Bord Bia's Global Food Summit

Niall is the Chief Executive Officer of Dawn Meats, appointed in 2007 at the age of 34. An alumnus of the University of Limerick, he joined the Dawn Meats Graduate Management Programme in 1995. Progressing through the organisation he gained a broad experience across multiple sites. Niall and his team have spearheaded the development of the Group through mergers and acquisitions. In 2017 Dawn Meats merged its UK business with Dunbia becoming Britain’s largest beef and lamb processor and in 2020 acquired full ownership. Under his leadership the business continues to expand and is a recognised industry leader. He is passionate about innovation and champions environmental sustainability and efficient processing.

Kevin is currently the Managing Director of ABP’s Irish and Polish Operations having joined the group in 2021. ABP is one of Europe’s leading agri-business companies with manufacturing plants across Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe. The company also operates sustainable renewables, pet food and protein divisions. Kevin has worked in the Agri sector since graduating UCC in 1991, including a recent five-year stint internationally as Head of a Global Food company's European division. Kevin is a keen GAA enthusiast who enjoyed a successful playing career and now indulges in coaching at club level.

Soopakij is the Chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group Company Limited (CP Group), one of Asia's leading conglomerates consisting of over 100 companies operating in 21 countries across eight business lines including agro-industry and food, retail and distribution, media and telecommunications, e-commerce and digital, property development, automotive and industrial product, pharmaceuticals, and finance and investment. He is a recognized business leader in the region and serves chairmanship and directorship in several subsidiaries of the company, as well as directorship in reputable international public conglomerate. Soopakij has a Bachelor of Science Degree from the College of Business and Public Administration of New York University, USA.

Nick Curtis-Davis is currently Director of the Global Strategic Insight Division at Bord Bia and a member of the organisation’s Executive Leadership Team. In a career spanning over 30 years in the food industry he has held leadership roles across Innovation, Marketing, Manufacturing and Technical Operations, and Change Management with blue chip organisations including Diageo and The Coca-Cola Company. In his current role Nick leads the delivery of highly valued Insight, Marketing, Innovation and Capability services for the Irish food, drink and horticulture industry. It is an expansive brief that seeks to create the conditions for the future success of our industry through global insight and thought leadership studies.

Shane Hamill is Bord Bia’s Director of Global Business Development, managing a global team across 15 geographies that aims to grow the value of Irish food and drinks exports. Previously, Shane was Bord Bia’s Strategic Projects Manager, leading key programmes, including the State Agency’s response to Brexit and Covid-19. Prior to this he worked as an agribusiness consultant for the UN Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Rome and at Landmark Public Affairs, a Brussels-based firm where he advised leading food & drink multinationals on EU policy and regulation.

Francis Mallon is the CEO of Liffey Meats; his family have been involved in the meat processing industry since 1905. Francis is passionate about sustainability, climate action and the environment which is championed throughout the processing stages at Liffey Meats. Liffey Meats strives to ensure the highest quality and sustainably sourced beef is produced for our customers throughout Ireland and Europe.

Bryan is the owner of the Park Hotel in Kenmare & Dromgarriff Rainforest in Glengarriff. Bryan is the former CEO and Chair of Blue Bottle Coffee in California. He was co-founder of Fresh & Wild in London (now Whole Foods) and Nude Skincare. Bryan is now focused on mentoring entrepreneurs and working on sustainability projects primarily in consumer, agriculture and packaging. He sits on the global sustainability board at Nestle in Switzerland and is a mentor with Endeavor Ireland. Bryan is Board Member of the Fine Arts Museums in San Francisco and lives in Marin with his wife Tara.

John Murray is the Director of Meat, Food & Beverage Sectors with Bord Bia. Within his role he has responsibility for client engagement and driving sector strategic plans, which includes optimising growth supports and services. He joined from Kerry Group where he held senior roles in commercial and strategy development across the European business. Prior to this, John worked in specialist dairy commercial roles with Ornua in both the UK and Ireland. He also has experience in retail procurement in the protein sector and, working in agri-food public communications with an Irish non for profit. He is a University College Dublin Agricultural Science graduate, and hails from (west) Waterford originally.

Larry is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Dawn Farms. He co-founded it in 1985 with the Queally family, establishing it as a global leader in cooked and fermented protein ingredients. With operations located in Ireland, the UK, and Germany, it partners with leading QSR brands and major food manufacturers in over 60 markets, recognised for its leadership in food safety and quality, culinary science and innovation. His deep expertise in the food sector is based on a relationship approach and a customer first culture. As Chair of Bord Bia, Larry promotes Irish food globally and is passionate about the Irish food and drink industry and its future global prospects. Larry also chairs his family business, With Taste, a premier catering and hospitality resource.

