Here is a selection of people starting new roles with FSAI, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Greenlink Interconnector, Ibec, NDT Global, and Demand Response Association Of Ireland.
Gail Carroll has been appointed as director, regulatory affairs and compliance building with the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI). She will focus on ensuring consumer health protection through the development of regulatory affairs, training, and compliance resources for frontline food inspectors. She has worked with the FSAI for over 19 years in different roles working with State agencies and at EU level, including as official controls and Brexit strategy manager, delivering expert advice to Government and at EU level on policy and legislation on food controls. A native of Dublin, Gail holds a MSc in Environmental Science from QUB and a BSc in Biotechnology from DCU. She also holds IMI diplomas in Management of Governance and Compliance and Regulatory Management.
Ruth O’Mahony Brady has been appointed as the second musician in residence for 2021 by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and Music Network, a role supported by the Arts Council. A pianist, vocalist, producer and composer, Ruth will work with musician Mary Barnecutt (cello, piano, synthesizers/electronics and vocal harmonies) on music that refects the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown landscape. A musician since 2012, Ruth has performed at Sydney Opera House, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Carnegie Hall, New York, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Los Angeles, and at festivals such as Rock Werchter, Ohana Festival and Firenze Rocks (with Eddie Vedder). She has also worked as a session musician and backing vocalist with Sam Smith, Lisa O’Neill, Glen Hansard, Colm Mac Con Iomaire, Rufus Wainwright and Paloma Faith.
James O’Reilly has been appointed as CEO of Greenlink Interconnector, at a crucial time for the rollout of the €500m project with An Bord Pleanála having given consent to the development of the 190km interconnector, construction to start later this year with a planned completion date in 2024. Mr O’Reilly was previously COO for renewable energy developer Phelan Energy Group. He has also led major engineering and communication network firms in Ireland and USA. Greenlink will use a subsea high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cable system to connect the Irish and UK power markets. The 500MW cable, equal to powering 380,000 homes, will run underground between Co Wexford and Pembrokeshire in Wales allowing power to flow in either direction depending on demand.
Paula Cain has been appointed as commercial director with Ibec, the group that represents Irish business. In this newly created role, Paula will work with the rest of Ibec’s executive director team. She brings more than 20 years in Irish and UK markets with telecomms company BT. She held general manager roles in BT UK, supporting significant revenue streams; she was also head of strategy and contract management in BT Ireland leading the strategy for Ireland and wholesale markets. Her most recent experience has been as a growth strategy consultant with Integrity 360, a software technology company in rapid growth phase. She holds a BSc in Management Sciences, Sheffield Hallam University (1997), and a MSc in Business Telecommunications, University College London (2007).
Trevor MacFarlane has been appointed as president for industrial technology group NDT Global. He was previously president and CEO of Dynamic Risk, a company acquired by NDT Global’s parent company, Eddyfi/NDT, in March 2021. He spent 20 years at Dynamic Risk in engineering, business development, and leadership roles. He previously spent seven years at TransCanada Pipelines, now TC Energy, giving him significant exposure to the operational and financial needs of pipeline operators. He holds a degree and a Master in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from QUB. In his new role, he will be leading the product portfolio, improving NDT’s ability to quickly bring new technologies to market, enhancing and building client relationships, and enhancing company culture, ensuring positive perception by employees and customers.
Siobhán McHugh has been appointed as CEO of the Demand Response Association Of Ireland (DRAI), representing the trade association members’ interests with policymakers, regulators, government, and stakeholders across the energy sector and wider national and international context. It represents 600MW of demand and embedded generation. DRAI’s members are Electric Ireland, Enel X, GridBeyond, Veolia, and VIOTAS. Siobhán brings 15 years’ energy sector experience, having worked for Aryzta, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, the Single Electricity Market Operator, and EirGrid. Most recently, she worked for management consultants EY, focused on energy strategy, transformation, and major programme delivery. DRAI’s members operate in the Integrated Single Electricity Market and aggregate the demand reduction potential of multiple industrial and commercial sites to help network operators balance electricity supply and demand.
