David is the co- founder and CEO of The Corporate Governance Institute which is based in Dublin Ireland. The Corporate Governance Institute provides accredited and online programmes in corporate governance and ESG in 54 countries.

He has substantial experience in advising on all aspects of corporate governance has completed over 200 reviews governance assignments for plcs, private companies, state organisations, charities etc.

He has served on boards in Ireland, UK and France.

He has authored the following books based on his consulting and practical experience as a board member;

• A Practical Guide to Corporate Governance - published by Chartered Accountants Ireland.
• A Practical Guide for Company Directors” - published by Chartered Accountants Ireland

He is a regular contributor to the media on corporate governance matters.

David graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree and is a Chartered Accountant. He also holds an MBA from IMD in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland and the UK, a former President of the Institute of Management Consultants and the Trinity Business Alumni and a former Board Member of the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.  He is a former non-executive director of the Ireland Funds and a current director of Accounting Technicians Ireland.

Peter McHugh is Professor of Biomedical Engineering at University of Galway. He holds a BE in Mechanical Engineering (University of Galway, 1987), an MSc (1990) and PhD (1992) in Solid Mechanics from Brown University, Providence, USA, and a DSc (National University of Ireland, 2021). He joined University of Galway in 1991, where he is currently the Established Professor of Biomedical Engineering. His research is focused on applying computational and experimental methods to investigate the biomechanics of tissue and of medical implants and devices. He has been particularly active in the cardiovascular device domain, and he is an internationally recognised authority on coronary stent mechanics. He was the founding Director of the Biomechanics Research Centre (BioMEC) at University of Galway. He has a significant publication record, with 177 refereed journal publications, 10 book chapters and over 350 conference publications. He has supervised to completion 33 PhD and 23 research masters students. He has generated over €14 m in research funding from national, EU and industry sources, and has generated active research collaborations with international leaders in the field, spanning Europe and the USA. He has received numerous awards, including membership of the Irish Academy of Engineering (2019), Royal Irish Academy (2011), the Presidential Nominee Fellowship of Engineers Ireland in (2009), and the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship (1995).

Diana Yordanova is the Communications Director of Housing Europe, the voice of public, cooperative, and social housing providers which is a rich network of 43 national and regional federations spread across 31 countries. Diana is leading Housing Europe’s external and internal communications strategy, digital presence, event curation, and EU project-related communication. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism from the National University of World Economy in Sofia and a Master's Degree in New media and EU policy from Vrije Universiteit Brussel. Diana speaks English and French fluently, and her mother tongue is Bulgarian.

Dr. Stephen Massey is a political scientist, author, and distinguished expert in corporate affairs. As a director and founder of Anordea, a leading corporate affairs advisory, Dr. Massey has guided numerous organisations through the complex landscape of political engagement and policy advocacy.  

Dr. Massey works with corporate affairs and association leaders who want a more structured and strategic approach to public and government relations. He does this by helping leaders understand the external environment and develop stronger corporate affairs capability. To deliver these outcomes, Dr. Massey draws on his advisory experience working with leaders across industries and policy centres. His approach uses only best practices and methods that are proven to deliver lasting results. 
Dr. Massey is also a member of the associate faculty of the Irish Management Institute, where he works with senior executives to develop their skills in strategic management and leadership. He has presented his work through multiple fora including the European Consortium for Political Research and his research interests include corporate affairs, governance, political risk, public affairs and strategic management.   

His dedication to advancing the role of corporate affairs as a catalyst for positive change continues to reshape the narrative of how organisations engage with the political and societal forces shaping our world. 

Patrice is Business Development Officer for Conferences on the Meet in Ireland team within Fáilte Ireland.

Meet in Ireland is a brand owned and managed by Fáilte Ireland, Ireland’s National Tourism Development Authority, and is the first point of contact for many global business tourism operators. They are responsible for helping meeting planners and associations organise successful international meetings, incentives, conferences and events (MICE) in Ireland.

Hailing from Co. Kerry, one of Ireland’s main tourism destinations, Patrice has been working within the tourism and hospitality industry from an early age. From the world-famous links courses of Ballybunion Golf Club to Sales & Marketing for some of the country’s leading five-star hotels in Killarney, she is passionate about promoting Ireland as a world class tourism and business events destination.

An established event professional, Greg has over 12 years experience in the Conference & Events industry, primarily in the area of international association conferences. He joined Abbey in January 2015 and holds the position of Director of the Conference & Events department. Greg prides himself on hard-work, diligent research and attention to detail, ensuring that each of these elements form the basis of the proposals and bids he prepares on a daily basis.

As a qualified Digital Event Strategist, Greg has a particular interest in how technology can enhance the delegate experience and on all aspects of meeting design. In recent years, Greg has contributed to education, training and interviews with organisations such as IAPCO, PCMA and EventsAir.

Outside of work, Greg is a keen golfer and long suffering fan of Kildare GAA and Liverpool FC!

Noel has over 30 years of international conference management experience, and more than 300 international conferences managed, both as a PCO and as the association host. Noel’s background is as an academic in Experimental Physics, and this brings the balanced perspective of both the role of the conference organiser and the needs of the association and delegates.

He is a recognized leader in the international meetings industry, and is a former Council Member of the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers (IAPCO), Past-President of the World PCO Alliance, and has held several officer positions with the Association of Irish Professional Conference Organisers since its foundation (currently Chairperson).

Noel is very passionate about delivering the best possible advice and service for our conference clients and delegates. His greatest thrill is winning the big international bids for Ireland!

Jane is passionate about the impact that meetings can have on organisations, participants and communities where the meeting is held.  This does not just happen, intention, dialogue and engagement are critical to success.  Jane brings this approach to the facilitation and consultancy work she does creating open, trusting and inclusive environments with high energy levels while being focused on the process to enable meaningful outcomes.