Sean Berrigan
Director-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union (FISMA)
European Commission
Sean Berrigan is the Director General in DG FISMA (Directorate-General for Financial Stability, Financial Services and Capital Markets Union) of the European Commission.
DG FISMA is responsible for EU-level policy making and legislative initiatives with respect to the financial sector, including Banking Union, Capital Markets Union, sustainable finance, digital finance, anti-money laundering and sanctions. In this context, John represents the European Commission on the Economic and Financial Committee and the Financial Services Committee, which report to EU Finance Ministers. He also represents the Commission on the Financial Stability Board, which reports to G20 Finance Ministers. He attends the European Systemic Risk Board and is a permanent observer on the Single Resolution Board.
Sean has been a Commission official since the mid-1980s and has spent most of that time working on financial-sector issues – first in DG ECFIN (where he contributed to macro-financial analysis in general and more specifically to financial-sector aspects of the assistance programmes for Member States) and now in DG FISMA. He worked on preparations for the introduction of the euro in 1999 and was secretary of the so-called Giovannini Group, which produced reports, inter alia, on issues related to euro-denominated debt issues and post-trading in EU securities markets in the early 2000s. In the mid-1990s, he worked for several years with the International Monetary Fund.
Sean has a masters degree in economics from University College Dublin.
Jack Chambers
Minister for Finance
Department of Finance – Government of Ireland
Jack Chambers is the Fianna Fáil TD for Dublin West. He is the Minister for Finance in the Government of Ireland and Deputy Leader of Fianna Fáil.
He previously served in Government as at the Government Chief Whip and was also Minister of State for Sport, the Gaeltacht & Defence from 2020 to 2022 and as Minister of State, attending Cabinet, in the Department of Transport and the Department of the Environment, Climate & Communications from 2022 to 2024.
He was elected to Dáil Éireann on his first attempt in the February 2016 General Election and was re-elected in the 2020 General Election. Before entering the Dáil, he served as a Fingal County Councillor and as Deputy Mayor.
Born in Galway, Jack moved to Dublin West at a young age and is involved with many local community groups and sports organisations. He is a Medical Doctor having studied Medicine at the RCSI and he holds an honours degree in Law & Political Science from Trinity College.
Elaine Coughlan
Managing Partner
Atlantic Bridge
Elaine is a co-Founder and Managing Partner of Atlantic Bridge with over 22 years of experience in running and scaling technology companies, including successful realisations through IPOs and M&A. She was co-founder and director of Glonav, a GPS company that was sold to NXP for $110 million. Elaine served as CFO or vice president of finance for three successful technology IPOs − Parthus, IONA and Smartforce – that realized more than $5 billion in value for investors. Elaine is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a qualified Chartered Director. She was named as one of Europe’s Inspiring 50, one of Europe’s Top 100 Women in Technology and appointed by the Irish Government to the Board of Enterprise Ireland.
Michael Dempsey
President, Investments & Retirement
Mercer
Mick Dempsey is Global President of Mercer’s Investments & Retirement business and is a member of Mercer’s Global Executive Committee. In his role, Mick leads and oversees a diverse portfolio of services and solutions, including investment consulting, open architecture manager-of-managers investment management, and retirement actuarial consulting services.
Since joining Mercer in 1999, Mick has held numerous business and commercial leadership roles across the firm, more recently leading Mercer’s Investment Solutions & Outsourced Chief Investment Officer (OCIO) business and services globally. He has also held a range of regional leadership roles and served as a senior investment consultant for a number of years, leading large client relationships across Europe and developing solutions across the full spectrum of retirement and investment-related issues.
Mick is a CFA charterholder and holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in business from the Michael Smurfit UCD Business School.
Mick takes great pride in helping clients achieve better financial security and investment outcomes. As a leader, he is committed to supporting colleague growth, fostering a diverse and inclusive working environment, and building collaborative and purpose-driven teams.
