Prof. Brian MacCraith is a Senior Advisor to the President of Arizona State University (ASU), with specific responsibility for the development of strategic initiatives (both academic and corporate) in Europe. He was President of Dublin City University (DCU) from 2010 to 2020, during which time DCU underwent major transformation and grew significantly in terms of scale, footprint, and reputation.

Prof. MacCraith is a distinguished physicist and is renowned internationally for his research achievements in the areas of (bio)sensor technology, photonics, and advanced materials. He was founding Director of both the National Centre for Sensor Research and the Biomedical Diagnostics Institute. He is a member of the Royal Irish Academy (RIA), an Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Physics, and an Honorary Fellow of Engineers Ireland.

In 2020, he was appointed by the Irish government to lead the High-Level Task Force on Covid-19 Vaccination, a position he held until 2022. He also chaired the Future of Media Commission on behalf of the Irish Government. From 2022 to 2023, he was Chair of the External Oversight Body of the Irish Defence Forces.

Rosemary O’Mahony was a partner with Accenture, where she spent 28 years between the Dublin, Chicago, Sophia Antipolis and Paris offices.   She specialised in Information Technology (IT) solutions and worked with clients in over 20 countries.   Rosemary had global responsibilities for Accenture’s technology practice, including management of the technology research office in Sophia Antipolis, France.   After her retirement from Accenture, Rosemary was an Executive Advisor to Fujitsu Services from June, 2008 to December, 2009. 

Rosemary has used her professional experience of 30 years in consulting to help charities and social enterprises in the UK, France and Ireland. Rosemary was a member of the Accreditation Committee of Youth Business International (YBI), which is based in London with programmes in over 50 countries from 2008 to 2023 and a class B member from 2012 to 2022.   These programmes assist disadvantaged young people to create their own businesses.  Rosemary served 6 years on the Board of CAMFED International, an organisation dedicated to girls’ education in several countries in Africa.  

Rosemary was a member of the global Board of "1001 fontaines" from 2008 to 2018 and is now Chair of 1001fontaines UK. 

In May 2020, Rosemary joined the Finance, Audit and Risk committee of Genio and the Board of the Genio Trust in December, 2024.

Barney Whelan retired from An Post as Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs in 2016. He is currently working on a number of exciting projects. Having spent many years in the aquaculture industry, he was responsible for public relations and brand communications at the ESB from 1992 to 2002. He subsequently held the position of Director, Sales and Marketing at safefood, The Food Safety Promotion Board. He is currently a Governor of the National Gallery and also sits on the Foundation Board of the National College of Ireland and the Board of Drinkaware. He has chaired a number of non-profit organisations over the years.

Dr Fergal Lynch is a former Secretary General of the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (2015-2022) and Deputy Secretary General of the Department of Health (2012-2015). From 2022 to 2024 he worked with the University of Galway to help foster closer links between policy practitioners and academics in the development, implementation and evaluation of public policy. Fergal maintains a close interest in public policy analysis. He is a former Chair of the Institute of Public Administration. He is currently Chair of the National Council for Special Education, the statutory body for meeting the educational needs of children and adults with a disability, and a Trustee of the Katharine Howard Foundation, a voluntary body that supports services for vulnerable young children and families.

Fergal holds a BA in Public Administration from the Institute of Public Administration, an MSc (Econ) in Policy Analysis from Trinity College Dublin and a Doctorate in Governance from Queen’s University Belfast.

Aoife Gallen is the Head of Finance of Irelandia Group and is also a Board member of The One Foundation. Aoife is also a qualified chartered account and member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland, member of the Irish Tax Institute (CTA) and holds a certificate in ESG Investing with CFA.

Dr Laura Burke is a senior organisational leader with extensive expertise at a National and European Level. She is an experienced CEO, Board Chair and Board Member. Laura is a Board Member of the Tyndall National Institute. She is former Director General of the Environmental Protection Agency (2011- 2026), President Engineers Ireland (2024- 2025) and Chair European Environment Agency (2017-2023). Laura is a graduate Chemical Engineer of University College Dublin (UCD); holds an MSc from Trinity College, Dublin; is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland; and is a Chartered Director. Laura was awarded the UCD Engineering Graduates Association Distinguished Graduate Award (2016). In 2025 Laura was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering by University College Dublin in recognition of her valued contributions to public life, advocacy for sustainability and environmental protection, and her leadership within the engineering profession

Jane Feighery is the Director of Client Services at Beachhut PR, a boutique PR agency specialising in supporting tech scale-ups to bring their stories and impact of their technology to the world.

Prior to entering the realm of tech PR & Communications, Jane provided consultancy and coaching services to entrepreneurs in the development of business strategies suited to their own unique ambitions, life goals, and values. She brings a blend of purpose and profit–driven expertise to her work, drawing on her experience with a diverse array of companies, sectors and markets during her time working with LinkedIn, Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, Books at One, and Bord Bia.

A graduate of Smurfit Executive Business School’s Diploma in Corporate Governance, Jane also holds a BA in Modern Languages and a Post-graduate Diploma in International Business Development from The University of Manchester and DIT respectively. She is a certified Story Coach, and holds an Advanced Practitioner Diploma in Coaching with Neuroscience.

Thanks to having a younger brother with Down Syndrome, Jane takes a keen interest in the value to society of those of different abilities, and in November 2021 self-published ‘A Special Sibling- Life Lessons from my brother with Down Syndrome’.