Áine Kerr is a digital entrepreneur, broadcaster and thought leader at the intersection of technology, journalism and leadership. She co-founded Kinzen, a tech company that developed tools to detect and disrupt harmful online content. As COO, she guided the company from startup to global impact, leading to its acquisition by Spotify in 2022. She is a former Director at Spotify, where she shaped global strategy on digital safety. In 2025 Áine was awarded an Honorary Degree from Dublin City University for her contribution to media and society.
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Adrian O'Flaherty is a Principal Director at Accenture, specializing in Data & AI and serving as a Generative AI Evangelist. With over 15 years of diverse experience in tech and business consulting, Adrian has transitioned from project management and strategy consulting to leading digital transformation and AI initiatives. Adrian's career includes roles at The Discovery Partnership, Rubicon Centre, SuperValu, and Good Aquatics, as well as significant contributions at Accenture across various sectors. Adrian holds a first-class honours degree in Business Studies from Cork Institute of Technology and has pursued further education at Munster Technological University.
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Ángel is a Partner at Fragomen and heads the firm’s Irish practice. With over 20 years’ experience in Irish immigration, he and his team advise and support a broad client base including multinationals, local SMEs and private clients across all sectors.
Their approach focuses on seamless workforce management for both new and existing hires, delivering an optimal employee experience while maintaining compliance, meeting deadlines and demystifying the immigration system for all parties involved.
Admitted as a solicitor in Ireland, he previously established and led the immigration practice of a leading rights-based Irish law firm, acting in several landmark cases before the Irish superior courts. He has also been a guest lecturer at the Law Society of Ireland since 2019 and has advised international organisations and State bodies
Aoife is a graduate of University College Dublin and the Dublin Institute of Technology, where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Politics and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law before qualifying as a solicitor in 2001. Prior to joining Ibec’s Employment Law Services team in 2017 Aoife worked in private practice where she gained broad experience across a number of areas. She is the Co-Chair of the Dublin Solicitors Bar Association Committee on Employment Law and has lectured and tutored on the Law Society of Ireland's professional practice courses for solicitors.
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Catriona McKeating is an Associate Legal Director on Ibec’s employment law services team, specialising in both contentious and non-contentious employment law matters. With a dual background in law and human resource management, Catriona specialises in bridging the gap between legal theory and day-to-day HR and industrial relations practice. She regularly represents employers before the WRC and Labour Court and is a frequent contributor to legal commentary both in Ibec and across the wider industry. Catriona holds first-class honours degrees from UCD (BComm International) and the University of Limerick (MSc in HRM).
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Recognised as a TIME100 influential leader in Health and a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree, Dale is a Social Entrepreneur, Behaviour Scientist, and Founder. His work spans human capital, organisational behaviour, strategic management, change culture, EDI, and sustainable performance. I’ve been a two-time TEDx Speaker and have led initiatives that blend science and strategy to transform work models and promote genuine wellbeing globally.
As former CEO of 4 Day Week Global, a TIME100 company, he led the pioneering of shifts towards sustainable work models. Our work, which was featured in The Atlantic, INSIDER, The New York Times, BBC, and more, supported international pilot studies and partnerships with both public and private sectors to explore the impact of work-time reduction on society.
On the academic side, he is an Asst Prof in Human Factors Psychology at Trinity College Dublin, where I bridge research and practice to develop future leaders. My focus is on leadership, temporality, strategy, and optimising performance through evidence-based approaches.
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Des Ryan B.L. is a practising barrister in the Law Library, where he has been specialising exclusively in Employment Law since 2006, and is a CEDR-accredited Mediator. He is also called to the Bars of England and Wales and Northern Ireland. Des advises on all aspects of Employment Law and appears very regularly before the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court, and the Superior Courts.
Des is an Associate Professor and Fellow at Trinity College Dublin where he lectures Employment Law and Tort Law. He is a founding member and current Committee Member of the Irish Employment Law Association. He is a member of the Government of Ireland’s Employment Law Review Group
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Fiona is a graduate of Dublin City University having obtained a Bachelor of Business (BBS) specialising in corporate law before qualifying as a solicitor in 2007. Fiona advises members on both contentious and non-contentious employment law matters. Prior to joining the Employment Law Services team in Ibec, Fiona spent time both in private practice and in-house advising a wide range of employers across a number of sectors. Fiona has extensive experience in defending employers before the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) and the Labour Court. Fiona is also an accredited Mediator, has specialised in the area of workplace mediation and applies a practical solutions-based approach to resolving workplace conflict.
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Harry joined the Ibec Employment Law Services Unit from the medical device sector. He is a graduate of the University of Galway, where he obtained Bachelor of Industrial Engineering and Bachelor of Laws degrees, and a Masters in Law, Technology & Governance. Harry qualified as a solicitor in 2013 and worked extensively in private practice as a specialist employment law solicitor. Prior to qualifying as a solicitor Harry built up ten years industry experience working as an engineer across a variety of sectors and for a number of leading multinational companies, and brings this considerable experience to bear in the management of complex workplace and organisational issues.
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Kara acts as a strategic advisor on diversity and inclusion, skills and labour market policy and practices to Ibec member organisations across multiple sectors. She also holds a key role in lobbying and developing policy positions at a national and european level, developing tools and guidelines, and representing business at stakeholder forums across the breadth of skills and social policy issues from gender pay gap reporting and human rights to labour market activation and immigration. With Ibec since 2008, Kara is a specialist in strategy development and implementation, public and regulatory policy, business representation and stakeholder engagement.
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Maeve McElwee is Executive Director of Employer Relations at Ibec, with over 25 years of experience, she oversees strategic HR, dispute management, and lobbying efforts on behalf of Ireland’s business community. She has held several senior leadership roles and is a frequent media commentator on the impact of employment rights legislation and industrial relations matters on the modern workforce. Maeve is the lead voice for employers in national industrial relations negotiations and policy-making. She holds significant roles influencing national and international labour policy. She is a member of the Labour Employer Economic Forum (LEEF), an Alternate Member of the Governing Body of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and serves on the Managing Board of Eurofound. Her experience has also included former roles as a member of the first Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) Board and a Council member of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC).
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Meadhbh is a senior policy executive at Ibec the group representing employers and business in Ireland. In this role she acts as a strategic advisor and support for businesses across Ireland on issues related to education, skills, innovation and social policy. Her role includes the development of tools and guidelines, lobbying and developing policy positions at a national and European level. Previously, Meadhbh served as a policy specialist working for public, private and NGO organisations in Ireland and Europe.
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Nichola Harkin is a graduate of University College Dublin, where she obtained a Bachelor of Civil Laws (BCL) (International) degree and the London School of Economics where she obtained a Masters of Law (LLM) (Employment Law). She qualified as a solicitor in 2013. Prior to joining Ibec, she worked in private practice for a number of years. Nichola joined Ibec’s Employment Law Services Unit in 2015 and was appointed Head of Employment Law Services in January 2022.
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Pauline O’Hare is a graduate of University College Dublin, where she obtained a Bachelor of Civil Laws degree and a Masters in Commercial Law,. Pauline previously worked in private practice before joining Ibec’s Employment Law Services Unit, where she advises employers on both contentious and non-contentious matters. Pauline specialises in employment law and industrial relations and engages with key stakeholders on policy matters at both a national and EU level.
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Sinéad is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin where she obtained a law degree (LLB) and Leiden University in the Netherlands where she obtained a Masters of Law (LLM) in European Law. She qualified as a solicitor in 2016. Sinead advises on both contentious and non-contentious employment law issues across a variety of sectors. Prior to joining Ibec Sinead worked both in private practice and in-house, representing employers on a range of complex employment issues. Sinead joined Ibec’s Employment Law Services Team in 2020.
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