Top-Up (1 yr) to BSc (Hons) Facilities & Workplace Management

Position: Senior Lecturer

About Bernard

I am currently Senior Executive with a proven international, multi-site & multi-disciplinary track record in Operation Excellence, Business Development, Project Management, Utilities and Facilities. A lifelong student of organisational behaviour and operational excellence, I continue to deliver measured customer-centric results through my consulting firm Berka Solutions Ltd. An excellent communicator and leader at all levels, I have over 15 years’ experience in lecturing, training and development, with a strong belief in the power of change management through Continuous Improvement, Transformational and Lean Programs.

Bernard’s Teaching Philosophy 

As a believer in the Growth mindset, I hold education and personal development at the core of everything I do in class. My coaching, inclusive and collaborative style allows student to engage in their studies, therefore building their knowledge base.

Career Highlights 

As a passionate problem solver, I have led some significant program in the recent passed;

•  Implemented a Change Management & Continuous Improvement program for a Large Multi-National Insurance Firm.
• Delivered an accelerated Outsourcing program for a large Pharmaceutical Multi-National achieving over 1 million in cost savings.
• Reduced FM spend for a portfolio of Pharma manufacturing sites from 24 million to 21 million through Operational Excellence program.
• Build an Operations team from 1 to 100, restructured twice while increasing productivity by 17%.
• Led a project team to implement LAAS (Light as a Service) solution that won the national FM project of the Year.
• Led the overhaul of 138MW Generator in situ in India, saving over 2.2 million in costs.
• Led the design, development, commissioning and validation of the largest automated Purified Water Room in Ireland at the time.

Qualifications 

• MBA
• BEng

Derek Fox is a man whose experience spans many industries. He leads Portobello Institute’s MSc in Aviation Management and brings a wealth of experience to the role.

He has worked directly with companies such as Aer Lingus and the Dublin Aviation Authority, playing a key part in providing consultancy and strategic advice during an important transitional period for the airline.

He is a lead facilitator and director of DFLeap consulting and has previously worked as a senior specialist in the area of management, leadership and communications with the IMI (Irish Management Institute).

With over 30 years’ experience in learning design, management, coaching and development he has spent 15 years in a large multinational corporation and has worked in both business and academia across Europe, Asia, and America.

“I began my career as an Engineer but became passionately involved in Psychology in my twenties. This led me to work as a trainer/lecturer in leadership and management where I enjoy working with individuals and organisations to unlock their full potential.

“I have published a number of books including the popular ‘Discovering your Style and Dealing with Difficult People’ and am a regular contributor to business and press publications,” he said.

Derek is the program leader of our MSc in Aviation Management so students will get the chance to learn from him in key areas such as “understanding how to do a dissertation, what ethical research is, how to develop research questions and objectives, selecting appropriate methodologies to inform and address your answering of the research question and how to draw conclusions based on your primary research. Not to mention statistical analysis,” he said.

Derek is ambitious for his students and the opportunities Aviation Management can bring to their careers.

“We have students across multiple sectors of the aviation industry. Our aim is to reach aviation sectors like engineering, fleet management, fleet rentals, all that kind of stuff, on top of airlines and airport operations.

Qualifications Held

• MSc Organisational Behaviour
• MA Psychology
• BA People Management
• Level A and B Psychometrics
• CiPD Certificate in Training Practice
• Sports Psychology
• Master Trainer Program

Position: Business Management Lecturer

“There is nothing more satisfying than explaining some theory to students, applying it to a real life example and then watching everyone nod as they get a real understanding of the issue .”

About Dermot Hardy

I feel very strongly that the level of talent and expertise in Ireland in is comparable to that available in other leading financial centres and the lecturing and training I provide reflects this. I really enjoy the teaching as I feel it gives me a chance to share my experiences with the students so that they can benefit from my real-life experiences. It also shows that you don’t have to go abroad to become an expert in your field, through hard work and study you can achieve that easily in Ireland.