Des Fullam
Chief Regulatory & Client Solutions Officer
Carne Group
Des Fullam is Chief Regulatory & Solutions Officer at Carne Group. He has over 20 years’ experience in senior roles within the funds sector. At Carne, Des has worked with many leading asset managers to establish their European fund ranges and to guide them through bespoke solutions to their product needs. His experience extends to working with all types of UCITS and AIFs and he has assisted a number of hedge fund managers in launching UCITS products. Des is a member of the Irish Funds Brexit Group, the EFAMA working group on management companies, and is a regular speaker on industry panels.
Des joined Carne from J.P. Morgan Bank (Ireland) plc, where he was a vice president in the bank’s trust and fiduciary services division in Dublin, managing a large portfolio of trustee clients. Prior to that, Des held senior roles in the Irish Stock Exchange, including Listing Manager in the funds department, and as an executive in the corporate finance department. He sat on the Exchange’s policy committee, the Company Law Review Group and worked closely with the Irish Central Bank and EU bodies to adopt new regulations in the funds and securities area. Des was centrally involved in the launch of a number of new markets while at the Exchange. He began his financial services career with the Trustee Department at Deutsche International in Dublin.
Des qualified as a barrister at the Kings Inns in Dublin and also has an MBA in Financial Services from the UCD Smurfit Business School. He has a B.A. from University College Dublin and an M.Litt. in Modern American History from the University of St Andrews. He is a Member of the Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment and the International Bar Association.
Ronnie Griffin
Co-Founder
SpireBay Financial
Ronnie is an investment funds professional and works as an independent director and advisor. He has a depth of knowledge and expertise from a global fund services career over almost 30 years incorporating corporate governance, audit, funds operations, global regulations, regulatory compliance, risk management, litigation, complex fraud, and regulatory investigations. He is a co-founder of SpireBay Financial, a financial services advisory firm.
Ronnie spent over 20 years working for HSBC’s Securities Services global business and was part of its Global Executive Committee. He was a Managing Director with HSBC and lead its Depositary, Trustee & Fiduciary business globally across 20 jurisdictions. He served as an Executive and Non-Executive Director of several HSBC entities in Europe, and an approved person by the Central Bank of Ireland and the Guernsey Financial Services Commission.
His experience spans multiple fund types, asset classes and domiciles. He has been involved in various roles and initiatives with Irish Funds, the industry association for the funds and asset management sector in Ireland, including being an elected member of the Council for two separate terms, the Chairperson of the Talent Steering Committee, and the Co-Chair of the UCITS Ireland working group. He has also been active in charitable causes, such as Basis.point, Help for Children, and a primary education school.
A graduate of Dublin City University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Business Studies (Finance) degree. He then spent 7 years with KPMG in its financial services audit practice prior to joining HSBC. He holds several qualifications and memberships, including ACA Fellow, Qualified Financial Advisor, Institute of Directors – Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction, and a Certificate in Pension Trusteeship.
Ciaran Fennessy
Head of Strategy and Transformation for Global Funds Services Technology
Citi
An innovative technology leader, Ciaran has led AI initiatives that have resulted in increased organisational efficiency and enhanced client experiences. Throughout his career in global investment banks, Ciaran has showcased leadership by successfully executing AI initiatives, large technology programs and high-profile client onboarding programs.
Ciaran is well-versed in the challenges and opportunities presented by AI technologies and is a knowledgeable and confident educator in this space. Ciaran has a passion for technology and the future of artificial intelligence, however, he approaches it with a thoughtful consideration of its potential risks and ethical implications.
Ciaran holds a MSc in Experimental Physics and this scientific background fuels his curiosity, and he actively contributes to the field through teaching AI and writing and speaking on the topic.
