The Chartered Director Programme was first introduced in Ireland in 2008 and is offered exclusively by the Institute of Directors. Since 2008, 28 cohorts have been launched and over 500 participants have embarked on the programme. The Chartered Director Programme comprises 5 two-day modules and 1 one-day module, culminating in the Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction. On successful completion of these exams, participants may go forward for admission as registered Chartered Directors.
Bernadette Coyne, Managing Director, Coyne Research
Bernie Coyne set up Coyne Research in January 2012. She is the consummate researcher with 20 years’ experience in the industry and an in-depth knowledge of brand strategy, advertising and consumer research. The company has grown to 14 staff with a turnover of circa €2 million and has won three coveted market research industry awards.
This is the second time Bernie Coyne has set up a market research business. She established Research Solutions in 2000 and sold the company to Amárach Consulting in 2005. She was appointed Managing Director of Amárach Research in 2008 when the two companies were merged. Prior to this she was a Director with Lansdowne Market Research for 5 years. Bernie was chairman of the Marketing Society of Ireland in 2000 and chairman of the NUIM Alumni board from 2010 to 2013. Bernie is an NUIM graduate in sociology, geography and maths. She holds post-graduate qualifications in Education (NUIM- HDip.Ed.) and Marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing (UK) (DIP CIM).
John P. O'Connor, Chief Executive, Tynagh Energy
John P. O’Connor is Chief Executive of Tynagh Energy, Ireland’s first independent electricity generator. Tynagh owns a 400 MW Combined Cycle Gas Power Plant located in Galway, together with a commercial operation based in Dublin. Tynagh has a number of private investors led by GE and is project financed. John has led the company through financing, construction, commercial operations and transition to the All Island Single Electricity Market. He is also involved with the Electricity Association of Ireland as a non-executive director. John has gained experience in a number of roles in industrial sectors both large and SME across Ireland and the UK with international organisations including: GEC-Alstom, DCC, Varian International, SDL and SCO. His qualifications include FCMA, MSc, B Comm, CPIM, as well as C Dir.
Pat McGrath, Director PM Group, Board Member IMI, Chairman IMI Council
Pat McGrath has held a number of senior executive positions in PM Group over the past 30 years including that of CEO from 2000 to 2011. PM Group is an international engineering, architecture and project management firm headquartered in Ireland, employing over 2,000 and operating in over 30 countries around the world. PM Group focuses on complex manufacturing and R&D projects for multi-national corporations in the pharmaceutical, food, medical technology, ICT, mission critical, energy, advanced manufacturing and healthcare sectors. Pat is a member of the board of the IMI and currently chairs the IMI Council. He is a former Chairperson of the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and a former Governor of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). Pat holds Bachelor and Master’s degrees in Engineering and an MBA. He is a Chartered Engineer and a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers of Ireland. Pat runs his own management consultancy practice.