John O’Brien has served as Managing Director of O’Brien Fine Foods since 2014, steering the family-owned business through a period of significant growth and transformation. Under his leadership, the business has grown to become the leading cooked meats producer on the island of Ireland, with a growing presence in the UK. In 2023, the company achieved B Corp Certification, becoming one of the first Irish food businesses to join the global B Corp community. Originally from Tipperary, John lives in Dublin with his family. A passionate supporter of Tipperary hurling and Munster rugby, he also serves on the board of Barretstown.

Jim O’Toole was appointed CEO of Bord Bia, The Irish Food Board, in November 2022. Previously, O’Toole held the role of Chief Executive Officer, Bord Iascaigh Mhara (BIM), Ireland’s Seafood Development Agency from 2017 to 2022. Prior to this, Jim held several senior positions in Bord Bia, including spearheading the development of Origin Green, the worlds’ only national food and drink sustainability programme. O’Toole also gained extensive experience in the global marketplace having spent 15 years managing Bord Bia offices in London, Milan and Paris. A Board Member of the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB), Jim holds a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Science from University College Dublin.

Marianne O’Shea is a senior R&D and nutrition executive with more than 25 years of experience shaping innovation strategies for global food and beverage companies. Most recently, she completed a 15-year tenure at PepsiCo, serving as Vice President of Global Life Sciences and helping guide the health and nutrition strategy behind the company’s portfolio transformation. She played a key role in delivering PepsiCo Positive (pep+) goals, supporting product reformulation and innovation across global markets. Prior to PepsiCo, Marianne held leadership roles at Unilever and IOI Group/Loders Croklaan, building expertise in translating scientific insights into commercially successful products. Her work has focused on nutrition, health, and improving access to affordable, nutrient-dense foods. Marianne currently serves as a Strategic Advisor to Enterprise Ireland and the Tilia Food Industry Innovation Collaboratory. She holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Nutrition and is a recognised voice in sustainable food systems and food innovation.

Dalton became CEO of Greencore plc, a manufacturer of convenience food, in 2022. It employs ~14,000 people, is the largest sandwich maker in the world, and has leading positions in the Italian Ready Meal, Sushi, Salad and Cooking Sauce markets in the UK. From 2017-2022 Dalton was the CEO of daa plc, which operates Dublin and Cork Airports. Between 2010 and 2015, Dalton was CEO of Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc, then the UK’s fourth largest supermarket chain. In 2005 Dalton joined the Weston family as CEO of luxury goods retailer Brown Thomas, and in 2007 as their COO for Loblaw (Canada). Dalton has a BA from UCD, an MBA from Harvard Business School and an Honorary Doctorate of Management from Bradford University.

Claire is the Managing Director for the Irish market at Irish Distillers Pernod Ricard, where she leads the sales and marketing efforts for the entire Pernod Ricard portfolio of premium wines and spirits across Ireland. She is an integral member of the Irish Distillers Leadership Team and the Pernod Ricard Northern Europe CODI. Previously, Claire served as the Managing Director Brand Homes at Irish Distillers, where she spearheaded the impressive €12 million redevelopment of Jameson Distillery Bow Street. Under her leadership, the revitalized Jameson brand home has quickly become the most sought-after whiskey experience globally, attracting over 350,000 visitors within its first year of reopening in March 2017.

Elizabeth is Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at Sysco. In this role, Elizabeth is responsible for developing Sysco’s strategic roadmap to drive future growth and longterm value creation. She joined Sysco in May 2018 as Vice President, Strategy and Analytics, where she built new capabilities in advanced analytics, voice of the customer, and transformation management. In 2022, she became Senior Vice President of U.S. Local Sales and Customer Experience, and in May 2024 assumed the role of International Chief Commercial O icer. As CCO for Sysco International, she led global customer experience and accelerated international growth through a “One Sysco” selling approach, pricing transformation, digitalization, and marketing. Prior to Sysco, Elizabeth held senior leadership roles at Grainger, including Vice President and President of Digital Commerce, Marketing & Medium (Enterprise) Customer, and Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Continuous Improvement. From 2010 to 2014, she served at Newell Rubbermaid in roles of increasing responsibility, including Vice President of Global Category Management and Vice President of Corporate Strategy & Development. Earlier in her career, she held leadership positions at The Coca-Cola Company, Lowe’s Companies, McKinsey & Company, and Procter & Gamble.

Paul was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Monaghan Mushrooms in November 2019. He has been part of the executive team since 2007 having previously served as Chief Operating Officer between 2008 and 2017. With over 20 years’ experience with the group, Paul has played an integral role in consolidating Monaghan’s market leading position in the UK and Ireland, and latterly its expansion into Continental Europe and Canada. He is currently President of the European Grower’s Association.