Techovate2012 :: Speakers

Speakers

	Lorraine Twohill, Vice President Global Marketing, Google Lorraine joined Google in 2003 and is responsible for the company's marketing efforts globally. Her team's marketing programs focus on the go-to-market strategy and adoption of all of Google's products and brands, from consumer offerings to business services, across the globe. Previously, she built and led all of Google's regional marketing teams and activities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.Lorraine has 18 years experience in marketing. Before joining Google, Lorraine built and led the Marketing team for Opodo, the European travel portal created by nine of Europe's airlines. She led the launch of the company across Europe, bringing it to a top 3 position in all launch markets within 2 years. A native of Carlow, Ireland, Lorraine holds a joint honors degree in international marketing and languages from Dublin City University.
	Kingsley Aikens, Session 4 Chair, Making It Happen Kingsley Aikins is the former President and CEO of the American Ireland Fund and the Worldwide Ireland Funds. Over his 21 year history with the Ireland Funds over a quarter of a billion dollars was raised and distributed to over 1200 projects in Ireland, North and South. These projects were in the areas of Peace and Reconciliation, Arts and Culture, Education and Community Development. The Funds are now active in 39 cities in 13 countries around the world and 40,000 people attend over 100 events annually. Kingsley has written and presented extensively on Philanthropy and Diaspora issues and in 2009 put out two publications. One was a Comparative Review of International Diaspora Strategies which looked at how other countries connected to their Diasporas and made recommendations for Ireland to implement. This was distributed prior to the Farmleigh Conference. The second publication was the Ireland Funds' Philanthropy and Fundraising Toolkit. In January 2010 Kingsley Founder Kingsley Aikins & Associates, a Consultancy company providing advice to governments, corporations, foundations and individuals on philanthropy, fundraising, networking and international Diaspora issues. In May of last year he participated in the Hillary Clinton Global Diaspora Forum in Washington which was a major success and involved over 400 individuals representing 300 different organisations from around the world. In 2011 Kingsley founder Diapora Matters and also Co Founder Networking Matters with a lifetime friend, Ed Kelly.
	Keith Bohanna, Session 3 Chair, Software and Services Keith Bohanna is IIA Chairman and an experienced digital strategist who has worked with both large and small businesses to help them develop their internet channels. He also has extensive experience in the planning, management and successful delivery of web projects involving multidisciplinary elements. This project work combines strong business and marketing elements with the technology frameworks required.
	Conrad Burke, General Manager, Innovalight Dupont Conrad started Innovalight in the solar business in Silicon Valley in 2005 and was President & CEO until it was acquired by DuPont in August 2011. Prior to Innovalight, Conrad was senior vice president of worldwide sales for Oclaro (Nasdaq: OCLR). His career has spanned research and development, product management, marketing, sales, general management and operations in global organizations such as NEC, AT&T, Lucent Technologies and Agere Systems. Conrad has extensive international experience having lived for many years and run operations in Germany, U.K., and Japan. Mr. Burke was also a venture partner at Sevin Rosen Funds, focused on semiconductor investments. At The World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting in Davos, Conrad received the Technology Pioneer Award for cleantech innovations. In October 2010, Conrad was presented an award at The Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year™ event in Dublin by President of Ireland, Mary McAleese. Conrad has an MS in Physics from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland, a BS in Physics from University College, Dublin, and he has attended The London Business School.
	Colin Browne, EMEA Business Operations Group Director, Microsoft Colin is Microsoft's EMEA Business Operations Group Director. Colin was previously leading Microsoft's Digital strategy focusing on consumer ESD & successfully launched new offerings to consumers thru Retailers & eTailers across key markets in the summer of 2010. He is a Business & Finance Degree graduate and qualified Chartered Management Accountant (CIMA - ACMA) with 14 years work experience in Microsoft. Having joined Microsoft in 1997 in an entry level Pricing analyst role Colin expanded his responsibilities in EMEA and then took the role of WW Pricing Manager reporting to Microsoft Corporate HQ. This role involved the development and execution of a worldwide operational pricing strategy. Colin moved into the Operations Services area of Microsoft in 2002. His roles here included the tactical & strategic leadership of a Product Launch Services Group, the Product Release & Data Mgmt Groups including key Windows, Office & Xbox launches and culminated in him leading the Operations Services group from 2006. Colin's notable achievements have included the development of Consumer Electronic Software Distribution strategy, process optomisation & automation, integration & set up of new business, major product launches, outsourcing & downsizing of non-core activity, the transfer & centralisation of the Microsoft's OEM Manufacturing business to Dublin, implementation of the Euro and EMEA price harminisation.
