About Us

The Ireland China Business Association (ICBA) is a not-for profit organisation, established in 2000 to explore opportunities and identify keys areas of potential cooperation between Irish and Chinese companies in the emerging Chinese market.

Today, exceptional business opportunities abound in China for Irish companies and equally strong investment opportunities abound for Chinese individual, corporate and institutional investors in Ireland. Two-way trade between Ireland and China is estimated to amount to €24bn in 2019.

The ICBA strives to optimise these opportunities and is recognised today as the leading and only Irish Association focused solely on all aspects of the Chinese market.

We work very closely with the Chinese Embassy, Team Ireland in China, led by the Ambassador in Beijing, the Consul General in Shanghai and the Consul General in Hong Kong, the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Justice and Equality, Department of Enterprise, Innovation and Jobs, Department of Education and Skills, Enterprise Ireland, IDA and leading Irish and Chinese businesses and financial institutions.

Vision:

To enable the development of profitable business co-operation and partnerships

To promote trade, build business, educational and cultural links

To provide a lobbyist function for Ireland China businesses with key policy makers and stakeholders

To support member businesses, in particular from the SME sector, who are considering market entry and who are looking to learn what is needed to succeed in this market

Vision:

To enable the development of profitable business co-operation and partnerships

To promote trade, build business, educational and cultural links

To provide a lobbyist function for Ireland China businesses with key policy makers and stakeholders

To support member businesses, in particular from the SME sector, who are considering market entry and who are looking to learn what is needed to succeed in this market

Mission:

To provide a significant programme of networking events for Members in the form of regular Breakfast and lunches, seminars and evening briefings with guest speakers
To produce regular communications via newsletter/email/enzine containing trade information and news of Irish and Chinese events
To co-operate with both Irish and Chinese state bodies in meeting a significant number of trade groups from China

To assist in delegations visiting China
To organise business/cultural and language training courses for interested parties

Council Members

Caroline Devlin – Chair

Caroline is a former partner in Arthur Cox, co-chair of Aviation Group. and senior partner in Arthur Cox’s Tax Group. She is particularly experienced in advising clients on all financial services transactions including loan portfolio transactions, securitisations, bond issues, and aircraft and equipment leasing. Caroline leads Arthur Cox’s Asia-Pacific Group.

Alan Dixon – Vice Chair

Alan established Ireland’s first trade development office in China in 1979, when he was based in Beijing from 1979 to 1982 and led the opening up of the Chinese market to Irish exporters. More recently he was Executive Director, Asia-Pacific, Enterprise Ireland (EI), based in Shanghai from 2008 to 2015. Alan is currently a non-executive board member and independent business adviser. A native of Dublin, he is a Chemical Engineer and an M.B.A. graduate from University College Dublin and more recently he completed the Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD, in Paris and Singapore.

Susan Barrett

A graduate of Trinity College, Susan’s background has led her to a career in sales, marketing and business development spanning the property, equestrian, education and tourism markets. Founder and CEO of Select Ireland, a business consultancy focused on the Chinese Market,Susan’s multi sectoral experience has been of huge benefit whilst operating in the Chinese Market both assisting Irish companies with market entry strategy and Chinese companies wishing to set up in Ireland.

Mary Ruane

Mary Ruane is the founding and former director of the UCD Applied Language Centre and is currently attached to the School of Asian Studies and the Confucius Institute UCC. She has a longstanding interest in Chinese language education as part of an overall national strategy to promote Sino-Irish relations in the fields of culture, education and business. Mary is also a former Chair of the Dublin Chinese New Year Festival.

Chan Shi

Chan Shi is the founding partner of ACSK Solicitors and a member of Commercial law committee of Dublin Solicitors Bar Association. ACSK Solicitors has a partner law firm in China and in corroboration with the Chines partner law firm ACSK Solicitors assist Irish companies and individuals setting up business in China or transacting business in China. Chan is the first Chinese national to be qualified as Irish Solicitor.

Chen Tian

Chen Tian joined HSBC Ireland in 2018. He was educated in Ireland and has previously held numerous roles in Corporate Banking, Retail Banking and Global Markets in the Irish banking industry since 2004. He has also been an active member in a number of professional Chinese societies.
Chen has a deep understanding of both Irish and Chinese business environments and culture. He is currently working as a part of HSBC Subsidiary & Multinational Banking Team, with a particular focus on China.

Lourda Kildea

Lourda Kildea has been traveling extensively to China and Internationally on business for over 20 years; specialising in product development, sourcing and buying consumer goods and raw materials. In 2005 she started her own business Global Access 2 Product Ltd (GAP2) which offers a wide range of services, specialising in consultancy on product development, product sourcing, packaging and branding on a broad spectrum of products from China.