Qualifications

• M.A. Degree
• Associate Member of the Corporate Treasurers
• Irish Securitisation Forum (ISF)
• Irish Securitisation Working Group
• IFSC Banking & Treasury Committee (A sub-committee of the Clearing House Group under the auspices of the Department of An Taoiseach. )

Position: Senior Lecturer

About Eoin

I began my career in 1990 in Mechanical services working on construction projects in the greater Munster area, e.g. Apple Inc. Cork Airport and Debeers, culminating in 2000 as a mechanical project supervisor. I then took up a position in a large private healthcare facility in Cork whereby I started my journey in Facilities Management. I was responsible for some key aspects of strategic management and operational functions. In the last few years I continued that journey as I moved to a large University to become a significant member of the FM team adding my experience and vision to the organisation.

I have always been a keen advocate of continuous personal and professional development and business today recognises this aspect and rewards it. I have achieved multiple qualifications in areas such as; mechanical services, process and chemical engineering, electrical and gas systems, leading empowered organisations, IOSH accreditation and project management.

My vast experience in these subjects coupled with 10 years construction experience and over 20 years of facility management allow me to cultivate rapport with students and develop course work and material based on practical experience in the workplace.

Eoin’s Teaching Philosophy

I am a qualified Engineer and a proud member of Engineer’s Ireland and I take pride in my attention to precision and detail. I base my lectures and teaching style on this philosophy. I strive to prepare and manage quality coursework relevant to the student with industry focus. The coursework is based on the required learning outcomes developed to engage students and peer learning. I have previously lectured with other adult education providers and the Cork Institute of Technology where I still guest lecture on career aspects with students to help them understand and see opportunities that lay ahead through education.

Qualifications 

• Masters in Project Management
• Process and Chemical Engineer
• Qualified Plumber
• Electrical Systems
• Gas Systems
• Leading an Empowered Organisation
• Managing Safely – IOSH

Research / Industry Participation

• ISO 50001 – Energy management
• OHS 18001 – Occupational Health and Safety,
• ISO 9001- Quality Management Systems
• IAM – Institute of Asset Management
• Joint Commission International Standards

“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest” (Benjamin Franklin).  Obtaining knowledge gives a lifetime of benefit, especially when that knowledge is related to your day to day work.”

Position: Financial Management Lecturer

About Kevin

I qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1995 and have held a number of senior management roles since then in sectors as diverse as transport, healthcare and IT. I co-founded a software company and was head of finance for that company from incorporation, through international growth and onto a multi-million dollar trade sale to a US based multinational corporation.

Kevin’s Teaching Philosophy

Its important students understand the “why” behind what they learn.  When you understand the “why”, you will always know the “how”.  Finance in particular, is an area of management practice that is full of terminology. Understanding why this terminology is used will make it much more understandable when you come across it in your own management career. A qualification should be more than a piece of paper, it should be a set of skills you can use for life. Understanding finance, especially areas such as budgeting and discounted cash flow is an essential skill for any Facilities Manager.

Qualifications 

• BBS
• MA
• FCA

Position: Senior Lecturer

“We are dealing with unprecedented change in our industry. It is imperative therefore to keep upskilling, networking and seeking new ways to deliver FM in the most efficient and effective manner.”

About Tony 

I have worked in engineering, maintenance and management roles for the last four decades, in a variety of senior roles for multinationals, the not-for-profit sector, various parts of the public sector in addition to running my own successful businesses in the technical consulting, training and industrial maintenance sectors. I have worked in Ireland, Africa, Southeast Asia, South America, United States and Ireland. I bring this wealth of knowledge and practical experience to the classroom.

Tony’s Teaching Philosophy

My teaching philosophy is based on early and continual engagement with students across the duration of their studies. I have witnessed the transformative effect that a successful learning experience has on the lives of students and has a particular interest in supporting adult learners returning to the classroom by utilizing learning sessions as forums for students to learn by solving real-world problems using practical work experiences. I have a wide range of teaching experiences in both public and private education institutes. I lecture in the areas of FM Asset Management, Risk, Health & Safety , Strategic Management, People and Change and Project Management.

