Career highlights

• 1968: Started career in hotel and hospitality industry in Limerick;
• 1981 to 1984: President Irish Hotels Federation (IHF) ;
• 1986: Chairman IHF National Tourism Policy Committee which initiated plan to double Irish tourism over five years;
• 1989: Graduated Harvard University Kennedy School of Government (HKS);
• 1990: Appointed senior research analyst Taubman Centre, Harvard University;
• 1991: Co-authored Harvard University report 'The Visitor Industry in Massachusetts: Strategic Recommendations' ;
• 1992: Co-founded Tourism and Transport Consult (TTC) ;
• 2004: Led team for design and construction of Ritz-Carlton Powerscourt - a €200 million project ;
• 2005: Led winning team for public-private partnership tender to design, finance, construct and operate Ireland's National Conference Centre - a €380 million project designed by renowned architect Kevin Roche
  Kevin Roche
  Kevin Roche is an Irish-American architect known for his creative work with glass.Born in Dublin, Roche spent his formative years in Mitchelstown, Co. Cork before he graduated from University College Dublin in 1945. He then worked with Michael Scott from 1945-1946...
  
    ;
• 2010: Official state opening of The Convention Centre Dublin – the world’s first carbon neutral convention centre ;
• 2010: Instigated the successful Ireland Stands Up 2 Cancer fund raising and awareness initiative at the CCD ;
• 2010: Steering committee member for ITIC/IHF initiative the Tourism Opportunity - driving economic renewal;
• 2011: Visit by President of Ireland , Mary McAleese and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the CCD .

Other positions

• Non-executive Chairman of Setanta Sports Broadcasting Ireland since 2002 (reappointed by new shareholders in September 2009 following successful transfer of business to new ownership);
• Non-executive Chairman of the Educena Foundation from 2007, Trustees of 112 secondary schools in Ireland;
• Independent Chairman of Bray Rejuvenation Committee 2006 to 2008, a Public-private partnership category winner of Chambers of Commerce of Ireland National Award and subsequently Ireland's cleanest town ;
• Non-executive Governing Body member and Chairman of Development Committee of Marino Institute of Education from 2002 to 2009 ;
• Chairman of Wicklow for Europe - Lisbon 2 Treaty referendum ;
• Appointed to the Board, as Governor and Guardian, of the National Gallery of Ireland by Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism in June 2010 ;
• Appointed as Non-Executive Director to the Board of MTCI (the science Foundation Molecular Therapeutics for Cancer Ireland) .

Education

• Clongowes Wood College
  Clongowes Wood College
  Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
  
  & the Cresent College Limerick;
• NIHE, Limerick;
• 1988: Harvard University;
• 2004: University College Dublin - Diploma in Corporate Governance ;
• 2005: Founder Member of Corporate Governance Association of Ireland ;
• 2008: Institute of Directors London - Chartered Director .