About

Tara Collins is the Chief Marketing Officer of NBI, responsible for directing the brand and communications strategy, stakeholder engagement and demand stimulation.

Tara joined NBI in 2020 with a wealth of experience across marketing, communications, PR, business development, and corporate relations, built up over a career of more than 20 years in the public and private sectors.

Recognised by Business & Finance Media Group as one of the top 100 marketing experts working in Ireland today, Tara has held senior roles at Ryanair, Seniors Money International, Smurfit Business School, Hewlett Packard and University College Dublin. Tara’s global experience has seen her live and work in the USA, UK, Europe, Australia and Asia.

Tara sits on the Board of BizWorld Ireland, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes entrepreneurship skills for young people and is a diversity champion for the Womens Executive Network (WXN). She also volunteers for Harvard Business Schools virtual learning groups.

Tara holds a Bachelors Degree from the Technological University Dublin, a Professional Diploma in Business & Executive Coaching from the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and is also a Harvard Business School Alumna.

Peter Hendrick is the CEO of NBI, taking charge of one of the most ambitious telecoms projects in the world, ending the digital divide in Ireland.

Having worked on the project since 2015, Peter successfully led NBI through the competitive bid for the National Broadband Plan as the Managing Bid Director, heading up a team of some of the best and brightest minds in telecoms.

Peter holds 20 years of telecom, engineering, sales & executive experience and has held senior roles in Siemens and enet. In 2006, he co-founded AirSpeed Telecom, serving as the company’s Chief Operations Officer until 2015, helping build it into a national telecoms business focused on delivering managed telecommunication services to both retail and wholesale customers across Ireland.

Following Granahan McCourt’s acquisition of AirSpeed Telecom in 2014, Peter led the integration of the company with enet Wholesale networks.

Peter has received a number of industry awards during his career, including a top ten placing in the Deloitte Fast 50 Technology Awards and the Irish Times Tech 50.

He holds an honours degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications and Electronics from Dublin Institute of Technology and has continued to support the institute in the role of external examiner covering both electronic and electrical engineering disciplines.

Ian Hyland is President/CEO at Catalyst Media Group which owns a range of media interests including Business & Finance Media. He is Founder & President of the global business platform Ireland INC promoting Irish business interests across the United States and Principal partner at Principal Strategies

Incorporated in both Dublin and London, Catalyst Media Group owns and operates a range of media assets including, Business & Finance Media. Business & Finance was launched in 1964 and acquired by Ian Hyland in 2002. Today Business & Finance operates in the multimedia, digital, print and engagement platforms, with its main focus on Dublin, London, New York and Washington DC. Business & Finance also hosts The Principals Club, and the annual Business & Finance Awards and Scholarship Programme (est. 1974)

Ian is President of Ireland INC, a global business platform established in 2010, promoting Irish business Interests across the United States. Ireland INC operates a range of engagement platforms in Washington DC and New York. Having created the Ireland Day Business Forum at the New York Stock Exchange – Ireland Day is the only international country day hosted by the NYSE.

Ian is a partner at Principal Strategies which is an engagement-focused consultancy leveraging human capital and positioning of international CEOs, business owners, C-level executives and stakeholders while assisting in positioning of corporate brands in key international markets.

Ian serves on the UCD Smurfit Business School Advisory Board, he has served as a Director of the Haiti charity, The Haven Partnership (New York). He chaired the Haiti Week programme launched by President Clinton for ten years. The Haven Foundation raised over $30m for causes across Haiti. Ian served as a member of the founding advisory board at Self Help Africa (New York) and as a Director of the African focused technology- and education foundation Camara.

Tracy is a co-founder of Grow Remote and a recognised international leader in the world of remote. Having 10+ years experience in technology startups, Tracy spent the last few years in community development in regional and rural Ireland. A graduate of economics and finance from the University of Limerick, Tracy led the growth of the non profit from a volunteer base to operating in over 100 local rural communities in 12 countries.

Alexandra McCourt is the Executive Director for the Rise Global Foundation. She has served as Marketing Coordinator for a number of international media and risk management companies.

Alexandra has led multiple dynamic projects across Europe as well as in the United States. McCourt is a graduate of Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. and has served as a volunteer with the Special Olympics Ireland.

RISE Global Foundation was formed by David McCourt, Chairman and CEO of Granahan McCourt Capital and the Chairman of National Broadband Ireland. As one of the most respected and successful entrepreneurs across Technology, Media and Telecommunications over the past 30 years, David has a proven track record of connecting people to innovation with a particular focus on underserved communities. In his role heading up National Broadband Ireland, he is responsible for delivering the Irish Government’s National Broadband Plan, recognised globally as one the biggest and most ambitious Public Private Partnerships in telecoms, which will provide world leading broadband speeds to over 1.1 million people in rural Ireland to end the country’s urban/rural digital divide.

Throughout his career, David has successfully founded and scaled operations in North America, South America, the UK and across Europe. The Economist describes him as processing “impeccable credentials as a telecoms revolutionary”.

