IoD NI Skills & Workforce Forum Report launch

Andrew Brownlee is CEO in SOLAS, the state agency for further education and apprenticeships in the Republic of Ireland. Since taking up the role in September 2019, SOLAS has developed and delivered the ambitious FET strategy, Transforming Learning; implemented a New Cross-Government literacy and numeracy approach; channelled major capital investment into the FET College of the Future initiative; adopted an outcomes focused funding model; and overseen the inclusion of FE & apprenticeship options as part of the CAO (equivalent to UCAS) decision-making process. This has resulted in growth in demand to unprecedented levels, with one in ten adults now engaging in further education, training or apprenticeships in some form. Prior to his appointment as CEO, Andrew was Executive Director for Strategy and Knowledge at SOLAS, Head of System Funding at the HEA and had a long and distinguished career in management consultancy including PwC, PA Consulting and Fitzpatrick Associates. This included a significant base of work in Northern Ireland with PA around further education and skills reform for the then Department for Employment & Learning.

Betty Carlisle has been working within the community sector for over 37 years. Betty has been the CEO of Shankill Women’s Centre for the past 23 years resulting in its continued development and growing success. Betty has a passion and drive for community work and is proud of the services and projects delivered by Shankill Women’s Centre that focus on improving the lives of women and their family’s from the Greater Shankill area and beyond.

This hard work and dedication was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in Spring 2011 resulting in Betty being awarded an M.B.E for Services to Women.

Betty has been fighting tirelessly over the last ten years to achieve the vision of a Shared Women’s Centre which provides projects and services for women from across North and West Belfast which has now been realised with an investment of 8 million Euro from Peace IV/SEUPB. A brand-new Shankill Shared Women’s Centre is under construction and is due for hand-over in December 2023.

Gareth Hetherington is Director of the Ulster University Economic Policy Centre. The Centre carries out a broad range of economic policy focused research to inform Government on key policy and strategy decisions. The Centre is currently working with Central Government in the areas of labour market research, skills development and the latest Investment Strategy for NI and with Local Government in Community Planning and economic development strategies.

Gareth provides regular economic commentary in the media and is often invited to provide evidence to Stormont Committees on economic development policy. Gareth is a Council member of the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a member of the Northern Ireland Skills Council, a member of the Fair Work Forum, a Trustee of Positive Futures and is a former Chair of the South Eastern Regional College (SERC).

Kathleen holds the position of Chair at the Northern Ireland Skills Council and has previously served as Vice-Chair of the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), as well as on the Governing Body of Belfast Metropolitan College and as a member of the QUB Senate. She is a Board Member for the Teachers Regulation Body in England and Wales, a former QUB Senate member, and was part of the Department of Education's expert panel for the Fair Start, set up to tackle educational underachievement.

Between 2002-2018, Kathleen O’Hare was the Principal of St Cecilia's in Derry, followed by Hazelwood Integrated College in North Belfast. She is a Fellow of the International Peace School at Messines and received the honour of Freeman of the City of London in 2011 for her innovative work across communities. Additionally, she is a non-executive Director of the Integrated Education Fund (IEF). Currently, she is a leadership consultant for the British Council, presenting at conferences in various cities including El Alamein, Cape Town, Melbourne, Brasilia, Taipei, and Brussels, and supervises global Action Research Projects with school leaders from eight different countries. Her contributions to education have been acknowledged through awards such as UK Headteacher of the Year in 2009, Headteacher of the Year in Belfast at the Blackboard Awards in 2017, and a recent inclusion in the King's New Year's Honours List.

Kerry has worked in the third sector for over 25 years, 15 of those as a Chief Executive Officer. An expert in organisational governance, structure and strategy, Kerry has led on transformation projects in a number of large, complex organisations both nationally and internationally. As a values led leader Kerry believes that positive relationships and communication make organisations thrive.

With a strong commitment to social justice and service user led delivery Kerry has been a high profile voice for organisations working on some of the most pressing and complex social issues facing society today. Kerry’s combination of service based expertise and authentic communication and leadership skills mean she is regular commentator to the media and acts as an advisor to policy makers at both local and national levels.

Kerry is currently the Chief Executive of Inspire, an all-island charity and social enterprise working with people living with mental ill health, addictions and intellectual disability. She joined the organisation in August 2019 following 14 years with the Depaul an all island and international charity supporting people experiencing homelessness. She is a qualified social worker, and holds a Masters in Voluntary Sector Management.

Kerry is a Trustee of Tuath Housing Association, chairing the Governance and People Committee, and was previously a member of the Board of Governors of All Hallows College in Dublin and a Trustee of Co3 in Northern Ireland, holding the position of Chair from 2015-2017.

Kerry has been the recipient of a number of awards, receiving an MBE in 2010 in recognition of her services to Housing and Homelessness. She was delighted to be awarded Third Sector Leader by the Institute of Directors in December 2021.

Lorna is the Head of Operations at Version 1 NI, and Version 1 ESG Group Director (Environmental, Social, and Governance). She has over 30 years experience in the NI Tech Sector with specific focus on leading tech teams in delivering software solutions for many of our local private and public sector organisations. Lorna joined Version 1 in 2013 to lead the Northern Ireland (NI) operation; growing the team to over 550 people, and is now responsible for the corporate ESG agenda, driving the organisation on track to meet a net zero target of 2025 within its operations and by 2035 within the supply chain. Lorna has been awarded multiple industry recognitions including Digital DNA Business Personality of the Year and Women in Tech IT Business Leader. She is also a board member of the Software Alliance.

Louise is group Chief Commercial Director for MCS Group and is an experienced commercial recruitment professional and trainer with 29 years’ experience in the people and talent industry. A fellow of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation and member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, she has worked with a diverse range of clients from SME’s, Multi Nationals, and new Start-ups supporting them through growth and achieving success through the recruitment and retention of their people.

Conor Murphy MLA was appointed Minister of Finance and took up his role on 11 January 2020.

He previously served as the Minister for Regional Development from 2007 until 2011 before he left the Assembly to concentrate on his role as MP for Newry and Armagh.

He returned to the Assembly in 2015 and has since been a member of both the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.

Patrick was the Partner leading Grant Thornton's People and Change practice in Ireland, until he semi-retired at the end of December 2023, having previously worked for PwC as both a Director and Associate Partner for over 28 years, joining Grant Thornton Ireland in March 2018. He now owns his own consultancy company, GallenTCF Limited, for clients across the UK, Ireland and globally on change management, org. design and leadership development projects.
He specialise in delivering behavioural change through capability building, which can range from working on complex transformation projects right through to coaching senior Board members on a one-to-one basis. He has also have written extensively in the press on HR, Talent Management and Change issues; and spoken at conferences and events across the world.

His areas of interest are strategic workforce planning and how organisations need to adapt their people processes in a post Covid and often hybrid working environment.