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Elena holds a Bachelor of Business and Legal Studies Degree from University College Dublin. Elena is an Associate in William Fry’s Asset Management and Investment Funds Department. Elena has experience in advising a range of leading global asset managers and service providers on all matters connected with the establishment and ongoing operation of UCITS and has significant ETF experience.

Elena is a member of the Irish Funds Annual Global Funds Conference Committee and the Young Leaders Committee of Help for Children (formerly "Hedge Funds Care") Ireland.

Brian is a Partner in the Financial Services Audit team at Deloitte. His primary expertise is in the delivery of audit and advisory services to clients in the investment management industry. Brian has over 18 years experience in the area and has worked in three key investment management jurisdictions, namely Ireland, the Channel Islands and Grand Cayman. Brian has led a number of risk and operational reviews across the sector and has extensive experience of due diligence projects for large transactions.

Olwyn Alexander is a partner in the audit practice and leads PwC Ireland's alternative asset management practice.

Olwyn spent 6 months working in PwC Dallas and 4 years working in PwC New York specialising in hedge funds, structured products and private equity.

Olwyn co-chaired the AIMA Guide to Sound Practices for Hedge Fund Valuation and was a member of the expert working panel for IOSCO's principles on hedge fund valuations in 2007. She has also presented at numerous global hedge fund conferences and has published a number of articles on alternative investments, in particular on valuation.

Olwyn is a member of the AIMA research committee, a Director of the Society of Investment Analysts of Ireland, the PwC representative on the Alternative Investment Management Committee with the Irish Funds Industry Association and is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland. Olwyn obtained her Chartered Financial Analyst qualification in 2003.

Gareth Murphy is Chief Risk Officer of Standard Life Aberdeen plc and Aberdeen Standard Investments. He joined Standard Life in January 2017 as Chief Risk Officer of Standard Life Investments and Deputy Group Chief Risk Officer.

Previously, he spent six years as Director of Markets Supervision at the Central Bank of Ireland. During that time, he was also a member of Board of Supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority and chair of its Investment Management Standing Committee.

From 1995, Gareth spent thirteen years in the investment banking and hedge fund industries, initially at Long-Term Capital Management, then at JP Morgan where he was Co-Head of European Equity Flow Derivatives and then at Castlegrove Capital Management where he was a partner.

This period is book-ended by two stints at the Bank of England where he started his career as an economist in 1992 and subsequently returned during the financial crisis in 2008.

Gareth Murphy graduated from University College Dublin with a BA in Mathematics and Economics. He holds a Diploma in Mathematical Statistics from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Economics and Finance from the University of Warwick.

Managing Director, Affiliate Strategic Initiatives, joined Legg Mason in 2001 and has worked in various capacities within the asset management business. In this role, Joe has the responsibility of working with affiliates on their strategic and tactical priorities and to align their interests with that of Legg Mason. He also is the Chairman of the Legg Mason sponsored cross border mutual funds in Ireland.

Prior to this, Joe was the Chief Administrative Officer of the international business and also previously headed the International Product Management function where his team was responsible for market intelligence, product development, product restructuring and registration as well as product revenue sharing with affiliates, service provider interface and board governance for the international product set. The international product set includes both cross border (offshore) and locally domiciled product ranges. Joe also serves as both a current member and past Chairman of the Legg Mason Valuation Committee.

Previously, he had been responsible for the sales, marketing and operations of Legg Mason Global Distribution in the Americas, as well as the oversight of the offshore funds’ service providers. Prior to joining Legg Mason, Joe spent 10 years in the domestic and offshore mutual fund business at PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Boston, Dublin, Ireland and Baltimore offices. He received a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University and is a Certified Public Accountant. Joe is also past Board Chair of Boys Hope Girls Hope Baltimore

Ann Prendergast is a Senior Managing Director and Head of State Street Global Advisors Ireland.

Ann joined the organisation as a relationship manager in 2000 and became head of this area in 2010, with responsibility for managing the firm’s engagement activities with a client base that includes pension schemes, charities, corporates and intermediaries. Ann was appointed Head of State Street Global Advisors Ireland in July 2017.

Prior to this Ann worked with the Bank of Ireland Group in both their fund administration and private banking divisions.

Ann holds a Business Studies Degree from the University of Limerick and is a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). She is Vice Chairperson of the Irish Association of Pension Funds, a director of the Irish Association of Investment Managers and is on the Board of the National Gallery of Ireland.

