Chartered Director Programme Faculty

Jim Breslin advises leaders, boards and governments on strategic decision-making, innovation and governance to accelerate their business transitions. Jim is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty, and also delivers bespoke training and workshops for IoD Ireland. He holds a range of directorships and advisory roles across the private, not for profit and public sectors including as Chair of Renewable Energy Ireland (a partnership between Ireland’s leading sustainable energy associations) and as a Board member of the Expert Oversight Body of the Defence Forces, St.Vincent’s Healthcare Group, Ashdale Care and others. He was recently appointed by Government to Chair the Local Democracy Task Force. He enjoyed a 30-year career in the Irish senior public service including as Secretary General of three different Government Departments. His qualifications include a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, an MSc (Econ) from Trinity College, a Certificate in Business and Climate Change from the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership at the University of Cambridge and a Diploma and Certificate in Company Direction from the Institute of Directors. He held a Policy Leader Fellowship at the Centre for Science and Policy, University of Cambridge.

A Chartered Director and Certified Bank Director, Carol has extensive experience from senior roles in Business & Corporate Banking at Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank. Carol is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty, and also a Board Assessor and delivers the 'Getting Board Ready' workshop for IoD Ireland. Carol Bolger is a Chartered Director (CDir) and course leader on the Governance and Diploma modules of the IoD Chartered Director Programme. Carol is also an IoD Ireland Board Assessor and is the presenter on the IoD Workshop, 'Getting Board Ready'. Carol is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty, and also delivers bespoke training and workshops for IoD Ireland. Carol currently serves as a non-Executive Director at BCM Global ASI Ltd and is Chair of the Audit Committee of the Department of Agriculture Food and Marine. She is a Patron of Chapter Zero Ireland and a member of the Balance for Better Business Review Group. Previously, she was Chair of An Post, Chair of Utexam Solutions Ltd and served on the boards of The Coombe Women & Infants Hospital, the Health & Safety Authority, and the Institute of Banking. She holds qualifications in Finance, Strategy, and Innovation from UCC and an Advanced Diploma in Executive Coaching. Carol is a Fellow of the Institute of Banking and previously held the position of Vice President.

Imelda Reynolds is a Chartered Director and a practising solicitor with over thirty-five years’ experience. She is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty. Imelda is Chairperson of Beauchamps, a top Irish commercial law firm where she previously served as Managing Partner. Imelda is a Council member of the Institute of Directors Ireland and a former President of the Institute. She also chairs the Professional Standards Board of Chartered Accountants Ireland. She is a Trustee of The Iveagh Trust, a Board member of St Vincent's Hospital Group and a member of the Audit & Risk Committee of the Garda Board.

Simon Haslam CDir is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty, and also delivers bespoke training and workshops for IoD Ireland. Armed with an MBA from Durham University Business School, a PhD from Strathclyde Business School, and two decades of consulting experience in Ireland, Simon brings a wealth of knowledge and wisdom to our workshops. This, alongside his role as a non-executive chairman in the transport industry, adds real-world insight, enriching his ability to share practical learnings with workshop attendees. Simon is also co-author of the book ‘Strategic Decision Making: A Discovery-Led Approach to Critical Choices in Turbulent Times’ and is a visiting professor at Durham where he leads the Strategic Management module of its Global MBA programme.

Davina Saint is a Chartered Director and a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty. Davina Chairs the board of Nearwater Capital Markets and is on the board of three BlackRock's fund ranges in Luxembourg and on the board of BlackRock's Irish Fund. She is on the board of Stripe Technology Europe Limited and chairs its Audit Committee. She also chairs the Risk Committee for Northern Trust's Fiduciary company in Ireland. She is a Director of the Dublin IFSC Inner City Trust and a director of Irish National Opera. Davina is a graduate of the London School of Economics, a qualified Solicitor and a Certified Bank Director. She was a senior executive with the BNP Paribas group for 20 years.

Caroline Kirrane has over a decade of experience working in financial markets. Caroline is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty, and also delivers bespoke training and workshops for IoD Ireland. After completing her undergraduate degree in France, Caroline began her career working in a hedge fund in Paris. She then returned to Dublin, working in US-based proprietary trading firm Susquehanna. She has held positions in Dexia and FinTech start-up Eagle Alpha and has also worked as an economist with the Central Bank of Ireland, advising senior policymakers on financial market developments. Caroline has an undergraduate degree in European Business and French from Dublin City University. She also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Trinity College Dublin and is a CFA Charterholder.