Qualifications

• MBA Henley Management College/University of Reading
•  M.A Health Services Management. UCD Whitaker School of Government and Management.
• Master of Engineering, Open University
• B. Eng. (Hons) in Environmental & Public Health Engineering. Open University
• Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Technology Management. IT Tallaght
• PMI PMP certification
•  Doctoral Candidate – Doctorate in Business
• Administration (principal area of research is the area of organisational performance measurement and management)

 Dan Murphy | Managing Director – Galway Bay Hotel | Guest Speaker to Facilities Management  Event Programs

Dan Murphy, guest speaker on our facilities management led special events & webinars , is the long-standing Managing Director of the high-profile Galway Bay Hotel. As a guest speaker on a number of our Facilities Management events, he gives wonderful industry insight and opportunity to our students.

Dan has a wealth of experience having held senior management roles in Four-star and Five-star hotels in the US and in Ireland. Throughout Dan’s early career days he gained very valuable Five-star experience in prestigious hotels such as Adare Manor and Ashford Castle. Following on from his graduation from MTU in the early ’90s Dan worked for 5 years with the Hilton Hotel group in North America working his way through the management ranks in the Chicago Hilton & Towers Hotel and the Waldorf Astoria in New York. On his return to Ireland in 1997 he took up a position of Operations Manager in the Rochestown Park Hotel in his hometown of Cork city before taking the role of General Manager in the Galway Bay Hotel in early 1999. Dan quickly settled into this hotel, making Galway city home and quickly establishing the Galway Bay Hotel as one of the leading 4-star hotels in the country. To date, Dan and his team have achieved more than 50 awards for the Galway Bay Hotel, including best Four-Star Hotel in Ireland on a number of occasions, Deloitte Best Managed Company, Best Employer in Galway this year and indeed the Irish Hospitality Institute Hotel Manager of the Year. However, Dan would say that his biggest achievements is guiding a thriving business through many crises such as 9/11, financial down turns, recessions, water crises, Covid pandemic and not only weathering the storm but ensuring a stronger and leaner business. Dan really enjoys interacting with people within our industry, learning and sharing his experiences inside and outside of the lecture theatre.

Sharon Malone | Marketing & Digital Media Manager | Guest Speaker to Facilities Management Events

Meet Sharon Malone, Environmentally focused and project managing, we are delighted to to have her as a guest Speaker to our numerous Facilities Management special events & webinars. Her wealth of industry insight is a great asset to our students.

Combining two of her passions, a love for County Clare and a strong interest in environmental sustainability, Sharon is very much at home in her role as Marketing & Digital Media Manager in The Falls Hotel & Spa in Ennis tymon.  Sharon has a degree in Marketing from Trinity College, and as the marketing environment evolved, she upskilled with a diploma in Digital Marketing.  Working for the family-owned hotel in North Clare means she can use these skills to promote the Falls Hotel and County Clare as a destination.

Sustainability is at the heart of all that The Falls Hotel does.  Sharon has headed up the Green Team in the hotel since early 2019.  One of the biggest sustainability projects they took on was to install a hydro electric turbine on the river running alongside the hotel.  A 220kilowatt hydro turbine was installed and when the river is in full flow, they get 100% of their electricity needs from the river, dramatically reduced their dependency on carbon fuels.  In March 2021, the property was certified as a carbon neutral property by GreenMark.ie, through Green Hospitality Ireland.  In a five year period, through many green initiatives, they reduced their carbon emmissions by approximately 90%.  The moment you arrive on to the 50 acre property, you are reducing your own carbon footprint!

Niamh Clonan | Waste Management Expert | Guest Speaker to Facilities Management Events

Niamh Clonan is a Senior Account Manager at Thorntons Recycling, Ireland’s largest family-run waste company. She is responsible for managing a large account portfolio, including Government, Construction, Blue Chip and Multinational clients. We are delighted to have her as a guest speaker to numerous Facilities Management events and webinars. Her insights prove invaluable to our students.

A Graduate of the Marketing Institute of Ireland and with her extensive background in sales, account management, and waste management spanning over 20 years, Niamh brings invaluable expertise in serving diverse commercial sectors, including facility and property management.