Steven A. Yadegari is Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel of Cramer Rosenthal McGlynn, LLC, a registered investment adviser located in New York. Mr. Yadegari also serves as Chief Legal Officer and Chief Compliance Officer for the CRM Mutual Fund Trust and is a Director of the CRM UCITS PLC. Prior to joining CRM, Mr. Yadegari worked at K&L Gates and before that Proskauer. Mr. Yadegari also has served as Senior Counsel in the Office of the Chief Counsel, Division of Enforcement at U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and as an Attorney-Adviser in the Division of Market Regulation. He is a frequent contributor to industry conferences and publications. In 2007, Mr. Yadegari was recognized as a top twenty “Rising Star of Compliance” by Institutional Investor. Mr. Yadegari is an adjunct professor at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and teaches in the areas of dispute resolution and negotiation. Mr. Yadegari is a Past President of the Association for Conflict Resolution of Greater New York, a not-for-profit organization, and is a Past President and former Chairman of the Old Westbury Hebrew Congregation. Mr. Yadegari has received a BA from Brandeis University and earned his JD from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Mr. Yadegari has been awarded an honorary Master’s Degree from the CCO University, a division of the Regulatory Compliance Association for which he serves as an advisor and senior fellow. 

Paschal is the Fine Gael TD for Dublin Central and in June 2017 was appointed as the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform.

Prior to his appointment as the Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure & Reform, he served, from May 2016-June 2017, as the Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform, and from July 2014-May 2016, as the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. Paschal has also held the position of Minister for European Affairs at the Department of An Taoiseach and the Department of Foreign Affairs from July 2013-July 2014.

He was elected as a TD in February 2011, where he topped the poll in Dublin Central. Prior to his election, he was a member of Seanad Éireann from 2007 to 2011. He served as member of Dublin City Council from 2004 to 2007.

Paschal was formerly the Chair of Ireland’s Future in Europe Oireachtas Sub-Committee, as well as a member of the Public Accounts Committee. He has also served as the Vice-Chair of the European Affairs Committee and, as a Senator, he served as a member of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport.

During his time as member of Dublin City Council, Paschal served as Chair of the Environment & Engineering Strategic Policy Committee, as a member of the Corporate Policy Group and also as Chairman of the Central Area Committee.

Paschal is a graduate of University of Dublin, Trinity College, with a degree in Politics and Economics and has attended St. Declan’s CBS, Cabra.

Ileana Sodani is the Head of EMEA Business Development, Asset Servicing. She is a member of the Asset Servicing Executive Committee and is a member of the EMEA Operating Council. Ms. Sodani has been working in London for the company since the end of 2000 and as at end April 2015 was the Chief Relationship Officer for Pershing Ltd, a BNY Mellon company. Ileana is the EMEA executive sponsor of IMPACT, BNY Mellon’s resource group which supports the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. This follows her role as co-chair of WIN EMEA, supporting women in the work place. Ileana has held past roles in BNY Mellon as one of the global Business Executives for Asset Servicing, the head of UK Financial Institutions within Global Client Management and up until November 2006 the head of European Client Management Administration. Before transferring from New York to London she held a number of roles including head of Cash Management sales for Southern Europe. Ms. Sodani joined The Bank of New York in October 1991. She retains a Masters of Business Administration degree from New York University and a Bachelor degree from the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University.

Ileana is also a member of the Tiffany Circle Steering Committee as a Special Advisor.

Michael graduated from University College Cork in 2003, earning a bachelor’s degree in Engineering, from then went to earn a master’s degree in Business Science from University College Dublin in 2004 and later a degree in Real Estate from the University of Reading in 2012.

He spent 10 years in London working with Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and the listed property investor-developer Development Securities, now known as U+I PLC.

In 2014, Michael founded Carysfort Capital, which focuses on Irish residential real estate. The next two years were spent successfully acquiring asset portfolios from Banks, NAMA and Receivers. From 2016, Carysfort Capital has focused specifically on aggregating a high-quality book of residential property in Dublin, with a view of creating an institutional quality investment platform. 

Ranesh Ramanathan is a Managing Director at Bain Capital and serves as General Counsel to the Capital Markets Businesses at Bain Capital. Mr. Ramanathan received a Bachelor’s Degree from The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law.

Prior to working at Bain Capital, Mr. Ramanathan was General Counsel of Citi Private Equity. Citigroup’s diverse and global private equity business. Mr. Ramanathan’s career at Citigroup started in 2004 as General Counsel of Tribeca Global Management, Citigroup’s multi-asset hedge fund. Launched in 2004, Tribeca was Citigroup’s foray into the direct (rather than fund of funds) hedge fund market and was built from the ground up using market leading technology. As one of the first employees at Tribeca, Mr. Ramanathan was involved in all aspects of the establishment of this business and helped it grow organically to 22 distinct strategies. Mr. Ramanathan started his legal career at the New York office of Cleary, Gottlieb, Steen & Hamilton LLP.

