Community Connect: Dublin (Sold Out)

Julie Dorel

Head of Communications, Musgraves

Julie Dorel is the Head of Communications at Musgrave, Ireland's leading food retail and wholesale company. She manages the external communication for Musgrave and its brands, such as SuperValu and Centra, and its corporate reputation and social responsibility. Julie has over 20 years’ experience in international corporate marketing and communications. She worked for global telecommunications companies in France, and then for Tyndall National Institute in Ireland. She joined Musgrave in 2017 as where she led the corporate communication campaigns and initiatives for SuperValu and Centra. Julie is passionate about corporate social responsibility and sustainability with a focus on spotlighting Musgrave’s positive impact on society and the environment.

Sinead Fitzgerald

Executive Coach & Facilitator, Seachange Now

Sinéad's diverse background and extensive experience make her a valuable asset to any team or project. With her qualifications as a drama teacher, she injects energy and creativity into her work, bringing a unique perspective to processes and workshops.

Her 17 years of experience in teaching provide her with a deep understanding of learners' needs, allowing her to tailor her approach effectively.

In her interactions with clients across various sectors such as Education, Pharma, Finance, Technology, and the Food industry, Sinéad demonstrates her ability to bring clarity and understanding to complex issues. Her practical approach ensures that her training and interpretation sessions are not only engaging but also highly informative. Sinéad's commitment to excellence and her ability to adapt to different environments make her a powerhouse of activity in any setting. She is adept at facilitating productive workshops and processes, utilizing her flair for communication and her dedication to meeting clients' needs.

Overall, Sinéad's combination of skills, experience, and enthusiasm make her a valuable contributor to any team or project.

Rebecca Gilligan

Assistant Boning Hall Manager, ABP Slaney

Rebecca Gilligan recently been appointed as Assistant Boning Hall Manager at ABP Slaney, entered into the meat industry as a graduate. As a graduate, she supported a diverse range of research and development projects before later moving into Lean Management and graduating with a Masters in Lean Six Sigma. During her time as Head of Project Management for ABP Ireland and Poland, Rebecca led and executed many strategic projects for the business working with those across the entire supply chain. One project which Rebecca led during this time was the launch and establishment of ABP SHE for Ireland and Poland.

Throughout her career, Rebecca has remained passionate about continuous improvement, establishing herself as a catalyst for positive change through engaging teams and helping them open their minds to all opportunities, ideas and fundamentally resulting in overall increased performance and efficiency.  

As a Gen Z female in a management position Rebecca understands life for a young woman in the meat industry. Through her lived experiences, combined with her passion for continuous improvement Rebecca is empowered to change the culture around women in the meat industry and to make the world a more inclusive place as whole.

Niamh Keating

Head of HR, Kepak

Niamh Keating, Head of HR at Kepak Group, has been with the company since 2003, playing a pivotal role in developing the HR function. She has significantly enhanced Kepak’s focus on culture, recruitment, and employee engagement through robust policies.

Niamh is passionate about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, leading various initiatives to create a fair and inclusive workforce. As a mother of four, she advocates for flexible working policies and has introduced programs supporting menopause, career breaks, gender expression, and return to work.

Niamh is proud of Kepak’s highly regarded graduate program, nurturing young talent who often continue their careers with the company. In the male-dominated meat industry, she champions authentic leadership for both individual and organisational success.

Niamh's deep connection to Kepak began in her youth, gaining unique insights from her late father, Noel Keating, who founded the company in 1966. She holds a Law Degree from University College Dublin.

 

 

Orla McAleer

Chief Culture Officer, Alltech

Orla McAleer is the chief culture officer at Alltech. In this role, she works to strengthen the company’s emphasis on its people and purpose. She has worked in the business for over 20 years, traveling extensively, building teams and close relationships with colleagues globally. She leads the company focus on culture, including the alignment of its purpose, mission, vision and values.

McAleer has been central to the tremendous growth in the organization and has helped build a winning marketing team and brand that has matched the growth ambitions of the company.Prior to this role, she was the chief marketing officer at Alltech, responsible for overseeing the company’s global marketing efforts across its more than 120 markets. She has a track record in strategic global marketing leadership, B2B brand building and communications.