Alan Loughrey

Alan holds an Honours Degree in Business Studies (GMIT), a Post-Graduate Diploma in Marketing (MII), an Executive Diploma in Digital Marketing (also MII) and the CIPS Certified International Property Specialist accreditation. He first joined Business Vision in 2002 and acquired the business just three years later. In 2008, he added a separate commercial real estate business, BV Commercial.

Alan has vast experience of dealing with investors from the Asia-China market; as well as having extensive experience of negotiating office space for Chinese companies locating in Ireland, he has negotiated the sale of businesses and properties to Chinese investors.

Lorcan Bannon

Lorcan Bannon currently works with ifac where he helps emerging Irish Food and Agtech companies to scale. Prior to joining ifac, Lorcan worked as part of the management team at Olytico, Irelands leading online research agency and with Pernod Ricard as Senior Global Brand Manager for Jameson Whiskey working across multiple markets leading strategic marketing plans for key activation pillars. Lorcan holds an honours degree in International Commerce from UCD(Ireland), an International Business Diploma from ICN Nancy (France), a Diploma in Digital Marketing and a Diploma in Corporate Finance.

Paul Murray

Paul is an Investment Director with Atlantic Bridge, a global technology investment fund focusing on disruptive technology markets and headquartered in Dublin with over €1Bn in Assets under management.

He is responsible for the China Ireland Technology Investment Fund which is focused on investing in Irish and Chinese technology companies and cross border value add. The latest China Ireland Technology Investment Fund of €150m backed by the Irish and Chinese Governments was launched in March 2018.

In this role, Paul is responsible for sourcing new investment opportunities as well as working with existing portfolio companies both in Ireland and China.

Zhen Dong

Zhen joined NTMA in 2016 where she has been a Senior Investment Analyst for the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF). Zhen has experience in managing a portfolio of investments, across capital structure, and private and public markets. She is also a keen driver and initiator on China-related business and co-investments opportunities. Prior to that, Zhen has three-years’ experience in risk management in the Fund industry in Dublin.

Zhen holds a first-class CEMS degree from HEC Paris and UCD Smurfit School, and a first-class B.Comm degree from UCD, Ireland.

Qi Sun

Qi is Vice President – Greater China Region at ORIX Aviation. He is responsible for covering the trading activities with lessors and origination activities with Airlines in the Greater China Area.

Prior to joining ORIX Aviation, Qi worked in the financial services group at Deloitte and Touche Ireland where he provided assurance and advisory services to clients.

Sarah Kildea

Sarah Kildea has been elected as Chairperson of the ICBA Student Council in 2020.

Sarah holds a BCL International in Law and Chinese from Maynooth University, and she is currently studying for her FE1 Law Society exams.

Sarah has been a member of the student council for several years and has studied Chinese language and culture both in Ireland and in Beihang University China. While living in Beijing she served on the St Patricks Day Ball committee as Head of Design & Production, during which time she witnessed first-hand the strength of the relationship between Irish and Chinese businesses.

“I am very honoured and excited with this role and the opportunity it gives me to help connect students with both Irish and Chinese enterprises”

Paraic Hayes

Bio pending

Our Southern Region Branch was formerly launched in May 2017.

Southern Region Committee:

Mary Ruane, UCC
Founding and former director of the UCD Applied Language Centre and is currently attached to the School of Asian Studies and the Confucius Institute UCC. Current ICBA Council Member.

Brian Gallagher, Cork Airport at daa
Brian is Head of Aviation Business Development at Cork Airport

DC Calahane, Republic of Work
DC is CEO of the Republic of Work, a business innovation hub.

Katherine Fitzpatrick, Cork Chamber of Commerce
Katherine is Director of International Relations with responsibility for international trade and innovation at Cork Chamber.

Our Western and North Western Regional Branch was launch in October 2018.

Western and North Western Region Committee:

Alan Dixon, current Vice Chair of ICBA
Alan established Ireland’s first trade development office in China in 1979

Susan Barrett, Select Ireland
Susan is founder and CEO of Select Ireland, a business consultancy focused on the Chinese Market. Susan is also ex Chair and current council member.

Alan Loughrey, BV Commercial
Managing Director of BV Commercial.

The ICBA Student Council was founded in 2018 with the mission of connecting students with both Irish and Chinese enterprises.

The student council aims to increase student involvement with ICBA information seminars, networking events and Chinese delegation participation. Student members are given the unique opportunity to network with industry leaders from Ireland and China. Students also have the opportunity to volunteer at the events and gain invaluable experience in event management and an insight into Irish – China business relations. It is also the aim of the student council to help students become up-to-date with information and news of Irish and Chinese events with a regular ezine and to organise business/cultural and language training courses for interested parties.

Sarah Kildea has been elected as Chairperson of the ICBA Student Council in 2020. The Student Council is dedicated to connecting students with both Irish and Chinese enterprises.

Sarah is delighted and honoured to have been selected for this program.

Our Patrons: