Elaine has over twenty five year’s experience working in the area of Environment Health and Safety- including five years working in Ibec's Employer Relations Division and now in Ibec Academy as a Senior Commercial EHS Executive. She is an alternate employer representative on the European Commissions’ Advisory Committee on Safety & Health (ACSH).
Elaine has particular interest in the cross-over between OSH and the Human Resources function, as well as EHS Management Systems and Corporate Sustainability. She holds an MSc in Applied Environmental Sciences, a BSc in Environmental Health, a H Dip in Occupational Safety & Health and a Diploma in Employment Law.
Michael Gillen is Head of OSH in Member Services in Ibec, previously senior executive with PharmaChemical Ireland (PCI) and director of the Irish BioIndustry Association (IBIA). He worked as an inspector in the Hazardous Substances Assessment Unit within the Health and Safety Authority. Michael joined Ibec in 2000 and has worked in occupational health and safety, industrial relations/human resources and science and innovation.
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Paul O’Shea is Founder and CEO of Ashview Consultants, one of Ireland’s leading business risk management consultancies, recognised for shaping safer, higher-performing workplaces through strong leadership, behavioural influence, and a proactive approach to organisational risk.
Paul established Ashview Consultants two decades ago, and the business now operates from Dublin, Newry and London, supporting clients worldwide to strengthen their operational resilience. His work focuses on identifying and mitigating risks that could impact business continuity, workforce wellbeing, or workplace health and safety standards, helping organisations build mature, sustainable safety cultures.
Paul has served as Chairperson of the Irish branch of the International Institute of Risk & Safety Management (IIRSM), a non-profit professional organisation for occupational health and safety practitioners worldwide. Paul was also admitted as a Fellow of the All-Ireland Business Foundation in 2022 in recognition for his ongoing commitment to the highest standards of business excellence.
Fionnuala is a highly experienced Senior Business Risk Consultant with over 15 years in the construction and infrastructure sectors, recognised for strengthening safety culture, shaping positive behaviours, and embedding risk‑aware ways of working across complex project environments. She has extensive experience in construction and digital construction, leveraging technology to improve communication, collaboration, and safety outcomes. Her expertise spans HSEQ, BIM, IT infrastructure, and common data environments, supporting organisations to deliver safer, more efficient, and high-performing operations. A strong advocate for health, safety, and wellbeing, she promotes both physical and psychological safety while driving a proactive, risk-based approach. She works closely with leaders and frontline teams to build behavioural awareness, strengthen safety ownership, and cultivate environments where safe choices become the natural, everyday norm.
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Tom Beegan is an internationally experienced senior executive with more than four decades of leadership across government, the private sector, and non‑profit organisations in Europe and Canada.
A former CEO of Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority and Chief Prevention and Strategy Officer at Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board, he has led major cultural and system‑wide transformations in health and safety, governance, and organisational performance.
A qualified psychiatric nurse with an MBA from University College Dublin and a Chartered Directorship from McMaster University, Tom brings a rare blend of behavioural insight, strategic leadership, and governance expertise.
He is also trained as an arbitrator/ mediator and has completed advanced studies in strategic thinking at the Schulich School of Business.
Today, as Managing Director of Beegan & Associates, Tom works with organisations in Ireland and internationally to strengthen their safety culture, improve team performance, and address complex risk and behavioural challenges. He is a sought‑after speaker, facilitator, and trusted advisor known for helping leaders understand why people behave as they do—and how to turn that understanding into safer, higher‑performing workplaces. Tom is also associated with iProtectu in Ireland, one of todays conference sponsors.
Marion is the EHS Culture Lead at PepsiCo, based in Ireland, supporting PGCS manufacturing sites and distribution centres across several continents. She joined PepsiCo in 2022, having previously worked in Upstream (a health & safety consultancy she founded in 2015). Prior to that she spent 15 years working in the pharmaceutical sector. Marion went the education route as a mature student, and completed several courses, including a MSc in Occupational Health. She is an advocate of Safety Differently and Anthro-complexity, and describes herself as ‘perpetually curious - trying to make sense of our world and how we interact in it.’
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Stephen is responsible for the implementation and delivery of Ibec’s media engagement strategy and the management of its press office. He previously lectured in Strategic Communications as part of the MA in Global Media and Communications at the University of Galway.
Stephen has spent over a decade working across communications, policy, government relations, and stakeholder management. He began his career with the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland, where he held several positions within the Public Affairs team, including Communications Manager. Prior to joining Ibec, he worked for a global advisory firm specializing in corporate affairs management for international tech firms. Stephen holds a MA in Politics from Queens University Belfast, a BA in International Relations from Dublin City University and National Diploma in Public Relations from PRII.
Raymond Byrne, BCL, LLM, BL, is an Adjunct Full Professor, Sutherland School of Law, University College Dublin, and former full-time Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission. Before that, he had been Director of Research in the Commission and, previously, a lecturer in law in Dublin City University.
The second edition of his seminal book (Safety, Health & Welfare at Work in Ireland) will be on sale from 19 December at this link: https://www.sweetandmaxwell.co.uk/en-gb/products/safety-health-and-welfare-at-work-law-in-ireland-2nd-edition-hardback-book-43483729
Theatre at Work uses immersive and interactive theatre techniques to engage people rationally and emotionally. They also deliver online programmes for powerful communication and lasting impact.
Theatre at Work have three decades of experience working with groups across sectors and regions; from leaders and managers through to frontline and operational staff. Their team has backgrounds in industry, the arts, psychology, and learning and development. Skills range from workshop design to facilitation; from stage direction to performance.