Lean Business Ireland Conference Speakers 2024
Aidan Harty - Managing Director - Mid Cork Pallets & Packaging Ltd
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Since joining Mid Cork Group (Packaging, Pallets and Green Energy Divisions) in 2009 as the Managing Director, Aidan has led the digital transformation of a traditional indigenous manufacturing company through years of growth and international expansion, to a data driven organisation that continuously finds new ways to deliver value, generate revenue and improve efficiency. While passionate about Lean Industry 4.0, Aidan believes that people often fall into the trap of assuming that the introduction of technologies is a magic wand that will fix any inefficiencies, but inefficient processes remain ineffective even with the introduction of technologies. For Aidan, Mid Corks success lies in the capabilities that underlie a digital transformation which involves the orchestration of people, process and technology in order to leverage the true value of data to transform the organisation.
Aidan O’Riordan - IT Manager - Port of Cork Company
Presentation Title: Industry 4.0 in the Port of Cork
Aidan joined the Port of Cork as IT Manager in 2022 with significant experience of the public sector IT environment. He had a particular involvement in driving the introduction of the Smart Cities agenda, through local initiatives and active participation in EU Horizon 2020 projects.
As well as working with the business to chart the strategic direction of Information Technology and Operational Technology within the Port of Cork Company, he is also responsible for ensuring that the organisation is positioned to exploit new and emerging technologies, to help meet the objectives of the Corporate Plan and Masterplan 2050. Digitalisation agendas such as Port Call Optimisation and disruptive Smart Port projects will be underpinned with efficiency driving initiatives such as improved asset utilisation, just in time planning and enhanced cargo operations.
Ashlynn Sweeney - People & Culture Leader - Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa, Limerick
Presentation Title: Application of Lean methodology in hotel sector by leveraging of data analytics
Bio to Follow
Bob Savage - VP Regional CIO for EMEA & Cork site leader - Dell Technologies
Presentation Title: Transformation, Leadership & People
Bob joined Dell Technologies as an engineer almost 40 years ago and is currently the vice president regional CIO for EMEA and Cork site leader.
Over the last 3 decades Bob has held many different leadership roles in Dell Technologies including Manufacturing, Engineering, Services and IT, & has been responsible for teams in Ireland, India, Egypt and the US.
Brian Morgan -
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Brian’s qualifications in Finance, Project management and Sustainability along with over 12 years’ experience in the fast-growing energy and sustainability sector have worked hand-in hand to bring extensive experience and knowledge to the Pinergy team. Prior to joining the Pinergy Group in 2021, Brian worked in eLight (LAAS) and Bord Gais on projects for energy supply. He now leads the commercial solar aspect of the business across the Munster & Connaught provinces where he helps businesses on their energy transition to becoming more sustainable.
Dan O'Mahony - Lean Management Principles - University of Galway
Presentation Title: Lean methodologies in Enterprise Sales Processes.
Dan O’Mahony is a Senior Manager, Sales and Business Consulting, with Körber Pharma Software. Körber Pharma Software is a leading provider of Electronic Batch Record (EBR) software to the global pharmaceutical industry. Dan has over 20 years’ experience as a sales professional in the electronics and Lifesciences industries. He has a very well-established network of clients in the medical device, biopharma, pharma, medical diagnostics, and advanced therapeutic sectors. Dan holds two masters’ degrees in bioprocessing and pharmaceutical business and technology. He lectures on Biopharmaceutical Industry 4.0 and digital transformation topics with the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) and Atlantic Technical University (ATU). He is PhD candidate with the University of Galway, where he conducts research on the use of lean management principles in sales processes.
Deirdre McCarthy - Head of Strategy - Dairygold
Presentation Title: Understanding organisational culture to drive business excellence
Deirdre leads the ongoing delivery of the Dairygold Strategy and is also plays a key role in advancing the use of data, continuous improvement, and project management throughout the business, to deliver both the day-to-day objectives and strategic objectives of the Society. Prior to joining the Senior Leadership Team, Deirdre was the Head of Business Transformation for Dairygold. This role focussed on evaluating, co-ordinating and supporting the transformation of how Dairygold does its business – our ways of working. Deirdre joined Dairygold in late 2019 as the Head of Internal Audit, prior to joining Dairygold Deirdre was a Director in EY Advisory.
