Team category

Advisory board

Peter McClenaghan

Head of Communications & Engagement, NIE Networks
Peter McClenaghan is a strategic leader with experience across regulated industries, government, and the voluntary sector. Since joining NIE Networks in 2024, Peter has led the organisation’s corporate affairs response to Storm Éowyn, delivered a digital transformation programme to strengthen stakeholder insight and organisational effectiveness, and established an independent expert panel to enhance accountability and performance. Previously, as Director of Infrastructure and Sustainability at the Consumer Council, he played a leading role during the energy price crisis, advising government, influencing policy and initiating an energy hardship fund that has since delivered more than £10 million in support to households. Earlier in his career, Peter advised organisations including Cadent Gas, SSEN Transmission and UK Power Networks, led regulatory affairs and business planning in gas distribution and supply, served as Head of Regulatory Economics at Visa Europe, and advised Government Ministers, MPs, and MLAs on policy and strategy. Peter served for five years as Chairperson of VOYPIC, leading organisational transformation and strengthening governance. He is currently a member of Lancaster University’s Estates Committee, providing oversight of its physical and digital estate and capital programme.

 Helen Sullivan FCIPD

Chief People and Culture Officer, NIE Networks
Helen Sullivan recently joined NIE Networks as Chief People and Culture Officer, responsible for Human Resources, Health & Safety, Communications & Engagement, and the Learning & Culture agenda. Helen joined NIE from PwC, where her twenty-five year career spanned both client-facing consulting and internal leadership roles. Most recently she worked as Director and People Driver for the PwC Deals business globally, focusing on transformation, delivery models, and workforce planning. Prior to that she spent nearly twenty years working with clients in energy, utilities and government throughout the UK, leading HR and OD consulting projects across the employee life cycle then moving into HR function and tech transformation consulting programmes. Helen has a wealth of experience in strategic workforce planning, change management, culture, and talent management. She is currently a judge for the NI CIPD Awards.

Dalreen Buchanan

Business Support Manager, Ulster Carpets

Dalreen Buchanan is Business Support Manager at Ulster Carpets where she plays an integral role at one of Northern Ireland’s most successful exporters.

Having worked across a number of key departments at Ulster Carpets, including IT Support, Customer Services, and Production Planning, Dalreen is able to utilise nearly thrity-five years’ experience to ensure the smooth delivery of high service standards.

In a broad and diverse role, Dalreen’s wide-ranging understanding of the company’s central operational requirements is key to working with external suppliers.

Peter Cunningham

CEO, Camlin Group

Peter Cunningham is the Chief Executive Officer of the Camlin Group, responsible for setting and delivering upon the strategic vision and direction of the global organisation and its business units across the Energy and Rail market sectors.

Having become CEO in 2019 Peter has been responsible for setting a new purpose and strategic direction for the organisation and has led its subsequent revenue growth rate over 20% year on year. The company now forecasts a group-wide revenue target of £80M+ for 2023. The company employs approximately 560 people globally, with a strong engineering and operational majority based in Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

Before becoming CEO of Camlin, Peter was previously Managing Director of the UK division of its Energy business, Kelvatek, for 6 years then subsequently was Managing Director of Camlin, before taking over as CEO. He studied Electrical and Electronic Engineering (MEng) at Loughborough University. He is married with three children, and lives near Lisburn, Northern Ireland.

Nick Coburn CBE

Managing Director and Deputy Chairman of Ulster Carpets

Nick is managing director and deputy chairman of Ulster Carpets, the premier supplier of Axminster and Wilton carpets to the world market.

Nick joined his family’s company in 1977, working in a wide range of roles in manufacturing and sales before being appointed managing director in 2004 and also deputy chairman of Ulster Carpets Group in 2017.

A former chairman of the Textile Institute and past president of the NI Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nick is currently a member of the Strategic Trade Advisory Group with the Department for International Trade as well as a member of the Economic Advisory Group with the Department for the Economy.

Melanie McMordie

Client Managing Director, Fujitsu NI
Melanie is the Managing Director for Fujitsu in Northern Ireland. Fujitsu employs over 600 people in Northern Ireland and provides a wide range of IT services to Northern Ireland public sector clients and wider clients in the rest of the UK utilising modern digital technologies. Northern Ireland continues to be a focus for investment for Fujitsu as a major near-shore centre with a particular focus on digital applications capability. Melanie has over twenty years’ experience in the IT Industry and is passionate about driving continuous improvement through innovation and digital transformation.

Darragh McCarthy

Chair of the Advisory Board, CEO & Founder of FinTrU

Darragh McCarthy founded FinTrU in 2013 and serves as the company’s CEO. He is responsible for managing overall operations and setting the company’s strategic direction and objectives.

With over thirty years of experience in the financial services industry, Darragh founded FinTrU in response to global investment banks’ growing need for high-quality expertise to navigate an evolving regulatory landscape.

Under his leadership, FinTrU has become a leading provider of technology-enabled Client Lifecycle Management solutions, employing 1,400 people across Belfast, Derry/Londonderry, Letterkenny, London, New York and Porto.

Whilst FinTrU is a profit-driven organisation, Darragh is highly motivated by creating high-quality professional employment. As a leader, his passion is to build connections with people and to ignite their entrepreneurial spirit – with the aim to inspire others to thrive and achieve their goals.

Outside of FinTrU, Darragh is the Chair of the Centre for Democracy and Peace. He is also the President of the Belfast Chamber Board and a member of the Innovation and Growth Advisory Board for the City of London.

In 2024, Darragh received a degree of Doctor of Science (DSc honoris causa) from Ulster University in recognition of highly impactful leadership in the financial services industry.

In 2025, he received an Honorary OBE for services to the economy in Northern Ireland.