Mr. Ramanathan joined Bain Capital in 2008 as its second lawyer. In 2010, Mr. Ramanathan focused his attention on, and became General Counsel to, the Capital Markets Businesses of Bain Capital. Bain Capital’s Capital Markets Businesses are comprised of Bain Capital Public Equity and Bain Capital Credit. Together, these business units manage a variety of fund types from closed-ended to open-ended to managed accounts, in a wide variety of strategies, and have almost $40 billion of assets under management. 

Rejoined the Company in 2015 with 18 years of industry experience. Prior to his current role, Luke served as COO Asset Management for Australia on a consultant basis. Before that, he was responsible for R&D initiatives at ANZ Wealth Management, Sydney. Prior to that, he held positions in asset management at Deutsche Bank, including Regional Head of Product Strategy and Services for APAC and MENA, Acting Head of Asset Management and COO for MENA. Previously, he worked at ING Australia, where he most recently led the strategic development of all marketing and sales initiatives for the Personal Investments division. Earlier, Luke was a product manager at Asgard and MLC Australia

BEc in Economics from University of Newcastle

Ruairi O’Healai is the EMEA COO and CEO Morgan Stanley Investment Management (MSIM) Ltd. Prior to this Ruairi had been the MSIM International Chief Risk officer since 2011.

Ruairi has served as a Board Director for both Morgan Stanley Investment Management Ltd and Morgan Stanley Investment Management ACD Ltd for the past 6 years.

He has over 20 years industry experience. Prior to joining Morgan Stanley Investment Management, Ruairi was the Global Head of Risk Management for Pioneer Investments, where he worked for 12 years.

Derville Rowland was appointed Director General (Financial Conduct) in the Central Bank of Ireland on 1 September 2017 and is responsible for consumer protection, securities and markets supervision, enforcement and policy and risk. Derville is a member of the European Securities and Market Authority (ESMA).

Prior to this appointment, Derville was the Director of Enforcement in the Central Bank, where she established and developed the Enforcement Directorate. Previous to this, Derville gained extensive litigation and regulatory experience while practising law at the bar and working as in-house regulatory counsel.

Derville is a qualified barrister having being called to the bar in 1996 (Inns of Court School of Law; Inner Temple) and subsequently in 2003 (Kings Inns Dublin). 

Gerry Cross is Director of Policy and Risk at the Central Bank of Ireland. He is responsible for regulatory policy for the banking, insurance, investment funds, and investment firms sectors. He is also responsible for the CBI’s supervisory risk framework, PRISM. Between 2011 and 2015 Gerry was Managing Director for Advocacy at the Association for Financial Markets in Europe (AFME) and Head of AFME’s Brussels Office. Gerry started his career as a barrister, then was lecturer in Law at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. For eight years he worked for the UK Financial Services Authority. He spent four years at the European Commission (2001-2005) where he worked in the Internal Market Directorate General on the implementation of Basel II in Europe. Between 2008 and 2011, Mr. Cross worked as deputy director in the Regulatory Affairs Department at the Institute of International Finance in Washington. Mr Cross has a Law degree from University College Dublin and Master of Laws from Cambridge University.

Having joined the FCA in 2014 and previously led the Investment Management Department at the Financial Conduct Authority, Rob Taylor’s current role focuses on the global debate on regulation affecting the asset management industry; in this capacity he chairs the IOSCO asset management sub-committee, also known as C5. Rob began his career working in American politics and as a financial journalist in New York, also working in venture capital and is the former Chief Executive of Kleinwort Benson Bank, the London-based merchant and private-client banking group. He is currently Chair of the University for Creative Arts in Kent and Surrey, formerly Chair of the Whitechapel Gallery and a non-executive director of Truman’s Brewery and of the East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Adrian Whelan is a Senior Vice President of Regulatory Intelligence at Brown Brothers Harriman. He is based in Dublin.

Before joining Regulatory Intelligence, Adrian was the Head of Depositary for BBH Trustee Services (Ireland) Limited. Adrian joined BBH in 2011, prior to which he ran a regulatory consultancy firm. Adrian is an active participant in industry groups, including Irish Funds and ICI Global. He frequently appears at conferences discussing the impact of regulation on the asset management industry.

Adrian graduated from Dublin City University Business School with a degree in Business Studies.

Justina heads up Cerulli Associates’ European institutional research team, with a specific focus on quantitative research across a range of global and European reports. Her areas of expertise include European alternative investments and insurance general accounts. Much of her work involves overseeing institutional data collection and analysis, as well as surveying of institutional investors and asset managers for Cerulli’s European institutional research reports. Justina graduated from London South Bank University with a M.Sc. degree in International Finance & Investment. She also is a CAIA Charterholder.