Eamonn Siggins - Chief Executive - Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland)
Presentation Title: Optimising CPA Ireland's Quality Assurance through the adoption of Lean methodologies..
Eamonn Siggins is Chief Executive of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA Ireland), 17 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2.
In a career spanning over 30 years as CE of CPA Ireland, Eamonn has gained significant international experience. He has served two terms as Chairman of the Edinburgh Group (a coalition of 16 accountancy bodies from across the world, representing over 900,000 professional accountants). In 2013 Eamonn led an Edinburgh Group international research project on The Importance of SMEs to the Global Economy. He has spoken on SME issues at several international conferences.
Eamonn has also served as a Technical Adviser for the Board of the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) and has led several capacity building projects in Africa. Eamonn has developed Mutual Recognition Agreements between CPA Ireland and many of the leading professional bodies in the world, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants in India.
Prior to joining CPA Ireland, Mr. Siggins retired, with the rank of Captain, from the Irish Defence Forces after 14 years of service in a number of appointments in Ireland and with the United Nations peace keeping force in Lebanon.
Eamonn is a Graduate of the University of Galway, a member of the Institute of Directors, and holds Postgraduate qualifications in Strategy & Innovation, Leadership and Management from the Irish Management Institute, and an MBS in Business Practice from University College Cork.
Eamonn has been named as the Professional Accountancy Body CEO of the Year 2023, by the prestigious CEO Monthly magazine.
Elton Chambers - Lean and Digital Director -
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Currently employed with GE Healthcare as a Lean and Digital Director – 8+ Years as a member of the Cork Senior Leadership team.
My current role enhances the business strategy approach encompassing the principles of Lean, Product Quality, Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, and Digital Technology Integration.
I have experience within the Food, Medical Device and Pharma Industries where I have held roles in People Management, Director of Operations, Site Lean Leadership across multiple industries and Project Management for large Capital Projects.
Along with the MBA Master’s Degree in Strategy from MTU, I have qualifications in Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Industrial Engineering and Public Relations.
I am currently conducting research into the efficacy and effectiveness of coaching methods applied to organizational change, bringing in a modern twist through the introduction of new technologies. This is the final part of a L 9 Masters in Personal and Management Coaching with UCC.
I am a member of several business & educational forums and currently hold the position of Non-Executive Director for the Irish Centre for Business Excellence in Robotics Technology (ICERT)
Eric Dunlea - Head of Processing and Research - Kerrygold Park (Ornua)
Presentation Title: Utilising digitisation to improve efficiencies in Kerrygold Park
Eric graduated from University College Cork with a B.Sc. and MSc in Food science; he also holds an MSc for Lean supply chain management from University College Cork.
Eric has 15 years of experience in the food industry, in the areas of R&D, Operational Excellence and Operations.
He is currently the Head of processing and research, focused on improving efficiencies using lean methodologies and has a track record of improving yields, introducing lean standards and implementing automation and technology to support such improvements.
James Louttit - Founder - Impactful Project Management
Presentation Title: Team engagement, achieve buy-in & develop an action plan in one meeting (The SAVE Technique).
James Louttit is the Founder and Lead Trainer at Impactful Project Management, Former CIO at Cpl and Head of Project Management Competency at Bank of Ireland. He cares passionately about helping people to manage their projects with less stress, more fun and better outcomes. James teaches practical, real world techniques to help them do just that, using the best ideas from Agile, Waterfall, Design Thinking, Behavioural Economics, Psychology, lean and many other fields and applying them to the realities of project delivery. James is the author or “Leading Impactful Teams” and was PMI Ireland’s Project Professional of the Year in 2023/24.
James O'Neill - OpEx Site Lead - Astellas Pharma
Presentation Title: The Performance Excellence Astellas Kerry Journey
- James has over 20 years industry experience as a lean practitioner with a Black Belt in Lean Manufacturing and a Master Black Belt in Six Sigma.
- His current role is as a Senior Manager of Operations within the Killorglin plant of Astellas Pharma.
- The primary function within this role is the management and co-ordination of operations of the high volume Capsule Production Business Unit.
- James is also the site leader for Operational Excellence in the Astellas Killorglin plant.
Jennifer O’Sullivan - South West Lean Forum
Presentation Title: Introducing the Basics of Green Sustainability in Lean.
