Gemma Jordan is Senior Relationship Manager in Commercial Banking in Ulster Bank. She has over 10 years experience in Banking working in a variety of roles including Corporate Banking and as a Sector Specialist - developing lending strategies, thought leadership and marketing initiatives to identify and attract Healthcare and Manufacturing businesses to the Bank.

Gemma achieved a first-class honour from Queens University. She is a Chartered Accountant and is currently studying to become a Chartered Manager.

As a commercial relationship manager based in Belfast, Gemma supports over 100 businesses, providing them with the financial solutions they need to exceed their growth trajectory.

• Management professional with 38 years utility and management experience
• A Chartered Fellow and Ambassador with the Chartered Management Institute
• Fellow of the Chartered Institute Consultants
• Chartered Manager assessor with 9 years experience and an advocate for promoting professional management and leadership.
• Member of NI CMI regional board, Network and Chartered Manager champion
• Director ARK Housing Association . Supporting people to live good lives, at home and in their community.
• ARK provides care, support and housing for adults with complex and enduring needs and their families, as well as general needs housing.
• Trained EFQM Assessor
• Director Sólás A Charity dedicated to supporting children and young people with additional needs.
• Director and Strategy chair TLMNI
• Board member South East region Social Investment Fund

Previous:

• NI and UK award winning submission for staff engagement CIPD
• Learning and Development Manager NIE Networks
• Keynote speaker in Berlin June 2013 on revenue Protection, recovery and Smart Metering
• BITC annual awards judge 2017
• School Board of Governors
• Vice Chair United Kingdom Revenue Protection Association
• Trained 6 Sigma Black Belt

Laura Dowie is Events Coordinator for Ireland at The Open University having taken up the position in January 2018. She creates, plans and manages a number of high profile events and works collaboratively with a diverse range of stakeholders. Laura is also founder and director of Little Women NI, an initiative designed to improve a range of life assuring skills in young girls. Laura has gained professional qualifications in applied languages, management, marketing and communications.

Rachael Fergie has completed an undergraduate degree in Business Management at Ulster University, obtaining first-class honours and awarded top Business Management Student. She then went on to work for Randox Laboratories before embarking on her PhD journey in 2017, which she is currently completing at Ulster University. This multi-disciplinary research focuses on developing leaders of small businesses, utilising a Design Thinking approach. Rachael has a key interest to increase owner-entrepreneurs capacity for growth, achieving positive economic impact. She is a Doctoral College representative at Ulster University. Rachael has begun to write academic paper’s relating to leadership development and has teaching experience at an undergraduate level. She is secretary and committee member of a local charity which has a key education outcome and has been within this role for 3 years.

Mark is a Lecturer in Management and Course Director for the Executive MBA and MBA FT programmes with the Ulster University Business School. Mark has worked with CMI since 2013, most recently through dual accreditation of the MBA with the Level 7 Diploma in Strategic Management and Leadership.

He is a chartered psychologist, chartered member of the CIPD and fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Mark is currently completing a PhD on the evaluation of leadership development, he is also working on evaluation of development programmes on behalf of AdvanceHE and the HSC Leadership Centre.

Prior to joining the University, Mark was a Senior Consultant for ITS Ltd (International Training Services) delivering assessment and development projects in partnership with clients in NI, the Republic, across the UK and Europe. His earlier career was in learning and development and human resource management within the NI health service.

Patricia O’Lynn is a skilled researcher, political activist, education consultant and experienced chair. She has a demonstrated history of leadership across various sectors and is currently undertaking Doctoral research at Queen’s University, Belfast where she also achieved a masters in social science, a degree in law and a diploma in strategic level leadership and management. Patricia was a candidate in the most recent Westminster and Assembly elections and is a former employee of Senator John McCain.

Ken has worked in Central Government, Local Government and the Private Sector. His extensive roles have included leading and managing diverse areas from PPP/PFI projects, through national advertising campaigns to international sales in Agri-food industry and IT consultancy. Ken is a former qualified teacher and Chartered Accountant. He holds a number of further qualifications from Queen’s University Belfast, University of Ulster and Warwick University Business School.