James M. Norris is managing director of Vanguard International, which provides investment solutions to institutions, financial advisors, and individual clients in more than 80 countries around the world. Since joining Vanguard in 1987, Mr. Norris has held leadership positions in the Corporate and Institutional divisions and, for many years, led Vanguard’s Institutional Retirement business. In 1993, he authored The Vanguard Retirement Investing Guide. Mr. Norris also serves as a member of the board of trustees for Saint Joseph’s University. He graduated from Saint Joseph’s University and earned an M.B.A. at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Revel joined FundRock in January 2012 as Director and COO with responsibility for the operational oversight activities of FundRock, covering investment management, distribution, central administrator (CA) and depositary oversight. In this capacity, he oversaw projects with significant investment in risk, compliance and fund governance solutions in response to changing regulation for UCITS and AIFMD. Revel was appointed as CEO of FundRock in October 2013 and holds a number of directorships. Since June 2017, he is also an elected member of the ALFI Board of Directors.

Prior to joining FundRock, Revel held the position as deputy Managing Director for Northern Trust Luxembourg Management Company S.A, and before moving to Luxembourg was Global Head of Derivative Product for Northern Trust based in London. Revel also held operational management roles at Bank of New York and Schroder in London. Revel started his corporate career in audit at PwC based in Johannesburg.

Olivia McEvoy is Director of EY's Diversity & Inclusion Advisory service in Ireland and leads a dedicated consultancy team to help clients achieve their Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) ambitions. Marrying D&I with data analytics, the team help clients understand their D&I activity through objective assessments and audits resulting in diagnostic outcomes, sustainable strategies and roadmaps, KPIs and an informed and enabled leadership.

Before joining EY, Olivia provided independent consultancy to Government Departments, State Agencies as well as the Community & Voluntary sector in the area of stakeholder engagement through inclusive participative practice for over ten years. Renowned as a leading expert in participation, Olivia helped to establish an acclaimed culture of participation for children and young people in Ireland.

She is also a prominent voluntary advocate in the LGBT community, instigating a number of innovative and impactful projects that resulted in significant positive change for the LGBT community including as Chair of the National LGBT Federation and during her long-term involvement in the campaign to secure civil marriage equality in Ireland.

Olivia holds a M.Sc. in Interactive Digital Media and B.A. (Hons.) in Sociology and Philosophy from Trinity College Dublin. She is also an LBCAI-accredited lifecoach and a United World College scholar.

Paul has previously worked with one of Ireland’s largest indigenous organisations; Aer Lingus, where he worked as a Cultural Transformation Consultant leading projects in employee engagement and talent maximisation. He currently operates as Commercial Director for Dublin’s leading recruitment firm, Lincoln recruitment. Paul is also an active board member on two not-for-profit organisations, Gaelic Players’ Association (GPA) and Pieta House, where he works on various organisation development and change initiatives, and other strategic planning projects.

Aside from his professional career, he is also an elite sportsman who has achieved the highest accolade in his sporting career. He played an integral role in Dublin Senior Men’s GAA All Ireland Success in 2011 and 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017 and has been awarded four consecutive All Star Awards for exceptional performance on the field. Paul holds a 1st class honours degree in PE & Biology from DCU and a post graduate diploma in Management from IMI/ UCC.

Carol Widger is a partner in the Investment Funds group in Maples and Calder's Dublin office. Carol advises fund promoters and firms providing services to investment funds in relation to the establishment, launch and ongoing management of all types of investment funds, including UCITS and AIF products. Carol also has extensive experience in advising on the redomiciliation, mergers and consolidation of investment funds to Ireland. Carol is Chair of the Irish Funds Legal Working Group and is also Chair of the Dublin location for 100 Women in Finance.

Carol joined Maples and Calder in 2012. She was previously a partner in the Investment Funds practice of another leading Irish law firm.

Carol has been recognised as a leading lawyer by IFLR1000. She has also been ranked as highly regarded by leading legal directory Chambers and Partners, and clients comment that she is "great with relationship management and Irish funds and structuring" and an "excellent communicator, who is very commercial and prompt".

