Department of Economics, Finance & Accounting

Advisory Board

The Department of Economics, Finance & Accounting Advisory Board was formed in the fall of 2008.  Board members provide the Department with the benefits of their deep and diverse experience in industry and government.  Their insights aid us in improving the quality of the programmes we offer with the goal of improving the quality of graduates we produce by enabling us to be aware of and to respond effectively to the needs of industry and society.   

Advisory Board Members 

Damian Byrne

Damian Byrne is a partner of Pricewaterhouse Coopers in the Assurance practice and specialises in advising Software and Technology companies.

Damian received a B.Comm and M.Acc from UCD and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.  He joined PwC in 1994 and was admitted as a partner in 2006.

Damian leads the audit engagement for a number of high profile MNC's with significant operations in Ireland as well as some venture-backed indigenous technology companies. Damian's extensive expertise in the technology, info-comms and software fields positions him to assist business with the complex accounting issues that can arise in these areas.

In addition, to his extensive knowledge of the reporting and filing requirements under US Accounting Standards and IFRS, Damian also has significant experience in private equity transactions, helping many companies make acquisitions, divestitures, strategic alliances and gain access to global capital markets.

 John Conway

John Conway is the Human Resources Director for AIB Capital Markets, a division of the Allied Irish Bank Group which houses its Global Corporate Banking, Global Treasury and Investment Banking businesses.

He is a career banker and has held several positions in front line and functional areas in the AIB Group. John graduated from University College Dublin with a B. Comm. degree in 1980 and completed his MBA degree in 1993 also at UCD. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Bankers and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Mairead Foley

Mairead Foley is a tax director within the financial services tax practice in KPMG.  She joined KPMG along with her other Andersen colleagues in 2002. She has over 20 years experience in tax, the last 15 of which have involved a high degree of specialisation in financial services particularly in the area of retail and investment banking.

She advises many of the domestic banks in Ireland on such issues as the tax implications of IFRS reporting, Revenue Audits, tax reporting obligations and Deposit Interest Retention Tax. She has also been heavily involved in helping international banks to grow their business in Ireland and in developing tax efficient banking products with them.

Mairead is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland (ICAI) and an Associate of Irish Taxation Institute. She is also a member of the KPMG Banking Focus Group.

Robbie Kelleher

Robbie Kelleher is Head of Global Investment Strategy and a member of the Board of Directors at Davy. 

Robbie received his BA and MA from University College Dublin.  He began his professional career as a macro economic forecaster with the ESRI and Central Bank.  In 1978 he joined Irish Life Assurance Company as an economist in the Investment Department. Subsequently he became Portfolio Manager of the company’s holdings of Government Securities.  In 1981 he left Irish Life to become a founding partner of DKM Economic Consultants. During the 1980's he worked as Chief Bond Economist with Davy and in 1988 became overall head of institutional research at Davy. In April 2008 he moved to the Private Client Division of Davy and is currently Head of Global Investment Strategy.  He has been a main board Director of Davy since 1994. Has served as Director on the main boards of CIE and ACCBANK.

Gary Palmer

Gary Palmer is the Chief Executive of the Irish Funds Industry Association, the representative Association for the investment funds industry in Ireland.

Gary is also a member of the Department of an Taoiseach’s Clearing House Group, the Prime Minister’s international financial services advisory group and is chairman of the Investment Funds Committee. He is a member of the Financial Regulator’s Consultative Industry Panel where he has chaired the EU and International advisory group. He is also a director, board member and member of the management committee of the European Funds and Asset Management Industry Association (EFAMA) and he is also a director of the US based National Investment Company Service Association (NICSA).

A graduate of University College Dublin, prior to his current position Gary was the Director of Development with The Institute of Bankers in Ireland. 

 Robert Watt

Robert Watt is an assistant secretary in the Sectoral Policy Division of the Department of Finance.  He has responsibility for overall expenditure policy and the National Development Plan.  Robert previously worked as an economist with Indecon Economic Consultants and London Economics.