Karl Donnelly – Marketing Director, Bulmers

Karl has over twenty years’ experience in senior marketing and leadership roles across a diverse range of sectors. This experience has included managing heavy weight campaigns and promotions that have yielded strong commercial returns for high profile national and international brands such as Digicel, Heineken, Coors Light, and Three mobile. It has culminated in his recent role as Marketing Director at Bulmers Ireland, managing the team across brand, trade, insight and category marketing professionals. The team manages a broad portfolio that includes Budweiser, Corona, Five Lamps, San Miguel and one of Ireland’s most iconic indigenous brands: Bulmers.

Karl embraced the opportunity and challenge of the marketing director role at Bulmers, the Bulmers brand had been declining market share for the previous five years amid stiff competition entering the Cider category. Recent adjustments that have addressed the challenges have included a revision of the brand identity, back to the traditional Bulmers iconography as well as a consistent approach to brand communications by establishing a brand essence that was rooted in consumer insight and strong product truth. The line when time bears fruit is the consumer facing articulation of the new brand essence, this was brought to life via a full through the line marketing plan in 2021 which included the sustainability angle related to our relationship with the beekeepers in the Clonmel Orchards. There is more to come but initial results (as mentioned above) are hugely positive.

Jo Harrington – Head of Growth, Live Nation

Jo is responsible for all new partnership opportunities with Ireland’s largest live entertainment rights holder, Live Nation.

Engaging over 2.9 million fans every year, Live Nation’s property portfolio extends across world-class venues such as 3Arena, Bord Gais Energy Theatre, 3Olympia Theatre & Gaiety Theatre as well as Ireland’s biggest outdoor events, including; Longitude, Kaleidoscope, Electric Picnic & NYF festivals and several large scale Summer Concert Series.

Jo and her team negotiate and manage brand partnerships across multiple categories to deliver activation plans which impact a diverse range of brand and business objectives. Having spent 15 years brand-side in senior marketing and sponsorship positions with Heineken Ireland & O2 Ireland, Jo understands the multitude of objectives which brands are seeking to serve through associations and activities within the live entertainment forum and works with Live Nation’s partners to deliver 360 campaigns that deliver the required level of impact and results.

Mary Sheahan – Research & Insight Director, MCCP

Mary is a skilled and passionate researcher with over 10 years industry experience across. In her career to date Mary has led awarding winning insight research for the Department of Health, helping to shape the Department’s public health communications campaign during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mary also led award winning insight led innovation processes partnering with Heineken Ireland in development of Island’s Edge Irish Stout.

Mary holds a degree in History from the University of Limerick as well as a masters in Social Psychology from Queen’s University Belfast. She is a guest lecturer for Technological University Dublin.

Suzanne Quinn, Marketing and Digital Director, Woodie’s.

Suzanne is Marketing and Digital Director for Woodie’s since November 2019. As a member of the Woodie’s senior leadership team she leads the Omnichannel Strategy and Customer proposition. Prior to joining Woodie’s Suzanne held senior marketing positions in Tesco, Dunnes Stores and Superquinn.