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 a Japanese renewable energy startup, Exergy Power Systems, as a Financial Director - Europe. 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 clubs 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
Neil joined Dillon Eustace in 2012 as a legal intern and is now an Associate in the Litigation and Dispute
Resolution Department. Neil previously advised widely on personal injuries insurance related matters, with a
particular specialty in the aviation sector. His clients included a leading Irish airline and specialist aviation
insurer and he has expertise in dealing with a broad range of aviation liability issues including Montreal
Convention and all EU Regulations on delays, cancellation and denied boarding and claims relating to fatal
and catastrophic injuries arising out of aircraft incidents.
Neil now works as part of the commercial litigation team and advises on a broad range of matters. These
matters include advising banks, loan purchasers and companies on summary judgement proceedings in both
the Circuit Court and High Court. Neil advises these entities throughout the proceedings and assists them in
the recovery of their assets. This may include the appointing of receivers by way of equitable execution and
the enforcement of judgments. Neil acts for a number of Japanese clients with respect to the operation of
their business in Ireland.
In December 2000, Dillon Eustace opened its first overseas office in Tokyo to support its Japanese client
base. Since its establishment, Dillon Eustace has consistently been the law firm of choice for the majority of
Japanese financial institutions seeking to use Ireland as a gateway to Europe. Dillon Eustace has also
advised Japanese companies on property, construction, aviation, employment and corporate issues in
Ireland.
Raymond Hegarty
Raymond Hegarty is an IP strategist who has studied in Ireland and France. He has a bachelor‘s degree in electronic engineering, an MBA, a master’s degree in medical AI, a postgraduate diploma in European law and a master’s degree in IP law.
He has built IP-intensive businesses in Japan, Ireland and Luxembourg, assembled & developed teams and implemented processes & systems for exploitation of IP. He has executed several billion dollars of patent and trademark transactions and has managed international commercialisation of a portfolio of 40,000 patents.
Mr Hegarty is the best-selling author of three books on IP strategy. He has advised the European Commission, the OECD and policy makers in several countries on national and international innovation strategies.
He currently advises CEOs of fast-growing technology and life science companies on IP strategy, is a regular conference speaker and is connected to the global professional IP community. He has been recognized by IAM Magazine since 2011 as one of the world’s “Top 300 IP Strategists.”
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.