, Employer of the Year 2018, Top Employer Institute, Bulgarian Association for People Management, Forbes Business Awards 2020 and Company of the Year 2018.

The full list of employers included in the Career Show Index 2020 is available here: https://careershow.bg/index/

Dublin-based career guidance and mentorship programme Gradguide has been acquired by CluneTech, with the latter making a €2 million equity investment in the company. The company, which was founded by Mark Hughes, Ian Guerin, Matthew Brennan and Dave Martin in response to their own difficulties in getting the mentorship they needed, plans to scale its graduate mentorship programme both in Ireland and abroad. The backing of CluneTech and Terry Clune, who built Taxback.com, Immedis and TransferMate, will help the founders focus on that goal with Clune Tech's HR expertise.

The company pairs graduates with mentors and tech companies to help them make the transition from college into the tech industry. It currently has around 60 mentors and 500 students across six different countries. “So many graduates still have that frustrating experience of sending out CVs far and wide, often more in hope than expectation. From our experience, many don’t even see a way to break into the tech sector but have the exact skillset that so many companies are crying out for. Only through mentorship did I land my own dream job post-graduation at Intercom back in 2017,” said Mr Hughes.

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Mr. Hughes continued “Gradguide was built from the anxiety I experienced first hand upon graduation and then saw friends and family also encounter who graduated after me. We believe every company is becoming a technology company and we want to bridge the employment gap that currently exists between college and company.” He said the company was already seeing participants going on to become mentors, and mentors becoming hiring managers building their first team through Gradguide.

Gradguide is free for graduates and mentors, while employers pay an annual fee. Among its customers are TransferMate and Immedis, and it also partners with growing technology companies such as Wayfler, Channelsight, and Quorum to connect candidates with company partners and hiring managers early on in their job search. “Getting started on the career ladder can be very daunting for graduates. Gradguide is an extremely innovative program connecting graduates with employers through the guidance of brilliant mentors,” Mr Clune said. “Mark and his team, all in their twenties, have a tremendous passion to help graduates find great employers. We are incredibly impressed by what they have achieved. We are delighted to be investing in Mark and his team to help build Gradguide’s future.”

CluneTech awarded two awards at the prestigious HR Leadership & Management Awards Kilkenny, 23 November 2021.

CluneTech (formerly Taxback Group) was declared winner of two awards at the HR Leadership & Management Awards, held in Clontarf, Dublin on Thursday, 18 November. Now in its seventh year, the HR Leadership & Management Awards has established itself as the benchmark for those demonstrating excellence in HR in Ireland, recognising best-in-class HR practices, teams and people. CluneTech was shortlisted in a record seven categories this year and took away two awards during the ceremony, which was held in a hybrid format this year.

Michelle Gaffney, HR Business Partner at CluneTech, was the deserving recipient of HR Manager of the Year. Nominated for her exceptional leadership and unwavering dedication, Michelle is thrilled with the recognition: “I am absolutely honoured to be recognised as HR Manager of the Year. As cliché as it sounds, this is something I never would have dreamt of when I started my HR Career with Taxback.  I have essentially “grown up” within this organization and Terry and the SMT have continued to believe in me every step of the way. I’m especially grateful for their support and the abundance of opportunities they have given me over the years.”

CluneTech were also awarded Best Use of CSR in HR. This award recognises the role that their CSR programme, CluneTech Cares, plays in the company’s overall business strategy and #OneTeam culture. Commenting on the award, Rachael O’Shea, Head of Employee Experience at CluneTech said: “We’re over the moon to have won Best Use of CSR in HR. This award is a huge team effort and is a reflection of our global team’s tremendous enthusiasm and passion for supporting the communities around them. Though Covid put a stop to many of our on-site CSR initiatives, we took this as an opportunity to be creative and really think outside the box, while still coming together to make a difference as #OneTeam.”

Speaking on both wins, Terry Clune, Founder and CEO of CluneTech commented: “We’re absolutely delighted to have won two awards at the HR Leadership and Management Awards. This result is testament to our fantastic HR Team, in particular Michelle Gaffney who was awarded HR Manager of the Year. Despite all of the challenges that Covid has presented, our team have continued to go above and beyond, and I’m immensely proud of the work that they have done, and will continue to do.”

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While the last few months have undoubtedly presented a number of challenges, it’s fantastic to be able to look positively ahead to the future. CluneTech's priority is the health, safety and well-being of our employees. The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in over 90% of our workforce working from home. As we consider a safe return to an office environment, we want to provide flexible work possibilities to our teams whilst continuing to meet our group objectives of growth, innovation, delivering for our customers and being ‘One Team’.

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What are we doing? Introducing a Flexible Working Policy post COVID that will: Provide employees with the opportunity to work remotely on an ongoing basis, introduce part-time roles and the opportunity to job-share, offer a more casual dress code once we return to the office, and allow staff to work more flexible hours by, for example, starting work earlier/later, finishing work earlier/later or having a longer lunch break. Work-life balance is hugely important to all of us at CluneTech and we’re delighted to be introducing a number of positive measures that will ensure our people can successfully balance their work and family lives.