	Terry Clune, CEO, The Taxback Group Terry Clune is the founder, owner and CEO of Taxback.com and its subsidiary and affiliated companies and has been the innovator and driver of the company to its present global market leader position. A graduate of Trinity College Dublin, Terry formulated the Taxback.com business concept while working in Germany as a student. Using college computers at night to process tax refund applications for his friends and other students, the service was a hit and when Terry graduated he employed 3 staff and opened a small office in Dublin. Terry now heads up a wholly Irish-owned company with 27 offices in 20 countries and clients in over 200 countries. Taxback.com has grown and diversified to provide a range of services to meet the varied needs of businesses and individuals who engage in travel and in the last 13 years has built strategic partnerships with some of the biggest brands in the world including Visa Europe, Concur and 3GSM. In 2011 Terry participated on the judging panel of the HSBC European Business Awards, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and was also party of the Government led Irish Global Economic Forum early this month. Locally he is a member of Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce and the South East FUSE Initiative led by Enterprise Ireland.
	Krishna De, Founder, Biz Growth Media Krishna De is an award winning digital marketing, brand engagement and social media speaker, commentator and mentor. Her online education programmes covering personal branding and online networking for career success, digital marketing and social media marketing are widely acclaimed. Krishna consults and guides business leaders of FTSE 100 companies, professional services firms and the media on how to integrate and leverage social media marketing into their marketing, communications and PR plans.
	Brendan Ennis, Founder and CEO, Techovate Brendan Ennis is nationally recognised as one of Irelands leading Social Entrepreneurs. He is Group Chief Executive of Innovation Wexford and its numerous Enterprise Divisions including Wexford Enterprise Centre, Datagroup, Recycling 2000, Celtic Enterprises and now Techovate. He has been at the forefront of social enterprise in Ireland for over 16 years and his innovative and creative business style lies behind much of his success. Under his guidance, Innovation Wexford has developed into one of Ireland's leading and most proactive Social Entrepreneurial Organisations. It has assisted in the creation of over 100 companies to date, creating in excess of 800 jobs since its establishment over two decades ago. Wexford Enterprise Centre has successfully developed under Brendan's leadership into one of Ireland's largest and most successful Innovation Hubs which currently housing over 30 companies. He Founded Datagroup in 2009 and has developed the Division into Irelands fastest growing Data & Document Management company. He Co- Founded the FUSE Initiative in 2010 which has grown from 18 to over 230 Entrepreneurs in under 18 months. The main objective of Fuse is to develop the South East Region into a vibrant, innovative and proactive enterprise zone. In September 2011 he Founded Techovate and has developed it from concept to Event Launch in only 6 months following a successful visit to Silicon Valley. Techovate will support the development of the South East into a new and innovative Technology Zone.
	Connie Gibney, International HR Director, LinkedIn Connie Gibney is an experienced HR professional with over 15 years of progressive experience in Human Resources and Talent Acquisition. She specialises in high-growth companies with international reach and also does pro-bono work for entrepreneurs with great ideas. Connie is International HR Director at LinkedIn, a role that places HR as a key partner in the business, focusing on all aspects of Human Resource leadership and HR operational expansion in regions outside the US, including EMEA, Asia Pacific, Australia and India. With significant growth under way and several expansion projects complete, Connie’s responsibilities currently include EMEA focused work such as leading talent acquisition/recruitment, setting HR direction for current and new regions in EMEA, ensuring HR and employment law compliance in the new countries for LinkedIn, development and implementation of compensation and benefit programs by country, driving definition and delivery of required process, policy and Talent Management systems while continually developing local application of Global HR Policy and procedures.