Bio to Follow
Joe O’Callaghan, B.E., M.B.A, Lean Black Belt, UCC Programme Director
Presentation Title: Teaching Lean as part of third level education for industry impact
Joe has worked with UCC’s Food Industry Training Unit as Programme Director for the Diploma in Food Manufacturing Management since 2016. He has lectured on Lean and Six Sigma topics as part of courses for UCC since 2005. He delivers the Lean Six Sigma Module part of the UCC MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Sciences, Operations and Management.
Joe had an industry career spanning more than two decades in which he moved from manufacturing to product development and technical leadership roles in various multinational companies. Since forming his own consultancy business, he’s helped a range of organisations in Ireland, and internationally to improve their manufacturing and service performance.
With a Lean Black Belt, and a keen interest in the science of human behaviour, he lectures and consults on lean, six sigma, and performance improvement that has helped across a wide range of people in Irish and international companies.
Julie Banks - Continuous Improvement Manager - Fexco
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Julie Banks is an award-winning Continuous Improvement Manager with two decades of experience in operational and people management, and business process improvement. Julie brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience in implementing Lean methodologies to new and established operations, to enhance efficiency and productivity.
Julie is qualified in contact centre operational management through the Institute of Bankers and earned a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with MTU in 2022.
She is instrumental in driving Fexco’s Lean Six Sigma strategy, coaching and mentoring colleagues, as well as providing training and guidance through their qualifications. Her expertise spans multiple industries including BPO’s, Telecomms and Finance and she excels in guiding organisations toward operational excellence.
Julie is a passionate inclusivity and diversity advocate, a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community and a steering committee member of the Fexco Women in Payments network.
Kenneth Walz - Operations Manager - Niedax CMS Limited
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Kenneth Walz runs operations in Niedax CMS. It was him that started to implement more and more lean elements to our processes. With the help of Jigsaw’s Lean Coaching program the company started to transform with employees collectively engaging with new ideas and improvements. While Niedax may not consider itself an expert in lean practices, the small yet significant changes implemented have had an impact on the daily operations, leading to substantial enhancements in business efficiency and performance.
Kieran O'Driscoll - Head of Data & Analytics - Africa, Middle East and Eastern Europe - The HEINEKEN Company
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Kieran's passion for data-driven insights began during his tenure in Sales & Marketing Management roles, where he recognised the transformative power of leveraging data to drive business growth. With a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities that arise in the modern business landscape, Kieran brings a unique ability to craft practical, effective Data & Analytics solutions that drive real impact.
Kieran has an established a track record across several Multinational CPG organizations, of successfully identifying new opportunities, driving innovation, and optimizing business processes by leveraging data, resulting in significantly improved business performance.
Kieran Stack - Value Stream Manager - Britvic (Ballgowan)
Presentation Title: Openly discussing the challenges, benefits and opportunities of adopting Lean thinking & practice within our facilities.
Mary Kennedy - Financial Director -
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Bio to Follow
Matt Walz - Managing Director - Niedax CMS Limited
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Matt Walz is managing Niedax CMS in Tralee since its foundation in 2010. What started as a modest one-person operation developed into a significant enterprise. Initially, the company's focus on distribution meant that lean methodologies, typically associated with manufacturing, were not a priority. However, Matt's upbringing in Germany, a culture known for its efficiency and lean techniques, such as conserving energy and valuing resources, subtly influenced the company. As Niedax expanded into assembly and manufacturing, these lean principles became increasingly relevant.
Michael O’Mahony - Mechanical, Biomedical & Manufacturing Engineering - MTU
Presentation Title: Lean Waste Number 8.
Qualified from the CIT (then RTC) in 1986 with a BTech (Mech). After a brief period with Donovan’s Medical Equipment, he joined True Temper Ltd in 1987. During his time with the company he held positions of Design Engineer, Quality Engineer and Plant Engineering Manager. While with True Temper he continued his studies part time and gained a M Tech (AMT) from the University of Limerick in 1994.
During this time he also maintained his links with the CIT and lecturered on City & Guild and Engineering Council courses by night. He joined the CIT full-time in 1999 and lectures on such areas as: Product Development, Manufacturing Engineering, Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, Industrial Engineering, Operations & Production Management and Materials Technology.
Michael was heavily involved in the setting up of two add on degree programmes which are now on offer to both full-time students by day and part-time students by night.
He is currently the course co-ordinator for the suite of Lean Sigma Programmes offered by MTU.
