UCD Team

The following provides you with details of the UCD management team responsible for the
programmes offered in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Damien McLoughlin, Anthony C. Cunningham Professor of Marketing

Damien McLoughlin is Anthony C. Cunningham Professor of Marketing and Associate Dean
at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School in Ireland. He has previously served on
the faculty of the S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University and
the Indian School of Business. Since 2011 he has also been a faculty member on the Harvard
Business School Agribusiness seminar, an annual programme attended by 200 CEOs and
leaders from global food firms, that highlights the best growth opportunities and most
pressing challenges facing the industry. In the 2014 programme he led case discussions on
the innovation practices driving Diageos strong growth in Africa and Tescos Group Food
initiative. In 2014 he will be a visiting professor at the Stern School of Business at New York
University.
Damien has published more than seventy papers and a book on strategy and marketing issues.
He has also written more than twenty case studies, mainly relating to leadership and strategy
issues in the food and agribusiness sector. His cases have covered Europe, North America,
Latin America, China and South Asia as well as the major sectors of the food industry such as
retailing, consumer foods, animal feed and ingredients, beef, swine, poultry and dairy
production. He has also written case studies on the relationship between food and new
technology and the interaction between the food industry and society.
In 2014 the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine appointed Damien to the
board of Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the body responsible for innovation in the Irish fish industry.
Damien is a regular speaker in Ireland and internationally. In 2014 he was a keynote speaker
at the Alltech Symposium in the United States, an annual leadership event attended by over
2,500 international delegates. His presentation on Cases of African Business Success
(http://www.alltech.com/symposium/agenda/africa) was rated highest by delegates to the
event. In 2012 he spoke to 100 CXO executives at CBREs EMEA symposium in London on

the topic of Business transformation, innovation and entrepreneurship. In 2011 he chaired

two sessions of the Global Irish Forum dealing with the future of the food industry in Ireland
that were attended by forty invited international leaders and the Irish Minister for Agriculture.
He has been an integral part of the annual Bord Bia Pathways for Growth leadership event
since its inception. As well as leading case study sessions at this event he has chaired panel
discussions with CEOs of Irelands largest agribusiness organisations.
His work is highly regarded and has been recognised with a number of domestic and
international awards and distinctions. A regular media commentator, he has contributed to a
range of media outlets including Sky News, RTE Radio and Television, Today FM, Newstalk,
The Financial Times, The Irish Times and The Sunday Times.
Damien holds a Bachelor of Business Studies degree from Dublin City University, a Master
of Business Studies degree from University College Dublin and PhD in Marketing from
Lancaster University (UK).

Dr. Orna O'Brien

Associate Director, Centre for Distance Learning
Orna joined the Centre for Distance Learning in 2002, after graduating from the UCD
Smurfit Graduate School of Business with an MBS in HRM. In 2010, Orna completed her
doctorate at University of Edinburgh in the field of tertiary educational policy development
(specifically the impact of the Bologna Process on university governance in Ireland). She has
also completed a Graduate Diploma in University Teaching and Learning (UCD), a
Certificate in Training and Continuing Education (NUI, Maynooth) and a Certificate in
Education Technology (UCD). She is also a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK).
Orna is the module coordinator for a number of undergraduate and postgraduate research
modules in Ireland, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka. She delivers modules in the areas
of Human Resource Management and Business Research Methods. Her areas of research
interest include the globalisation of higher education and education policy, teaching-learning
environments for part-time students and development of academic competencies.

Michele Connolly
Programme Manager, Hong Kong & Sri Lanka Programmes
Michele joined the Centre for Distance Learning as the Overseas Programme Manager for
Hong Kong and Sri Lanka programmes in October 2012. For the previous six years, Michele
worked in the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School UCD across many of the Masters
Programmes, as both Programme Administrator and Manager. Prior to joining UCD, Michele
held many positions in hotels and her last position before joining UCD was as Hotel,
Conference & Banqueting Manager. Michele holds a Higher Certificate in Hospitality
Management from DIT Cathal Brugha Street and is a member of the Irish Hospitality
Institute. She is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree in the School of
Business, UCD.

Sarah Kelly
Programme Administrator, Singapore Programmes
Sarah is the Programme Administrator for the Overseas Programmes focusing on Singapore.
She has been in UCD since 2008 previously working as an Administrator in the Admissions
Office, UCD Adult Education Centre, Veterinary Nursing and the Medical Bureau of Road
Safety in UCD. Sarah holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in Economics & Politics from
University College Dublin and a Diploma in Legal Studies from Dublin Business School.
Prior to joining UCD she spent 5 years working in Financial Services.

Fiona Whitney
Programme Administrator, Hong Kong & Sri Lanka Programmes
Fiona is the Programme Administrator for the School's programmes in Hong Kong and Sri
Lanka. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce (International) and an MA (Politics) from UCD.
Prior to joining the Centre for Distance Learning, Fiona worked in a number of roles in the
Irish university sector, including administrative, library assistant and research support
positions. Fiona has also worked in the banking and publishing sectors.

Julia Janiszewska
Assessment Administrator, Hong Kong, Singapore & Sri Lanka Programmes
Julia is the Assessment Administrator for the Schools programmes in Hong Kong, Singapore
and Sri Lanka. She joined UCD in November 2012. Previously she worked for both the
School of Electrical Engineering Systems and the Registration Service Office at the Dublin
Institute of Technology. She has also worked as an Education Officer for the Irish Institute of
Purchasing and Materials Management. Prior to entering the education field, she spent seven
years working in Polish local radios. Julia holds a Master of Arts in Journalism from the
University of Zielona Gora.

Joanna Kozielec
Admissions Manager, Hong Kong, Singapore & Sri Lanka Programmes
Joanna is the Admissions Manager for the Schools Overseas programmes. She previously
worked as a Programme Administrator in the Centre for Distance Learning at UCD School of
Business. Joanna first joined UCD in 2006 where she worked in IT Services and since then
she has worked in various roles. Joanna holds an MSc in Tourism from University School of
Physical Education, Krakow and a postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations, from Tischner
European University, Krakow.

Christina Burke
Programme Manager, Singapore
Christina joined the Centre for Distance Learning as the Overseas Programme manager for
Singapore programmes in 2014. Since joining UCD, she has held a number of positions,
including Open Learning Coordinator in UCD Adult Education and College Liaison for the
College of Arts and Celtic Studies and the College of Engineering & Architecture in UCD
Registry. She has previously been employed in a range of roles in the private sector including
the insurance industry. Christina holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) Degree in Economics &
History and a Masters Degree in Economic Science from University College Dublin.