Colm McDonagh
CEO
Insight Investment Management (Europe) Limited
(Former Chair and Current Council Member of Irish Funds)
Colm is CEO of Insight Investment Management (Europe) Limited, Insight’s EU-domiciled entity headquartered in Dublin. He is an executive member of the Board for Insight’s European entities, while also being a member of Insight’s investment strategy group, the Sovereign ESG group and Chair of the ESG Advocacy Group. Prior to his European role starting in 2020 Colm had been Head of Emerging Market Fixed Income at Insight in London where he was responsible for the investment team and strategies globally since joining in 2008. Prior to Insight he had roles that included Head of EM Debt at Aberdeen, Partner at Hydra Capital, and began his career in 1996 as a fixed income trader at Bank of America. He is a former Chair of the Irish Funds Investment Association where he remains a Board and Council member. Colm obtained his Bachelor of Business and Law degree from University College Dublin.
Grainne McEvoy
Executive Vice President and Head of PIMCO Ireland
PIMCO
Gráinne McEvoy is an executive vice president and Head of PIMCO Ireland. Prior to joining PIMCO in February 2022, she was the Director of Consumer Protection at the Central Bank of Ireland since January 2018. Grainne joined the Central Bank in 1997 and has extensive experience in the area of financial services regulation. She has chaired the European Supervisory Authorities Sub-Committee on Consumer Protection & Financial Innovation. She has represented the Central Bank at FinCoNet Governing Council and OECD Meetings on consumer protection. Previously, she served as Acting Director of the Central Bank’s Securities and Markets Supervision Directorate and as Head of Securities & Markets Supervision. In these roles she was responsible for investment funds policy, regulation of investment funds and fund service providers along with the monitoring and surveillance of primary and secondary market trading. She holds a Masters in Investment and Treasury from Dublin City University and a Bachelor of Commerce Degree from University College Dublin.
Edel O’Malley
CEO
basis.point
Edel O’Malley is CEO for basis.point and focuses on fundraising, strategic grant initiatives and the development of the charity. A graduate of UCD, Edel has over 20 years’ experience as a senior fundraiser in charities such as Children’s Medical & Research Foundation and more recently Irish Red Cross, where she was responsible for leading the development and strategic direction of the Fundraising, Marketing & Communications functions.
Recognised by industry peers in 2012, Edel was awarded The Life Time Achievement Award by the Fundraising Institute of Ireland (now Charities Institute Ireland) for her contribution to the sector.
Barry O’Sullivan
Professor
University College Cork, Ireland (UCC)
Professor Barry O’Sullivan, FAAAI, FAAIA, FEurAI, FIAE, FICS, MRIA, is an award-winning academic working in the fields of artificial intelligence, constraint programming, operations research, AI/data ethics, and public policy. He contributes to several global Track II AI diplomacy efforts at the interface of military, defence, intelligence, and AI.
Professor O’Sullivan is a full professor at the School of Computer Science & IT at University College Cork and a member of its Governing Body. He is founding Director of the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics at UCC and Director of the SFI Centre for Research Training in AI. He is an Adjunct Professor at Monash University.
Professor O’Sullivan is a Fellow and a past President of the European AI Association (EurAI). He is also a Fellow and a member of the Executive Council of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI). He chairs the Advisory Board of the GRACE project at Europol, and advises the Leuven.ai institute (KULeuven, Belgium) and the Computational Sustainability Network (Cornell University, USA).
In July 2018 Professor O’Sullivan was appointed Vice Chair of the European Commission High-Level Expert Group on AI. In 2019 the HLEG-AI published: Ethics Guidelines for Trustworthy AI (April) and Policy & Investment Recommendations for Trustworthy AI (June). In 2019 he became an advisor on AI to the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre.
Professor O’Sullivan is a member of the Digital Group at the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA). The IIEA is Ireland’s leading international affairs think tank. We are an independent, not-for-profit organisation with charitable status. The IIEA provides a forum for all those interested in EU and International affairs to engage in debate and discussion, and to evaluate and share policy options.
Professor O’Sullivan is Senior Technology Advisor at INHR, a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to improving access to the United Nations and enhancing the effectiveness of small and mid-sized states and NGOs. INHR offers strategic advice, training, research, and capacity-building to maximize the impact of your interaction with UN agencies in Geneva and New York and bilateral presence in Brussels and Washington. INHR are training experts – supporting diplomatic skills for governments and advising on effective use of artificial intelligence in military, intelligence, counter-terrorism, and in humanitarian settings.