McAleer held several marketing and communications roles before joining Alltech at its European headquarters in Ireland in 2003 as European public relations manager. She was promoted to communications manager for Europe and Asia in 2004. In 2008, she relocated to Bangkok, Thailand, for her role as Asia-Pacific marketing manager, building the team and brand in 17 countries.She returned to Ireland to head up the European marketing function in 2010. She was also heavily involved in the corporate brand and $30 million activation of the sponsorship of the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games™ in 2010 and 2014.

In 2016, she became responsible for Alltech marketing globally and took on the role of chief marketing officer officially in 2017. She has steered the marketing function through integration of over 20 acquired companies, a transition to greatly enhanced digital marketing and activating the Alltech purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.

McAleer received her master's degree in business, leadership and management practice from the University College Dublin Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School, a bachelor’s degree in business studies from Trinity College Dublin in Ireland and holds a diploma in public relations.

Tara McCarthy

Global VP of ESG, Alltech

Tara McCarthy is Global VP of ESG at Alltech having joined the organisation in 2022.

She had previously operated as the Chief Executive of Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board since 2017 and brings with her over 25 years' experience in the wider food industry. She was formerly Chief Executive for Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland's seafood development agency and has lived and operated in overseas markets such as Germany, France and Belgium for over 10 years.

Tara’s hallmarks are her unwavering belief in people and her passion for the opportunities to be found within sustainably produced food. She has led capability initiatives for students, early career executives and entrepreneurs within the food industry for over a decade with successful partnerships formed both nationally and internationally. In 2019 she co-founded Agdif an industry initiative championing diversity in the Irish food industry. She has represented Ireland’s food industry globally speaking of Origin Green, Irelands unique national sustainability programme and in 2021 led the establishment of the Origin Green Global Council.

Tara holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from UCG with an MBS in Marketing from Smurfit Business School, and is an affiliate of IMD Business School, Switzerland. Tara has been recognised with a number of awards including UCG Alumna of the Year for Business and Commerce in 2017, Fellowship of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and Top 25 Irelands Most Powerful Women – Public Sector Leaders Award in 2018 and the 2019 UCD Smurfit School ‘Alumna of the Year’

Tara lives in Dublin with her husband Didier and three children.

Fiona McMahon

Strategic Insight & Planning Specialist, Bord Bia

Fiona is Strategic Insights and Planning Specialist in Bord Bia’s central insight centre, The Thinking House, having joined the organisation in 2018. At Bord Bia, Fiona provides strategic insight and direction to the central and local marketing teams for Food Brand Ireland in the development of global brand strategy and assets. In a nutshell, she helps the marketing teams’ understand their target audience, overcomes challenges and capitalise on opportunities in which to grow their brand. 

Fiona has previously worked as an Insights and Strategy Manager in William Grant & Son’s (WGS) Planning Division and brings with her over 15 years’ global experience in the wider insight industry. At WGS, Fiona was responsible for providing insights and strategic direction to the Global Brand Teams’ of three one million case brands; Hendrick’s Gin, Tullamore D.E.W. and Sailor Jerry Rum. Fiona also lived and worked in Australia for over 8 years, as a senior insight consultant in global insight and marketing consultancies driving results in a range of industries including, FMCG, Quick Service Restaurants, Sport and Entertainment, Telecommunications and Financial Services across Oceania and Asia.

Fiona holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree with an MBS in Marketing from NUIG and was awarded Winner of Marketing Society of Ireland 2019 Research Excellence award for NPD and Product Innovation. Fiona has a genuine curiosity for people and a passion for understanding what motivates their behaviour. She grew up in Clare and lives in Dublin with her husband Kevin and two children.

Laura Ryan (Chair)

Founder & Global Chair, Meat Business Women

Laura is an expert in building global networks and driving transformational change across the agri-food sector and up until 2019 was Sector Strategy Director for Beef & Lamb Board at Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). In 2023, Laura was named in the Grocer's Power List.

She has subsequently grown a global portfolio of work across the meat sector through the launch of Lavenpark, her own consultancy business which works with levy boards, government and commercial companies to achieve greater success through improved industry insight, connectivity, business development, marketing, and communications.

She is co-founder of the trailblazing Global Meat Alliance initiative and is also the founder and Global Chair of Meat Business Women which has been recognised by the United Nations as one of the solutions to the global Sustainable Development Goals.