H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama, Japanese Ambassador to Ireland
The Ireland Japan Association would like to acknowledge the gracious support of our Patron, Japanese Ambassador to Ireland H.E. Mr. Norio Maruyama.
Catherine Grennell-Whyte, Finnair/ATTS
Catherine established ATTS Travel Representation Solutions in 2002. The company provides a portfolio of cost-effective international services including sales, marketing, PR, finance and IT to the travel and tourism industry. Aviation is part of her DNA having had a successful career in management with international airlines such as British Airways, Qantas, SWISS and the Lufthansa Group.
Catherine graduated from Trinity College with a B.Sc. Management, M.A. and also holds a H.Dip. in Management Law (TU Dublin), Cert. in Marketing (UCD), H. Dip. Digital Marketing (DCU) and in 2022 completed a Dip. In Aircraft Leasing and Finance (Law Society of Ireland).
Catherine has a strong interest in Japan including its cultures and traditions since she spent three months studying in Japan and has visited the country on several more occasions. Catherine has been a Council member for two years.
Tsugumi Yamamoto
Tsugumi works in Japanese renewable energy startup, Exergy Power Systems, as a Financial Controller. She is a Japan Certified Public Accountant with advisory experiences to Multinational Corporations. Prior to joining Exergy group, Tsugumi worked in Deloitte Tokyo and Grant Thornton Ireland, gaining a wide range of experience in Audit, IPO and Process improvements.
Tsugumi holds a MBA from University College of Dublin. A strong believer in the power of learning, Tsugumi regularly joins book club and conversation club to learn by books and by people. As a working mum to a little girl, Tsugumi aims to balance family, personal and work life.
Azumi Uchitani, Individual Member
Azumi is a global business & communication consultant, with over 25 years of experience in international business development, specializing in bridging the cultural gap between Japan and the West.
In addition to her career in business, Azumi is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, educator and public speaker. She was a founder of Japanese SALON art & culture in the Netherlands. She is an active member of the art & culture community in New York and across Europe, Her expertise and insights have been shared with audiences around the world through her TEDx talks and her YouTube channel "5 minutes on Japanese wisdom”.
Azumi has lived in several countries, including the UK, Ireland, France, the Netherlands, and now enjoys living in Dublin again. Azumi is delighted to be a part of Ireland Japan Association.
David Tyrrell, NTT Data
Coming soon!
Eddie Hughes, Individual Member
Eddie Hughes is a former Director of Japan for the Irish Government’s Trade Development Agency Enterprise Ireland based in Tokyo. Prior to his career in Enterprise Ireland he worked for Ireland’s Foreign Direct Investment Agency IDA Ireland in a number of diverse roles and in particular specializing in the Food Processing Sector. He also was a member on a number of Research Boards including Moorepark Technology Limited at Teagasc Dairy Research Centre in County Cork. At the beginning of his career, he worked in the Irish Beef Processing Industry in financial management roles. Currently he is providing consultancy services to the Irish Food Processing Sector.
Graham Ryan, Yamamori
Born in Ireland and matured in Japan, one thing is for sure, Graham grew up in the F&B industry. After learning the ropes at his family restaurant business in Dublin, Graham joined the Jameson graduate programme in 2012. He spent 3 years in Tokyo with Jameson followed by 2 years with ABInBev handling business development in Japan managing the international beer portfolio with Kirin and Asahi beer corporations.
Having recently returned to take over the running of his family business in Dublin, the well-known Yamamori group of restaurants, bars and night club all based in Dublin city centre, Graham still has a real thirst for the FMCG business and loves to do no other than promote Ireland in East and Japan in the west with food and beverage as his tools.
With a strong command of the Japanese language and a deep knowledge of the Japanese and pan Asian consumer, Graham assists Irish brands in there penetration of the eastern market and when he is not promoting and developing his family business assists in the roll-out of trade & consumer experiences for up and coming Irish whiskey brands.
Graham is honoured to be apart of the council and looking forward to meeting and nurturing the Japanese community in Ireland.