In 2019 Professor O’Sullivan was appointed by Ireland’s Minister for Health to the Health Research Consent Declaration Committee. In 2020 he was appointed Chair of the Oversight Board of Health Data Research UK (North). In 2021 he was appointed by the Minister for Health as Chair of the National Research Ethics Committee for Medical Devices. In 2022 he was appointed by the Minister for Trade Promotion, Digital & Company Regulation to the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum.
Darragh Whelan
Output Sports
Darragh Whelan is the Co-Founder & Chief Operations Officer at Output Sports. Originally qualifying as a physiotherapist, he has a passion for sports science, technology and how the two interact. He holds an MSc in Sports & Exercise Medicine from Trinity College and a PhD in wearable sensing technology from University College Dublin.
Julian Eberle
Output Sports
Julian Eberle is the co-founder and CTO of Output Sports, leading innovation in wearable technology for sports performance. A top graduate in Theoretical Physics from UCD, Julian has extensive experience in software engineering and big-data analytics. He was also previously an international athlete, representing Ireland in Olympic Handball for over a decade.
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Maurizio Pastore
Euronext
Maurizio is the Global Head of Debt and Funds listing for the Euronext Group with P&L, Strategy and Business Development responsibilities. He is leading the bond and funds listing business for Euronext Group, which is the undisputed world leader in bond listing with more than 56,000 debt securities admitted to trading and more than 2600+ ESG Bonds (€1.5tr) listed on its 7 markets (Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Milan, Oslo, Paris).
He has participated as panelist or guest speaker at various conferences (OECD & IOSCO, London School of Economics, International Financial Law Review, AFME, etc.) on the topics of debt capital markets, sustainable finance, EU regulations and bond listings. In 2022 Maurizio was appointed advisor to the ICMA executive committee of the green bond principles.
Fully qualified Italian lawyer. Master of Laws (LL.M) Degree with specialization in European Law at Trinity College Dublin. MBA in Spanish at the EUDE Business School in Madrid. Diploma in Finance Law – Law Society of Ireland.
Dwayne Price
Partner – Risk Advisory
Grant Thornton
Dwayne joined Grant Thornton in 2016 as a Partner to head the firm’s FS risk and regulatory advisory services offering in our FS Advisory unit. He helps lead the firm’s risk and regulatory offering focusing on Quantitative Risk Advisory, Model Risk, Development and Validation, Regulatory Risk and Strategy, Regulatory Support services, Risk Advisory and Complex Valuations.
Previously, Dwayne held a senior role in the Central Bank of Ireland as Head of Banking Supervision: Analysis Division. In this role, he was responsible for managing and leading a large team across six functional areas ranging from Stress Testing, Risk Models, Supervisory Policy, Recovery Planning and Licence Authorisation. He held a central position in the post-2008-2013 crisis management of the Central Bank and was a key architect of the many of the reforms in Banking Supervision.
Sandra Rockett
Vice President, Global Sustainable Investments
Great West Lifeco
Sandra is Vice President, Global Sustainable Investments at Great-West Lifeco, the parent company of Irish Life.
In this role Sandra is responsible for leading Great-West Lifeco’s Sustainable Investment Strategy across Europe, Canada and the US, which is part of the Group’s commitment to achieving net-zero for its investment portfolio by 2050.
Sandra has been with the Great West Life Group since 2014 as a member of the Executive Management Team of the Group’s Irish asset manager, Irish Life Investment Managers. Sandra has led the Irish Responsible Investment Strategy. In addition to this role, Sandra has also held a number of executive leadership positions including overall responsibility for ILIM’s Retail and Wealth Channels and prior to this responsibility for ILIM’s International Business and Strategic Partnerships.
Prior to joining ILIM, Sandra was Head of Financial Planning and Pensions with Ireland’s leading wealth manager, responsible for the establishment and delivery of financial and investment advice to High Net Worth clients, pension funds and charities. Sandra previously worked in Mercer as an actuarial consultant, working with a range of public sector and multinational clients in relation to their pension arrangements.
