Management Team

Declan O’Connor  – Chief Executive Officer

• – founding director
• – 20+ years managing and auditing systems across Europe and USA
• – visiting university lecturer on standards and schemes National University of Ireland, Galway
• – MBA lecturer, Open University, six years
• – former director Marketing Institute of Ireland
• – 25 years technical and management experience in the multinational and the SME sectors

Mike Coughlan  – Scheme Director

• – Director since 2005
• – 20+ years technical and project management in multinational and the SME sectors
• – 20+ years in management system design, implementation and auditing

William Burke  – Scheme Manager

• – 12 years experience in certification body scheme management
• – 20+ years technical and engineering experience in the SME sector
• – 15 years in management systems design, implementation and auditing in SME sector

Governing Board

Pat Donallan  – Head of the GB

Pat worked as a Lecturer in Industrial Engineering at the Department of Mechanical Engineering in NUI, Galway. He is a Chartered Engineer and graduated in 1979 with a Degree in Electronic Engineering from University of Limerick. He obtained an MIE from NUI, Galway in 1990 and a PhD in Engineering in 2001 with a thesis on “An Integrated Model of Management Practice for Quality, Safety, and Environment”. This research was carried out in Spain, Portugal and Ireland resulting in a number of business and academic contacts in these countries. He has recently contributed two chapters to the Gower Handbook of Quality Management in areas from his thesis. He was Editor of the Conference Proceedings of IMC-17(Irish Manufacturing Committee’s annual Conference), in August 2000. He have presented a number of Conference papers in topics such as Environmental Management and Risk Assessment Methodologies, Waste Management, Safety Management, Total Productive Maintenance, Operations Strategy, and the Integration of Quality, Safety, and Environmental Management. Prior to joining NUI, Galway in 1994 he worked in the Electronic Manufacturing industry and held various positions in Quality Engineering, Quality Management, Production Management, and Advanced Manufacturing Technology Development, and Industrial Engineering. Ten of these years were with Digital Equipment Corporation. He is a member of the Irish Manufacturing Committee, and Rotary International. He is a lead Auditor for QMS and SMS. He lectures at NUI, Galway in Quality Systems, Regulatory affairs in Manufacturing, Opertions management and Safety Technology.

Sean Keenan – Member GB

Successful entrepreneur and business executive with over 30 years’ experience in the technology sector. Founded and led companies through start up, scaled volume, geographic growth, and sales exit. Founded and served as chairman and chief executive of Multis Group Ltd., which he led its development to a global enterprise with operations in Galway, Holland and Silicon Valley California and numbered Digital Equipment Corporation, Sun Microsystems, HP and Network Engines among its customer and client base.

Chaired, served as director and held chief executive roles at a range of companies and currently is Executive Director of QuantaBits Networks Inc. Previously held senior and global executive roles with Digital Equipment Corporation, including Director of Global Operations for the Alpha & Vax Systems Division during which time he was based in Massachusetts USA.

Completed the Stanford GSB Leadership for Growth Program in 2007 and is a lifetime member of the Stanford Business School Alumni Association Is a recipient of a number of national business awards and nominations. Successfully drove and managed a wide range of business functions, including: Business Strategic Planning; Company Funding and Budgetary Planning; New Product Development and Life Cycle Planning; Key Project Planning and Management, Global Operations Management and Budgetary Control

Sean is a member of Economic Strategy team and Board of Galway Chamber and Atlantic Economic Corridor Team.

 

Dermot Freeman – Member GB

Dermot Freeman has significant expertise garnished over the last 44 years (37 of them in senior management) in all aspects of operations. He is an engineer, a Master Black Belt Practitioner of Lean, Certified Scrum Master and a certified ISO Lead Auditor. Has worked for Irish, German, Japanese and several American organisations across the food, medical device, Engineering, Aerospace, FMCG and the public sectors. He has led major expansions (up to $10 million projects) in both engineering & operational senior roles. He is a recognised trainer who practical experience brings the topics to life for those participating. He has been the trainer & project mentor associated with the UCC Lean Black Belt program since 2010. He has been the trainer in the Business Processes Pillar of the SFA-Mentors Work program since its inception. He was the Lean for Micro practitioner for the Dublin City LEOs in 2016 & 2017 leading a multitude of SMEs through their associated projects. As an engineer, he has continued to hone his skills throughout his career. His understanding of manufacturing at all levels leaves him uniquely capable of being more than just a trainer & mentor. His experience and knowledge allow him to contribute to many other aspects of any business. Trained in PMBOK, Rolling Wave & GDPM, SCRUM & Agile methodologies, he can bring practical & simple management techniques for SMEs to guide them in Project management. Has Lean Six Sigma knowledge and project management practical hands on experience. He is currently involved with companies involved in manufacturing and service in such diverse sectors as Pharma, Medical device, food, consulting, banking, insurance, construction, IT as well as with those involved in the public service sector, including the provision of healthcare. Dermot has been educated at University College Dublin, and University of Limerick. He works with UCC and the University of Ontario in developing and delivering practical post graduate Lean programs.

 

Dr Hussain Bhatti – Member GB

Dr Bhatti has worked in Galway for the past thirty years. A qualified medical doctor, he has practiced in the primary care hospitals in Galway (University Hospital, Merlin Park) and in Portiunculla Hospital in Ballinasloe. During his time at these hospitals he practiced general medicine, chest medicine, general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, and paediatrics. He completed his post graduate studies at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Dublin in child health.

Dr Bhatti has also practised at St Brigit’s Hospital in Ballinasloe (psychiatric hospital) where he specialised in addictions, particularly alcoholism.

In the late 1980s he decided to train in complementary medicine, including acupuncture, homeopathy, herbal medicine, nutrition and naturopathy. This prompted him to establish his own practice, – the Clinic of Complementary and Natural Medicine in 1989 at Kiltartan House, Forster Street, Galway. He is a founder member and has served as President of the Irish Naturopath Association. He continues to practice at his clinic and has lectured on complementary medicine to medical professionals and to various organisations. Dr Bhatti is well known in Galway for his regular weekly article in the ‘Galway Independent’.

Sean O’Laoide – Member GB

Sean is a Veterinary Officer with Westmeath County Council. Prior to this he worked as a Veterinarian in mixed general practice. Also, Vice President of a newly formed unified Veterinary Organisation-Veterinary Ireland. A member of the Food Safety Authority Of Ireland BSE subcommittee. 1998 to date the Irish representative of the European Union Of Veterinary Hygienists (UEVH), and also an Irish representative of the Federation Of European Veterinarians (FVE). 1999 to 2000 President Of The Irish Veterinary Association.

Qualifications include:

• Batchelor Of Veterinary Medicine (MVB) Trinity College Dublin 1980,
• Membership Of Royal College Of Veterinary Surgeons (11R.CVS) 1980,
• Certificate in Quality Management Systems, Food Industry, Food

Safety /Lead Auditor (IRCA) 1998

• Certificate in Environmental Auditing and Management Institute Of Technology Sligo 2000,

ECDL completed 2000.