	Adam Grennan, Country Manager, Cisco Adam Grennan has recently been appointed acting Country Manager for Cisco in Ireland taking full responsibility for the Cisco business on the island. His previous role was Head of Technical Strategy for Cisco in Ireland where he led a technical team of engineers and architects whose key objective is to work with customers and partners to articulate how Cisco’s architectures and solutions can be applied to drive business transformation. This year marks Adam’s 30th in the IT and Communications industry. During that time he has held various roles in some of the world’s largest communications companies including Siemens Nixdorf, Cable & Wireless, Global One and Avaya before joining Cisco in 2005. Adam holds an MSc in Enterprise Network Management from Sheffield Hallam University. He lives with his wife and four children in Dublin.
	Claire Hayes, MD Emerging Business, PwC Claire is based in Silicon Valley and has over 15 years of experience with PwC. In addition to managing the Emerging Company Services Practice, she delivers high quality service to a portfolio of emerging companies, currently primarily in the life sciences sector. She excels in assisting companies manage through transition. She has extensive SEC experience; assists public and private companies in addressing complex issues including equity transaction accounting, revenue recognition accounting, preparing for an IPO and Sarbanes Oxley 404 implementation. Claire has participated in several Initial Public Offerings, Carve-Outs, Merger and Acquisition transactions, and 10 A investigations. Her clients have included Align Technology, Inc., Broncus Technologies, Inc., Concentric Medical, Inc., eBay, Inc., Epocrates, Inc., Monogram Biosciences, Inc., Tut Systems, Inc., Varian Medical Systems, Inc., VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc. and Zeltiq Aesthetics, Inc. Claire is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of CPA’s. She is also a Chartered Accountant. She was a contributing author to our "Roadmap to an IPO" Guide. Claire is an active community leader participating on non-profit Boards/Committees including Career Closet, United Way Silicon Valley, and the Development Council of Entrepreneurs Foundation.
	Fred Karlsson, Founder, DoneDeal Fred Karlsson realised he had an entrepreneurial streak early on when he began designing and selling video games at the age of 15 in his native Sweden. After completing a degree in computer science at Lund University, he worked for several well-known organisations including Dretech, Sony Ericsson, Sun Microsystems and IBM. He and his Irish wife, Geraldine, moved to Ireland in 2004 and founded DoneDeal.ie the following year. The company provides an online marketplace for people to buy or sell items. In December 2005, five months after the website was launched, it carried more than 2,000 advertisements. Now the site facilitates the advertisement of over 70,000 new items a month, and more than 300,000 people in Ireland visit the web site every day. The company is now Ireland’s biggest classified website.
	Aidan Kenny, Session 1 Chair, Collaborative Networks Aidan is an international expert in service strategy development and management with 25 years experience on both sides of the customer-supplier interface in multiple marketplaces. As Founder of Service Cluster Ireland, Aidan established an industry led cluster promoting knowledge sharing, best practice and research prioritisation for service providers in Ireland. Service Cluster Ireland has established itself as a national focal-point for service innovation and competency within Ireland and an Irish touchpoint for International service innovation organisations. As co-founder and CEO of Instant Opinion, Aidan is leading the development and international growth of an innovative new customer experience management company delivering real-time actionable feedback to service providers. In 2008, Aidan was the founder of Servitize, a leading service strategy, innovation and design business working with the private and public sectors in Ireland and abroad. Servitize applies a customer-centric approach to the development of service strategies and the design of robust, innovative service offerings.
	Bill Liao Diplomat, investor, entrepreneur, business mentor, speaker, philanthropist and author, Bill Liao co-founded the business social network service XING and is a venture partner at SOS Ventures, a global venture capital firm and investment management firm. Bill is a special diplomatic envoy for St Kitts and Nevis for sustainable development and the environment. He is also the founder of WeForest.org, an international not-for-profit organization combating global warming in the most natural way possible by sustainably and holistically reforesting previously degraded land - the organisation is approaching planting it's millionth tree. Along with James Whelton, Bill is also the Co-Founder of the Coder Dojo movement to assist young people to learn how to program. Bill is dedicated to the vision that business and enterprise, both commercial and social, conducted fairly and with respect for the environment, can and will create a better environment for work, life and the world that we all share. This vision is captured in his book: Stone Soup; a Secret Recipe for Making Something from Nothing. Additionally, Bill is a regular speaker at conferences and seminars speaking on social media and networking, entrepreneurship, how to make something from nothing, global warming and sustainability and development. Events he has spoken at include TED at Long Beach California, The Globe Forum in Stockholm Sweden, The London School of Economics and many others.
