Speakers

Looking both inside and outside the design sector, we have selected a diverse group of respected local and international speakers. We have asked each of them to address the subject of Joy and designing a Joyful Future from their own unique perspectives.
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About Pum

An award-winning creative director and savvy business leader, Pum has developed numerous international campaigns for high-profile clients such as Adobe, Netflix, Neenah Paper, The Ritz-Carlton, PepsiCo, Saucony, Hong Kong Ballet and the Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Guided by an entrepreneurial edge, Pum has elevated Design Army’s reputation as a trendsetter while establishing her own hallmark: a distinctive union of the artistic and the commercial. With a rare balance of creativity, strategic thinking and industry savvy she has proven that good design is the cornerstone of good business.

Her thought leadership has appeared in Fast Company, the New York Times Adweek Entrepreneur and Forbes to name a few. She currently serves as Vice Chairperson on Board of Directors for The One Club for Creativity in New York


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About Noel

When a mountain biking accident ended his career in the military and left him confined to a wheelchair Noel went back to education to study Industrial design. He went on to utilise his newfound skill set to become an entrepreneur bringing to life a number of small hardware-based startups.

Travelling to and working in Shenzhen, China he subsequently went on to become head of design at HAX a hardware startup accelerator where he worked with over 200 startups in the areas of robotics, medical devices, consumer products as well as many more industries considering the business needs of these startups as well as their design needs.

An advocate of design as a problem-solving activity and a keen interest in creating solutions to difficulties around many issues, Noel utilises his unique prism of living both with and without a disability to create solutions to complex problems.

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About Cormac

Cormac Ó Conaire is the Chief Design Officer at Design Partners, part of PA Consulting. His expertise is in growing and leading high-performance creative teams to deliver continuous innovation. Cormac works across Design Partners’ team and closely with clients, with a focus on creative excellence, designing future experiences, and cross-disciplinary innovation. Cormac was also responsible for Design Partners’ voice - the brand, what it stands for, how it impacts the team culture and how it’s projected externally.

Design Partners creative output has consistently been recognised by various awarding bodies, winning over 100 design awards in the past 5 years: including Red Dot, iF award, IDI Grand Prix, IDEA Gold, Time Magazine’s Best Inventions and Fast Company’s World Changing ideas.


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About Jane

Founder and Head of Creative Innovation at the leading independent youth marketing agency THINKHOUSE, the first agency leader in Ireland to sign up to the international marketing industry’s Pledge to tackle the Climate Crisis, and founder of The Youth Lab, an insights and C-Suite advisory practice that demystifies youth culture and future-proofs some of the world’s largest organisations through insights, strategy and innovation work.


Jane McDaid is one of the leading authorities on sustainable action and a seasoned marketer who shapes the work of major brands. Leading a growing, international team, Jane’s ongoing mission is to deliver world-class, culturally-powerful and effective Transformation, Planet and Fame services for progressive brands that care about people and planet, with a focus on creative innovation, cultural relevance and better business practices.

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About Wendy

Wendy is a mindset coach whose empathetic honesty and innate ability allow her to get to the heart of the matter. Her clients range from design consultancy principals to Hollywood producers. Her 30 years of experience within the performing arts coupled with her extensive mental health training makes Wendy the perfect coach for clients in the creative industries.

Wendy was born in the UK to Irish parents. She spent her formative years in Canada and after years of teaching, coaching, & performing internationally she has recently made London her home.


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About Declan

Declan Bogan is co-founder of sustHub, a sustainability training business, and CEO of innovate2zero, a strategy, innovation and sustainability consultancy business. Declan has worked internationally and locally with senior leaders and executives in over 160 organisations from startups to Fortune 500 global household brand names.

Declan has a particular interest in sharing his expertise and knowledge, to support leaders in creating more impactful strategies, informed decisions and plans. He focuses on the human side of sustainability, the circular economy, ESG strategy and the future of work. He holds a degree in Analytical Science and a PhD in from Dublin City University and a qualification in the circular economy from TU Delft.

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About Brian

Brian O’Kennedy is CEO of Clearstream Solutions, a leading independent carbon management and corporate sustainability consultancy which he founded in 2009. Brian has over 20 years’ leadership experience in global supply chain management and procurement, particularly in the areas of IT, Media, Print and Packaging.

Brian has served as Chair of the CDP Ireland Network, the global carbon reporting program, and is also a member of Steering Committee of the global Responsible Sourcing standard, Verego SRS.

He has a degree in Economics from Trinity College, a Certificate in Sustainable Management from BSI Group and is currently studying the Circular Economy at TU Delft.

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About Marie

Marie Devitt is the Pathways Coordinator in the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities in the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. Marie is responsible for building the TCPID Business Partners Network and securing both financial and practical support from the business community for the TCPID. She works closely with the TCPID Business Partners to develop work placements, paid internships and employment opportunities for students and graduates of the programme.

Marie has an honours degree in French and Italian from University College Dublin and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Business Studies from the Michael Smurfit Graduate School of Business. Marie brings over 20 years of business experience to the Pathways Coordinator role, primarily in the areas of business development, product development, marketing and customer relationship management.

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About Sadbh

Sadbh Feehan is a graduate of the Trinity Centre for People with Intellectual Disabilities (TCPID) in the School of Education, Trinity College Dublin. Sadbh graduated from Trinity College Dublin with a Certificate in Arts, Science and Inclusive Applied Practice in June 2020. She completed a graduate internship in A&L Goodbody where she worked until July 2022. Sadbh began working as a graduate intern in the TCPID in September 2022 and has been there ever since.

Sadbh is a constant advocate for people with disabilities and has presented at a number of high-profile conferences and events, including most recently at a conference in Salzburg Austria.