An entertainment industry veteran, the daughter of prolific songwriter, Ron Miller, had the benefit of an early indoctrination into songwriting and storytelling. This soon led to her own path, initially as a celebrated costume designer, producer and writer thereafter. Julie has worked on hundreds of film productions, music videos, and commercials. Recent projects include television projects for industry luminaries Ryan Murphy and Kenya Barris. Inspired by the essential need for relevant children’s programming that builds a foundation for children through literacy, Julie created the concept of “Storybook Kind of Day” with David McCourt and additionally co- wrote all of the original music with Ken Hirsch.
“Storybook Kind of Day” will address the profound social climate effecting children globally, and will be an opportunity to foster kindness, diversity, and tolerance. Julie’s deep roots in production and storytelling, combined with a thoughtful insight into the human condition will be a driving force to the family model of entertainment.

Aidan is the host and founder of the Innovation Show, broadcast globally and on national radio stations in Ireland and Finland. He is the author of the bestselling book “Undisruptable: A Mindset of Permanent Reinvention for Individuals, Organisations and Life” which includes a Foreword by Visa founder Dee Hock.

Aidan is a Change Consultant, Board Director, Advisor, and Executive Coach. He works with organizational teams to improve how they engage and innovate. He is a champion for change and has reinvented his own career after rugby. Aidan worked in transformation for digital, innovation, and now culture and leadership. He played over 100 times for Europe’s most successful teams: Leinster and Toulouse and represented Ireland.

He developed the digital eco-system for Communicorp Media Group, served as Head of Innovation for Ireland’s National broadcaster, and worked as an innovation consultant for Global company Katawave. Today, he sits on the board of National Broadband Ireland, rolling out connectivity to the remotest parts of Ireland.

Aidan developed and delivers a module on Emerging Technology Trends in Trinity College Business School, ranked 1st in Ireland and in the top 100 globally.

Anna Marie McHugh is General Secretary of the World Ploughing Organisation and National Ploughing Association Assistant Managing Director.

Through her work with the World Ploughing Organization, Anna Marie liaises with 30 affiliate countries spanning 4 continents and co-ordinates the World Ploughing Contest in a different country every year. The Secretariat of the WPO is based at Anna Marie’s office in Ireland and she is the first Irish and first female secretary in the 63-year history of the World Organization.

Anna Marie grew up on a middle size farm close to Ballylinan, Co.Laois, and has one brother. She is married to a Wexford farmer and has one son. She was very involved in Macra na Ferime growing up and was a member of the National Council of Macra for a term.

Anna Marie worked as a Professional Youth worker for Foroige for a number of years before starting her career with the NPA.

Anna Marie studied Business and Marketing in Carlow IT and returned to college to take her media studies further and successfully completed a 2 year part time Diploma in PR through the Public Relations Institute of Dublin.

In her spare time Anna Marie likes to travel and plough – she is a former National Ploughing Champion in the ‘Queen of the Plough’ and Macra na Ferime ‘Queen of the Land’ Winner.

Anna Marie has served as a Board Member of Agri Aware and is currently a Director on the TU Dublin Foundation Board.

Ray McMahon is the Chief Commercial Officer and an Executive Director of Dilosk, Ireland’s leading non-bank lending business. Ray was previously Managing Director & Head of Canaccord Genuity in Ireland and Co-Head of European Credit Trading. Ray spent almost a decade at Merrill Lynch where his roles included Head of Fixed Income Sales in Ireland responsible for all institutional fixed income sales and distribution into Ireland.

Ray started his career as a software designer where he worked for IBM in their Global Services team.

Ray holds a B.A. in Political Science and Economics from the National University of Ireland in Galway, a Graduate Diploma in Systems Analysis & Design from the National University of Ireland in Galway and an M.Sc. in Investment, Treasury and Banking from Dublin City University.

Ray is also a non-executive director of the Pentagon Global Diversified Bond Fund.

Breege is a former Board Member & Group Director for Business Development & New Markets at Primark, and after 37 years, now continues in an ambassadorial role. Breege is a Trustee of The Primark Pension Plan.

A graduate of UCD, and a Chartered Director, Breege is currently Member of Hillsborough Castle Board, Chair of Carroll Estates Dublin Ltd, Chair of Real World Analytics, Non-Executive Director of Shaw & Sons Ltd, Member of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School Irish Advisory Board, Member of the Outside Appointments Board (Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour), and Member of Presidents Campaign Cabinet, Technological University Dublin.

Breege has held government appointed positions; Board Member of a number of state companies including An Post and Aer Rianta, Chair of The Business and Human Rights Implementation Group*, Chair of Shannon College of Hotel Management, Chair of the Labour Relations Commission, has been a Trustee and a Council Member of the National Executive of IBEC**, and was the first Chair of Retail Ireland, a specialised retail structure within IBEC.

*Department of Foreign Affairs. **Irish Business Employers Confederation.

