New and notable appointments at Food Safety Authority of Ireland, Vyta, PE Global, DLA Piper, and Salt Edge

Pictured (L-R): Dr Michelle Minihan, Director of Audit, Incidents and Investigations, and Micheál O’Mahony, Chief Specialist, Veterinary Public Health

This week sees new and notable appointments at Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI), Vyta, PE Global, DLA Piper, and Salt Edge

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Dr Michelle Minihan, Director of Audit, Incidents and Investigations, Micheál O’Mahony, Chief Specialist, Veterinary Public Health,
The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI)

The Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) today announced the senior appointments of Dr Michelle Minihan as Director of Audit, Incidents and Investigations and Micheál O’Mahony as Chief Specialist, Veterinary Public Health. Both have previously worked with the FSAI and other regulatory bodies including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority (SFPA).

As Director of Audit, Incidents and Investigations, Dr Michelle Minihan will lead the FSAI’s multi-disciplinary team and work with other FSAI experts, official agencies and the food industry to assess the effectiveness of official food safety controls and compliance with food law; and to ensure investigations are undertaken when there is a suspicion of fraudulent and deceptive practices in the food chain and ensure the removal of unsafe or potentially unsafe food that is on the market in the interest of consumer protection.

Michelle joins the FSAI from the Office of Environmental Enforcement in the EPA. For almost five years, she led the EPA’s drinking water team with chief responsibility for ensuring the quality of public water supply met stringent legislative requirements. Prior to her work with the EPA, Michelle worked with the FSAI for over a decade in a variety of roles in the Enforcement Policy, Food Incidents, and Audit and Investigations teams. Michelle holds a PhD in Chemistry and a bachelor’s in science from the University of Limerick.

As Chief Specialist in Veterinary Public Health, Micheál O’Mahony will lead and manage the FSAI Veterinary Public Health and Agriculture team, providing policy advice and support to all food safety personnel on the protection of consumer health from potential illness related to the consumption of foods of animal origin. Whilst also supporting effective and consistent enforcement and working with the food industry to build compliance with food law.

Prior to taking up his new role, Micheál garnered both research and regulatory experience as a researcher and lecturer in Veterinary Public Health & Food Safety with University College, Dublin (UCD) and as Authority Member and Chief Scientific Advisor with the SFPA. While with the SFPA, Micheál’s role as Chief Scientific Advisor involved implementing changes for SFPA official controls arising from Brexit. Micheál also previously served as Chief Specialist in Veterinary Public Health with the FSAI. He holds both bachelors and master’s degrees in veterinary medicine from UCD. He is a Diplomate Member of the European College of Veterinary Public Health, and a registered specialist in veterinary public health with both the European Board of Veterinary Specialisation and the Veterinary Council of Ireland.

Commenting on the appointments, Dr Pamela Byrne, CEO, FSAI, “I am delighted to welcome back Michelle and Micheál to the FSAI. They both bring a wealth of experience and expertise from their time away from the FSAI, reaffirming the science-based ethos underpinning all the decisions, policies and actions of our organisation. As senior members of the FSAI’s management team, they will lead colleagues to safeguard public health in their respective fields of audit, food incidents, investigations and veterinary public health and I am confident that they will make invaluable contributions to already excellent teams.”

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Lowell Rawcliffe, Head of Business Development,
Vyta

Vyta, a leading IT asset disposition company in Ireland and the UK, has announced that it has appointed Lowell Rawcliffe as Head of Business Development. In this role, Lowell will be central to Vyta’s continued success; driving and championing business and service opportunities across new territories at a time when the company is growing rapidly.

Lowell has over eight years of experience in developing robust rapport with new prospects and existing clients. In this new role, he will be responsible for managing client relationships, onboarding new customers and ensuring that Vyta continues to be an industry leader in customer service, sustainability, and security.

Lowell’s appointment comes after a £13M investment from MML Growth Capital Partners Ireland enabled Vyta to acquire Essex-based IT disposal company, FGD. The company plans to make further acquisitions that will increase its market share across the UK, Ireland and continental Europe. Lowell will play an integral role in these expansion plans, maximising opportunities for growth and fulfilling requirements for new customers.