Linda Doyle is Professor of Engineering & The Arts in Trinity College Dublin and Dean/Vice President of Research in Trinity College. Prior to taking on the role of Dean of Research at Trinity College Dublin, she was the Director of the CONNECT SFI Research, a national research centre focused on future networks and communications. Her expertise is in the fields of wireless communications, cognitive radio, reconfigurable networks, spectrum management and creative arts practices. Prof. Doyle has a reputation as an advocate for change in spectrum management practices and has played a role in spectrum policy at the national and international level. Currently she is a member of the National Broadband Steering Committee in Ireland, and is a member of the Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board in the UK. Linda was one of the founders of the Orthogonal Methods Group, a research platform that works in critical and creative tension with technology with the purpose of generating knowledges, insights and alternative research orientations across disciplines that are sometimes perceived to be mutually exclusive. She is a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin. She is the Chair of the Douglas Hyde Gallery. 

Dan is Head of William Fry’s Asset Management & Investment Funds Practice. He has been a Partner at William Fry since 1981, initially specialising in international mergers and acquisitions. Since establishing William Fry’s funds business in 1991, he has represented the full range of financial services organisations including asset management firms, custodians, administration firms, fund management companies and investment funds. Dan frequently advises on governance and regulatory issues and product development.

Dan is a former Chairman of Irish Funds (2004/05) and was a member of its Council from 2000 to 2006. He is a former member of the Advisory Council of the Institutional Money Market Fund Association. Dan has served as a non-executive director of a number of leading fund management platforms in Ireland and is a frequent presenter at international conferences.

According to Chambers Global 2017, interviewees "have a high regard" for Dan Morrissey.

Dan is listed in Best Lawyers 2018 under 'The Best Lawyers in Ireland' for work in Mutual Funds and Private Funds.

In Chambers Global 2016, Dan is described as an extremely experienced senior partner who has served as a non-executive director for a number of leading fund management platforms. Sources describe him as "a very learned all-rounder in the funds industry, and a leading light with extremely useful knowledge."

According to Legal 500 EMEA, 2015 practice head Dan Morrissey has "great knowledge".

Dr. Margaret Cullen is a specialist in the areas of corporate and investment fund governance. Margaret holds a BA in Economics

from University College Dublin, an MSc in Investment and Treasury from Dublin City University and a PhD in corporate governance

from University College Dublin. Her doctoral research explored the role and effectiveness of boards of directors in investment fund

governance. Prior to completing her doctoral research, Margaret worked for 12 years in the financial services industry. She has held senior positions at ABN AMRO International Financial Services Company, the Central Bank, JP Morgan Bank Ireland plc. and RBC Dexia Investor Services Ireland Limited where she gained significant experience in the areas of treasury management, investment fund regulation, compliance and risk management.

Margaret is CEO and Academic Director of the Certified Investment Fund Director Institute (CIFDI), a specialist institute of the Institute of Banking (IoB) which focuses on raising professional standards in investment fund governance through its flagship Certified Investment Fund Director Programme and the on-going professional development of CIFDI members. Margaret also lectures on bank governance on the IoB’s Certified Bank Director Programme. She is an associate professor for the UCD Centre of Corporate Governance, lecturing on the Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance in the areas of executive remuneration and behavioural aspects of boards.

Margaret is a former non-executive director of the Qualifications and Quality Authority of Ireland. She is a non-executive director of The Progressive Building Society in the UK and chairs its remuneration committee. She has recently joined the board of BNP Paribas Fund Administration Services (Ireland) Ltd.

Daniel Lawlor is MD of Aquest, a new firm provide continuous learning (Aquest Academy) and consultancy services (Aquest Advisory) on investment funds regulation and compliance. Daniel is the former Head of the Central Bank of Ireland’s Funds Policy Team. He was involved in designing and drafting investment funds regulatory initiatives in Ireland from 2010 to 2017 year. This work included CP86 – Fund Management Company Effectiveness and contributing to the Central Bank’s ETF Discussion Paper. Daniel has also experience of the broader international investment funds industry having represented the Central Bank of Ireland at IOSCO and ESMA committees. He was a member of the FSB’s team for the peer review of Brazil in 2016. Before that, Daniel worked as an investment funds lawyer for 9 years at William Fry, one of Ireland’s leading law firms.

Enda Roche is Chief Risk Officer / Head of Risk for Fidelity International Ireland operations. These include Fidelity Fund Management Ireland and FIL Life Insurance (Ireland).

Prior to joining Fidelity, Enda worked for Prudential plc in both a Group Head office capacity and for Prudential International Assurance plc, the European & offshore entity based in Ireland. Prior to Prudential, Enda was CRO for Dell Bank International (Dell Financial Services) and prior to Dell, was Chief Risk Officer for the European operations of U.S. Bancorp, Elavon Financial Services.

Enda is a qualified Chartered Accountant, holds a Bachelor Commerce Degree from University College Dublin, and a Diploma in Economics from Independent Colleges.