Hiro Ino, Individual Member
Hiro Ino is a Practising Solicitor, qualified in both Republic of Ireland and England and Wales as well as a Notary Public in Ireland. Currently Principal Solicitor of his own firm, Hiro Ino & Co. Solicitors, which is a general practice with a speciality in Immigration Law from Irish and European Union law perspective.
Hiro has been residing in Ireland for over 30 years, initially arriving as the family member of expatriate in Kilala, Co. Mayo and went through the Irish educational system, eventually qualifying as a Solicitor in 2011. He has been pro-active within the Irish-Japanese relationship scene by being previously the Council Member of the Ireland Japan Association for 9 years as well as a Vice-Chairperson of the Japanese Business Society of Ireland. Also, Hiro has been involved as a committee member of the Experience Japan event for 7 years to date.
Settled in Skerries, Co. Dublin with his Irish wife (from Co. Kerry) with their two children, Ireland is firmly his “home".
Hirofumi Noda, ElectroRoute
Coming soon!
Jonathan Kelly, Individual Member
Jonathan‘s interest in Japan blossomed after studying medieval Japanese history at university. Following the completion of his primary degree, he was accepted onto the JET Programme in Japan. Through this programme he was able to call Kanazawa City his home for 3 years. Following a brief return to Ireland, he headed back to Kanazawa to work in tourism for one year. With the onset on of the pandemic, he returned to university to obtain a Master’s Degree in International Political Economy.
Jonathan will relocate to Tokyo for an exciting role with Enterprise Ireland in late 2022. His personal interests include (road bike) cycling, reading, and entrepreneurship.
Luke Fujii, Oomi Travel
Coming soon!
Neil Cowhey, Dillon Eustace
Coming soon!
Raymond Hegarty
Raymond is a company director and IP (intellectual property) strategist. He is the first Irish person to be recognized by Intellectual Asset Magazine as one of the world’s Top 300 IP strategists.
He has lived and worked in Japan for 5 years and has had a long involvement with the Ireland Japan Association on cultural and business subcommittees as well as Council membership and several terms as chairperson.
Raymond has a BE, MBA and a postgraduate diploma in European law from the National University of Ireland as well as an LLM in intellectual property law from the University of Strasbourg (France).
Rin Harada, Clerkin Lynch LLP
Rin works in Irish commercial law firm, Clerkin Lynch LLP as an Accounts Manager. She came to Ireland in 2021 to undertake an MBA programme in Trinity College Dublin. Her journey is fueled by a deep enthusiasm for tourism, evident through her degree in the field and experience in promoting tourism for her hometown in Nara, as well as overseeing external affairs at one of Japan’s most visited tourist destinations, Universal Studios Japan in Osaka.
Beyond her professional pursuits, Rin is an artist and active member of the Japanese theatre group in Dublin, Raku Theatre. She is honored to join the Council and looks forward to collaborating with peers, industry leaders, and stakeholders to strengthen the ties between Ireland and Japan, promoting cultural exchange and exploring new business opportunities.
Verity Swan, Individual Member
Verity, who is a teacher by profession, was Deputy Principal of a large girls’ secondary school in Dublin. Subsequently she undertook educational research in Trinity College Dublin receiving her doctorate in 2010 in the area of leadership and learning.
As a member of Rotary International, she was the first female to be District Governor of Rotary Ireland (2013/2014) actively promoting Rotary International’s work in peace initiatives, humanitarian projects and educational opportunities. In 2009 Verity was asked to lead a Rotary Group Study Exchange Team to Matsue, Japan. The experience of Japanese life and culture which the five-member team (Verity and the four non-Rotarians who were in the first years of their careers) enjoyed, has led in each case to a life-long interest in Japan.
On return to Ireland, Verity became a member of the Ireland Japan Association, and having served for three years on the IJA Council (2015 - 2018) is pleased to have been elected for a second term. Having re-visited Japan in 2016, she hopes to make a third visit in 2020.