John Bradley was formerly a research professor at the Dublin-based Economic and Social Research Institute and is a now an international research consultant in the areas of EU Structural Fund design and evaluation. During the 1980s he advised the Irish government on medium-term economic and industrial strategy. He now focuses mainly on development barriers facing the post-Communist economies of Central and Eastern Europe (and the impact on them of Structural Funds), and regularly acts as a consultant to government ministries in many of these countries.
Padraic White, former managing director of IDA Ireland, is chairing the Louth Economic Forum. Since leaving the IDA, Padraic has advised Governments around the world on the promotion of foreign direct investment as a senior consultant for FIAS (the Foreign Investment Advisory Service, part of the World Bank) and the Phare programme for new EU member states. He was the first chairman of the Railway Procurement Agency (RPA) from 2002-2007, during which time the agency was responsible for the successful launch and operation of the LUAS light rail service in Dublin.
Feargal McCormack is Managing Partner of award winning FPM Accountants LLP, which he established in Newry in 1991. He recently served on the Independent Review Panel on the Location of Public Sector Jobs in Northern Ireland. He is the Chairman of the International Centre for Local and Regional Development. He is aformer Chairman of the Ulster Society of Chartered Accountants and he is an executive Member of the Newry Chamber of Commerce and Trade.
Aidan Gough is responsible for developing the strategic direction of InterTradeIreland as it seeks to deliver its legislative mandate. He is a graduate of Queen’s University Belfast with an MBA and MSc in Economics. Prior to joining InterTradeIreland, Aidan was Director of the Northern Ireland Economic Council. He has chaired two steering committees overseeing ICLRD applied research studies: Spatial Strategies on the Island of Ireland: Development of a Framework for Collaborative Action (2006) and the Newry-Dundalk Twin City Region: Supporting the implementation of Cross-border Collaborative Frameworks (2009).