Council

The Association is run by a voluntary Council of fourteen people, representative of the corporate and individual membership and is elected at an Annual General Meeting held in March. The Council meets nine times a year.

CHAIRPERSON

Darina Slattery (Japan Ireland Travel)
Darina completed a BA in Business Studies with Japanese Language (1996-2000) & an MBS in International Marketing (2003). She spent a number of years studying, working and enjoying life in Japan. Her passion for Japan has lived on. Together, with her husband Masaki, they operate a Dublin based Specialised Travel Company, selling holidays to and from Japan and Ireland (Japan-Ireland Travel).

VICE CHAIRPERSON

Neil Maher
Neil participated in the JET Programme from 2001-2003 as an Assistant Language Teacher in Ukan village in Okayama prefecture. On returning to Ireland he worked as the JET Programme Coordinator in the Embassy of Japan. Currently Neil works in the Leonardo da Vinci unit of Léargas The Exchange Bureau. Neil is also chairperson of the Irish JET Alumni Association as well as a member of the IJA Council and is studying for an MSc in Strategic Management.

INDIVIDUAL COUNCIL MEMBERS

Richard Ryan
A chartered engineer by profession, Dick Ryan worked for 34 years with the Industrial Development Agency of Ireland (IDA Ireland) until his retirement in 2004. From 1987 to 1990 he was based in Tokyo where he was responsible for IDA's Japanese operations. On his return to Ireland, he joined the newly reconstituted Ireland Japan Association and was appointed to its Council. In 1993, he became Chairperson of the IJA, a position he held for three years. In 2006, he was once again appointed to the Council and was Chairperson from 2007 to 2009.

Paula Kelly
A native of Bray and graduate of Carysfort College, U.C.D. and Trinity College Dublin, Paula has a background in Education and Applied Linguistics. She taught in Japan for a number of years, and has served as chairperson of IJET and was the first chairperson of JETAA International. She also was the chairperson of IJA from 2004 until 2007 and has been a council member for many years. A personal highlight was meeting their Imperial Majesties during their visit to Ireland.

Raymond Hegarty
Raymond Hegarty has a BE (elect.), MBA and European law qualification. He manages business in technology and intellectual property with activities in Dublin, Belgium, Luxembourg, USA and the Far East. He lived in Japan for 5 years and is an enthusiastic supporter of IJA's business, cultural and educational activities. Hobbies include music, rugby and paragliding.

Pádraig Murphy
Pádraig retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs in 2005, his last position having been Ambassador to Japan, 2001-2005. He has continued his interest in Japan by completing a Master's degree in Japanese Language and Society with Sheffield University.

Chie Oda
Chie was born in Tokyo. Her Irish connections started with the studies of William Butler Yeats in Japan, followed by the work in the Irish Pavilion in the Expo 70 in Osaka. She has been living in Dublin since 1996. She is now retired from UCD, where she was the Asian Languages Co-ordinator, who looked after the Japanese and Chinese sections including teaching Japanese Language & Culture. She was a former vice-chair of the IJA.

Ms Nora O'Donnell
Her first involvement with Japan was in the late 1980's when she helped in the development of an Irish garden (still exists) at Osaka for Expo '90.Later, through a friend who has responsibility for introducing new languages (which involved Japanese) to Irish Secondary School students she became more interested in the culture and history of Japan.A recent extensive visit to Japan gave her an appreciation of the beauty of the country. The courtesy and kindness which she and her family experienced during the visit has left her with

CORPORATE COUNCIL MEMBERS

Hugh Loughlin (Asia Trade Forum)
Detail to follow

Colm Lynch (AIB)
Colm graduated from Shannon College of Hotel management and NUI,Galway with degrees in Hotel Management and Commerce. Colm spent a time working for some of Ireland & Europes major hotel chains before becoming a full-time rugby coach with the IRFU. In 2003 Colm joined the world of banking and has worked in AIB's structured finance division on their International Power and Energy team before taking up his current role on AIB's core relationship Corporate Banking team focusing on Japan and other international corporations with operations in Ireland.

Mr Donagh Morris (Daiwa Securities Group)
After completing a Bachelors Degree in Science at UCD and a Postgraduate Diploma in IT at NUI, Galway, Donagh lived in Japan for four years from 2000 to 2004. He spent his first two years in Japan as a participant on the JET Programme, following which he spent a further two years working in IT whilst also teaching part-time at Nagoya University of Foreign Studies. He passed Level One of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test in London in December 2004. Donagh has been working since 2005 to date as the Japanese client relationship manager at the Dublin Office of Daiwa Securities Group.

Yasuyuki Ozeki (JETRO)
JETRO, or the Japan External Trade Organization, is a government-related organization that works to promote mutual trade and investment between Japan and the rest of the world. Originally established in 1958 to promote Japanese exports abroad, JETRO's core focus in the 21st century has shifted toward promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and helping small to medium size Japanese firms maximize their global export potential. In Ireland, Yasuyuki Ozeki works for JETRO. On a personal level, Yasuyuki is known for his epic cycling journey from Japan to Ireland in 1998.

Mr Gerard Redmond (JTI)
Gerard Redmond is Corporate Affairs Director with Japan Tobacco International (JTI).JTI employee 120 people in Ireland and 23,000 worldwide, in Ireland JTI is market leader with well know brands. JTI has a special interest in promoting Japanese Culture in Ireland and is happy to be associated with the Japanese Film Festival.

Kieran Rockett (Bank of Ireland)
Details to follow

Phil Treacher (PM Group)
Phil is the Process/Mechanical Department Manager for the PMG Dublin office. He is a Chartered Chemical Engineer with 19 years process design experience in the pharmaceutical, fine chemical and petrochemical industries, with particular emphasis on septic production, and finishing of parenterals.
Project Management Group (PMG) is a multi-discipline, multi-sector engineering company working not only in Ireland but across Europe and Asia. Phil Treacher has worked closely with several Japanese clients which included Takeda and Astellas.

OTHER ATTENDEES AT COUNCIL MEETINGS

Dr Tom Hardiman (Europe Japan Business Development Round Table (EUJBDRT))
Dr. Hardiman holds directorships in industry, commerce and finance. A graduate of UCD in Engineering and Science, Tom worked for many years in the Telecommunications Services. He was appointment as Director General of RTE in 1968, a position he held for seven years.
He is a Supervisory Board Member of the EU-Japan Centre for Industrial Cooperation, Tokyo and a Member of the EU Japan Business Dialogue Round Table. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Asia Europe Foundation, Singapore. He is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library and Gallery of Oriental Art, Dublin Castle. He was elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in November 1980 and he was decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star by the Emperor of Japan in April 1986. He was conferred LL.D. by the National University of Ireland in April 1990 and D.Litt. by Lynn University, Florida in October 1995.

Mr Shinji Yamada (Embassy of Japan in Ireland)
Shinji's previous diplomatic postings include Chicago and South Africa, and he has been working for the Japanese Embassy in Ireland since March 2007, mainly handling public relations and cultural affairs.