Michael Twohig -
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Responsible for the Operations in delivering the look and feel of the SuperValu and Centra Brands
Niall Larkin - Senior Programmes Manager - RDI Hub
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Niall Larkin is the Senior Programmes Manager at the RDI Hub where he has the overall responsibility for the design, development and delivery of its world class corporate innovation and startup accelerator programmes. On the corporate side, Niall has extensive experience leading digital transformation and corporate innovation programmes. On the entrepreneurship side, a startup veteran himself Niall has worked directly with hundreds of entrepreneurs to support them in their efforts to transform their ideas into globally scalable businesses. He has been honoured with multiple national and international awards and recognition for his leadership in the design and delivery of new programmes and strategic digital transformations.
Niall’s areas of Expertise: Scouting and curating quality startup deal flow for angel and institutional investment. Corporate Innovation and Startup Accelerator Programmes Development, Delivery and Leadership. Lean organisational, operational and process transformation. Entrepreneurship, startups and new product development. Academic Director responsible for design and delivery of MSc programmes for professionals in software engineering and data analytics.
Nicky Flanagan - Senior Continuous Improvement Specialist - Kerry DCF UK & Ireland
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Nicky Flanagan with over 10 year’s experience working with Kerry Group across their Dairy Operations.
Coming into Kerry as an Operations Graduate in Cheesetrings Charleville before moving onto the Listowel Spreads plant as a Production Manager. Nicky progressed to one of our UK plants in Ossett, Leeds as Production Manager where during this time the factory was undertaking a £15M investment across the BSM technology.
Now driving Continuous Improvement across 5 of the Dairy Consumer Foods plants across Ireland & the UK.
The Kerry 1KPS system along with Toyota University of Kentucky certification in Lean systems have helped frame Nicky’s mindset & ways of thinking when driving the CI agenda within Kerry.
Noel Hennessy - Managing Director - Practical Lean Solutions
Presentation Title: Using Lean as a means towards Engaging Disengaged Employees.
Prior to establishing Practical Lean Solutions www.practicalleansolutions.com in 2018 Noel was the EU / Asia Enterprise Excellence Director for Lake Region Medical (Now Integer). During his tenure the New Ross site achieved the Shingo Bronze Medallion and Irish Medical Technology Company of the Year in recognition of their Operational Excellence Program. Noel’s search for best practice has seen him participate in global benchmarking visits to Europe, the US, India, and Japan. He was awarded his MSc in Lean Operations from Cardiff University in 2007 and his Doctorate in Business Administration from WIT (now South East Technological University) in 2017 in which his doctoral thesis explored the relationship between Employee Engagement and Continuous Improvement.
In November 2021 Noel co-authoring Human Lean with Prof. John Bicheno which makes the case that while 21st century employees demand greater participation and better leadership, they also bring along vast opportunities for betterment to their organisations, to society, and to the environment. Noel’s hope is that the book, which won the “Contribution to Knowledge” award at the 2022 Lean Business Ireland Conference, will assist organisations and leaders in applying lean as a means of getting the best, rather than the most from their employees.
In October 2023 Noel was inducted into the Shingo Academy Hall of Fame for his contribution to organisational excellence across Ireland and further afield.
Paul Blahyj - Lean Management Coach - Toyota Manufacturing UK
Presentation Title: Using the Toyota way to drive Sustainability.
Paul’s firm belief is that people are without doubt the most valuable asset at any successful businesses. Toyota have embedded that philosophy into his values and beliefs and it is without doubt the main contributing factor of Toyota’s success.
Paul has worked at Toyota for 26 years and started as a production Team Member before progressing to Team Leader, Group Leader and now a Group Leader Senior. Being nurtured and developed into each role is a major contributing factor of what separates Toyota from the vast majority of major organisations.
He has managed multiple production lines and have also lead many high profile projects within TMUK. These projects include, New Model Launch, Takt change Lead Group Leader, Process Design Lead Group Leader and finally he was the Production Group Leader for TMUK's vehicle customisation and distribution hub in Derby.(BRC)
Paul now works within the Toyota Lean Management Centre at TMUK and has a passion for Emotional Intelligence within all leadership roles and I strongly believe that E.I is vital within any successful business.
Paul Murphy - CEO - Climeaction
Presentation Title: Driving Climate Action using Lean Methodologies.
