Participating Entrepreneurs include:
For the full list of Entrepreneurs that participated at the Entrepreneur Experience April 2011
Click HERE
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JIM BREEN founded PulseLearning in 1999 and is the driving force behind the company’s high standards of excellence and its rapid progression as a globally dominant organization. In 2007, Jim was shortlisted for the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award and graduated from the Executive Development program at Stanford University in California. |
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MICHAEL CAREY is the Executive Chairman and majority shareholder of the Jacob Fruitfield Food Group. Michael won UCD Smurfit School ‘Alumnus of the Year’ in 2010. He won the Irish ‘Ernst & Young’ Industry Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2005, the Bord Bia Food Entrepreneur of the Year in 2004, and the Sunday Times Management Excellence Award in 2003. |
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JIM BARRY is the Managing Director of Barry Group which was established by his father. Today, the Barry Group has grown from a once local business to now one of Ireland’s leading wholesale distribution groups. Jim Barry was as a finalist in the Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur of the Year Awards 2010 while they were also shortlisted for Cork Chamber’s ‘Cork Company of the Year’ 2010 and Great Place to Work Award 2010. |
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DR ANDREW WALSH has worked as a marine chemist at the Marine Institute, as an environmental consultant with UCC and most recently as Managing Director of Celtic BioEnergy Ltd. Andrew was shortlisted in the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year programme in 2005. Andrew’s qualifications include an honours degree in Marine Science and Technology and a PhD in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. |
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FRED KARLSSON founded DoneDeal.ie in 2005. The company provides an online marketplace for people to buy or sell items.The site facilitates the advertisement of over 60,000 new items a month, and more than 250,000 Irish people visit the web site every day. The company is now Ireland’s biggest classified website. Fred was a finalist in the 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards Programme. |
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COLUM O’SULLIVAN (Sully) completed a BSc degree in Food Business in UCC in 1999. Having spent 4 years working with Musgrave Group in their Operations department, he left to set up Cully & Sully in September 2004 with Cullen Allen from Ballymaloe House. All Cully and Sully recipes originate from Ballymaloe House and all of the food is produced in Ireland using all Irish beef, lamb & chicken. |
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AIDEN LEE founded Eolas International Research in 2002, which has become a leading global research company with its headquarters in Cork. Turnover has grown double digit year on year to over 3 million EURO in 2009 with over 65% of this generated from international research projects. Aiden was a finalist in the 2010 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Programme. |
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CULLEN ALLEN (Cully) studied Fine Art and Sculpture and then went on to do the Ballymaloe Cookery Course. After a few years of travelling, cooking and doing some graphic design,he set up Cully and Sully with Colum O’Sullivan (Sully) who was interested in bringing out a range of tasty meals for the Irish supermarkets made using only kitchen cupboard ingredients. |
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DAVE RONAYNE is Chief Executive of Irish Mainport Holdings. The Mainport Group is an integrated marine services company providing global shipping services to offshore oil & gas exploration companies and international seismic operators. Dave was a finalist in the 2007 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Programme. |
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PAT O’FLYNN, CEO of Solvotrin, is an entrepreneur with over fifteen years experience ranging from operational management to strategic leadership roles. He has successfully built businesses from inception and has a proven track record in the Pharmachem and related industries. Pat was a finalist in the 2008 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and a principal in the OFactum Group and is CEO of Solvotrin Therapeutics Ltd. |
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MICHAEL FLYNN founded FLI Environmental in Waterford in 1989. FLI Environmental is an International Environmental Services company that supplies specialised technical services in the broader environmental services market Michael was a finalist in the International Category in the 2006 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year competition. |
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FERGAL BRODER is CEO of LotusWorks, having founded the company in 1989. Fergal is an instrument technician and established his own business providing instrumentation related services in Ireland. Fergal was a finalist in the 2006 Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the year awards and in 2007 LotusWorks won the Business Achievers award. |
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KEVIN O'LEARY has been with QUMAS since its inception and was responsible for the original design and development of the company's first product release. He established the company's presence in the United States in 1997 and now serves as the company's chief executive officer. In 2006, Qumas was named Company of the Year by the Irish Software Association and Kevin was a finalist for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2009 Award. |
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FRANKIE WHELEHAN secured the Choice Hotel franchise for Ireland in 1998 and developed the 4 Star Clarion Hotel Group, the 3 Star Quality Hotel Group and the budget Comfort Inn Group. Choice Hotels Ireland now focus’s its attention on the development of its Clarion Hotel Group here in Ireland and abroad. |
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JOHN FLAHAVAN is the current chairman of E Flahavan and Sons. Irish hot oats are worth €20.3 million at retail, and Flahavan's currently has over 65% of the market. The Waterford-based company won the Irish Exporters Association's “food and drink” and overall Exporter of the Year Award 2009 and John Flahavan was a finalist in the 2009 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year Awards Programme. |