Enda joined both Dell Bank and Elavon Financial Services at the start up stage, prior to the entities receiving their banking licence, and joined Fidelity as part of the significant expansion of their Irish operations. 

Conor was elected to the Council of the IFDA in October 2016 for a 2 year term to October 2018. He is one of 7 elected Council members of IFDA and is responsible for Regulation and Supervisory Policy.

Conor also serves as European Director of Promontory Financial Group, a leading global financial services regulatory advisory, strategic and risk management firm. He specialises in advising Governments, Central Banks, Banks, Insurance, Reinsurance and Investment Management financial services companies in matters concerning Corporate Governance, Financial Stability, Regulation, Risk Management, Compliance, Regulatory examination and Supervisory advisory services.

Conor is approved by the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) as a PCF 2 - Board Member and PCF 4 - Audit Chairman since 2010. He also serves on the Risk Committees and Remuneration committees of two global financial institution groups with funds under management well in excess of €100billion. Conor serves on the Prudential Regulation & Governance Group, and the Fintech & Regtech Working Groups of the Association of Compliance Officers Ireland (ACOI). He also serves as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. Conor’s qualifications include BCOMM (Accounting & Finance), FCCA, FCPA, SIRM, LIB, FSA UK.

Valarie is the lead Partner of Human Capital Management in Deloitte. She is an experienced talent management, organisation transformation and people development advisor and specialises in advising clients on their HR and Talent strategies and plans to support the achievement of the business strategy through their people. Her clients span all industries across the private and public sector.

Throughout her career, Valarie consistently demonstrates a strong ability to deliver complex HR and Talent projects across all areas of Human Capital. She draws on a career in the profession of over 16 years including in Industry as a HR Director in the Financial Services and as a HC consultant across a range of industries.

Relevant experience

Valarie has led a wide of range of Organisation Transformation and Talent projects across both the private and public section.

Her experience includes lead for a number of global HR and Talent Transformation initiatives including the development of a global People Vision, Strategy, Target Operating Model and implementation of transformation roadmap.

Valarie has led a number of diagnostic and advisory projects, across all areas of human capital including talent management, leadership, HR strategy and HR analytics and has supported a number of HR transformation programmes for both domestic and global clients.

Marie-Louise is a third year Business and French student in Trinity College Dublin who is currently completing her year abroad in Essec Business School, Paris. She is the Chief Executive Officer of the Trinity Student Managed Fund, which operates a real-life financial portfolio under the guidance of industry experts. Marie-Louise has completed spring internships in J.P.Morgan, Credit Suisse, McKinsey and Davy since commencing university. Outside of her college work and commitments, Marie-Louise has a keen interest in sport and was the Ladies Tennis Captain for the Trinity Tennis Team last year and is a former National Irish Junior Tennis Champion. Marie-Louise intends to pursue a career in the funds industry and will be interning in Point72 this coming summer in their New York and London offices.

Adrian is the General Counsel and Head of Digital Media at marketβeta. Adrian has extensive experience and understanding of cross-border issues related to the structuring, marketing and distribution of investment products in Europe, including delivery of the first active ETFs in Europe; the first China RQFII ETF in Europe; the first UCITS ETFs listed on SIX; and the first Irish exchange-traded precious metal products. Adrian started his career in Dublin as a funds lawyer before moving in 2003 to the structured finance team at Allen & Overy LLP. Later he joined ABN AMRO Bank/RBS as a Director and Head of Retail Issuance (Legal). Between 2008 and 2015 he was a founding employee and General Counsel for Source ETF where he was responsible for all legal work related to product launches, European distribution, product maintenance and general compliance matters. Prior to joining marketβeta he was a partner with leading Irish law firm Arthur Cox.

Ryan Frater, Vice President, is a member of the Real Assets Executive team at BlackRock.

In his current role, he supports the COO of the Real Assets Group develop and execute the platform's strategic growth initiatives.

Previously, Mr. Frater worked in the Official Institutions Group (OIG) within the Institutional Client Business at BlackRock from 2012 until July 2016. During his time in the Official Institutions Group, he supported the regional ICB relationship management teams in servicing the firm's central bank, sovereign wealth fund, and other official institution clients globally. In addition to his client service and business development activities, Mr. Frater worked on strategic projects for the group's senior leadership and played a central role in the development of the BlackRock Educational Academy, the firm's training program for institutional clients.

Mr. Frater earned a BBA degree in Finance from the McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin in 2012.

Dan joined Fidelity in September 2010 and works within the Compliance Team..

Previously, Dan spent three years at BlackRock (formerly Barclays Global Investors) where he was responsible for Regulatory / Government Affairs as well as heading up the iShares Compliance Team.

