This year's Women@SIMI event in conjunction with our sponsor, Bank of Ireland, took place on Friday 28th April 2023.
The aim of this event is to provide a platform for professionals within our industry to come together to network, exchange experiences and create business contacts
Mary Kennedy, one of RTE’s most popular broadcasters, will once again host Women@SIMI. Mary came to national prominence presenting the Eurovision Song Contest in 1995 and since then has presented many programmes including People of the Year, Up for the Match, and RTE’s Christmas Carols. Mary has recently published “Journey to the Well - Connecting to Celtic Ways and Wisdom” with her sister, Deirdre.
For TG4 Mary has presented the second series of “Moving West,” highlighting people who swapped city life for the West of Ireland, and “Fad Saoil,” an hour long documentary on health ageing.
Louise Grubb is a serial life science entrepreneur. Driven by innovation Louise is currently working on her third successful start-up, TriviumVet. TriviumVet develop innovative veterinary therapeutics, working with veterinarians and specialists around the world to formulate, develop and commercialise medicines and diagnostics to treat diseases in companion animals.
She previously founded NutriScience, a veterinary nutraceutical business that was acquired by Swedencare in 2009 and Q1 Scientific, a stability storage solutions provider for the life science industry which was acquired by Cambrex in June 2022. A graduate of Trinity College, Louise holds a BSc and MBS and Chairs the board of Tangent, Trinity College Dublin’s entrepreneurship and innovation hub. From concept through to commercialisation Louise has a track record in delivering innovative, life science products and services, holding several publications and patents.
She is an advocate for promoting women entrepreneurs encouraging people of all backgrounds to consider starting their own business and to this end she created a podcast “The Science of Business” where Louise meets with some of the people behind successful businesses who share their own career paths and interesting business stories
Broadcaster, entrepreneur and human rights campaigner Norah Casey was formerly a Dragon in the popular television series Dragons’ Den and is a well-known radio and television personality. The 2nd Edition of her book Spark! was recently published by Penguin and her TEDx talks include The Cure for Grief and The Courage to leave (her own testimony of domestic violence).
Her digital learning platform Planet Woman seeks to empower women, and much of her pro-bono work is devoted to mentoring female founders globally. She serves on the European Board for Vital Voices, established in 1997 by Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. She is a founder of the London- based Women’s Irish Network and is a member of The International Women’s Forum. Norah is currently serving on the Irish government Forum on a Family Friendly and Inclusive Parliament.
A journalist and former nurse, her awards include: Woman of the Decade Award from the Women’s Economic Forum in Delhi; Ireland’s Philanthropist of the Year award; five times Publisher of the Year; and Veuve Clicquot Business Woman of the Year. Her work to highlight domestic violence was recognised with a Safe Ireland SÍLA Leadership Award and she received the 2019 Lord Mayor Of Dublin Award. She is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and received the Honorary Graduate Award for 2018 from BFEI.
As well as owning Harmonia Publishing Ltd, Norah is an experienced broadcaster and producer. She was the Ambassador for Dublin Honours Magdalenes and executive producer of the 2022 television documentaries Ireland’s Dirty Laundry. Norah’s business expertise is extensive having acquired and grown multiple businesses to multi-million euro global success stories, as well as a wide range of business investments in Ireland and internationally. She has mentored leading global business leaders, politicians and public figures. Her corporate expertise includes leadership, corporate teambuilding, mentorship, innovation and strategy.
Our Previous guest speakers have come from a variety of backgrounds to share their own personal stories and insights as to how they became leaders within their chosen profession.