	Alan McNab, VP Customer Advocacy, Europe Services, NCR Over twenty years of experience in sales, services, marketing, and business development with technology companies and customers. Leads NCR’s Customer Advocacy Organization and responsible for leading the change management of the Customer Loyalty strategy in Europe. Alan plays a key role in the company’s development of new service offers and sales engagement in order to drive revenues, expand margins, and accelerate customer loyalty.
	Stephen Moffatt, Head of Smarter Computing, IBM Stephen Moffatt is IBM Ireland's leader for Smarter Computing and responsible for providing Irish business and IT leaders with insight into how Cloud, Business Analytics and Optimised Systems will help them survive and profit by delivering more responsive and efficient IT services. Stephen advises business and IT leaders of public and private enterprise on using Cloud and Optimised systems to deliver IT services that adapt to their changing competitive and economic environment at lesser cost than traditional IT. He lends insight into how enterprises can exploit the masses of information generated every day within enterprises and on the internet - by better understanding their customers and making better quality business decisions, faster. Prior to this role Stephen has held leadership positions with IBM's consulting, software and systems businesses as an IT strategist, architect and specialist. Stephen is an (Honours) Bachelor of Business Studies and the holds professional certifications from the Marketing Institute of Ireland and IBM.
	Simon O'Dwyer, Director, Threesixty Simon brings 15 years experience of strategic marketing development, a track record in delivering award winning branding projects and drive and energy to every project. As Director, Simon has led award-winning projects across the Cleantech, ICT and retail sectors. Passionate about B2B marketing, Simon developed Threesixty’s proprietary Fast Branding process to help companies identify and articulate their proposition and build market-leading positions right through the curve from start-up, through scale to internationalisation. Simon has a keen understanding of communication models required for developing high performance brands and assumes responsibility for driving the success of every project.
	Dr. Mícheál Ó Foghlú, CTO, FeedHenry Dr Mícheál Ó Foghlú is CTO of FeedHenry, a startup company proving a hosted platform for developing, deploying and managing cross platform mobile apps (client-side and server-side). Before spinning out with the company he was the Executive Director Research at the Telecommunications Software & Systems Group (TSSG) from 2004-2010, and co-founder in 1996. A pioneer of internet technologies and web-based development in Ireland, Mícheál has a strong practical and academic background in web-based development, IP networking and artificial intelligence. Mícheál is Director of the Irish National IPv6 Centre, chair of the Irish National IPv6 Task Force, member of the Advisory Committee of the Word Wide Web Consortium, member of the Advisory Council of the Internet Society (ISOC). He is a member of the IEEE Computer Society, IEEE Communications Society, ACM, USENIX and SAGE. Mícheál has published over 60 peer-reviewed publications in the past 10 years. He holds a doctorate in education from the University of Sheffield, two masters degrees from Cambridge University and from the University of Central Lancashire, and a BA from the University of Keele.
	Julie O'Neill, Conference MC, Techovate 2012 Julie O’Neill is an independent strategic management consultant and catalyst focused on harnessing energies and skills across the private, public and not for profit sectors. With a focus on sustainable business growth in Ireland and out of Ireland, she helps identify strategic opportunities across the tourism, food, culture, energy, transport and technology sectors. She works with clients to develop a clear vision of what can be achieved and pragmatic steps to get there through tight programme and project management as well as providing guidance and support on business planning and leadership development. She has a keen interest in the potential of mobile technologies and social media to underpin business growth.