Dan joined the Financial Services Authority in 2004, working in the Financial Promotions Department, prior to taking a number of roles in conduct policy, retail themes and Treating Customers Fairly.

Dan holds a D.Phil in English Literature and spent six years lecturing at the universities of Oxford and Exeter before moving into the financial services industry.

Anne-Marie Bohan has 20 years experience in technology related legal matters, with specific focus on the requirements of financial institutions and financial services providers in the area. As a member of Matheson’s Asset Management and Investment Funds Group, as well as of its FinTech Group, Anne-Marie brings together funds industry knowledge, an understanding of applicable regulatory rules and regulatory requirements, and significant practical experience in advising on technology and privacy legal issues. Her experience includes advising on technology and business process outsourcings, including multi-jurisdictional cross border administration services outsourcings; electronic commerce, internet and mobile enabled financial services, and online sales; and data protection and cyber security issues, including cross-border data transfers, processing arrangements, breach guidance and data access requests.

Ulrich Koall joined TOBAM in June 2017 as Deputy Head of Business Development with a focus on sales activities in Europe and the Middle East.

He joined from Vescore, the quantitative asset management boutique owned by Vontobel Asset Management where he was Global Head of Sales. From 2006 to 2016 Ulrich worked for Quoniam Asset Management, a quantitative asset management boutique, in Frankfurt and London as Head of Sales & Client Service. As a Managing Partner he was also part of the management board. Quoniam's assets increased from EUR 7bn to EUR 27bn during his tenure. From 1997 to 2006 Ulrich was Head of Business Development & Client Service for Europe and the Middle East for Fischer, Francis, Trees & Watts in London. As a Managing Partner he was also part of the management board. At the time FFTW managed USD 40bn in global fixed income assets for institutional investors around the world. Ulrich started his career in 1994 as a fixed income product specialist and portfolio manager with Paribas Asset Management in Paris and London.

Ulrich holds a MBA from Otto-Beisheim-School of Management in Vallendar, Germany and is also a CFA charterholder since 2000.

Chris runs the UK & European business and is on the global management committee at Stradegi Consulting. He is dedicated to invigorating the investment market & the broader buy-side through the delivery of digital asset management to all retail, institutional & wholesale clients.

“Technology is an enabler, delivered as a blend of the best of the old & new, and should be leveraged to deliver improved value-for-money outcomes. The buy-side exists to take a pot of money, work within regulatory & client mandates, and make that pot bigger. Investment solutions can be cheaper, more accessible, simpler and more personalised – no excuses!”

Chris has over 19 years’ experience in the WAM sector, most recently at KPMG where he was Head of Digital Ledger Services UK, Global Head of FinTech Wealth and Relationship Director for the priority accounts including BlackRock, Fidelity, Schroders, Man Group, JPM AM and Standard Life Investments. Further to his consulting roles, he also worked at BlackRock Solutions specialising on Aladdin for 4 years and a variety of FinTech firms focusing on portfolio management, trading, compliance, regulatory impact and data analytics.

Chris studied Maths at Oxford & Cambridge Universities (to PhD level), is a keen amateur (organisational) psychologist and is enthusiastically holding off middle age through Tough Mudders.

Keith has over 20 years’ experience working at the highest level across a number of senior technology roles. He is currently CIO in IDA Ireland, Ireland's Inward Investment Agency. In his previous role of Chief Technology Advisor specialising in Financial Technology at IDA Ireland, Keith worked with IDA client companies who are establishing and growing financial technology teams in Ireland. Clients included the world’s leading companies specialising in Funds Servicing, Asset Management, Investment Banking, Insurance and Payments who have strategic operations in Ireland. Current projects Keith is partnering with IDA clients on include; Blockchain; Data; Predictive Analytics; Compliance and Digital Transformation. Keith is a graduate of both Dublin City University and Smurfit Business School, University College Dublin.

Colin has been involved in blockchain since 2013 and the financial markets since 2009. He founded ÐPactum in 2016. Previously, he worked at BNP Paribas Global Markets in blockchain innovation, where he focused on education business stakeholders on blockchain, developing proof-of-concepts (PoCs), and managing relations with external partners. Colin has sat on the steering committee for R3CEV, and was one of the founding members of the Post-Trade Distributed Ledger Working Group (PTDL). Prior to his involvement in blockchain, Colin held roles in business transformation, and product marketing at BNP Paribas in Paris, London and New York.

