Displaying items by tag: New Chief Executive

2nd May 2018

Chief Executive Signs off As H&W Boss After 44 Years at Belfast Shipyard

#BelfastLough - Chief Executive Robert Cooper has stepped down from his position in Harland & Wolff Group after a 44-year career at the shipyard, where he has been replaced by Jonathan Guest.

As The Irish News reports, he began his career at H&W as an accountant in 1974 and rose through its ranks during a time of great transition including the privatisation of the company and its purchase by Norwegian stock exchange listed Fred Olsen Energy. He had been CEO since February 2003.

His successor, who assumed the new role yesterday (May 1), had been director of business development and improvement for H&W Heavy Industries, having joined the firm four years ago from interior fit-out specialist MJM Group.

For more on the change of chief executive, click here.

Published in Belfast Lough

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New CEO Appointed by Warrenpoint Harbour Authority Marks Historic Milestone

Clare Guinness has been appointed as the new CEO at Warrenpoint Port, Co. Down, the first female head of any port on the island of Ireland. Afloat adds the above container handling operations of the lo-lo Vanquish which in 2015 launched Cronus Logistics Irish Sea feeder services linking Dublin, Cardiff, Avonmouth and Bristol. These services are now operated by Greta which was renamed last month having been the Saga.

#Ports&Shipping- Clare Guinness has been appointed as the new chief executive officer by the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, the first female head of any port on the island of Ireland.

She joins from Fane Valley Group, where she held the position, Director of Corporate Services. During her time at Fane Valley, she played an instrumental role in the sale of the dairy to Lakeland and the joint ventures between Slaney, Linden Foods and ABP.

Clare Guinness also held senior roles during 17 years with the Bank of Ireland, working within the Real Estate and Business Banking divisions across Belfast, Dublin and London.

Stan McIlvenny, Chairman of the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, said: “The Board is delighted to have secured the appointment of Clare Guinness, who has a wealth of corporate experience across multiple jurisdictions. We look forward to working with Clare as she leads the development of the Port’s strategy, and building on its growing contribution to the local economy".

Clare Guinness will take up her role in January.

Published in Warrenpoint Port

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About Conor O'Brien, Irish Circumnavigator

In 1923-25, Conor O'Brien became the first amateur skipper to circle the world south of the Great Capes. O'Brien's boat Saoirse was reputedly the first small boat (42-foot, 13 metres long) to sail around the world since Joshua Slocum completed his voyage in the 'Spray' during 1895 to 1898. It is a journey that O' Brien documented in his book Across Three Oceans. O'Brien's voyage began and ended at the Port of Foynes, County Limerick, Ireland, where he lived.

Saoirse, under O'Brien's command and with three crew, was the first yacht to circumnavigate the world by way of the three great capes: Cape Horn, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Leeuwin; and was the first boat flying the Irish tri-colour to enter many of the world's ports and harbours. He ran down his easting in the Roaring Forties and Furious Fifties between the years 1923 to 1925.

Up until O'Brien's circumnavigation, this route was the preserve of square-rigged grain ships taking part in the grain race from Australia to England via Cape Horn (also known as the clipper route).

At a Glance - Conor O'Brien's Circumnavigation

In June 1923, Limerick man Conor O’Brien set off on his yacht, the Saoirse — named after the then newly created Irish Free State — on the two-year voyage from Dun Laoghaire Harbour that was to make him the first Irish amateur to sail around the world.

June 1923 - Saoirse’s arrival in Madeira after her maiden passage out from Dublin Bay

2nd December 1924 - Saoirse crossed the longitude of Cape Horn

June 20th 1925 - O’Brien’s return to Dun Laoghaire Harbour