	John Purcell, Session 3 Chair, Social Media and Online Communications John Purcell is currently President of Kilkenny Chamber of Commerce. After a period with leading Dublin public relations firm, Gilmore Communications, he joined Radio Kilkenny as General Manager in 1993. While at Radio Kilkenny he was actively involved in radio industry initiatives and served as a founding Director of Independent Network News (INN) and as Chairman of AIRS, the Association of Independent Radio Stations. John is a shareholder, director and Chief Executive of CK Broadcasting, the company which operates KCLR 96FM, the radio service for Kilkenny and Carlow. He is director of the national independent news station NewsTalk106 and was Chairman and Executive Chairman of that company from 1999 until 2006.
	Ciaran Quilty, EMEA Manager of Global Marketing Solutions Ciaran Quilty is Facebook’s Manager of Global Marketing Solutions for the EMEA region. Originally from Galway, Ciaran completed a Bachelor of Commerce, having majored in Marketing, and went on to complete two postgraduate higher diplomas, one in Marketing and the other in Systems Analysis & Design at NUI Galway. Ciaran is currently based in Facebook’s EMEA headquarters in Dublin. Prior to joining Facebook, Ciaran spent almost ten years working in the high tech industry with Accenture.
	Tony Redmond, Founder, Rworks Tony Redmond is CEO and co-founder of RWorks, a cloud based onsite/offsite Work Monitoring and Reporting System based in Wexford Enterprise Centre. Tony's career began in Waterford Institute of Technology, as a lecturer in computer hardware, computer graphics, networking and programming from 1991 to 1995. He became the Director of Software Research for Smartforce (now Skillsoft) from 1995 to 2002, where he had responsibility for the technical direction of software products within the NASDAQ quoted company. From 2002 to 2004, Tony was Vice-President of Technology (Product Development) for Propylon, as well as Industry Conference Speaker on XML technologies for the same organisation. He has also worked as a consultant for government agencies, software companies, and multinational organisations, such as Vodafone Group, Independent News and Media, the Irish Public Appointments Service, and Canada Life Insurance. He is married to Valerie and has two children and in his spare time is a catamaran sailor and kayaker.
	Cliff Reeves, General Manager, Emerging Business Team, Microsoft Cliff Reeves handles the Collaboration portfolio on Microsoft's Emerging Business Team, covering applications working with Microsoft Office Outlook®, Office, SharePoint, Messenger, Live Communications Server, and Exchange. Cliff has 30 years of experience in the software industry. He started with IBM Corp. as a programmer in England in 1971 and has held a wide range of software-product-development roles in the areas of database, application development, communication, and messaging systems. He was an influential figure in the industry adoption of object technology and was most recently the senior vice president of Knowledge Management at Lotus Development Corp. Cliff was closely involved with IBMs acquisition of Lotus Development in 1995.
	Joel Wachtler, Head of Strategy, Eircom Wachtler, who hails from the US, started his career in 1975 as an assistant professor with the Hobart & William Smith Colleges Geneva, New York, and later at Trenton State College, New Jersey. Since 1983, he has built an extensive career, including roles with US West, in strategy, marketing and business development; Media One in the UK where he was VP of strategy and business development; Cable Partners in London focusing on cable TV development in Spain, Belgium and Germany; Telenet Belgium where he was VP of business markets, and most recently iPass California, where he was VP, strategy and marketing. Wachtler has a PhD in social psychology and a Masters of Science from Sloan School of Management MIT.
	David Walsh, Co-Founder & Group CEO, Netwatch Born in Castleisland Co Kerry, David moved to Carlow in 1989 and along with Niall Kelly, formed Netwatch in Carlow in 2003. The company has since grown from being the first Irish company to use modern communication technologies to provide remote visual monitoring systems to businesses to Europe’s largest Visual Monitoring Company. Presently Netwatch employs 98 people protecting in excess of 2100 properties across 4 Continents. David heads up the senior management team and his role is to bring the strategic thinking down through the company so that all are working to a shared vision and common goal. As Managing director, David oversees short, medium and long-term targets for Netwatch and ensures they are not only achieved but surpassed. Netwatch has received several prestigious accolades for its achievements; including the PA Consulting Management Award, the Deloitte and Touché Technology Fast 50 Award, The Business and Finance Enterprise of the Year Award and they were also a finalist in the 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.