Simon Coveney TD is the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister for Defence. He is also the Deputy Leader of Fine Gael. He previously served as Tánaiste from November 30th, 2017 to June 27th, 2020, and Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government as well as Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine. For the 6 month period to the end of June 2013 Simon chaired the EU Council of Agriculture & Fisheries Ministers where he was at the forefront regarding EU efforts in respect of Common Agriculture (CAP) as well as Common Fisheries (CFP) Policy reforms. Under his chairmanship both dossiers were progressed significantly, with a reform package for CFP agreed in May 2013 and a reform package for CAP agreed at the end of the Irish Presidency in July. The Defence portfolio was added to his brief on July 11, 2014. He represents the Cork South Central constituency.

Simon was first elected to the Dáil in 1998 as one of Fine Gael’s youngest TDs and held Shadow Ministries in the areas of Drugs and Youth Affairs, Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, and Transport. Simon chaired the Fine Gael Policy Development Committee prior to the 2011 General Election.

Simon was elected to the European Parliament in 2004 and was a member of the EPP-ED group. He was a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee. Simon was the author of the European Parliament’s Annual Report on Human Rights in the World for the year 2004 and again for 2006.

Simon was a member of Cork County Council and the Southern Health Board from 1999 to 2003.

Mr. Coveney holds a B.Sc. in Agriculture and Land Management from The Royal Agriculture College, Gloucestershire. He was also educated at Clongowes Wood College, County Kildare; University College Cork and Gurteen Agricultural College, County Tipperary.

Before joining Citi as Chief Economist in 2010, a position he held until 2018, Willem was Professor of Political Economy at the London School of Economics and Adviser to Goldman Sachs from 2005 to 2010. He was Chief Economist for the European Bank for Reconstruction & Development from 2000 to 2005 and a founder External Member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the Bank of England from 1997 to 2000. He has been a Consultant to the IMF, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the European Commission, and has been an Adviser to many central banks and finance ministries.

Willem has published on economic affairs in books, professional journals and the press, and has held academic positions at Princeton University (1975-76 and 1977-79), Bristol University (1980-82), the London School of Economics and Political Science (1976-77, 1982-85 and 2005-2010), Yale University (1985-1994) and Cambridge University (1994-2000). Willem holds a BA in economics from Cambridge University and a PhD in economics from Yale University. He has been a member of the British Academy since 1998 and was awarded the CBE for services to economics in 2000. He is an Adjunct Professor of Economics at Columbia University and an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is married to Professor Anne Sibert.

James Wharton joined Hume Brophy as a Senior Adviser in 2017, taking on the role of Chairman of Corporate & Public Affairs in 2018. Former Minister for International Development and Minister for the Northern Powerhouse, James brings a wealth of experience from Government and politics. A Conservative rising star from early in his parliamentary career, James led the progression of the devolution agenda under David Cameron. He was given responsibility for expanding infrastructure spending in the North of England, transferring powers to regional authorities and utilising the industrial heritage of the North to boost the inward investment and the local economy. Following the EU Referendum, James took up the role of Minister for International Development until the snap election in June 2017.

John joined KBI Global Investors in September 2014 and is a Senior Portfolio Manager on the global equity team. He has worked in Financial Markets since 1990 in roles spanning Fixed Income, Absolute Return and Equities. For seven years prior to joining KBI, he was a Senior Portfolio Manager at Setanta Asset Management in Dublin, where he was the lead manager of the global equity fund. An economics graduate of UCD, he also holds post-graduate qualifications from TCD and DCU. He is a regular contributor of opinion pieces to the national press, and has had two collections published: Troubled Times - Investing through the Troika Years, and Sixty Shades of Sunday – Investment Thoughts.

Padraig has worked for over 12 years as part of the recently merger Barings group based in London. He is the Barings European Head of Client and Portfolio Services which covers the oversight of client onboarding, fund administration and client reporting. Spread across various platforms in the Irish UK and Luxembourg jurisdictions, the enlarged Barings product range now covers all investment strategies across the debt, equity, and real estate asset classes.

Prior to joining Barings in 2006 Padraig worked for 6 years in Private Equity and Venture Capital with Quester Capital Management Limited overseeing the fund administration and investor reporting for both institutional private equity funds and publicly listed venture capital trusts. Previously he worked for HSBC Private Bank in Jersey, C.I. having started his career as part of a start- up commercial enterprise in the cold storage industry post his accountancy qualification.

Dick Newby is Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the House of Lords.

After studying PPE at Oxford, he worked in HM Customs and Excise before becoming Chief Executive of the Social Democratic Party.

He joined in the Lords in 1997 and was Treasury Spokesman until he joined the Government as Deputy Chief Whip, Lib Dem Chief Whip and Treasury Spokesperson in 2012. He was elected Leader of the Lib Dem Group in 2016 and has taken a leading role in the Party’s opposition to Brexit.