Paul Murphy, as the CEO and Founder of Climeaction, one of Ireland's leading Climate Action Solutions providers, exemplifies leadership with a purpose. His journey as an Energy Engineer and Process Engineer has taken him around the world, working to decarbonize large manufacturing companies. At Climeaction, Paul's innovative approach spans from micro to mega businesses, focusing on comprehensive emissions reduction that extends into their supply chains, thereby accelerating the decarbonization process. Climeaction’s clients include some of the largest global manufacturing organizations in the Food & Dairy, Automotive, Pharmaceuticals and Semiconductor Industries.
In November 2023, under Paul's guidance, Climeaction became a certified B Corp, achieving one of the highest scores in Ireland. This milestone is a testament to his belief in a new business ethos: purpose-driven, where profitability is a result of genuine commitment to making a difference. Paul's career is distinguished by his impactful contributions to climate change mitigation, leading initiatives that have not only reduced millions of tonnes of emissions but also saved clients millions of euros.
Peter Kellaway - Site Operations Manager - Inform Nutrition
Presentation Title: Inform Nutrition Lean Journey.
Bio to Follow
Phil Cone - Owner - Academy Crests
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Phil Cone is the Owner and Managing Director of Academy Crests. A family business that started in a box room in their house in 1986 embroidering clothing for the companies of Cork. It has evolved into one of the leading contract embroidery and printing companies in Munster and has also become a major supplier of all types of branded and unbranded apparel and promotional merchandising.
Phil holds a Bachelor of Engineering Honours degree in Civil Engineering from Swansea University in Wales. After finishing his studies, he moved to London and worked for two large engineering firms on some very substantial projects in both the UK and Ireland.
After being away for 12 years he moved back to Cork in 2006 and took over Academy Crests from both his parents. Since then, the company has over doubled in size and workforce.
He credits a lot of the expansion to the collective commitment of the Academy Crests team in adopting the Lean for Micro programme facilitated by Cork City LEO in 2017. During this period, they gained proficiency in Lean Thinking and Continuous Improvement. Since then, they have participated in four of the Lean for Micro programmes, each led by different consultants who provided invaluable insights to enhance their business. In 2021, Phil accomplished his Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and aims to attain his Black Belt in the upcoming years.
Richard Casey - Program Development Group Manager - Arcadis/DPS Group
Presentation Title: Standardisation
Richard, or Richie, as he likes to be called, is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in the semiconductor industry. Richie spent the first half of his career working with blue chip semiconductor clients, and the second half building fabs for them. For the last ten years, he led various successful projects and initiatives at Arcadis DPS before establishing the Program Development Group where he developed and implemented strategic plans to help Arcadis grow in the global semiconductor industry.
As a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, Richie is constantly looking for way to improve productivity on projects. He drives structured and process driven improvements and focuses specifically on the leadership and organisational setup of Mega projects.
Richie is looking forward to collaborating with all of you and welcomes any feedback or suggestions that will help us grow the Irish construction industry.
Rob Brosnan - Chairperson - South West Lean Forum
Presentation Title: Introducing the Basics of Green Sustainability in Lean.
Rob is founder of Lean Kaizen Consulting (LKC), a leading lean and green sustainability consulting company dedicated to implementing lean with green and Kaizen practices based on Toyota's philosophy around the globe. LKC focus is on driving impactful changes and continuous improvements directly at the source, working closely with teams to gather data, addressing root causes, and implementing sustainable solutions.
His expertise lies in helping organisations reduce waste, improve sustainability, and comply with environmental standards. Our team, with 30+ years of experience across various industries, ( Manufacturing in Pharma & Medical Devices & Electronics and Automotive, Services such as Retail, Laboratory, Software, Food & Printing and on-line media) offering tailored Kaizen programs, green value stream mapping, and lean tools methodologies to deliver sustainable results quickly.
Approved by Enterprise Ireland, offers assessments, climate vouchers, lean and green start programs to support business growth. Let's make a positive change together!
Ruth Maluta - J&J Visioncare
Presentation Title: To Be Announced.
Ruth Maluta is a well experienced value driven FMCG business leader. She has started her career with Toyota South Africa where the Lean and continuous improvement knowledge stems from.
She has worked within well known world class manufacturing companies like Coca Cola and JnJ.
Ruth spent most for her career within Coca Cola where she played an instrumental role in turning performance if few plants prior travelling to Ireland in 2022. She is well rounded leader that believes in delivering results through people.