Karen Morton is a Chartered Director and Marketeer with 25+ years of executive and non-executive director (NED) experience. Karen is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty, and also delivers workshops for IoD Ireland. Karen is currently a Non-Executive Director at Golf Ireland, Shaws Department Stores and Fanagan’s Funeral Directors. Karen’s previous board experience includes Non-Executive Director on the board of daa plc, Irish Chamber Orchestra and Water Safety Ireland. Karen has Audit Committee and Remuneration Committee experience and chairs several committees. Karen spent 10 years in Leadership roles at Dell including CMO of Dell Financial Services. Karen previously worked in British Airways, eir and Monster.com.

Talita Ferreira is a Chartered Director and is a member of the IoD Chartered Director Programme Faculty. Talita is also a non-executive director and Chair of Audit on multiple UK-regulated bank boards. She is the former CFO and CHRO of BMW UK Ltd. and BMW Financial Services Ltd. and has led and implemented award-winning cultural transformation programmes in multiple industries. Talita published her first book, “The Authenticity Dilemma Resolved®”, in 2016. She is currently writing her second book, “Seven shifts to the transformation of Great Leadership”, based on the research from the interview series Global leadership Hypothesis – what makes a great leader. Talita is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales and a fellow of the Institute of Directors (“IOD”). She delivers Finance, Strategy and Leadership training for directors at the IoD and has created “Finance Inspired 4 Success”, a training platform for finance professionals to improve leadership and team dynamics.

Karim is a Chartered Director, Senior Independent Director, and Non-Executive Director. Karim is a Chartered Director, Senior Independent Director, and Non-Executive Director with board-level experience overseeing strategy, technology, risk, and organisational transformation. He is a Course Leader (tutor) with IoD UK, delivering the Strategy Module of the Chartered Director Programme, and the Leadership Module also. He has led IoD Modules in the UK and in Saudi Arabia. Karim currently serves as Senior Independent Director at UK Coaching, a UK National body with £10m revenue, where he sits on the Finance, Audit & Risk and Nomination Committees, and he previously served as a Non-Executive Director of Scrum Alliance, a global organisation operating in over 100 countries with ~$30m in annual revenue. Alongside board roles, Karim advises boards on governance, AI, and organisational effectiveness through his board advisory firm, Board Performance. His board work focuses on helping organisations harness technology and artificial intelligence to drive sustainable growth while ensuring robust governance, effective risk management, and long-term resilience. Karim previously held senior roles at McKinsey, and at Barclays. Karim has published a book titled The 6 Enablers of Business Agility. Karim holds a Masters Degree in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from HEC Paris, and a Batchelors Degree in Mathematics from University of Southampton, as well as completing an AI Leadership Accelerator Programme with LSE, and the Artificial Intelligence Programme with Said Business School at University of Oxford.

Dr Niamh O'Reilly is Executive Director of Learning & Education at the Institute of Directors Ireland. Niamh leads the organisation's learning and education function, including director education, professional development and governance programmes. She has over 20 years' executive leadership experience across higher education, adult learning and public policy, including as Chief of Staff and member of the Executive Leadership Team of Maynooth University and Chief Executive of AONTAS. An experienced board member and committee chair, she has served on the boards of SOLAS and QQI, including as Chair of the SOLAS Audit & Risk Committee. She currently serves on the Higher Education Authority (HEA) board and has previously served on the Senate of the National University of Ireland and the board of the European Association for the Education of Adults.

Eileen Gleeson is a Chartered Director (CDir), the Programme Director for the Chartered Director Programme in Ireland and a member of the Professional Development Advisory Committee (PDAC). Eileen has been a director of 16 companies over the past thirty years in business, at chair, non-executive and executive levels. She has advised some of Ireland's leading business and political leaders on communications and public affairs, including a seven-year period as Adviser to President of Ireland, Mary McAleese. Eileen has served as a non-executive director on State boards, plcs, financial services organisations and family businesses.

Joan supports delegates throughout the programme, ensuring a smooth and successful journey for them from modules through to exams. Joan is involved in all programme communication and administration. Her background is in Marketing and Communications, with over 20 years’ experience at a senior level in financial services. She Holds a B.Sc. (Mgmt.) and M.A. from Trinity College Dublin and a Diploma in Advanced Marketing Techniques awarded by the Dublin Institute of Technology.