Ready to grow as a leader?
Join us to hear from key business leaders Elaine Birchall, Non-Executive Director/Advisor and Mike Dawson, People and Corporate Services Director, Belfast Harbour who will share their journey from early career steps to impactful leadership. Get real insights, lessons learned, and practical advice to help shape your own path. Perfect for anyone looking to lead with purpose.

You will also hear from Programme Director, Julie McCandless, who will provide an overview of the immersive and transformational Queen's MBA programme which is designed to prepare leaders for tomorrow’s challenges and accelerate career opportunities. The event will also feature insights from current MBA students, MBA alumni and provide valuable opportunities to network with members of the wider business community.

Panellists:

Elaine Birchall - Non-Executive Director/Advisor
Elaine is a graduate of Dublin City University and CIMA qualified and commenced her career in financial management with Grand Metropolitan and Coca-Cola.

She joined Colgate Palmolive in 1994, where she gained extensive international experience across Europe, the USA and South Pacific in commercial, supply chain and finance leadership roles. In 2008 Elaine joined PZ Cussons in Manchester as Managing Director of their UK operation and subsequently moved to their Executive Board as Area Director for PZ Cussons Africa, leading and transforming operations in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.

Elaine was appointed CEO of food and drink conglomerate SHS Group in 2014, where she led the strategic direction of the Group, strengthening its position in the Grocery sector whilst navigating the significant impact of Brexit, pandemic and cyber business risk.

Elaine was appointed as the first female Chair of CBI Northern Ireland in 2020, and in 2021 was awarded an honorary MBE as part of Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to economic development in Northern Ireland.

Elaine is currently a Non-Executive Director on the Board of Eakin Healthcare Group, a member of the Board of Advisors at Queen’s Business School and a member of Digital Manufacturing Ireland’s Workforce of the Future Centre of Excellence.

Mike Dawson – People and Corporate Services Director, Belfast Harbour
Mike Dawson is the People and Digital Transformation Director for Belfast Harbour and is responsible for the People, IT, Digital Transformation and HSE strategies. Mike holds an LLB Honours degree in Law from the University of Liverpool, a Post Graduate Diploma in Human Resource Management from Queen’s University Belfast an MA and an MBA.

Mike is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and holds SHRM-SCP status from the Society for Human Resource Management. Mike previously held senior roles with Dale Farm, Glen Dimplex Group and Schrader Electronics Ltd.

He is the Chair of MACS – Supporting Children and Young People and is a Board Member and Committee Chair for Praxis Care.