IJA Annual General Meeting 2019 | Review
The 29th Annual General Meeting for the Ireland Japan Association took place on Wednesday, 20th March 2019 the AIB Bankcentre, Dublin.
During her speech, Darina Slattery, IJA Chairperson, thanked the outgoing Council members for their work, participation and team effort throughout the past year, Embassy of Japan for continuous support to the IJA, and everyone who attended the AGM.
Darina Slattery noted that 2018 was a very busy year for the IJA – 20 business and culture events were organized throughout the past year (16 events in 2018 and 4 events in 2019), including Origami and Ikebana workshops, four Japanese language courses, Mrs. Ushioda’s book launch celebration, Social night and Student membership launch, Business briefings in cooperation with the IJA Corporate members, trips to Japanese gardens in Tramore and Christmas experience in Causey farm, IJA Annual Dinner, Annual Golf Outing, Bilingual language seminar, Japanese Noh ‘Between the Stones’ workshops and Bounenkai celebration at the end of the year.
IJA also supported five organizations with donations in 2018: Dublin School for Japanese Children (DSJC), Experience Japan festival in Dublin, Japanese Film Festival, 16th Japanese Speech Contest and Pieta House.
Darina Slattery informed that IJA member’s network has 35 corporate members and 44 individual members. Two new corporate members have recently joined the IJA – Grant Thornton Ireland and First Names Group. Darina Slattery thanked AIB for continuous support and decision to remain as a Patron member for 2019.
Summary of IJA Financial Statements for 2018 was given to the AGM attendees, membership subscription fees were approved for 2019/2020 and the new IJA Council members were announced.
Darina Slattery thanked Karl O’Reilly (KWE Ireland) and Brian Marconi (JTI Ireland) for their work at the IJA Council in the past years. Both have stepped down at the AGM after three years of service at the IJA Council. Darina Slattery welcomed two new Council members – Verity Swan who will represent IJA Individual members and Tsugumi Yamamoto (Grant Thornton Ireland) who will represent Corporate members at the IJA Council in 2019.
The newly elected IJA Council for 2019:
- Darina Slattery, Unique Japan Tours (Chairperson)
- Yasuyuki Ozeki, JETRO (Vice-Chairperson)
- Donagh Morris, Individual Member
- Hiro Ino, Individual Member
- Paula Kelly, Individual Member
- Raymond Hegarty, Individual Member
- Verity Swan, Individual Member
- Eoghan Howe, BOI Corporate Banking
- Graham Ryan, Yamamori
- Neil Maher, Mitsubishi Electric
- Niall Moriarty, AIB Corporate Banking
- Shane Geraghty, Dillon Eustace
- Tsugumi Yamamoto, Grant Thornton Ireland
