Board Members

Nicola McGrane - Chairperson and Treasurer

Nicola McGrane established Conference Partners in 1998.

Driven by passion and enthusiasm, the values which drive her actions are quality, trust and integrity.
Nicola takes a “hands on” approach to her business and is regarded as a leading lateral thinker with an innovative approach to problem solving and delivery.

Renowned for her ability to identify opportunities, her creative thinking and strategic advice has been sought at the highest level by numerous associations, corporations and industry bodies.

Jean Evans - Vice Chairperson

A world traveller at heart, Jean Evans has represented Ireland in various guises in the international business tourism sector, working for Bord Failte in Italy and Tourism Ireland in the USA, before returning to the Dublin Convention Bureau as CEO in 2003.

Since joining MCI Dublin as Director of Conferences, Jean has maintained and enhanced its global reputation as a world-class PCO provider.

Marina Finn - Secretary

For over 20 years Marina has been involved in the tourism industry and commenced her career with Abbey Tours in 1989. During this time she has held a number of senior management positions within the company before acquiring the ownership of the company in 2008, together with her colleagues Patricia McColgan and Jane Magnier.

Marina is a highly experienced travel professional in the area of Conference Planning & Management and has been Project Director for a wide range of International Association Meetings and Events over her 20 year career. Marina also holds the position of Secretary of the AIPCO. She is a graduate of University College Dublin and holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree.

Ronan Flood

Ronan holds a BA in Politics and Economics from University College Dublin and a Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing Management from the College of Marketing at the Dublin Institute of Technology.

Ronan has 19 years professional experience managing events from Medical Congress to highly complex and involved incentive travel programmes to corporate awards ceremonies. He appreciates that events reflect on their hosts and works tirelessly to ensure that clients get value for their investment and more importantly kudos from their guests for staging the event in the first place!!

Ronan was born in Dublin, is married to Sarah and they have 3 young children. When work/family commitments permit he enjoys sailing on Dublin Bay.

Pat Delaney

As managing director of Ovation Global DMC since 1983 Patrick Delaney has extensive knowledge of the travel, meeting and incentive industry.

He has worked for major hotel chains in Ireland and Canada and headed up the marketing function of the Irish Tourist Board in North America.

A highly sought after industry speaker, who also gives industry training seminars, Patrick is also a Past President of AIPCO.

Susan Nolan

A graduate of Trinity College with a marketing degree and fluency in two European languages, the area of business tourism was always been the perfect milieu for Susan.

Over a 20 year period, she has worked as a DMC and in hotel sales before becoming a PCO. Susan heads up the PCO division of the Odyssey Group; Odyssey Convention Ireland.