Financial Broker Conference 2021 – Speaker Bios

DAVID MC WILLIAMS – THE ECONOMY, NEXT STEPS

David McWilliams is an economist, author, journalist, documentary-maker and broadcaster. He is Adjunct Professor of Global Economics at the School of Business Trinity College Dublin. and is ranked 10th most influential economist in the world. He produces a weekly economics podcast which has repeatedly topped the Irish and English podcast charts. David is co-founder of the world’s only economics and stand-up comedy festival Kilkenomics – described by the FT as “simply, the best economics conference in the world”. He also founded Ireland’s leading literary and ideas shindig, the Dalkey Book Festival. The WEF at Davos debased their currency profoundly by making him a Young Global Leader a few years back.

David has written five bestsellers and one of these The Pope’s Children is the best selling nonfiction ever published in Ireland. His writing style is described by Bloomberg’s head of economics Stephanie Flanders, as having “a great knack for bringing a complex economics story to life. He is also funny. In economics, that’s a rare and persuasive combination.” Once upon a time, David had a few real jobs, working extensively in the public and private sectors. He was an economist in the International Relations Department of the Irish Central Bank; Chief European Economist at UBS, Europe’s largest bank; and Head of Emerging Markets Research at Banque Nationale de Paris.

SINEAD GRIFFIN – OPTIMAL HEALTH & WELL BEING 

Sinead graduated from the Institute of Health Sciences where Sinead studied nutritional therapy, trained in basic biochemistry, physiology, and pathology. Sinead uses functional medicine as a tool guide. Sinead completed a post-graduate in Workplace Wellness Health Promotion in NUI Galway.

Sinead is an accomplished wellness provider in the global corporate industry where Sinead designs and delivers comprehensive online and face to face wellness programmes for companies. Sinead previously spent several years working as an operations manager in Finance. Sinead decided to use her experience and knowledge from her corporate background in conjunction with her expertise of wellness to provide and educate the importance of diet, lifestyle and environment on your mental, physical and emotional wellness, enabling optimal well-being.

TONY GILHAWLEY – PENSION REFORM

Tony is an actuary and pensions technical expert who has been involved in the pensions industry for over 45 years. He is the author of many of the industry’s textbooks and qualifications on pensions, including the Qualified Financial Adviser and the Retirement Planning Adviser qualifications. He is a former member of the Pensions Council and provides professional advice to many pension providers and regulatory bodies on technical and taxation aspects of different pension arrangements. Tony is also a regular contributor of technical articles in industry publications including the Financial Professional and the Irish Broker.

EAMONN TWOMEY – ACCELERATING YOUR BUSINESS IN A POST COVID ERA

Eamonn Twomey established StepChange, a marketing and strategy solutions business for Financial Brokers, in 2011. Previously, Eamonn worked in a variety of senior sales and marketing roles in the Broker channel both in the UK and in Ireland, with Irish Life and Friends First.

StepChange works with Financial Brokers and product providers in Ireland and around the world, addressing a broad range of commercial challenges in the areas of strategy and planning, and marketing and business transformation. StepChange offers a unique combination of knowledge of the Financial Broker environment, overlaid with strategy, sales and marketing expertise.

PAUL MCCARVILLE – INVESTMENT MARKET UPDATE, WHAT’S IN STORE 2021

Paul McCarville is a co-founder and joint principal of Clarus Investment Solutions. Clarus is an independent consultancy which provides investment advice and related services to a wide range of wealth managers, pension schemes, charities and corporate clients. It commenced trading in 2008 and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland.

Between 1987 and 1994 he was Head of Client Services with Ulster Bank Investment Managers before taking up a similar position with New Ireland Asset Management. In 1998 he co-founded Setanta Asset Management, of which he was a director.

He left in 2007 to establish Clarus along with Joe Mottley, Setanta’s Chief investment Officer. He is also a director and co-founder of Verus Advisory Limited, a consultancy which provides an independent oversight service for users of fiduciary management.

Paul is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accounts in Ireland and a Qualified Financial Adviser.

JOE MOTTLEY – INVESTMENT MARKET UPDATE, WHAT’S IN STORE 2021

Joe Mottley is a co-founder and joint principal of Clarus Investment Solutions.  He started his industry career in 1985 with AIB Investment Managers, where he occupied a variety of roles in equity portfolio management. In 1998 he joined Setanta Asset Management where he was subsequently appointed  Chief Investment Officer and a director of the company. He left in 2007 to establish Clarus along with Paul McCarville, a fellow director of Setanta.

He is also a director and co-founder of Verus Advisory Limited, a consultancy which provides an independent oversight service for users of fiduciary management. Joe’s original qualification is in electronic engineering. He holds an M.Sc. in statistics and economics, and is a Qualified Financial Adviser.