As a born south african with a passion for travelling moving to Ireland has given me an oppreciation for the value of diversity in thought and opinions.
Ruth has a passion for learning as she has an MBA from University of reading in the UK(Henley Business school)
Ruth has over 17 years of manufacturing experience.
Sandeep Joshi - -
Presentation Title: Lean methodology in hotel sector by leveraging data analytics.
Sandeep Joshi is a seasoned Operations Excellence Consultant with over 20 years of experience driving business growth and sustainable operational improvements worldwide. Specializing in identifying business growth gaps and fostering a culture of change, Sandeep excels in engaging teams across all levels, from C-Suite executives to shop floor workers, in designing and implementing effective systems that deliver measurable positive change. His extensive work spans diverse geographies, including India, Ireland, the Middle East, Thailand, and Myanmar.
With a background in various domains including project management, strategy implementation, lean, and operations excellence consulting across industries such as Defense, Manufacturing, Food, Dairy, Tyres, Chemicals, and Aerated beverages, coupled with entrepreneurial experience, Sandeep quickly identifies operational challenges and effectively engages teams to execute change projects.
As a Lean and Data Analysis Consultant at Radisson Blu Limerick, Sandeep has been instrumental in identifying high-impact lean projects and engaging team members across departments. Through insightful data analysis and compelling storytelling, he facilitates the adoption of new and efficient ways of working, leading to simpler processes, improved results, and reduced waste. His collaborative efforts have contributed to impactful projects, earning Radisson Blu recognition as a finalist in the Lean Business Ireland awards 2023.
Additionally, Sandeep actively supports SMEs in the manufacturing sector as a Lean and Digitalization Advisor for the IDEAM (Irish Digital Engineering and Advanced Manufacturing) industrial cluster, where he shares his expertise to drive digital transformation and operational excellence.
Sean Gayer - VP Operations - Boston Scientific Cork
Presentation Title: The Boston Scientific Cork Story.
Sean Gayer qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PwC and prior to joining Boston Scientific Cork as Finance Director in 2013, he held a number of financial and plant leadership roles with multinational manufacturing companies in the Healthcare and ICT sectors.
He was appointed VP Operations in 2015, taking on the Cork Site Leadership role.
Boston Scientific Cork were awarded the Shingo Prize for Operational Excellence in 2016 and was recognised as the Cork Company of the Year in 2018.
Over the past 5 years, Boston Scientific Cork has doubled its output through the addition of new innovative products and technologies. It has recently completed a 30,000 sq. foot expansion to the facility and the site has a current workforce of 1,700 people.
Sean is currently the President of the IBEC Cork Regional Executive Committee.
Sinead O'Riordan - Head of Partnerships - Skillnet Innovation Exchange
Presentation Title: Technology, Talent and the Future!
A senior business leader who has gained broad experience working with start-up’s, SME's and multinationals. Specifically focussed on driving individual, team and company performance, Sinead has a track record in developing and executing company-wide strategic programs with a strong emphasis on innovation. Key strengths include strategy design, operational management, innovation program implementation and partnership development. Sinead has graduated with a BA (Econ & Maths), DCS and an MBA.
Stephen Hartnett - Managing Director & Founder - Profix
Presentation Title: Our Lean Journey through Purpose, Process, People & Performance.
Stephen Hartnett MD of Profix, a company recognised for their excellence in building maintenance services in the Cork region.
From his early days, Stephen has been interested in construction work. This passion took him abroad, working in diverse construction environments in Australia, New Zealand, America, and Germany.
Each country offered unique insights and challenges, broadening Stephen's expertise, and understanding of construction in different cultural settings.
In 2007, Stephen's established Profix. Under Stephen's leadership, Profix is driven by a philosophy of solving clients' problems effectively and getting the job done right the first time.
Stephen's attraction to maintenance over traditional construction comes from his interest in the fast-paced, varied nature of the work, which demands constant problem-solving—a trait captured in Profix's tagline, "Problem Solved."
A significant milestone in Stephen's professional journey was his introduction to lean principles in 2015. This sparked a passion for lean methodologies. Over the years, Stephen has successfully integrated Lean principles into Profix's operations.
The adoption of lean has not only supported a better work environment but has also improved service delivery to clients and significantly boosted the company's business performance.
Profix won the Lean Business Ireland Award for Micro Lean Business of the Year in Oct 2023.