Shelly O’Neill is chief operating officer of O’Neill and Associates. In this capacity, Shelly oversees all aspects of the firm with an emphasis on operations and business development. In addition, Shelly leads O’Neill and Associates community relations practice, providing real estate developers and other clients with grassroots and government relations strategies to achieve their goals. Her expertise includes state and local permitting, zoning and licensing, as well as environmental issues. Combining grassroots organizing with media and government relations, Shelly has lead teams on behalf of such clients as AT&T Wireless, Sovereign Bank, Walsh Brothers Construction, Lowes Home Improvement Centers and Tishman Construction.
Prior to joining O’Neill and Associates, Shelly was an aide to U.S. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. In this role, she was responsible for overseeing all constituent services related to city and local matters, health and human services, education, labor and banking issues.

Shelly has served on the Board of the Boston Harbor Association and the National Braille Press. She is active with Boston College and is chair of the Board of Trustees of the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. In 2004, the Boston Junior Chamber of Commerce honored Shelly with its Ten Outstanding Young Leaders Award. Shelly holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Boston College.

Tom is the founder and chief executive officer of O’Neill and Associates, New England’s leading public relations and government affairs consulting firm. O’Neill and Associates integrates federal, state and local government relations with strategic communications, media relations and marketing to provide custom public affairs campaigns to clients in a diverse range of industries. Tom is also the Founding Partner of Seven Letter, a full-service integrated agency consistently recognized by PR Week as a “Best Place to Work” and by PR News as one of the “Agency Elite Top 100.”

A former state legislator and Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Tom work has long focused on the intersection of government, business and nonprofit causes. His expertise spans the public and private sector in areas that include transportation, healthcare, higher education, financial services and nonprofit development.

From offices in Boston, Massachusetts and Washington, D.C., Tom oversees all aspects of both O’Neill and Associates and Seven Letter, including strategic planning, marketing, long-term growth and client servicing. From 1975 to 1983, Tom served as Lieutenant Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. During his term in office, Tom created and administered the Commonwealth’s Office of Federal-State Relations in Boston and Washington, D.C. His work focused largely on securing federal transportation infrastructure funding for the state by coordinating the efforts of New England governors with the Northeast and Midwest congressional delegations. During his term of office, he also served on the U.S. State Department Ambassadorial Screening Committee. From 1973 to 1974, Tom represented the City of Cambridge and the Town of Belmont in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.

Tom has nearly five decades of leadership in many aspects of U.S.-Ireland relations, including U.S. Relations with the Republic of Ireland, the peace process in Northern Ireland, support for Irish American causes, American Catholic institutions, and in American civic and political life, including:

• U.S.-Republic of Ireland Relations: Tom is a dedicated member of the Irish diaspora in Cork and Donegal, supporting efforts to encourage transatlantic business and economic development, as well as the promotion of cultural opportunities in education and the arts. As the former Abbey Theatre Ireland Massachusetts President, Tom created partnerships between the Abbey Theatre and Massachusetts thought leaders, philanthropists, and area colleges to promote Irish arts and culture. Tom is a longtime supporter and Board of Trustee Member of the American Ireland Fund, raising more than $5 million to support charities in the Republic of Ireland.
• U.S. Support for peace in Northern Ireland: Tom’s experience with the Northern Ireland peace process began in 1970s, while serving as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, and included initiatives such as the hosting of all-party talks in Boston between leaders of Nationalist and Loyalist Irish factions to bolster peace negotiations. Tom expanded funding for the John Hume and Thomas P. O’Neill, Jr. Chair of Peace Studies at Magee College, the University of Ulster in Derry, an effort that aims to help deepen and expand support for peace in the region.
• Support for Irish America and American Catholic Institutions: Tom served for 20 years on the Boston College Board of Trustees, his alma mater, establishing a fully endowed named annual scholarship for at-risk Boston College students, and a fund to support Boston College students applying for Fulbright Scholarships. Tom is a Founding Member of the Catholic Democrats of America and Advisor to the President of Catholic Democrats, representing a Catholic voice within the Democratic Party and a voice for the Democratic Party in the Catholic Church. He is Board Chair and a Trustee of Cristo Rey Boston, a Catholic college preparatory institute for at-risk youth in American cities.

A longtime leader in Greater Boston’s health care sector, Tom has served in prominent roles on several health care governing boards including Tufts Health Plan, Mount Auburn Hospital and Caregroup.

The oldest son of the late U.S. Speaker Tip O’Neill, Tom began in politics by running his father’s campaigns and later his own. Tom earned a bachelor’s degree from Boston College and a master’s degree in public administration at the Harvard John F. Kennedy School of Government. Tom resides in Boston, MA with his wife, Shelly.

W. David Scott is the Chairman of Tetrad Corp, a multinational conglomerate & privately owned holding company with investment interests in Energy, Agricultural, Telecommunication, Banking & Real Estate segments.

He has served on several public boards including MFA, Berkshire Energy, Home Services, Inc. and IRET. In addition to serving on several private boards, he has been involved in numerous civic organizations within the community including Brownell-Talbot Prep School, Strategic Air & Space Museum, Hastings College & Foundation, the Boy Scouts of America Mid-America Council, Children’s Scholarship Fund, a Governor of the Knights of Aksarben Foundation, and currently serves on Share Good & Share Omaha Boards. David also sits on numerous Foundation boards.