Lowell joined Vyta in 2017 as a Business Development Manager, quickly progressing to Account Manager and then Senior Account Manager within five years. During this time, he has strengthened his skills in sales management, relationship building and his ability to respond and adapt to new challenges during periods of swift expansion. Prior to this, he worked as a Sales and Customer Service Representative at Tesla.

Lowell holds a Bachelor’s degree in Geography from University of Exeter and is currently completing a diploma in Strategic Management & Leadership from the Chartered Management Institute (CMI).

Speaking about his appointment, Lowell Rawcliffe said: “I am delighted to have been appointed Head of Business Development at Vyta. I am grateful for being granted the opportunity across my time with Vyta to learn, develop and take on more and more responsibility within the company. It’s a privilege to be a part of a company that is committed to the circular economy, investing in sustainable practices that help to maximise the lifespan of IT equipment and enable thousands of tonnes of carbon dioxide savings every year. I look forward to taking on the challenges that this role will bring, while working with the team to deliver world-class customer service.”

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David Van Der Vegt, Board of Directors,
PE Global

PE Global has announced the appointment of David Van Der Vegt to its Board of Directors at the international recruitment agency based in Cork, Ireland.

A seasoned recruitment professional, David joined the team in PE Global in 2006 and was involved in the establishment of Locum Express, PE Global’s division specialising in the provision of short and long term locum professionals to the public and private health sector. He led its growth to become one of the largest locum agencies in Ireland.

Now Head of PE Global’s healthcare division, David supports major international hospitals by providing specialist advice on a range of areas including the recruitment of medical personnel, ethics, visa requirements and qualifications across the different markets in which PE Global operates.

He is also responsible for PE Global’s UK office and its expansion across the UK and EMEA regions, managing day-to-day operations and strategic planning for the company’s growth.

Commenting on his appointment to the Board, David said:

“I am very much looking forward to working alongside the team of experts at PE Global as we continue to grow and expand our operations internationally, delivering great results for such a diverse range of clients and providing them with our tailored recruitment solutions.

The healthcare sector is an incredibly important sector and our team is committed to supporting healthcare systems both nationally and internationally in acquiring necessary resources to provide the best quality patient care.”

PE Global is an award winning international recruitment agency that specialises in offering tailored recruitment solutions to companies and organisations in the domestic and international markets. Headquartered in Cork, PE Global also has offices in Dublin and London and supports clients and candidates across a variety of sectors including Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology, IT, Medical, Finance and Manufacturing.

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Daniel Mulhall, Consultant,
DLA Piper

DLA Piper welcomes Daniel Mulhall, former Irish Ambassador to the US, as a consultant at the firm.

For more than 40 years, Mulhall served as a distinguished Irish diplomat. His notable diplomatic work includes contributing to the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, serving as Ireland’s Ambassador to Malaysia, Germany and the UK and, most recently, as Ireland’s Ambassador to the US from 2017-2022.

After retiring from the Department of Foreign Affairs, Mulhall became the global distinguished professor in Irish studies at New York University and is currently also a fellow of Magdalene College at the University of Cambridge, England.

“The US and Ireland have developed a unique relationship anchored in deep and diverse bilateral economic ties”, said Mulhall. “I am excited to join a firm that has such a strong understanding of how important the US-Ireland partnership is to companies growing their businesses globally. I look forward to offering my advice and the fruits of my experience to DLA Piper and its clients.”

“As an accomplished diplomat, Dan brings a wealth of experience to the firm, and we know our clients will benefit from his background and skillset,” said David Carthy, DLA Piper’s Ireland managing partner. “Our Ireland business is the fastest growing legal business in the market, and we look forward to Dan helping us achieve our goal of doubling our business again over the coming years.”

“Dan’s arrival to the firm is further supporting our strategic focus on our clients’ needs across the regions and jurisdictions”, said Rick Chesley, the firm’s co-US managing partner. “Our increased focus on Ireland-US relations is reflecting the historical relations and more recent business dynamics between the two countries and throughout the EU, and we’re pleased to continue our efforts in building on these synergies.”

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Stephen Winyard, Chief Sales Officer,
Salt Edge