Sandra is a graduate in Actuarial Finance and Economics from University College Dublin, a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries in Ireland. She is a Council Member of SIF Ireland (part of the European Sustainable Investment Forums) and a previous member of the Pensions Council of Ireland. The latter was established to advise the Minister for Social Protection on matters of relevance to pensions, with a particular focus on policies to support the sustainability and adequacy of pension provision.
Verena Ross
Chair
European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA)
Verena Ross is the Chair of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA). She took up the role on 1 November 2021 and is responsible for representing the Authority as well as preparing the work of and chairing its Board of Supervisors and Management Board. Between 2011 and 2021 Verena Ross served as ESMA’s first Executive Director, when she was responsible for building up the organisation and overseeing its day to day running.
Prior to this, Verena held a number of senior posts in the UK’s Financial Services Authority (FSA) and was a member of the FSA’s Executive Committee. Verena joined the FSA in 1998 to run the Executive Chairman’s office during the regulator’s start-up phase and was briefly a seconded advisor to the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission in 2000. She held various positions in the FSA’s Markets Division and was Director of Strategy & Risk Division before becoming Director of the International Division.
Verena is a German national. Following studies in Sinology and Economics in Hamburg, Taipei and London (SOAS) she began her career at the Bank of England in 1994, where she worked as an economist and banking supervisor.
Derville Rowland
Deputy Governor, Consumer and Investor Protection
Central Bank of Ireland (CBI)
Derville Rowland is Deputy Governor at the Central Bank of Ireland. Prior to this, Derville was Director General of Financial Conduct. She is responsible for Consumer and Investor Protection, overseeing Retail Conduct, Securities and Markets Supervision as well as oversight of Anti-Money Laundering, Financial Sanctions and Enforcement.
Derville also serves as a member of both the management board and the board of supervisors of the European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) and chairs its Investment Management Standing Committee. Derville is a board member of the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) and is vice-chair of IOSCO’s European Regional Committee.
Prior to joining the Bank, Derville practiced as a barrister in the UK, where she completed a Bachelor of Law Degree and barrister’s training (Inns of Court School of Law) in London. Subsequently she obtained a Barrister-at-Law degree from Kings Inns in Dublin and a Diploma in Applied Finance Law
Dr. Prag Sharma
Head of Global Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence
Citigroup
Dr Prag Sharma leads Citi’s Global Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence (AI CoE). He is one of only 10 Citi Tech Fellows globally. He us a resident expert in Artificial Intelligence/ Machine Learning (AI/ML) across the organisation. As such, Prag has led the development of Citi-wide best-practices from a Governance, Risk & Controls and Technology perspective in AI, addressed AI-related infrastructure and tooling needs across the organisation and enabled state-of-the-art AI design, development and use at Citi across all its businesses. Prag represents Citi externally and has led numerous high-profile engagements with clients, global regulators, trade bodies, regional/ other advisory committees and external experts in the world of AI. Prag has led R&D teams and technology consultants in both industry and academia for over 15 years, working on emerging technologies with start-ups and multinationals in the Financial Services, Health, Technology and Pharmaceutical sectors. He also co-founded two start-ups in his previous life. Prag holds a PhD in Machine Learning (Computer Vision) and an MBA, majoring in Innovation.
Tajinder Singh
Acting Secretary General
IOSCO
Tajinder Singh joined IOSCO in January 2010 as Deputy Secretary General. He took over as Acting Secretary General of IOSCO on 7 May 2024.
Before joining IOSCO, Tajinder was head of International Affairs & Human Resource Development at the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), where he also served as advisor to the chairman. Tajinder was a member of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and held various positions in the Indian Government including in the Ministry of Finance. He has 30 years of experience in senior leadership positions at different organizations dedicated to regulation, finance and administration.
Tajinder has a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur and a Master’s degree in Systems Science and Automation from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore.
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